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Biomedical subjects

P Balasubramaniam

Publications and source records attributed to P Balasubramaniam.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2004

Curry leaves.

Explore the source record for details and available documents.

Cariostatic Agents↗
PubMed2004

Fumaric acid esters in severe psoriasis, including experience of use in combination with other systemic modalities.

BACKGROUND: Fumaric acid esters (FAE) are used as a systemic treatment for severe psoriasis in Germany but there has been only very little published experience from the U.K. The potential for use in combination with other systemic drugs has not been explored. OBJECTIVES: To present data relating to the efficacy of FAE in severe psoriasis and to examine the potential dose-sparing effect and safety issues when FAE are combined with other systemic agents. METHODS: We retrospectively analysed the records of patients who had received FAE for severe psoriasis either alone (in two cases) or along with other systemic medications (in 10 cases). We reviewed the efficacy of FAE and assessed whether dose reductions were achieved for other systemic drugs. Patients were monitored carefully for possible adverse effects. RESULTS: Of 12 patients treated with FAE one discontinued the drug very early, due to flushing, while on a very low dose. The other 11 patients all demonstrated an improvement in psoriasis after starting FAE. Nine patients received FAE in combination with other systemic therapies including ciclosporin, acitretin, hydroxyurea and methotrexate. Seven achieved useful overall reductions in the dose of the other drugs. In two patients severe psoriasis was controlled using FAE alone. The side-effect profile of FAE was similar to that previously reported. There was no evidence of drug interactions. CONCLUSIONS: FAE appear effective and less toxic than other systemic treatments for psoriasis. FAE were used successfully in combination with other systemic agents and generally enabled the doses of the more hazardous drugs to be reduced. Extremely careful monitoring is required when using FAE in such combined regimens as experience is currently very limited.

Adult↗
PubMed2004

Erythroderma: 90% skin failure.

Erythroderma is a life-threatening state of skin failure. This dermatological emergency often presents to an acute medical unit or accident and emergency department. Effective initial management is vital.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed2001

Introduction of problem-based learning in a traditional medical curriculum in Singapore--students' and tutors' perspectives.

OBJECTIVES: The Faculty of Medicine at the National University of Singapore was founded in 1905 and has trained many generations of medical practitioners. Teaching has been based on a traditional British-style curriculum with 2 years of training in the basic clinical sciences and 3 years in the clinical disciplines. Starting in the academic year 1999-2000, a more integrated curriculum was introduced. In conjunction with this, approximately one-fifth of the curriculum time was dedicated to problem-based learning (PBL). This will be the first time that PBL is being implemented in the medical school and both staff and students will be new at it. Thus, the objective of this study was to gather information on the reactions of both staff and students after the actual implementation. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A questionnaire was designed to assess the following: (1) What are tutors' and students' opinions on the relative benefits on students' learning process and participation of PBL versus traditional lectures? (2) What is the level of satisfaction with various aspects of their PBL experience? (3) What were the difficulties that were encountered? RESULTS: Several positive and negative aspects of the tutors' and students' experiences were revealed. Most reported fairly high levels of satisfaction with their PBL experience. CONCLUSIONS: Overall, the experiences have been positive and both groups are willing to "struggle" with this new way of learning.

Education, Medical↗
PubMed1998

The Singapore operation for recurrent dislocation of peroneal tendons: long-term results.

Recurrent dislocation of peroneal tendons is uncommon and there are few reports of the long-term results after repair. The Singapore operation, first described in 1985, is an anatomical repair based on the Bankart-like lesion seen in the superior peroneal retinaculum. We reviewed 21 patients after a mean follow-up of 9.3 years, and found no recurrence. Eighteen had good functional results and had returned to their previous levels of vocational and sports activities. The three fair results were due to painful scars or neuromas.

Activities of Daily Living↗
PubMed1997

Direct spinal curvature digitization in scoliosis screening--a comparative study with Moiré contourgraphy.

The forward bending test, widely used in scoliosis screening, is associated with high false-positive rates. We postulate that direct surface measurement of the spinal curvature by digitization of the spinous processes used in combination with the forward bending test could increase the predictive value of detecting scoliosis without sacrificing sensitivity. Sixty consecutive patients referred from a school screening program were included in this study. All had moiré contourgraphy, spinous process digitization, and erect frontal radiographs of the spine. The number of false positives from the forward bending test was 35. Moiré contourgraphy did not reduce the number of false positives significantly. A posterior spinal deformity of 10 degrees or more predicted scoliosis in all patients, with 15 false-positive readings. Direct measurement of the spinal curvature by spinous process digitization can be an effective second-stage screening tool for scoliosis in centers where all the screened positives are referred to a single center.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1992

A simple technique for hemoglobin estimation to screen for anaemia.

Drabkins method has been modified enabling detection of anaemia in a large population. 132 samples of EDTA blood were subjected to hemoglobin estimation by (1) Direct Drabkin (DD) (2), Filter Drabkin (FD) and (3) Special Filter Drabkin (SFD). Hemoglobin estimations by DD and FD compared well on statistical analysis. SFD with a punch diameter of 10.6 to 10.7 mm compared well with DD and is ideal for screening anaemia in field studies.

Anemia↗
PubMed1990

Healing of non-vascularised diaphyseal bone transplants. An experimental study.

Four different experiments were performed to study the healing of a large, non-vascularised, diaphyseal, bone segment in adult cats. In the first experiment, a 4 cm segment of tibia with its periosteum was excised and replaced in its bed. The other experiments were similar, except that in the second, the periosteum of the segment was removed, in the third its medullary canal was blocked with a Silastic rod, and in the last group the segment was isolated from its muscle bed by a Silastic sheet. The reparative processes were quantified by estimating the resorption index, the cortical new bone formation index, the callus encasement index, and the osteocyte count. Bone resorption and apposition occurred in the segment even when the periosteum was absent or the medullary canal was blocked, with osseous union at both ends by eight to 12 weeks, provided the segment was not isolated from its muscle bed. Thus, the muscle bed played a significant role in these reparative processes.

Animals↗
PubMed1990

The lateral condylar prominence. A complication of supracondylar osteotomy for cubitus varus.

We reviewed 27 patients who had supracondylar closing wedge osteotomy for cubitus varus. There were 10 excellent and 12 good results. However, of these 22 patients, 14 had a significant bony prominence over the lateral condylar region caused by lateral displacement of the elbow when closing the osteotomy. This prominence was less obvious in patients who had their osteotomy at a young age, but worse after operations near or after skeletal maturity. This difference appeared to be due to remodelling.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1989

[Respiratory function in idiopathic scoliosis in adolescents treated by Harrington instrumentation with or without sublaminar segmental wiring].

The forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) and the forced vital capacity (FVC) of 40 adolescents with idiopathic scoliosis were studied before and after surgery. The values obtained are expressed as percentages of the predicted normal. Twenty-one patients underwent surgical correction of the curve with Harrington rods followed by cast and brace immobilisation for one and a half years (Group A). In the other 19 patients the Harrington rod was contoured in the sagittal plane and supplemented with segmented sublaminar wires to allow rapid post-operative mobilisation free of any orthosis (Group B). A negative correlation was found pre-operatively between the magnitude of the curve and the FEV1 and FVC. The post-operative pulmonary function showed no statistically significant improvement. Contouring the Harrington rod to improve kyphosis in Group B did not affect the outcome.

Adolescent↗