Current medical research and opinion
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Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative Study Clinical Trial
A double-blind comparison of ibuprofen, placebo and ibuprofen with meptazinol in soft tissue rheumatism.
The administration of ibuprofen potentiates and prolongs the analgesic effect of meptazinol when the two drugs are given simultaneously to mice. A double-blind three-way crossover study of placebo, ibuprofen (1600 mg/day) and ibuprofen (1600 mg/day) plus meptazinol (400 mg/day) was carried out in 45 patients with soft tissue rheumatism to see if the same potentiation could be demonstrated in man. ⋯ Assessments were made, on entry and after each treatment period, of pain parameters using visual analogue or verbal rating scales. Patients' overall impression and final preference showed both active treatments to be better than placebo and demonstrated a slight preference for the combination.
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The prevalence of iron deficiency anaemia in Karachi, Pakistan, was examined in a group of 100 children, aged 2 to 6 years, and 200 adult females, aged 17 to 35 years. Anaemia, defined as a haemoglobin level less than 11.5 g/dl, was present in 47% of the children and 30% of the adult females. The majority of subjects had normal red cell counts and MCV, but haematocrit and MCH were below normal in one-quarter of the children and one-third of the adult females. ⋯ Many also had elevated iron binding capacity and reduced serum iron levels. Iron deficiency may be superimposed on folate deficiency in this population. The potentially serious consequences and higher prevalence of iron deficiency anaemia in children and women of childbearing age demand greater efforts toward diagnosis and eradication in developing countries.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative Study Clinical Trial Controlled Clinical Trial
Comparison of diabetic control in type 2 (non-insulin dependent) diabetic patients treated with different sulphonylureas.
Diabetic control was compared in groups of Type 2 (non-insulin dependent) diabetic patients treated concurrently for 1 year with five different sulphonylurea drugs: chlorpropamide (21), glipizide (24), gliquidone (22), gliclazide (22) and glibenclamide (23). Glycosylated haemoglobin (HbA1) levels decreased in all groups over the first 2 months, but tended to level off or increase thereafter. ⋯ Only the glibenclamide group had a significant change in weight (p less than 0.05). There may be differences between different sulphonylureas which could be of clinical advantage in certain patients.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative Study Clinical Trial
Comparison of flunisolide and beclomethasone dipropionate in seasonal allergic rhinitis.
Sixty-nine patients were entered into a randomized, single-blind, parallel group study. Patients had a history of moderate to severe seasonal allergic rhinitis and all patients commenced treatment before the start of the pollen season. Treatment was with either flunisolide or beclomethasone dipropionate, both being administered as 2 sprays to each nostril twice daily for 7 weeks. ⋯ Analysis of results did not reveal any statistically significant differences between the treatments. Minor side-effects were reported by 1 patient from each treatment group. Both treatments proved to be effective in the treatment of hay fever and were equally well tolerated.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Clinical Trial
Does oxpentifylline ('Trental') have a place in the treatment of intermittent claudication?
In a randomized double-blind study, the clinical and haemorrheological responses of 40 patients receiving oxpentifylline (200 mg 3-times daily) were compared with those of 40 patients receiving placebo. The treatment period in both groups was 2 months. The parameters measured before and after treatment were: subjective response; claudication and maximum walking distances; ankle systolic indices; maximum blood flow in the lower limb by gravimetric plethysmography; plasma fibrinogen; erythrocyte deformability and whole blood viscosity. ⋯ The placebo group showed a significant improvement (p less than 0.05) in claudication distance and mean plasma fibrinogen concentration, but no such improvements were observed in the oxpentifylline group. There were no significant differences in either of the two groups with regard to the subjective response, ankle systolic indices, maximum limb blood flow or whole blood viscosity. It is concluded that oxpentifylline , when taken in oral form at the dose used in this study, increased erythrocyte deformability without conferring any clinical or haemorrheological benefit to patients with intermittent claudication.