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R Bhalla

Publications and source records attributed to R Bhalla.

22 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

Patterns of outcome measurement in Parkinson's disease clinical trials.

The study examines the pattern of use and clinimetric properties of clinical endpoints used in randomized trials for Parkinson's disease (PD). Randomized drug trials for PD were identified through a Medline search conducted from January 1966 until August 1998. The endpoints used in these trials were abstracted. Reports examining the clinimetric properties of the disease-specific scales used in these trials were also abstracted. Data regarding the consistency, accuracy, discrimination and feasibility of scales used in at least 10% of trials were determined. One hundred and thirty-seven articles met the inclusion criteria; 70.8% of trials used some clinical scale for PD as an endpoint. The Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS) was the most commonly used scale (32.8%). Factors independently associated with the use of the UPDRS included: the study location in the US, mean age of subjects over 62.7 years and publication after 1994. The UPDRS was more thoroughly studied and superior in most clinimetric domains compared to scales developed earlier. Few studies included generic health status (2.9%) or cognitive measures (16.8%) as secondary endpoints. There have been definite improvements in the area of disease-specific measurement in PD trials since the introduction of the UPDRS. The results of studies that used instruments with poor or unreported clinimetric properties should be critically interpreted.

Aged↗

Anterior seromyotomy with posterior truncal vagotomy in uncomplicated chronic duodenal ulcer.

Thirty cases of uncomplicated duodenal ulcer treated by anterior superficial lesser curvature seromyotomy and posterior truncal vagotomy were studied to evaluate the efficacy of this procedure. There was completeness of vagotomy in all the cases as shown by endoscopic Congo Red test. Twenty-seven cases were asymptomatic at 1-48 months (Mean 22.3) follow up, while 3 patients had controllable side effects such as dumping and diarrhoea. There was no mortality. This procedure is safe, effective and is a favourable alternative to highly selective vagotomy.

Adult↗