Despite corticosteroids being the first line drug treatment for asthma symptom control, the mechanisms of action of corticosteroids in asthma are still poorly understood. The current study aimed to evaluate the effect of systemic corticosteroids on serum level of apoptotic markers Survivin (for inflammatory cells) and M30 apoptosense (for bronchial epithelial cells) in patients of acute exacerbation of bronchial asthma. The study involved 60 patients with acute exacerbation of bronchial asthma who were prescribed systemic corticosteroids. Patients were evaluated for their serum levels of apoptotic markers (Survivin and M30 apoptosense) and their quality of life (QOL), before and after treatment with oral prednisolone. Paired t-test was used to compare the change in the serum values. The mean baseline serum Survivin and M30 apoptosense levels were 224.10 ± 42.76 and 123.00 ± 18.79 U/L, respectively, which decreased significantly (p < 0.05) to 111.20 ± 32.26 and 29.67 ± 7.53 U/L after seven days of oral prednisolone treatment. Systemic corticosteroids also significantly improved QOL scores and peak expiratory flow rate % (PEFR%) in the asthma patients. This improvement was seen irrespective of the initial severity score. Results from the study suggest that systemic corticosteroids administration decreases the survival of inflammatory cells and increases that of bronchial epithelial cells in patients with acute exacerbation of bronchial asthma. The study has been registered with Clinical Trials Registry-India. Registry database number CTRI/2014/08/00483.

Appropriate levothyroxine (LT4) dosing is essential in hypothyroid patients to maintain biochemical and clinical euthyroidism, but achieving appropriate plasma concentration of LT4 can be complicated by numerous disease states, foods, supplements, and commonly prescribed medications such as calcium supplements, pantoprazole etc. that potentially interfere with intestinal LT4 absorption. About one-third of treated patients are not receiving adequate treatment, leading to decreased quality of life, increased morbidity, and even increased mortality. Hypothyroid patients treated with LT4 must be careful to avoid concomitant ingestion of such medicines or optimal gap must be ensured between ingestions to prevent drug-drug interactions and reduce absorption of LT4. We describe two such real life cases managed in our clinical pharmacology consultation facility to highlight the importance of systematically evaluating the drug-drug interactions of levothyroxine with commonly used concomitant medications and how deprescribing of the same can result in attainment of optimum thyroid replacement with lesser doses of LT4 with better patient outcome.

Background: Disturbances in mineral and bone metabolism are prevalent in chronic kidney disease (CKD) and are an important cause of morbidity and decreased quality of life. These disturbances include renal osteodystrophy and CKD-Mineral and Bone Disorder (CKD-MBD). The Frax tool developed by WHO is an attempt to better estimate the fracture risk. It calculates a 10 year probability of osteoporotic fractures of spine, forearm, hip or shoulder based on clinical risk factors with or without BMD measurements.Methods: It is a Cross sectional observational study which was done from 01 November 2013 to 31 March 2015. The study group included 60 cases of pre dialysis Chronic Kidney Disease attending OPD, Emergency or admitted in medicine wards of Dr. RML Hospital, New Delhi. Bone mineral density measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry and all patients were classified according to World Health Organization criteria. DEXA SCAN (manufacturer-Hologic INC.) was done of the lumbar spine, radius bone and neck of the femur. Frax score was calculated as per WHO guidelines.Results: On using the Indian Frax calculator the average 10 year probability for major osteoporotic fractures in stage 4 (9.47±2.62%) was found to be significantly higher (p<0.0001) than that in stage 3 (1.92±0.8%).Similarly, the average 10 year probability for hip fracture in stage 4 (4.61±1.45%) was also found to be significantly higher (p< 0.0001) than that in the stage 3 (0.75±0.49%).Conclusions: The study confirmed the high incidence of low BMD in patients of CKD. The 10 year fracture risk in these patients as predicted by Frax score was significantly higher in CKD patients irrespective of whether the Chinese or the Indian calculator was used.

Background: Considerable placebo response rate is commonly observed in placebo-controlled trials involving analgesics. However, there is paucity of evidence with regard to comparison of effect of open-label placebo versus double-blind placebo on pain perception. Methods: In this study, cold water maintained at 4±1°C was used to induce experimental pain. Enrolled subjects were randomized to receive either 2% lignocaine gel as active drug or K-Y jelly as placebo as per the groups in open-label (two groups) and double-blind (two groups) study. Pain perception was evaluated using pain threshold time and pain tolerance time after immersion of subject’s hand in the cold water. Pain intensity was assessed using visual analogue scale (VAS). Results: Sixty-nine subjects were randomized into 4 study groups namely open-label lignocaine (OLL; N=17), open-label placebo (OLP; N=18), double-blind lignocaine (DBL; N=17) and double-blind placebo (DBP; N=17). OLP application increased pain intensity on VAS from 67 (47, 84) to 72 (39, 88) mm (p=0.018). OLL application reduced pain perception pain threshold time from 20.4 (4.0, 45.1) to 24.1 (6.3, 124.2) seconds (p=0.049) and pain tolerance time from 32.7 (6.8, 110.2) to 40.0 (7.7, 156.7) seconds (p=0.019). The change in pain parameters (before and after application of study intervention) was comparable without any significant difference among the four study groups (p=0.257 for pain threshold time, p=0.165 for pain tolerance time and p=0.563 for pain intensity score). Conclusions: Lignocaine and placebo gel application showed comparable change in pain perception irrespective of blinding.