Background: Recurrence of urinary tract infections (UTI) are either due to re infection or relapse. Overall likelihood of developing UTI is approximately 30 times higher in women than men due to their anatomical peculiarities and are normally treated with antibiotics. To evaluate effectiveness of patient counselling in prevention of recurrent UTI in female patients to reduce the risk of developing Antibiotic resistance and assess the quality of life of patients.Methods: A prospective observational study was carried out for a period of 6 months and samples were taken from the urology department of cosmopolitan hospital, Trivandrum, Kerala. Patient counseling was given regarding the disease, drugs and lifestyle modifications. A suitably validated KAP questionnaire was provided to each patient at their visits. By using an EQ-5D-5L questionnaire the quality of life of patients were assessed and analyzed.Results: 84 patients were analyzed. After the counseling knowledge level significantly improved to good from 6.9% to 72.4%, the positive attitude level was improved from 35.6 to 57.5% and the practice level was improved to good from 25.3 to 43.7%. The QOL improved to best from 1.2 to 71.4%. After counseling incidence rate was decreased to zero. The mostly observed risk factor was decreased water intake (69%). The common age group observed was 31-50 (41.7%).Conclusions: Patient counseling had an important impact on medication adherence and QOL of female patients with recurrent UTI. Effective patient counseling and better compliance decreased the incidence of recurrence and improved the quality of life of patients.
Background: Atopic dermatitis is a chronic inflammatory disease which can recur at adulthood particularly in people with genetic predisposition like asthma or other hypersensitivities. It has an adverse impact on the daily life of patients and hence, it is clear that appropriate treatment is necessary; hence the study was carried out to evaluate the efficacy of topical agents Tacrolimus and Corticosteroids. Materials and Methods: This Prospective Observational Study was carried out in 108 patients recruited from the Department of Dermatology, Cosmopolitan Hospital, Thiruvananthapuram for a period of 6 months. A written informed consent was taken. Out of the 108 patients, 54 patients received Topical Tacrolimus and the remaining 54 patients received Topical Corticosteroids. Eczema Area Severity Index (EASI) score analysis was performed at base line and after 2 weeks of drug therapy. Results: The result of the study was developed by comparing EASI scores of all the patients. Two statistical methods were used for developing the result. Independent 't' test for Between Group comparison and Paired 't' test for Within Group comparison. From the statistical evidences, it is deduced that both the drugs are effective for treatment of atopic dermatitis (P -value < 0.05). After comparing both the drugs, it was found that Corticosteroids are more effective than Tacrolimus (P -value < 0.05). Conclusion: From this study, it has been concluded that both the drugs Tacrolimus and Corticosteroids have a significant role in treatment of atopic dermatitis. But on comparison of both the agents, Corticosteroids are found to be more efficacious than Tacrolimus.
This pilot study aims to assess the prescribing pattern of beta lactam antibiotics in paediatric subjects. Informed consent as per ICMR guidelines were obtained from caretakers of pediatric subjects. Case records were analyzed to identify the prescribing pattern of antibiotics. Required data were collected using a suitably designed proforma. 30 subjects with a mean age 6.5±1.35 years were involved in the study. 66.67% of the subjects belongs to male respondents and 33.33% belongs to female population. 56.67% of the subjects were involved in the age category of 2 to 5 years and 6.67% of subjects belongs to age category in between 10 to 12 years. 76.67% of pediatric subjects have a diagnosis of respiratory tract infection. No cases of CNS disorders were reported. 43.33% of Ceftizoxime, 23.33% of Cefotaxime, 13.34% of Amoxicillin+ Clavulanic acid, 10% Cefuroxime, 6.67% Ceftriaxone and 3.33% of Cefaperazone+ Tazobactum were prescribed for these pediatric subjects for various infectious states. Use of antibiotics in pediatric subjects requires great care considering the increased incidence of antibiotic resistance. From this pilot study beta lactam antibiotics were found to be prescribed commonly due to its safety and efficacy in pediatric subjects.
Rats cooled to a rectal temperature of 20°C were permitted to rewarm at a simulated altitude of 11,500 m. A greater survival rate was observed in animals so treated than in controls not previously exposed to hypothermia. The loss of hypoxic tolerance was more pronounced within the range of 28°–36°C than in the range of 22°–28°C. The depth of cooling has a notable influence on the tolerance to hypoxia during rewarming when the body temperature of 33°C is reached. Thus far, the most resistant were rats cooled by the closed vessel technique to 18°C and those cooled by immersion to 22°C. The mechanism of this interesting phenomenon is unknown.
Background: Atopic dermatitis is an acute, sub-acute or chronic relapsing skin disorder characterized by intense itching, pruritus and oozing. It adversely affects the routine activities of patients for which effective treatment is to be provided along with proper counselling. The aim of the current study was to evaluate the impact of patient counselling on quality of life (QoL).Methods: A prospective study was conducted in 108 patients recruited from the Department of Dermatology for a period of 6 months. A written informed consent was taken. Out of the 108 patients, 54 patients received tacrolimus and the remaining received corticosteroids. The collected data was analysed and presented. Data was collected by using a suitably designed proforma. Dermatology life quality index (DLQI) was used for assessing QoL. Patients were counselled regarding the disease, drugs and lifestyle modifications using patient information leaflet (PIL).Results: The current study found that patient counselling was effective for both the groups with a p value <0.05. The effect of disease in quality of life improved from severe to mild in both groups (prior to counselling QoL mean value of 2.93±0.61 shifted to 1.18±0.71 post counselling). In the tacrolimus group, QoL mean value of 2.81±0.61 shifted to 0.98±0.71 after counselling. In the corticosteroids group, a shift from a mean QoL value of 3.05±0.59 to a mean of 1.38±0.65 was observed post counselling.Conclusions: The provision of effective counselling was found to have a profound impact on improving patient’s quality of life. A transition from severe effects of the disease to milder effects of the disease on quality of life was observed.
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