Short-Duration Prednisolone in Children with Nephrotic Syndrome Relapse: A Noninferiority Randomized Controlled Trial

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The role of ultrasound in the diagnosis of a large, rapidly growing, thyroid mass.

The value of ultrasound in the diagnosis of a large rapidly growing thyroid mass was assessed in a study of 42 patients with a large (> 3 cm) rapidly growing (< two months) solitary mass. Haemorrhage into a thyroid nodule was present in 31 patients and thyroid malignancy in 11. Ultrasound of haemorrhage into a thyroid nodule revealed a large cystic mass in all 31 patients containing internal debris (22), septations (three), or a combination of both (six). The malignant causes of a large rapidly growing mass were lymphoma (two), anaplastic carcinoma (four) and metastasis (five). Ultrasound of these thyroid malignancies revealed a mass with a smooth, well-defined margin and strikingly low homogeneous echogenicity in all cases. Patients with thyroid metastases had evidence of widespread metastatic disease elsewhere. Lymphoma was differentiated from anaplastic carcinoma on fine-needle aspiration cytology or surgical biopsy. Ultrasound was of value in differentiating between a benign haemorrhagic nodule and a malignant tumour. The various malignant tumours had similar appearances, however, and could not be distinguished on ultrasound.     

Patient experience with, and use of, an electronic monitoring system to assess vaccination responses

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the user experience and acceptability of an electronic patient monitoring system. SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS: 822 Military and civilian personnel at a health clinic at a major US military headquarters used an Internet and telephone-based electronic monitoring system to report vaccination-site responses and symptoms after receiving the smallpox vaccination. Focus groups of vaccinees were conducted to help develop a survey about the experience that was distributed to 379 vaccinees (96% completion rate). RESULTS: Users of the electronic monitoring system reported that it was fast and easy to use and reported they would use a system like this again and recommend an electronic monitoring system to a friend or relative. Most users (84%) were comfortable with a physician tracking their vaccine reaction using their electronic reports, but only half (51%) were comfortable with eliminating the post-vaccination follow-up visit with their health-care provider based on their electronic reports. CONCLUSIONS: This electronic monitoring system was well received by vaccinees and allowed health-care providers to track the status of vaccinees. However, vaccinees were not comfortable replacing a physician visit with electronic monitoring, at least for the smallpox vaccination. A monitoring system like this may be useful in public health settings, such as mass vaccination or prophylaxis during a bioterrorism event, a pandemic influenza outbreak, or another public health emergency.     

Studies on the optimal conditions for inactivation of Bordetella pertussis organisms with glutaraldehyde for preparation of a safe and potent pertussis vaccine

The optimal conditions for inactivation of Bordetella pertussis organisms with glutaraldehyde for the production of a safe and potent whole cell pertussis vaccine were investigated. Two bacterial harvests from B. pertussis strain 10536 were treated with glutaraldehyde, each with 0.025, 0.05 and 0.1% concentrations of glutaraldehyde for 10, 60 and 120 min. The nine types of glutaraldehyde-inactivated pertussis vaccine (GIPV) and conventional heat-inactivated pertussis vaccine (HIPV) preparations made from two bacterial harvests were comparatively evaluated for the mouse weight gain test (MWGT), potency, and the histamine-sensitization (HS) and leucocytosis-promoting-factor (LPF) tests. The minimum period for killing the B. pertussis organisms with glutaraldehyde was>10 min for 0.025%, 10 min for 0.05% and 5 min for 0.1% concentration. The average loss in opacity varied from 5 to 10% for GIPV preparations and was 14% for HIPV preparations. The GIPV preparations except those inactivated with 0.025% glutaraldehyde for 10 min (GIPV-A) were much less toxic than the HIPV preparations in the MWGT. The GIPV-A preparations did not pass the MWGT. The GIPV preparations were also much less toxic in HS and LPF tests than the HIPV preparation. The potency of GIPV preparations inactivated with 0.05% glutaraldehyde for 10 min (GIPV-D) was similar to that of HIPV preparations. The prolonged treatments with glutaraldehyde reduced the potency. The GIPV-D preparation with good potency and less toxicity was found to be inactivated with glutaraldehyde under optimal conditions. All the preparations were innocuous in the abnormal toxicity test.     

Hydrodynamically balanced systems as sustained release dosage forms for propranolol hydrochloride

Sustained release hydrodynamically balanced capsules (HBS) of propranolol.HCl have been prepared and evaluated in vitro. Data to support the mechanism of drug release from the HBS capsule are also presented. Floating behaviour of the HBS capsule has also been seen in vivo with the help of endoscopy.     

Should cervical ultrasonography be a routine staging investigation for lung cancer patients with impalpable cervical lymph nodes?

OBJECTIVES: Detection of cervical N3 lymph nodes is currently not a routine preoperative investigation for lung cancer patients. We designed a study to assess if the frequency and accuracy of detection of metastatic cervical lymph nodes using cervical ultrasonography (US) and fine needle aspiration (FNA) justify their routine use in all lung cancer patients with impalpable cervical lymph nodes. METHODS: Fifty patients with suspected and potentially operable non-small cell lung cancer were enrolled. Patients with palpable cervical lymph nodes were excluded. In addition to routine preoperative investigations, all patients received cervical US to determine the presence of cervical lymph nodes. Nodes suspicious of harboring malignancy according to a specific set of sonographic criteria (which include shape, echogenicity, nodal architecture, and vascular patterns) were subjected to biopsy by ultrasound-guided FNA. RESULTS: Normal cervical lymph nodes were detected by cervical US in 30 patients (60%). Cervical lymph nodes suspicious of harboring malignancy were detected in 10 patients (20%). FNA confirmed cervical nodal metastasis in four of these patients (8%). The TNM staging of two patients (4%) was revised up to stage IIIb as a result, excluding them from further surgery. Cost analysis suggests this technique to be cost-effective when used as a routine preoperative investigation to exclude patients from unnecessary surgical intervention. No mortality or complications were encountered in all patients. CONCLUSIONS: Cervical US and FNA is a safe and cost-effective method of evaluating the status of impalpable cervical lymph nodes in lung cancer patients. Further study is warranted to establish the role of cervical US and FNA in lung cancer staging algorithms.