PubMed Health⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

S K Krishnan

Publications and source records attributed to S K Krishnan.

4 recordsLinked to original sources

Observer experience and Cup:Disc ratio assessment.

BACKGROUND: The validity of the Cup:Disc (C:D) ratio as a clinical measure depends on the level of agreement among observers. In this study, we investigated the effect of observer experience on interobserver and intraobserver agreement in C:D ratio estimation. METHODS: Nine 3rd-year (Yr3) and nine 4th-year (Yr4) optometry students and nine optometrists (Opt), determined C:D ratios from 26 optic disc photographs viewed monoscopically and stereoscopically. Observer agreement was investigated using weighted kappa (Kw) analysis. RESULTS: Interobserver agreement was higher (p < 0.01) among optometrists than among 4th-year students and higher (p < 0.01) among 4th-year than among 3rd-year students (mean Kw: Opt = 0.61; Yr4 = 0.51; Yr3 = 0.39). Stereoscopic estimates of C:D ratios were higher (p < 0.0001) than monoscopic estimates, and interobserver agreement was higher (p < 0.001) when evaluating the vertical rather than the horizontal C:D ratio. Intraobserver agreement (mean Kw: Opt = 0.67; Yr4 = 0.66; Yr3 = 0.62) did not vary significantly (p = 0.78) with experience. CONCLUSIONS: The extent to which an observer reproducibly assesses the C:D ratio from optic disc photographs (intraobserver agreement) does not increase with experience. However, the agreement between different observers in assessing the C:D ratio (interobserver agreement) increases with experience.

Clinical Competence↗

Pain on intramuscular injection of bupivacaine, ropivacaine, with and without dexamethasone.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: We wished to determine which long-acting local anesthetic would produce the least pain on injection for treatment of myofascial pain disorders. We compared the pain on intramuscular injection of bupivacaine, ropivacaine, bupivacaine with dexamethasone, ropivacaine with dexamethasone, and needle placement alone. METHODS: Thirty volunteers received 5 injections each: (1) needle only, (2) bupivacaine 0.5%, (3) ropivacaine 0.5%, (4) bupivacaine 0.5% with dexamethasone 0.13 mg/mL, and (5) ropivacaine 0.5% with dexamethasone 0.13 mg/mL. The injections were made in the volunteers' upper trapezius muscles; there was a 15-minute interval between injections. The sequence of injections was randomized by Latin square design. The intensity of pain was rated on a 0 to 10 cm visual analogue scale (VAS) score. Neither the investigator nor the volunteer was aware of the nature of the injectate. The pH of the injected solutions was checked to determine if differences in the intensity of pain on injection were due to differences in the pH of the solutions. RESULTS: The VAS pain scores were 3.1 +/- 2.4 for needle only, 4.4 +/- 2.8 for bupivacaine, 2.5 +/- 2.0 for ropivacaine, 4.7 +/- 2.7 for bupivacaine/dexamethasone, and 3.7 +/- 2.2 for ropivacaine/dexamethasone. The pain on injection of ropivacaine was significantly less than the pain on injection of bupivacaine or bupivacaine/dexamethasone. The pH values of the solutions were as follows: (1) bupivacaine, 5.50; (2) ropivacaine, 5.57; (3) bupivacaine/dexamethasone, 6.64; and (4) ropivacaine/dexamethasone, 6.60. CONCLUSIONS: The pain on intramuscular injection of bupivacaine is significantly more intense than with ropivacaine. The difference in the intensity of the pain on injection between bupivacaine and ropivacaine does not appear to be related to differences in pH. The results of our study have implications on the choice of the local anesthetic used in trigger point injections.

Adult↗

Study of leprosy among slum dwellers in Pune. Part II--Disabilities.

While conducting a leprosy survey in an urban slum in Pune 45 cases of leprosy were detected in a population of 4915 and only 7 of these cases had some disability. Disability rate in the leprosy cases was 15.56 percent, and maximum number had Grade 2 disability of hands or feet. Disability was higher in the higher age groups, males, Hindus, widower/widows, unemployed and lower socio-economic classes. Majority of the cases had a very low Disability Index DI (2) between 0.10 to 0.69 which is heartening and proves the successful implementation of the National Leprosy Eradication Programme.

Persons with Disabilities↗