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Biomedical subjects

A K Pandey

Publications and source records attributed to A K Pandey.

84 records · Page 5Linked to original sources

A prospective randomized, comparative, open-label trial of the safety and efficacy of paromomycin (aminosidine) plus sodium stibogluconate versus sodium stibogluconate alone for the treatment of visceral leishmaniasis.

Response to treatment with organic pentavalent antimonials, the standard first-line treatment for visceral leishmaniasis (VL), has been decreasing since their introduction into India. Combining sodium stibogluconate (SB) with paromomycin (PM) may be an efficient alternative to single-agent therapy. This trial was designed to assess the safety and efficacy of PM 12 or 18 mg/kg daily plus SB 20 mg/kg daily for 21 days compared to SB alone for 30 days. One hundred and fifty patients were randomly assigned in 1996 to 1 of the 3 treatments and followed-up for 180 days. At the end of treatment, 49 of 52 patients receiving PM12 + SB, 46 of 48 receiving PM18 + SB, and 27 of 49 patients receiving SB alone, were cured. During follow-up there was 1 relapse in each of the treatment groups, giving final cure rates of 48 of 52 (92.3%) for PM12 + SB, 45 of 48 (93.8%) for PM18 + SB, and 26 of 49 (53.1%) for SB. PM plus SB for 21 days at either 12 or 18 mg/kg daily was significantly more effective than SB alone for 30 days (chi 2 P < 0.001). One patient (SB alone) had experienced a serious adverse event: cardiotoxicity at day 8 (myocarditis and ECG changes) which caused withdrawal from the study. Only 19 of 100 patients enrolled in the PM treatment arms had a complete audiogram series conducted thus making it difficult to assess oto-toxicity. PM 12 or 18 mg/kg daily plus a standard dose of SB for 21 days was statistically more effective than SB in producing a final cure for patients with VL in Bihar, India.

Adolescent↗

Comparison of three treatment regimens with liposomal amphotericin B (AmBisome) for visceral leishmaniasis in India: a randomized dose-finding study.

The efficacy and safety of 3 regimens of liposomal amphotericin B (AmBisome) in the treatment of Indian visceral leishmaniasis were compared in a prospective open randomized trial. Thirty parasitologically confirmed patients were randomly divided into 3 equal treatment groups; group 1 received AmBisome 2mg/kg on days 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 10 (total dose 14 mg/kg); group 2 received AmBisome 2 mg/kg on days 1, 2, 3, 4, and 10 (total dose 10 mg/kg); group 3 received the same dosage on 1, 5 and 10 (total dose 6 mg/kg). Clinical cure resulted in all patients by day 24. Haemoglobin, white blood cell count, body weight and serum albumin level improved on day 24 and became normal by day 180. No patient relapsed within 12 months of follow-up. Side effects were minimal. One patient in group 2 died after 2 months from an unrelated disease. Liposomal amphotericin B is a promising new drug which is highly efficacious in the treatment of Indian kala-azar and produces minimal toxicity.

Adult↗

Dose-ranging studies on liposomal amphotericin B (L-AMP-LRC-1) in the treatment of visceral leishmaniasis.

Efficacy and tolerability of liposomal amphotericin B (L-AMP-LRC-1; developed in India by the Liposome Clinical Pharmacology Centre, Mumbai, and the Liposome Research Centre, New Delhi) were assessed in 63 patients suffering from visceral leishmaniasis at centres in Mumbai and Patna. Patients were treated with different daily dose schedules ranging from 1 mg/kg for 21 days to 3.0 mg/kg for 7 days. L-AMP-LRC-1 was well tolerated by all 63 patients. Two patients on the 3.0 mg/kg dose developed bronchospasm on 4 occasions which reversed with standard treatment and could be prevented by increasing the duration of infusion to 3 h. Forty-three patients were freshly diagnosed cases while 20 were unresponsive to standard treatment. All 42 assessable freshly diagnosed cases responded completely to L-AMP-LRC-1 (1 patient died owing to pulmonary infection before completion of treatment), but 5 patients required additional doses for parasitological cure. All 20 patients unresponsive to standard therapy responded completely, but 3 patients required additional doses. The regimen of 2 mg/kg daily for 10 days was 100% effective; 3 mg/kg daily for 5 days was efficacious in 90.9% freshly diagnosed patients, and 3 mg/kg daily for 7 days was effective in 100% of the unresponsive cases of visceral leishmaniasis. L-AMP-LRC-1 is thus found to be safe and effective in freshly diagnosed as well as unresponsive cases of visceral leishmaniasis at dose schedules of shorter duration than used for conventional amphotericin B.

Adolescent↗

Soft tissue release in clubfoot by double incision.

A procedure for soft tissue release through double incisions in clubfoot is described. It has been practiced in 287 cases of severe, neglected, resistant, and relapsed clubfeet in the last 7 years. Generally, it has been found to be a useful approach without risking any skin necrosis.

Clubfoot↗

Respiratory adaptation to high altitude in adolescent Bod girls of the Western Himalayas.

The impact of high-altitude environment was studied on respiratory functions and body measurements in adolescent Bod girls of Ladakh, Jammu and Kashmir, India. Data were collected on 133 high-altitude and 141 low-altitude Bod girls in the age range 12-18 years. Lung functions were, age to age, higher in high-altitude girls than their coeval lowlanders. This has been explained as an adaptation to the stress of low atmospheric pressure at high altitude. This response is similar to the one observed in growing Bod boys living in the same area (Malik and Singh 1979, 1984). High-altitude girls were shorter and lighter, the difference was more pronounced in weight and especially after 14 years of age.

Adaptation, Physiological↗

Effect of reserpine (Serpasil) and chlorpromazine (Largactil) on hypothalamic nuclei of adult female rat.

The effects of reserpine (Serpasil) and chlorpromazine (Largactil) on preoptic area (POA), supraoptic nucleus (SON) and paraventricular nucleus (PVN) of hypothalamus were studied in female rats having 4-day normal oestrus cycle. 30 rats were treated with reserpine in three doses i.e. 0.5 mg, 1.0 mg and 1.5 mg/kg body weight, whereas 20 other rats were treated with chlorpromazine in two doses i.e. 5.0 mg and 10.0 mg/Kg body weight. Gomori positive neurosecretory neurons of the hypothalamus were studied by measuring the diameters of nuclei and cells of POA, SON and PVN. When compared to controls both drugs caused a significant (p less than 0.001 to p less than 0.05) decrease in the nuclear and cell size of the neurons.

Animals↗

Amphotericin B in resistant kala-azar in Bihar.

BACKGROUND: During the recent epidemic of kala-azar in Bihar, we identified a group of patients who were unresponsive to the two commonly used drugs--sodium stibogluconate and pentamidine. We evaluated the use of amphotericin B in these patients because it has been shown to be active in experimental animals against amastigotes and promastigotes, it has been found to be useful in South American patients and is now recommended by the World Health Organization as a second line drug. METHODS: We selected 300 patients who were unresponsive to sodium stibogluconate and pentamidine (out of 500 patients with kala-azar confirmed by demonstration of Leishmania donovani bodies in their splenic aspirates). Amphotericin B was given in a dose of 1 mg/kg body weight on alternate days starting with 0.05 mg/kg body weight with daily increments till a 1 mg dose was reached. A total dose of 20 mg/kg was given initially and repeated if the parasites persisted. The investigations done before and after treatment were splenic or bone marrow aspiration, measurement of the spleen and liver size, body weight, total and differential white cell counts, haemoglobin level, total serum protein, blood urea, serum creatinine, serum potassium, blood sugar, serum alanine and aspartate transaminase, electrocardiography and a chest X-ray. The efficacy of treatment was assessed at the end of treatment and after 6 months of follow up. RESULTS: After treatment with amphotericin B, 298 (99%) of the patients had been cured of their disease as evidenced by the disappearance of fever, reduction of hepatosplenomegaly, clearance of the parasites from the spleen and bone marrow and an absence of relapse on 6 months of follow up. Two hundred and sixty-eight (89%) patients required 1 g of the drug, 24 (8%) required 1.5 g and 6 (2%) required 2 g. All patients had shivering and fever during the infusion. Two had a cardiac arrest from which they could not be revived. Other complications included anorexia, stomatitis, jaundice, hypokalaemia and a rise in blood urea. However, these were only mild and improved after treatment was stopped. CONCLUSION: Amphotericin B is an effective drug for patients with kala-azar unresponsive to treatment with sodium stibogluconate and pentamidine, but it should be administered under close medical supervision.

Adolescent↗