Search PubMedSearch

Biomedical subjects

T Siddiqui

Publications and source records attributed to T Siddiqui.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Bacterial isolates from neutropenic febrile pediatric patients and their sensitivity patterns to antibiotics.

Patients on cytotoxic therapy often develop neutropenia and fever. Our interest was to identify the common pathogens isolated from such patients and to study the sensitivity patterns of these organisms to the antibiotics used in their treatment. Thus, guidelines can be established by hospitals to identify which antibiotics can be used in the treatment of these patients when the results of cultures and sensitivities are not available. We conducted a retrospective study of neutropenic pediatrics presenting to AKUH from July, 1990 to June, 1996. A total of 153 isolates in 35 different patients were studied. Samples for culture were taken from the sites at risk. The majority of samples consisted of blood, stool, pus and urine. Twenty stool samples were also sent for microscopy. Malignancies were both hematological and non-hematological. Gram negatives were isolated in 52.9%, gram positives in 33.9% and parasites in 13.2%. Salmonella paratyphi B was the most commonly isolated organism, followed by Pseudomonas aeroginosa, Giardia lamblia was the most common parasite. Sensitivity patterns of these organisms to antibiotics studied showed that Escheria coli had the lowest sensitivity rate being only 40% sensitive to Aztreonam and 64% sensitive to Ofloxacillin. A comparison was made between our findings and those reported in literature, as well as the risk factors for developing neutropenia. A guide to management is also discussed.

Anti-Bacterial Agents

Effect of chronic peritoneal fluid eosinophilia on peritoneal membrane function.

This study was undertaken to evaluate the effects of long-term persistent peritoneal fluid eosinophilia on the peritoneal membrane as reflected by a change in dialysis function. This was a prospective study undertaken at a community-based peritoneal dialysis unit, where thirty-one patients were enrolled over a 9-month period. Chronic, long-term peritoneal fluid eosinophilia was noted in 12/31 (38.7%) patients. Significant differences were not noted between values of creatinine clearance, D/P urea and Kt/V, compared to their baseline values. This study shows that long-term peritoneal fluid eosinophilia does not significantly affect peritoneal membrane function in patients on maintenance peritoneal dialysis.

Ascitic Fluid

Doxorubicin cardiomyopathy in lung cancer patients.

Doxorubicin is cardiotoxic and its use must be monitored carefully. Incidence of refractory cardiac failure is shown to increase once the cumulative dose exceeds 450 mg/m2. However, significant decline of ejection fraction (EF) may occur even at lower dose levels. EF was monitored using Multigated Radionuclide Angiography (MUGA) scan of all consecutive lung cancer patients, treated with Doxorubicin based regimens. Thirteen of 82 patients showed a significant (more than 15%) decline of left ventricular EF. The dose of doxorubicin producing this decline ranged between 91-180 mg/m2. Actual decline in EF ranged between 16-45%. Only 5 of 13 patients developed symptoms attributable to the cardiac disease. Doxorubicin can alter EF significantly in lung cancer patients at levels well below which are considered 'safe'. The reason for massive decline in ejection fraction in these patients has been hypothesized.

Aged

Ultrastructure of the May-Hegglin anomaly.

Ultrastructural features of the leucocytes in two patients suffering from the May-Hegglin anomaly were studied using electron microscopy. In both the cases, electron dense material parallel to the long axis of the inclusions were noted. Platelet ultrastructure was normal. A review of the literature indicates that the May-Hegglin anomaly is a heterogeneous condition both ultrastructurally and clinically.

Blood Platelets

Epidemiology of blood-borne viruses: a study of healthy blood donors in Southern Pakistan.

There are only a few published reports regarding the prevalence of hepatitis B virus, hepatitis C virus and human immunodeficiency virus in Pakistani blood donors. The true extent of the prevalence of these viral infections in healthy adults in unclear. We examined blood donors attending the Aga Khan University Hospital and blood donation camps in the cities of Karachi and Hyderabad, Pakistan for the presence of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg), antibodies to hepatitis C virus (anti-HCV) and human immunodeficiency virus (anti-HIV). Relationship of anti HCV to the surrogate marker alanine aminotransferase (ALT) was also examined. Prevalence of HBsAg was found to be 2.28% (1,173/51,257), anti HCV was 1.18%(198/16,705) and that of anti HIV to be 0.02% (10/51,257). Higher rate of prevalence of HBsAg and anti HCV was observed in the younger age group of 21 to 30 years. Male to female ratio for HBsAg was 2.5:1 and for anti HCV 1:1. Seropositivity for HBsAg was significantly greater than anti HCV (p < 0.0001). No clear relationship was found between high ALT (>55 U/l) and anti HCV positivity. Further examination of seropositive samples for HIV revealed only one donor to be positive by Western blot also. Prevalence of hepatitis B and C in the adult blood donor population in Southern Pakistan is higher than western countries but is similar to regional countries. This study also suggested that high ALT is not a useful surrogate marker for hepatitis C virus. Prevalence of HIV in this donor population is very low and is comparable to the western countries.

Adult

Comparison of survival. Chemotherapeutically treated and untreated older patient with acute myeloid leukemia.

Survival of older patients with acute nonlymphocytic leukemia treated with chemotherapy was compared with those given only supportive care. The treated group was younger and had better survival. The benefits which measure in months must be balanced against socioeconomic cost, toxicity of therapy, patient wishes, and evolving information about the standards of management in the older leukemia patient.

Acute Disease

Subclinical cognitive deficits in cancer patients: a preliminary P300 study.

A preliminary study of event related potentials (P300) in a group of 16 cancer patients, without cerebral metastases or focal neurological deficits, is being reported. As compared to a group of 28 normal adults, 9 out of 16 cancer patients were found to have prolonged P300 latencies, and 6 made more than two errors in their cognitive performance. These subclinical cognitive impairments in cancer patients may be related to some remote effects of cancer. These patients had not undergone any chemotherapy or radiation therapy prior to P300 studies. Further studies in a larger group of patients with gynecological cancer are being conducted.

Adolescent

Immune thrombocytopenia and May-Hegglin anomaly during pregnancy.

A 22-year-old pregnant woman presented with presumed immune thrombocytopenia. Postpartum, the persistence of Dohle bodies and macrothrombocytopenia led to the diagnosis of the May-Hegglin anomaly. Clinical management is described. The May-Hegglin anomaly may be mimicked by immune thrombocytopenia in pregnancy unless suspected and carefully excluded.

Adult

Myelodysplastic syndromes presenting in pregnancy. A report of five cases and the clinical outcome.

Five female patients, ranging in age between 22 and 36 years, presented with myelodysplastic syndromes during pregnancy between June 1982 and March 1987. Three of these five cases evolved into acute leukemia. A bone marrow transplant was attempted in the fourth. It is suggested that the association of myelodysplastic syndromes during pregnancy is more than coincidental and that acute leukemia evolves in a majority of these cases. Furthermore, refractory macrocytic anemias in pregnancy need to be carefully evaluated for a primary myelodysplastic state.

Adult

Vascular transformation of lymph node sinuses. A process displaying a spectrum of histologic features.

Nonneoplastic vascular lesions in lymph nodes have been infrequently reported. These lesions are believed to be rare and display histologic features ranging from minimal changes associated with vasodilation to vascular proliferative lesions resembling Kaposi's sarcoma. The spectrum of histologic features observed in these cases appears to be the result of the extent and duration of regional lymphatic and/or venous obstruction. We describe two such cases, one presenting in a 66-year-old black woman, after undergoing radical mastectomy for treatment of invasive ductal carcinoma of the breast following a breast biopsy; the other presenting in a 66-year-old black man with obstruction of the subclavian vein. We consider these cases worthy of review, both from a diagnostic standpoint and in the differential diagnosis of vascular neoplasms of lymph nodes, especially Kaposi's sarcoma.

Aged

High-grade B-cell lymphoma presenting as polyserosal disease. Diagnosis by flow cytometry.

Two patients presenting with anasarca were found to have aggressive B-cell lymphoma. No bulky disease was detected. The diagnosis was rapidly established by the flow cytometric analysis of cell surface immunophenotype and cell cycle fractions of pleural or peritoneal cells. Such presentation of lymphoma is unusual and previously undescribed, and it may have a significant negative prognostic impact. The authors' observations indicate that lymphoma be included in the differential diagnosis of anasarca and that flow cytometry can be useful for a fast confirmation of the diagnosis.

Aged

Cancer of the male breast with prolonged survival.

A retrospective review of patients suffering from male breast cancer was carried out at the Shands Teaching Hospital of the University of Florida. Thirteen evaluable cases were analyzed. Three patients were in Stage I, two patients in Stage II, none in Stage III, and eight in Stage IV. Two of the patients with Stage IV disease have had remarkably prolonged survivals of 194 months and 128 months. Such prolonged survivals are unusual. It is possible that the biology of male breast cancer is different from the female, and the disease should be approached more optimistically than it has in the past.

Adult

A pilot study of chronic recombinant interferon-alfa 2a for diabetic proliferative retinopathy: metabolic effects and opthalmologic effects.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the metabolic effects and opthalmologic effects of alpha-interferon therapy in diabetes mellitus patients with proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR). Three volunteer patients [insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM), insulin requiring non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM), and maturity onset diabetes of the young (MODY)] threatened with blindness due to progressive PDR were treated with alpha interferon for 4 months and were evaluated at intervals of 1-2 weeks to monitor the drug effects on carbohydrate tolerance and possible beneficial therapeutic effects on the preexisting PDR. Metabolic studies included basal and postsustacal glucose, c-peptide and glucagon, fasting serum cortisol, free fatty acids, growth hormone, insulin-like growth factor-1, and urinary microalbumin excretion. Ophthalmologic studies included visual acuity, slit lamp examination, gonioscopy, fluorescein angiography, and standard colored fundus photographs. In all subjects, hyperglycemia worsened with duration of increasing dosage of interferon therapy, requiring progressively higher daily insulin requirements of 17%-68% above pretreatment values. Lowered levels of stimulated C-peptide were observed in the NIDDM and MODY subjects. The counterregulatory hormones (cortisol, growth hormone, and glucagon) were elevated during the 4 months of interferon therapy. In all subjects, visual acuity appeared to stabilize. No new retinal hemorrhages occurred during the 4 months of interferon administration, although all subjects experienced hemorrhage within 6 weeks of termination of the drug. Although only three subjects were investigated, the 1-2 week frequency of metabolic and opthalmologic studies permit some conclusions. The metabolic effects of alpha interferon in our diabetic subjects were consistent worsening of carbohydrate tolerance associated with impaired beta-cell secretion and increased insulin resistance. The extensive opthalmologic investigation suggested protection from retinal hemorrhage while receiving interferon, but further studies are indicated to validate these proposed and antiangiogenic properties.

Adult

Successful strategy for prevention of cytomegalovirus interstitial pneumonia after human leukocyte antigen-identical bone marrow transplantation.

Cytomegalovirus (CMV) interstitial pneumonia is a frequent and often fatal complication of allogeneic bone marrow transplantation. Because therapy for CMV pneumonia was, until recently, largely ineffective, prophylactic methods were explored. This study shows that the strategy of using CMV seronegative blood products for seronegative patients with seronegative donors or weekly administration of intravenous immunoglobulin for all other patients reduced the attack rate of CMV pneumonia. The results of this study are put into the perspective of previously published data.

Adolescent