Diabetes is a common condition with multiple complications. There has been much work done to elaborate on the aetiology, prevention and treatment of diabetes related complications. The DCCT [1] and UKPDS [2] studies have emphasised the role of tight glucose control as being important in reducing diabetic microvascular disease in Type I (insulin-dependent) diabetes mellitus (DCCT) and Type II (non-insulin-dependent) diabetes mellitus (UKPDS). The relation between tight glucose control and macrovascular complications is, however, not clear [3]. Recently the importance of blood pressure control in reducing diabetic microvascular complications has been shown [4]. Apart from these factors, damage induced by hyperglycaemia involves a complex interaction between many influences including genetic predisposition, smoking, BMI, dyslipidaemia and alterations in coagulation factors [3]. The presence of advanced glycation end-products (AGE) is closely related to Diabetologia (2001) AbstractAdvanced glycation end-products are a complex and heterogeneous group of compounds that have been implicated in diabetes related complications. At present it is not known if they are the cause or the consequence of the complications observed. We discuss the chemistry of advanced glycated end-product formation and their patho-biochemistry particularly in relation to the diabetic microvascular complications of retinopathy, neuropathy and nephropathy as well as their role in the accelerated vasculopathy observed in diabetes. The concept of carbonyl stress as a cause for advanced glycated end-product toxicity is mentioned. We discuss alterations in the concentrations of advanced glycated end-products in the body, particularly in relation to changes occuring with age, diabetes and its complications such as nephropathy. Problems relating to current methods of advanced glycated end-product detection and measurement are highlighted including the lack of a universally established method of detection or unit of measurement. Agents used for the treatment of advanced glycated end-product accumulation are reviewed, with an emphasis on the results of the recent phase III trials using aminoguanidine and diabetes related complications. [Diabetologia (2001) 44: 129±146]Keywords Advanced glycated end-products, diabetes mellitus, microvascular disease, carbonyl stress, aminoguanidine.Corresponding author: Dr R. Singh MRCP (UK), FRACP, University Dept of Medicine, Royal Perth Hospital, PO Box X2213, Perth 6847, Western Australia Abbreviations: ESRD, End-stage renal disease; 3-DG, 3-deoxyglucosone; MGO, methylglyoxal; DOLD, deoxyglucosone-lysine dimer; MOLD, methyl glyoxal-lysine dimer; CML, N e -[carboxymethyl]-lysine; FFI, furoyl-furanyl imidazole; PTB, phenacyl thiozolium bromide; RAGE, receptor for AGE; NF-kB, nuclear factor-kB; VCAM-1, vascular cell adhesion molecule-1; ICAM-1, intracellular adhesion molecule-1; PECAM-1, platelet endothelial cell adhesion molecule-1; ELAM-1, endothelial leucocyte adhesion molecule-1; MSR, macrophage scavenger recepto...

Background Mental disorders are among the leading causes of non-fatal disease burden in India, but a systematic understanding of their prevalence, disease burden, and risk factors is not readily available for each state of India. In this report, we describe the prevalence and disease burden of each mental disorder for the states of India, from 1990 to 2017. Methods We used all accessible data from multiple sources to estimate the prevalence of mental disorders, years lived with disability (YLDs), and disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs) caused by these disorders for all the states of India from 1990 to 2017, as part of the Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study. We assessed the heterogeneity and time trends of mental disorders across the states of India. We grouped states on the basis of their Socio-demographic Index (SDI), which is a composite measure of per-capita income, mean education, and fertility rate in women younger than 25 years. We also assessed the association of major mental disorders with suicide deaths. We calculated 95% uncertainty intervals (UIs) for the point estimates. Findings In 2017, 197•3 million (95% UI 178•4-216•4) people had mental disorders in India, including 45•7 million (42•4-49•8) with depressive disorders and 44•9 million (41•2-48•9) with anxiety disorders. We found a significant, but modest, correlation between the prevalence of depressive disorders and suicide death rate at the state level for females (r²=0•33, p=0•0009) and males (r²=0•19, p=0•015). The contribution of mental disorders to the total DALYs in India increased from 2•5% (2•0-3•1) in 1990 to 4•7% (3•7-5•6) in 2017. In 2017, depressive disorders contributed the most to the total mental disorders DALYs (33•8%, 29•5-38•5), followed by anxiety disorders (19•0%, 15•9-22•4), idiopathic developmental intellectual disability (IDID; 10•8%, 6•3-15•9), schizophrenia (9•8%, 7•7-12•4), bipolar disorder (6•9%, 4•9-9•6), conduct disorder (5•9%, 4•0-8•1), autism spectrum disorders (3•2%, 2•7-3•8), eating disorders (2•2%, 1•7-2•8), and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD; 0•3%, 0•2-0•5); other mental disorders comprised 8•0% (6•1-10•1) of DALYs. Almost all (>99•9%) of these DALYs were made up of YLDs. The DALY rate point estimates of mental disorders with onset predominantly in childhood and adolescence (IDID, conduct disorder, autism spectrum disorders, and ADHD) were higher in low SDI states than in middle SDI and high SDI states in 2017, whereas the trend was reversed for mental disorders that manifest predominantly during adulthood. Although the prevalence of mental disorders with onset in childhood and adolescence decreased in India from 1990 to 2017, with a stronger decrease in high SDI and middle SDI states than in low SDI states, the prevalence of mental disorders that manifest predominantly during adulthood increased during this period. Interpretation One in seven Indians were affected by mental disorders of varying severity in 2017. The proportional contribution of mental disorders to the t...

Background: The role of convalescent plasma (COPLA) for the treatment of severely ill Corona Virus Disease-2019 is under investigation. We compared the efficacy and safety of convalescent plasma with fresh frozen plasma (FFP) in severe COVID-19 patients. Methods and findings: This was an open-label, single-centre phase II RCT on 29 patients with severe COVID-19 from India. One group received COPLA with standard medical care (SMC) (n=14), and another group received FFP with SMC (n=15). A total of 29 patients were randomized in the two treatment groups. Eleven out of 14 (78.5%) patients remained free of ventilation at day seven in the intervention arm while the proportion was 14 out of 15 (93.3 %) in the control arm (p= 0.258). The median reductions in RR per min at 48-hours in COPLA-group and FFP group were -6.5 and -3 respectively [p=0.004] and at day seven were -14.5 and -10 respectively (p=0.008). The median improvements in percentage O2 saturation at 48-hours were 6.5 and 2 respectively [p=0.001] and at day seven were 10 and 7.5 respectively (p=0.026). In the COPLA-group, the median improvement in PaO2/FiO2 was significantly superior to FFP at 48-hours [41.94 and 231.15, p=0.009], and also at day-7 [5.55 and 77.01 p<0.001]. We did not find significant differences in hospitalization duration between the groups (0.08). Conclusion: COPLA therapy resulted in rapid improvement in respiratory parameters and shortened time to clinical recovery, although no significant reduction in mortality was observed in this pilot trial. We need larger trials to draw conclusive evidence on the use of Convalescent plasma in COVID-19.

The prevalence of rheumatoid arthritis was studied in the adult Indian population. As the first step, a house-to-house survey of a rural population near Delhi was conducted by two trained health workers. The target population comprised 44,551 adults (over 16 years old). The health workers identified the possible cases of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) using a questionnaire. These cases were then further evaluated by the authors using the 1987 revised ARA criteria for the diagnosis of RA. A response rate of 89.5% was obtained and 3393 persons were listed as possible cases of RA by the health workers. Of these, 299 satisfied the revised ARA criteria for the diagnosis of RA, giving a prevalence of 0.75%. Projected to the whole population, this would give a total of about seven million patients in India. The prevalence of RA in India is quite similar to that reported from the developed countries. It is higher than that reported from China, Indonesia, Philippines and rural Africa. These findings are in keeping with the fact that the north Indian population is genetically closer to the Caucasians than to other ethnic groups.