Fertility drugs and the risk of breast and gynecologic cancers

The evaluation of cancer risk among patients treated for infertility is complex, given the need to consider indications for use, treatment details, and the effects of other factors (including parity status) that independently affect cancer risk. Many studies have had methodologic limitations. Recent studies that have overcome some of these limitations have not confirmed a link between drug use and invasive ovarian cancers, although there is still a lingering question as to whether borderline tumors might be increased. It is unclear whether this merely reflects increased surveillance. Investigations regarding breast cancer risk have produced inconsistent results. In contrast, an increasing number of studies suggest that fertility drugs may have a special predisposition for the development of uterine cancers, of interest given that these tumors are recognized as particularly hormonally responsive. Additional studies are needed to clarify the effects on cancer risk of fertility drugs, especially those used in conjunction with in vitro fertilization. Because many women who have received such treatments are still relatively young, further monitoring should be pursued in large well-designed studies that enable assessment of effects within a variety of subgroups defined by both patient and disease characteristics.     

Congenital erythropoietic porphyria: two case reports

Porphyrias form a group of disorders caused due to defects in the haem synthetic pathway. Congenital erythropoietic porphyia (CEP) is the rarest of the bullous porphyrias (less than 200 cases have been reported till recent times) and a clinician may not see a case during his professional life. We present two cases of CEP. One child with CEP presented with typical infancy-onset blistering, photosensitivity, red urine, and erythrodontia, with hypertrichosis of the upper arms and back. The other child of CEP presented with childhood-onset blistering, mutilation, and hypertrichosis on the face.     

Pegylated interferon-based sequential therapy for treatment of HBeAg reactive pediatric chronic hepatitis B—First study in children

Background

Our aim was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of sequential therapy using pegylated interferon (Peg-IFN) and nucleos(t)ide analogue (NA) for treatment of children in immunoactive (IA) and immunotolerant (IT) phases of chronic hepatitis B.

Methods

It was a prospective observational study where those willing for sequential therapy were allocated to group 1 (sequential therapy) and others to group 2 (standard therapy). Sequential therapy included 8 weeks of NA followed by 44 weeks of combination of NA and Peg-IFN. In group 2, IA children received NA monotherapy, and IT children received no therapy. HBe seroconversion, HBs seroconversion, and loss of HBV DNA were the major outcome measures.

Results

A total of 61 children (36 IA and 25 IT) were included in the analysis. Among the IA children, 17 received sequential therapy and 19 received standard therapy; whereas, among the IT children, 12 received sequential therapy and 13 did not receive any therapy. In IA phase, sequential therapy led to higher HBe seroconversion (64.7% vs. 21.05%, p =?0.017) and higher virological clearance (94.12% vs. 52.63%, p =?0.008). In IT children, there was no benefit of treatment with sequential therapy over observation alone. Baseline ALT >?100 IU/L predicted response to therapy with 100% sensitivity, 89.5% specificity, and LR⁺ of 9.52.

Conclusion

Sequential therapy leads to higher HBe seroconversion and virological response in children in IA phase. Children with baseline ALT >?100 IU/mL are more likely to respond to sequential therapy. There appears to be no role of sequential therapy in children in IT phase.

     

Carotid endarterectomy after Doppler ultrasonographic examination without angiography

We prospectively reviewed our experience with 32 carotid endarterectomies in 30 patients performed without angiography in a 7 year period. Although this represents 6.7 percent of our total experience with carotid endarterectomy in this period, carotid endarterectomy without angiography is increasing and comprises 17 percent of the last 2 years' total. We have adhered to strict criteria for patient selection that identifies circumstances for a safe operative experience in seven broad categories. Evidence is also presented to reduce an overriding concern for intracranial aneurysms and siphon stenosis if either one exists unrecognized. We are hopeful that in the future, the latter will be identified by intracranial Doppler studies currently being performed. Our experience in this small series has been favorable, with intraoperatively measured lesions equal to the preoperative noninvasive predictions. We suggest that Doppler ultrasonography in its current form can be effectively used in place of conventional angiography or digital subtraction angiography in selected patients.     

Ethnoveterinary remedies of diseases among milk yielding animals in Kathua,Jammu and Kashmir,India

The triangle of relationship between human beings, animals and plants has existed for ages, and has given rise to intense-relationships and consequently rich traditions of ethnoveterinary knowledge throughout the world. The predominantly rural population and the strong agricultural base have provided unique situation for rich ethnoveterinary practices in the study area.