Journal of the Indian Medical Association
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The incretin effect denominates the phenomenon that oral glucose elicits a higher insulin response than intravenous glucose. Glucagon like peptide-1 (GLP-1) and glucose-dependent insulinotropic peptide are the principal hormones responsible for incretin effect. In patients with type 2 diabetes the incretin effect of these hormones is impaired. ⋯ These groups of medications have similar efficacy with regards to glycaemic improvement (reduction of HbA1c between 0.5 to 1.1%) and have side-effects like nausea. The incretin mimetics are injectable agents and are more likely to reduce weight or be weight neutral when compared to the oral gliptins. Long-term studies are essential to determine the real potential and role of these newer agents in the management of type 2 diabetes.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Clinical Trial
Efficacy of thiocolchicoside in Indian patients suffering from low back pain associated with muscle spasm.
Low back pain (LBP), a high prevalent condition among middle aged population, is usually associated with 'muscle spasm' that is responsible for giving rise to pain as well as its persistence. Muscle spasm is an involuntary, painful contraction of muscles that interferes with the function and cause of muscular disorder. Therefore centrally acting skeletal muscle relaxants, also called lissive drugs, are commonly used for its treatment. ⋯ Patients were followed up on 3rd and 7th day and severity score of various parameters was recorded. There was significant difference among the treatment groups in favour of TC than TZ in efficacy parameters thus showing TC is at slightly better effective than TZ and in case of safety, TC scores significantly better over TZ in the patients with accompanying muscle spasm. These findings confirm that TC is a preferred option for the LBP with muscle spasms.
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Case Reports
Carotid cavernous sinus fistula presenting with pulsating exophthalmos and secondary glaucoma.
Carotid cavernous sinus fistula is abnormal communications between the carotid arterial system and the venous cavernous sinus. Carotid cavernous sinus fistula can develop either because of trauma or spontaneous causes. Spontaneous carotid cavernous sinus fistula is often associated with a pre-existing aneurysm in the intracavernous portion of internal carotid artery. ⋯ Characteristic features of arteriovenous fistula--bruit, thrill, corkscrew episcleral vessels were present. Radiological investigations were done to confirm the diagnosis. Transvenous embolisation was done to close the fistula.
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Trigeminal neuralgia is sudden, usually unilateral, severe, stabbing, brief recurrent pain in the distribution area of one or more of the branches of trigeminal nerve. Various pharmacological agents including carbamazepine, oxcarbazepine, phenytoin, lamotrigine, baclofen and clonazepam have been tried with variable success rate. Here a case of idiopathic trigeminal neuralgia is presented. The patient presented in the emergency room with severe pain in the distribution area of maxillary branch of trigeminal nerve, resistant to conventional pharmacotherapy, managed successfully with gabapentin without untoward side-effects.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study Comparative Study
An open prospective study on postmarketing evaluation of the efficacy and tolerability of diacerein in osteo-arthritis of the knee (DOK).
According to World Health Organisation osteo-arthritis is the second commonest musculoskeletal problem in the world. Diacerein has been recently introduced in India for the treatment of osteo-arthritis. In view of the ulcerogenic potential of NSAIDs and the cardiotoxicity problems associated with COX-2 inhibitors, diacerein has the potential of being a non-ulcerogenic and non-cardiotoxic alternative respectively to NSAIDs and of COX-2 inhibitors in the treatment of osteo-arthritis. ⋯ The severity of the adverse events was mild in all the cases and disappeared with continued treatment. None of the patients dropped out of the study on account of adverse events or lack of efficacy. Thus, in conclusion, the results of the present study in a large population of Indian patients indicates that diacerein constitutes a novel approach to the treatment for the short- and long-term symptomatic management in Indian patients with osteo-arthritis of the knee.