Journal of the Indian Medical Association
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Comparative Study
A study of comparison of efficacy and safety of talc and povidone iodine for pleurodesis of malignant pleural effusions.
Pleurodesis is considered as the best palliative therapy for the treatment of symptomatic malignant pleural effusion. Several chemical agents are used for this purpose with variable efficacy and safety. The present study is to compare the effectiveness and safety of talc and povidone iodine as chemical agents for pleurodesis in patients of malignant pleural effusion. ⋯ During the 6 months follow-up, 12 patients of talc pleurodesis and 18 patients of povidone iodine pleurodesis died. Talc is slurry and povidone iodine is equally effective and safe pleurodesing agent for symptomatic malignant pleural effusion. However povidone iodine can be preferred option because of easy availability and low cost.
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To find out changes in homocysteine levels that occur during normal pregnancy and pregnancy with pre-eclamptic toxaemia and also to find out correlation between homocysteine concentration and preeclamptic toxaemia a study was carried out among 90 women of which 30 were control which included normotensive non-pregnant women and the study group I comprised 30 pregnant normotensive women and the study group II comprised 30 pregnant women with pre-eclamptic toxaemia. Serum homocysteine was measured in all subjects using fluorescence polarisation immuno-assay. ⋯ There was significant difference between study group I and II at same gestational age. Hyperhomocysteinaemia was observed in pre-eclamptic females, also it was found that homocysteine levels were directly correlated with severity of pre-eclampsia.
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Adolescent pregnancy is alarmingly common in India. These young girls face considerable health risks due to higher maternal and perinatal mortality. Early child bearing is not only a health problem for mother and child but is also associated with serious socio-economic and demographic implications as well. ⋯ That is the reason one of the socio-demographic goals set by national population policy, 2000 is to promote delayed marriages for girls, not earlier than age of 18 years and preferably after 20 years of age. It is important to maximise utilisation of prenatal, intranatal and postnatal care services among adolescent mothers. Lastly, it is important to improve the heamoglobin status and nutrition and empower our girls by educating them and making them aware of disadvantages of anaemia, early marriage and also of legal laws against teenage marriages.
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Adequate humidification is vital to maintain homeostasis of the airway. Heat and moisture exchangers conserve some of the exhaled water, heat and return them to inspired gases. Many heat and moisture exchangers also perfom bacterial/viral filtration and prevent inhalation of small particles. ⋯ For adult and paediatric age group different dead space types are available. Heat and moisture exchangers are helpful during anaesthesia and ventilatory breathing system. To reduce the damage of the upper respiratory tract through cooling and dehydration inspiratory air can be heated and humidified, thus preventing the serious complications.