1.Enhanced efficacy of sequential administration of Albendazole for the clearance of Wuchereria bancrofti infection: Double blind RCT
De Britto, R.L.J. ; Vanamail, P. ; Sankari, T. ; Vijayalakshmi, G. ; Das, L.K. ; Pani, S.P.
Tropical Biomedicine 2015;32(2):198-209
Till today, there is no effective treatment protocol for the complete clearance of
Wuchereria bancrofti (W.b) infection that causes secondary lymphoedema. In a double blind
randomized control trial (RCT), 146 asymptomatic W. b infected individuals were randomly
assigned to one of the four regimens for 12 days, DEC 300 mg + Doxycycline 100 mg coadministration
or DEC 300 mg + Albendazole 400 mg co-administration or DEC 300 mg +
Albendazole 400 mg sequential administration or control regimen DEC 300 mg and were
followed up at 13, 26 and 52 weeks post-treatment for the clearance of infection. At intake,
there was no significant variation in mf counts (F(3,137)=0.044; P=0.988) and antigen levels
(F(3,137)=1.433; P=0.236) between the regimens. Primary outcome analysis showed that
DEC + Albendazole sequential administration has an enhanced efficacy over DEC + Albendazole
co-administration (80.6 Vs 64.7%), and this regimen is significantly different when compared
to DEC + doxycycline co-administration and control (P<0.05), in clearing microfilaria in 13
weeks. Secondary outcome analysis showed that, all the trial regimens were comparable to
control regimen in clearing antigen (F(3, 109)=0.405; P=0.750). Therefore, DEC + Albendazole
sequential administration appears to be a better option for rapid clearance of W. b microfilariae
in 13 weeks time. (Clinical trials.gov identifier – NCT02005653)
2.Missing teeth after maxillofacial trauma:a case report and management protocol
Ramaraj P. N. ; Mahabaleshwara C. H. ; Rohit SINGH ; Abhijith GEORGE ; Vijayalakshmi G.
Journal of the Korean Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons 2020;46(6):422-427
Management of maxillofacial trauma includes primary care, in which diagnosis and management of dentoalveolar injury play a vital role. Due to the impact sustained during a maxillofacial injury (whether direct or indirect), dentoalveolar injuries can occur, leading to fracture and displacement of teeth and associated alveolar bone into the surrounding soft tissues and associated structures, such as the maxillary sinus, nasal cavity, upper respiratory tract, tracheobronchial tree, or gastrointestinal tract. Undiagnosed displaced teeth may cause complications such as airway obstruction. This paper reports a case of displaced teeth in the nasal cavity and gastrointestinal tract and highlights the management protocol for displaced teeth secondary to maxillofacial trauma.
3.Missing teeth after maxillofacial trauma:a case report and management protocol
Ramaraj P. N. ; Mahabaleshwara C. H. ; Rohit SINGH ; Abhijith GEORGE ; Vijayalakshmi G.
Journal of the Korean Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons 2020;46(6):422-427
Management of maxillofacial trauma includes primary care, in which diagnosis and management of dentoalveolar injury play a vital role. Due to the impact sustained during a maxillofacial injury (whether direct or indirect), dentoalveolar injuries can occur, leading to fracture and displacement of teeth and associated alveolar bone into the surrounding soft tissues and associated structures, such as the maxillary sinus, nasal cavity, upper respiratory tract, tracheobronchial tree, or gastrointestinal tract. Undiagnosed displaced teeth may cause complications such as airway obstruction. This paper reports a case of displaced teeth in the nasal cavity and gastrointestinal tract and highlights the management protocol for displaced teeth secondary to maxillofacial trauma.
4.Does the morbidity management and disability prevention (MMDP) clinic serve the filarial lymphedema (FLE) patients’ preeminent expectation?
De Britto, R.L.J. ; Vijayalakshmi, G. ; Boopathi, K. ; Kamaraj, P. ; Supriya, V.K. ; Yuvaraj, J.
Tropical Biomedicine 2020;37(No.1):66-74
Advocacy and training on “Home care” for filarial lymphoedma (FLE) patients are provided through morbidity management and disability prevention (MMDP) clinic commonly known as filariasis clinic and clinical improvement is assessed by follow-up visits. While the physicians aim at reducing the recurrent ADL (coined as ADLA in 1997) episodes, the patients expect reduction in LE volume. The objective of the present study was to know whether the MMDP clinic serves the primary expectation of the FLE patients. LE patients who attended the clinic for at least four follow-up consultations and had LE volume measurements at three points of time during the one year period of observation were considered for analysis. Clinical assessment was done for LE grading and LE volume was measured by water displacement volumetry. Sixty-three patients who fulfilled the follow up criteria were included. It was observed that the median LE volume was 914ml (IQR 269 – 1935) at first visit of the observation period which reduced to 645ml (IQR 2151666) and 752ml (IQR 215 – 1720) at first and second follow-up visits respectively. Over all, in short span of one year, 21 of the 63 patients (33.3%) who visited MMDP clinic at least four times in a year were benefitted through the MMDP advocacy and the National filariasis control programme need to emphasise on the importance of follow up visits to FLE patients.