Search PubMed⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

R Sharma

Publications and source records attributed to R Sharma.

At least 721 records · Page 40Linked to original sources
PubMedDate not supplied

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis: newer concepts and management strategies.

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is defined as a specific form of chronic fibrosing interstitial pneumonia limited to the lung and associated with the histologic appearance of usual interstitial pneumonia (UIP) on lung biopsy. It is characterized by progresive dyspnea, worsening of pulmonary function and radiographically, by patchy subpleural interstitial infiltrates with minimal ground glass appearance predominantly affecting the lung bases. The etiology is unknown and no therapy has been clearly shown to prolong survival. The diagnosis, which earlier was difficult to establish, is now based on guidelines of American Thoracic Society. Newer insight into its etiopathogenesis, particularly the mechanisms involved including T helper 1 (Th1) and T helper 2 (Th2) types of responses occurring after the initial and repetitive lung insults and the ineffectiveness of conventional modes of therapy has prompted clinicians worldwide to look for alternative modes of therapy. Conventional therapy for this disorder has been steroids and immunosuppressives. Immunomodulators (Interferon gamma 1b) and antioxidants (Glutathione and its precursor N-acetyl cysteine) are promising results in this, otherwise, uniformly fatal condition.

Humans↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Unilateral pulmonary agenesis: an uncommon cause of lower zone lung opacity.

Congenital abnormalities of the lung are rare and are often misdiagnosed. We report the case of a young girl who was initially diagnosed to have pleural effusion with collapse. After detailed evaluation including computerised tomographic (CT) scan and fiberoptic bronchoscopy, a final diagnosis of unilateral pulmonary agenesis was made. This condition must be suspected in differential diagnosis in a young person presenting with features of lung collapse.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Validation of EORTC quality-of-life questionnaire in Indian women with operable breast cancer.

BACKGROUND: The European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) module QLQ-C30 and the breast cancer-specific module BR-23 have been validated worldwide to assess the quality of life (QOL) in women with breast cancer. No such study has been published on Indian women using EORTC questionnaires. METHODS: QOL was assessed in relation to surgery, adjuvant chemotherapy, radiation therapy and hormone therapy in 299 Indian women with operable breast cancer (OBC) at the Breast Unit of Tata Memorial Hospital (TMH), Mumbai, from October 1998 to September 2001. The QLQ-C30 module was used to assess physical health, emotional, cognitive and social functioning, and the BR-23 module to assess breast cancer treatment-related symptoms. Assessment was done at 3 visits: visit 1 (after surgery); visit 2 (during adjuvant therapy) and visit 3 (on completion of adjuvant therapy). RESULTS: Of the 299 women at first visit, 274 (91.6%) completed the visit 2 questionnaire and 239 (80%) completed the visit 3 questionnaire. Only those women who filled the questionnaires at all 3 visits were included as 'valid visits' for analysis (193 of 299; 64.5%). The reliability and validity of the English and translated versions of the questionnaires were tested by Cronbach alpha (0.61-0.96) and item-scale correlation (0.63-0.93). Women with breast conservation treatment had a superior body image as compared to those with mastectomy (p <0.001). Physical, emotional and cognitive functions were not related to the type of surgery. Global QOL, physical, sexual and role functioning were found to deteriorate with chemotherapy (p < or = 0.01). Radiotherapy had only local adverse effects (p < 0.001 ), while hormone therapy had no adverse impact on QOL. CONCLUSION: QLQ-C30 and BR-23 questionnaires can be used reliably to assess QOL in Indian patients. The translated versions were found to be valid for further use in clinical trials on Indian women with breast cancer.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Cardiac sarcoidosis: an uncommon presentation of sarcoidosis in India.

Cardiac involvement in sarcoidosis is uncommon. The manifestations of cardiac sarcoidosis are protean and vary from benign ectopics to life threatening ventricular tachycardias. High index of suspcion and early aggressive intervention is required for the diagnosis and treatment of this condition. Early diagnosis is essential since ventricular tachycardia is the most common terminal event in these patients if left untreated. Corticosteroids are needed early in these patients which along with other antiarrhythmic management strategies including intracardiac defibrillator form the backbone of treatment. We describe four patients who were diagnosed to have pulmonary and cardiac sarcoidosis. Their varied presentations highlight the difficulties that may occur in the diagnosis. Furthermore, the need for proper management is stressed, as a delay in diagnosis may be fatal.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Report of an outbreak of diarrhoeal disease caused by cholera followed by rotavirus in Manipur.

An outbreak of acute diarrhoeal disease between August and October 1985 in 3 districts of Manipur state was investigated amongst 9,29,077 population at risk. The overall attack rate and case fatality rate were 0.2% and 0.9% respectively. Hospital records revealed that 58.8% of cases occurred amongst older children above 5 years of age. V.cholera was isolated from 25.3% of cases sampled. Interestingly, increased frequency in weekly admission of cases amongst children during first two years of life increased in the beginning of October when the original peak of diarrhoeal outbreak was about to decline. The October peak was caused by rotavirus which could be detected from 50.0% of diarrhoeal children in this age group. This possibly reflected beginning of the usual rotavirus diarrhoea season in the locality.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Totally occluded coronary arteries with normal LV function: clinical and angiographic profile.

The clinical and coronary angiographic profile of 50 patients (Group I) with total occlusion of one or more major coronary arteries in the absence of electrocardiographic findings of myocardial infarction and normal segmental and global left ventricular (LV) functions were analysed to identify any variables responsible for this observation. Twenty five age and sex matched patients (Group II), who had 100% occlusion of at least one major coronary artery with significant wall motion abnormalities on LV angiograms, served as controls. The mean duration of angina before angiography or the occurrence of acute coronary event was significantly longer in Group I (2.8 +/- 2.2 yrs) compared to Group II (1.2 +/- 1.2 yrs; p less than .05) patients. RCA was found totally occluded more often in Group I as compared to Group II (60% vs 32%; p less than .05) patients, whereas complete occlusion of LAD occurred more frequently in Group II than in Group I (70% vs 32%; p less than .05). Significant stenoses in other arteries was found in 88% of Group I, compared to 48% of Group II patients (p less than .001). Although there was no significant difference in the frequency of collaterals feeding the totally occluded arteries in the two groups, 80% of patients in Group I had grade 3 collaterals compared to only 30% in Group II patients (p less than .001).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Hepatic lesions in asymptomatic children of leprosy patients.

Forty-two asymptomatic children of leprosy patients were studied for possible hepatic lesions. Hepatic lesions were observed in 47% while acid-fast bacilli in the liver were found in 9.5%. The most frequent lesions encountered included granuloma in 9.5%, focal areas of necrosis in 14%, portal triaditis in 17%, and Kupffer cell hyperplasia in 33%. Occasionally more than one lesion was observed in a biopsy. No correlation with the occurrence of the various hepatic lesions could be made with a history of BCG vaccination or results of skin tests done with tuberculin and lepromin.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Effect of administration of isatin on alkaline phosphatase of various organs of rat.

In vivo administration of isatin (200 mg/kg) significantly lowered the activity of rat kidney alkaline phosphatase after 5 hr but enhanced the activity of rat duodenal and jejunal enzyme after 2 and 5 hr (P less than 0.01). The increased activity of the duodenal and jejunal alkaline phosphatase might be due to the induction of the enzyme by isatin.

Alkaline Phosphatase↗