No abstract

Objective Schizophrenia is a serious disease characterized by impairment in the perception or expression of reality, leading to occupational and social dysfunction. The use of antipsychotic medication is now universal in the first-line treatment of schizophrenia. This study was undertaken to compare the efficacy of asenapine with a standard atypical antipsychotic, olanzapine in treating this disease. Methods It was designed as a single blind, randomized, controlled, parallel group, single centre Phase IV trial of a newer atypical antipsychotic, asenapine versus existing standard atypical antipsychotic, olanzapine. Total 80 subjects were enrolled as per eligibility criteria.Each recruited subject received daily treatment with the trial medication (Olanzapine 10 mg or Asenapine 10 mg daily) for duration of 12 weeks. BPRS, CGI-S, CGI-I, Laboratory parameters and compliance was assessed and analyzed. Continuous variables were compared by t test and non-parametric data was analyzed by Mann−Whitney U test and Wilcoxon signed rank test. Likely categorical variables were analyzed by chi-square test or Fisher’s exact test, as appropriate. Results The duration of schizophrenia at presentation was comparable in both the treatment groups. There was significant reduction of BPRS score between any two visits of each treatment groups. The decline in CGI-S and CGI-I scores was statistically significant ( p < 0.001) when compared between visits of any of the both treatment arms. Adherence to treatment was excellent for all patients. Conclusion Newer atypical antipsychotic asenapine is more effective than standard olanzapine in reducing the symptoms of schizophrenia in this study and further larger studies are to be done.

Objectives To assess the levels of serum folate and iron in patients with and without any visible Oral leukoplakia. To correlate serum folate and iron levels and clinical staging of Oral leukoplakia. To correlate serum folate and iron levels and degree of dysplasia Materials & Methods: The study comprised of 102 patients (34 Oral leukoplakia patients with habit(s), 34 patients with habit(s) and no oral leukoplakia and 34 controls). The conditions were further clinically and histo-pathologically graded. Serum folate concentration was determined by chemi-luminescent immunoassay method from the serum (blood) sample without hemolysis and serum iron concentration was determined by photometric method. Results: The mean folate level ± SD (ng/dl) was found to be 5.17 ± 2.71 ng/dl, 5.29 ± 2.10 ng/dl and 5.37 ± 4.77 ng/dl in Oral leukoplakia patients, patients with habits without Oral leukoplakia and controls respectively. The mean iron level ± SD (μg/dl) was found to be 91.21 ± 28.73 μg/dl, 105.74 ± 33.20 μg/dl and 96.82 ± 38.92 μg/dl in Oral leukoplakia patients, patients with habits without Oral leukoplakia and controls respectively. Conclusion: In patients with habit and without leukoplakia and controls, there was a significant increase in the serum iron level than the oral leukoplakia patients. However, nosignificant differences seen in serum folate level in these three groups. Further studieswith larger sample size should be done to conclude serum folate and iron levels as adiagnostic marker in Oral leukoplakia. Keywords: Diagnosis, Serum folate, serum iron, potentially malignant disorders, potentially malignant disorders, Oral squamous cell carcinoma, malignant transformation, Immuno-assay.

Hypersensitivity reactions against nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as diclofenac (DF) can elicit noticeable allergic reactions including systemic anaphylaxis and dermatological lesions. [1] Angioedema is an abrupt swelling of the skin, mucous membrane, or both involving respiratory and gastrointestinal tracts. This is a case report of a female who reported with swelling of the lips and bullous eruptions on the lower lip, after being treated with DF. [2] The patient was diagnosed with drug-induced angioedema of the lips and was asked to discontinue the drug. Complete remission was seen after 1 week of discontinuing the medication.

Migraine is characterized by severe, intermittent headache attacks with associated symptoms including nausea, vomiting, phonophobia, and photophobia. Still Triptans (selective 5-HT1B/D agonists) are considered as the first-line therapy in acute attack of migraine. Recently two new drugs Lasmiditan and Ubrogepant were approved by United States Food and Drug Administration in acute attack of migraine with or without aura in adults. Lasmiditan is a highly selective 5-HT1F receptor agonist which demonstrated superiority to placebo in the acute treatment of migraine in adults with moderate/severe migraine disability in two similarly designed phase-3 trials, SAMURAI and SPARTAN. Ubrogepant is a novel small molecule oral calcitonin gene-related peptide receptor antagonist. The approval was supported by two pivotal phase-3, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trials (ACHIEVE I and ACHIEVE II) that evaluated the efficacy, safety, tolerability. Hopefully, these two drugs may soon be a new addition to the mounting armory of drugs against migraine and may fulfill a substantial unmet need.