Study of the Impact of Deltamethrin Impregnated Mosquito Nets on Malaria Incidence at a Military Station

Deltamethrin impregnated mosquito nets have been successfully used all over the world to combat malaria. To study the efficacy of these mosquito nets in the service conditions of Armed Forces, a field trial of Deltamethrin impregnated mosquito nets was carried out at Military Stations ‘A’ (trial station) and B (control station) between July 96 to June 99. July 96-June 97 was the pretrial year during which base line data was collected for malaria incidence. Three rounds of Deltamethrin impregnation of the mosquito nets were done in the trial station for the actual trial duration (July 97-June 99) in lieu of residual spraying. Antimalaria measures including residual spray were continued as usual in the control station. The intervention led to a significant decline in slide positivity rate and malaria incidence in the trial station. Malaria cases declined by 87% in the trial station whereas the control station noticed an increase by 75% at the end of the trial.Key Words: Deltamethrin impregnated mosquito nets, Malaria control     

Delayed optic nerve decompression for indirect optic nerve injury

OBJECTIVE: To test the efficacy of delayed optic nerve decompression in traumatic optic nerve injury. STUDY DESIGN: Critical analysis of Proforma-based, prospectively accrued data of all cases with injury to surgery interval of greater than 2 weeks. METHODS: Thirty-five cases with a median injury to surgery interval of 56 days (range, 16-374 d). Surgical decompression was undertaken only in cases that continued to have poor vision after treatment with steroids in conventional doses (1 mg/kg prednisolone). Pre- and postoperative visual acuity measurements were converted to the logMAR scale of visual acuity and the percentage of visual improvement was calculated. RESULTS: Surgery was universally unrewarding in all 9 cases with persistent and complete blindness of greater than 2 weeks and no response to steroid therapy. Of the cases with some residual vision, 20 of 26 cases improved (mean percentage improvement, 41.0 +/- 5.7%). Cases were categorized on the basis of the injury to surgery interval into groups of 2 weeks to 2 months, 2 months to 4 months, and greater than 4 months. No significant difference was demonstrated in the probability or quantum of improvement in these groups (P =.97). CONCLUSIONS: Optic nerve decompression remains useful as a salvage procedure for conventional dose steroid failed cases of traumatic optic neuropathy. In cases that are not completely blind, vision can be improved even when surgery is undertaken a few months after the injury.     

Fibrosarcoma of the scalp following postoperative radiotherapy for medulloblastoma

Summary A rare case of fibrosarcoma of the scalp following postoperative radiotherapy for medulloblastoma is reported. A review of similar cases in the literature was undertaken in an attempt to find a correlation between the dose of radiation, the length of the latent period, and the nature of the neoplasm. A significantly shorter latent period was found for sarcomas. No relationship was observed between the radiation dose and the latent period. The present case is unique in that the post-irradiation neoplasm (PIN) occurred in a predominantly extracranial site after treatment for a desmoplastic medulloblastoma and had a remarkably short latent period.     

A study of concurrent radiochemotherapy with paclitaxel in glioblastoma multiforme

Despite advances in neurosurgery and radiotherapy, the prognosis of patients with glioblastoma multiforme remains poor. Reports in the literature about the radiosensitizing properties of paclitaxel stimulated the authors to conduct a study using paclitaxel concurrently with radiation in a group of 18 patients who had residual disease postoperatively. Paclitaxel was delivered weekly as an intravenous infusion in a dose of 60 mg/m ² along with radiation to the primary lesion. A total of 108 cycles of paclitaxel was given. All the patients tolerated the treatment well. The main side effects were haematological, and neuropathy which was self-limiting. The overall 1-year survival rate was 70%, with 12 patients alive at 13 months. The median survival has not yet been reached although it is more than 13 months. Thus, paclitaxel can be safely delivered concomitantly with radiation in patients with glioblastoma multiforme. Larger, randomized trials are required to establish the comparative efficacy of paclitaxel as a radiosensitizer in glioblastoma multiforme.     

Salmonella intracerebral and subdural abscess--report of two cases

Two cases of the rarely encountered Salmonella typhi subdural empyema are reported. The first was in an 11 month old infant and the second in a 25 year old adult. Neither of them suffered from typhoid fever. The causative organism was not suspected until the culture report was obtained. Both patients responded satisfactorily to therapy.     

An open, randomised, parallel group study of lactulose versus ispaghula in the treatment of chronic constipation in adults

The efficacy, tolerance and acceptability of lactulose (Duphalac) and ispaghula (Fybogel Orange) were assessed in the treatment of chronic constipation in adults. In an open, prospectively randomised, parallel group study, 124 patients with a history of constipation for more than three weeks were treated with either 15 ml bd of lactulose (increasing to 60 ml daily if necessary) or one sachet bd of ispaghula. Over the four-week treatment period both treatments were shown to be effective, and numbers of concurrent effects were similar between the two groups. Differences were demonstrated with regard to acceptability in favour of lactulose.     

Visual evoked potentials in optic nerve injury. Does it merit a mention?

Summary The value of Visual Evoked Potentials (VEP) in the management of indirect optic nerve injury was prospectively studied in 128 patients. In fifty patients who were either unconscious, uncooperative or had massive black eye, preventing the assessment of vision, a light Emitting Diode (LED) was used to record visual evoked potentials. The initial VEPs were normal in 17, abnormal in 49 and absent in 62. All 17 patients with normal VEP showed visual recovery. Amongst the 49 patients with abnormal VEP, 43 (88%) showed improvement. In 62 patients, initial VEPs showed no response but, in 12 subsequent VEP recordings wave formation was demonstrated. Thus in 50 patients repeated VEP recordings failed to demonstrate wave formation, and none of them improved. This study, thus brings out the high predictive value of both positive and negative VEPs, and specially the role of LED.