Effect of Different Rituximab Doses on B Cell Count,Anti-A/B Antibody Titer,Graft Function,and Infectious Complications in ABO-Incompatible Renal Transplantation: A Prospective Study

BackgroundABO-incompatible kidney transplantation (ABOiKT) has been accepted as a viable and cost-effective modality with outcomes comparable to ABO-compatible transplants, but there is a concern regarding higher infectious complications in ABOiKT because of the heightened immunosuppression.The desensitization protocol normally includes antibody removal, B cell depletion by rituximab (RTX), and immunomodulation with intravenous immunoglobulin. Efforts have been made over the years to decrease the dose of RTX in an effort to decrease the infective complications. There is limited literature about the minimum effective dose of RTX, which can cause an effective B cell depletion. This prospective study was designed to correlate the RTX dose with peripheral absolute B cell count, graft function, graft and patient survival, and infective complications.MethodsThis study included 52 adult ABOiKT recipients with anti-A/B antibody titer up to a maximum of 1:512. The participants were divided into 2 groups of 26 each according to the RTX dosage used: Group A received 100 mg/patient, and Group B received 200 mg/patient. RTX was given 14 days prior to transplant after B cell measurement by flow cytometry. The outcomes were compared after 1 year of follow-up.ResultsBoth the dosages effectively depleted the absolute B cell count. Although patient survivals, graft survival, graft function, acute rejection episodes, and post-transplant hospital stay were similar in both groups, infective complications were significantly higher in group B.ConclusionA low dose (100 mg/patient) of RTX produces effective depletion of B cells while lowering the infective complications in ABOiKT.     

Robotic transhiatal excision of epiphrenic diverticula

An epiphrenic oesophageal diverticulum is most commonly a pulsion diverticulum which develops consequent to protrusion of mucosa through the muscular wall of the distal oesophagus. Most of them are associated with underlying oesophageal motility disorders. The predominant symptoms are dysphagia with regurgitation, and sometimes retrosternal pain, if accompanied by spasm of the oesophagus. Surgical management is recommended for symptomatic patients. Traditional procedures include thoracotomy or laparotomy with excision of the diverticula, but these are associated with high morbidity. Laparoscopic approach is a safe treatment option associated with lesser morbidity. Here, we present a case of epiphrenic diverticulum which was treated by the robotic approach without any complication. There was also no associated motility abnormality in our case so fundoplication was not done. Robotic surgery is a useful tool while operating near the hiatus and gastro-oesophageal junction. We consider transhiatal robotic approach as a safe and easy approach for surgery of epiphrenic diverticulum.     

Convergence model for effectual prevention and control of zoonotic diseases: a health system study on ‘One Health’ approach in Ahmedabad,India

The complexity and increasing burden of zoonotic diseases create challenges for the health systems of developing nations. Public health systems must therefore be prepared to face existing and future disease threats at the human–animal interface. The key for this is coordinated action between the human and the animal health systems. Although some studies deal with the question of how these two systems interact during unforeseen circumstances such as outbreaks, a dearth of literature exists on how these systems interact on early detection, prevention and control of zoonotic diseases; assessing this problem from the health system perspective in a developing nation adds further complexity. Systems thinking is one of the promising approaches in understanding the factors that influence the system’s complexity and dynamics of health maintenance. Therefore, this study aims to understand the generic structure and complexity of interaction between these actors within the domain of One Health for the effectual prevention and control of zoonotic diseases in India.The present study will be executed in Ahmedabad, located on the Western part of India, in Gujarat state, using a mixed methods approach. For the first step, zoonotic diseases will be prioritised for the local context through semi-quantitative tools. Secondly, utilising semi-structured interviews, stakeholders from the human and animal health systems will be identified and ranked. Thirdly, the identified stakeholders will be questioned regarding the current strength of interactions at various levels of the health system (i.e. managerial, provider and community level) through a quantitative network survey. Fourthly, utilising a vignette method, the ideal convergence strategies will be documented and validated through policy Delphi techniques. Finally, through a participatory workshop, the factors that influence convergence for the control and prevention of zoonotic diseases will be captured.This study will provide a comprehensive picture of the current strength of collaboration and network depth at various levels of the health system. Further, it will assist different actors in identifying the relevance of possible One Health entry points for participation, i.e. it will not only contribute but will also develop a system convergence model for the effectual prevention and control of zoonotic diseases.     

Metabolic Surgery: Weight Loss,Diabetes, and Beyond

The alarming rise in the worldwide prevalence of obesity is paralleled by an increasing burden of type 2 diabetes mellitus. Metabolic surgery is the most effective means of obtaining substantial and durable weight loss in individuals with obesity. Randomized trials have recently shown the superiority of surgery over medical treatment alone in achieving improved glycemic control, as well as a reduction in cardiovascular risk factors. The mechanisms seem to extend beyond the magnitude of weight loss alone and include improvements in incretin profiles, insulin secretion, and insulin sensitivity. Moreover, observational data suggest that the reduction in cardiovascular risk factors translates to better patient outcomes. This review describes commonly used metabolic surgical procedures and their current indications and summarizes the evidence related to weight loss and glycemic outcomes. It further examines their potential effects on cardiovascular outcomes and mortality and discusses future perspectives.     

Evaluation of Audio-Rhinological Changes During Pregnancy

A number of physiological changes occur during pregnancy and amongst them, audiological and nasal changes are quite significant. These are mainly due to the changing levels of sex hormones and return to normal once the pregnancy is over. This study was conducted to document these changes. Forty (pregnant 40 and non-pregnant 40) consenting subjects in age group of 20–35 years were assigned to test and control groups. They underwent complete ENT and Obstetric examination. In test group Pure Tone Audiometry was performed in all trimesters of pregnancy and within 3 months of delivery. The subjects in the control group underwent pure tone audiometry only once. The nasal patency was measured by Gertner’s plate method. Results from each trimester and postpartum period were compared. A highly significant difference in pure tone thresholds was observed at frequencies ranging from 125 to 1000 Hz (P < 0.001). However frequencies higher than 1000 Hz demonstrated no significant correlation. Nasal patency as measured by mean area of vapour condensation in all trimesters and control groups was highly significant (P < 0.001). The results of this study confirm that these changes occur in the first trimester and gradually improve during the subsequent trimesters returning to normal in post partum period. However number of pregnancies bear no relationship with these changes     

Golden 60 minutes of newborn’s life: Part 1: Preterm neonate

“Golden 60?minutes “or “Golden Hour” is defined as the first hour of the newborn after birth. This hour includes resuscitation care, transport to nursery from place of birth and course in nursery. The concept of “Golden hour” includes evidence based interventions that are done in the first 60?min of postnatal life for the better long term outcome of the preterm newborn especially extreme premature, extreme low birth weight and very low birth weight. The evidence shows that the concept of “Golden 60?minutes” leads to reduction in neonatal complications like hypothermia, hypoglycemia, intraventricular hemorrhage, chronic lung disease and retinopathy of prematurity. In this review, we have covered various interventions included in “Golden hour” for preterm newborn namely delayed cord clamping, prevention of hypothermia, respiratory and cardiovascular system support, prevention of sepsis, nutritional support and communication with family.