Principle of Management of Type 2 Diabetes: From Clinical, Public Health and Research Perspectives

Apart from stopping smoking, controlling hypertension and using statin, losing possible excess bodyweight and regular physical activity and exercise are the cornerstones in diabetes management. There is often need of controlling blood glucose immediately. Approach of ‘dynamic dose management of medications likely to cause hypoglycemia’ helps to control high blood glucose immediately as and when required with sulfonylurea or insulin and to taper off their dose later. Anti-hyperglycemic medications which are unlikely to cause hypoglycemia are continued to control hyperglycemia. The diagnosis of gestational diabetes usually made at 24-28 weeks is applicable for clinical management of mother and child and for possible prevention of diabetes later in the mother. From the public health perspectives, however, protection of the susceptible in utero population from maternal malnutrition or clinical or subclinical hyperglycemia right from the time of conception itself also needs to be considered to control the diabetes epidemic at the population level. Campaigns and programmes for maintenance of optimal pre-pregnancy body weight as per the recommended body mass index of the respective populations along with regular physical activity and exercise during pregnancy are the essential measures available at hand to prevent the possibility of maternal hyperglycemia right from the early pregnancy

Interpreting Cardiac Electrograms - From Skin to Endocardium

This is a reference book aimed at cardiologists, electrophysiologists and fellows in training. It presents an expansive review of cardiac electrogram interpretation in a collation of manuscripts that represent clinical studies, relevant anecdotal cases and basic science chapters evaluating cardiac signal processing pertaining to persistent atrial fibrillation. A diagnostic approach to arrhythmias using a standard ECG, the signal average ECG and fetal ECG is highlighted. Intracardiac ICD electrograms are also explored in terms of trouble shooting and device programming

Optimizing doxorubicin-G-CSF chemotherapy regimens for the treatment of triple-negative breast cancer

La chimiothérapie cytotoxique reste une option de traitement de première intention pour la majorité des cancers. Un effet secondaire majeur dans les schémas chimio-thérapeutiques est la neutropénie. La thérapie prophylactique avec le facteur de stimulation des colonies de granulocytes (G-CSF), une cytokine endogène responsable de la régulation de la production de neutrophiles, est administrée en concomitance. Le moment et la dose exacts pour administrer la chimiothérapie et le G-CSF représentent des éléments cruciaux pour obtenir les résultats souhaités du traitement. En nous appuyant sur des travaux antérieurs qui optimisaient les schémas thérapeutiques du G-CSF, nous sommes basés sur une approche de pharmacologie quantitative des systèmes (QSP) pour étudier la fréquence et l’intensité de la dose dans le but de maximiser les effets anti-tumoraux de la chimiothérapie tout en minimisant la neutropénie. Dans ce travail, nous avons effectué une optimisation sur une large gamme de longueurs de cycle et de valeurs des doses de chimiothérapie afin d’identifier les meilleurs schémas en combinaison avec le G-CSF. Nos résultats suggèrent que la doxorubicine 45mg/BSA tous les 14 jours a un impact positif sur le contrôle de la croissance tumorale, et qu’il est préfèrable de retarder l’administration du G-CSF au septième jour après la chimiothérapie et de donner moins de doses pour minimiser le risque de neutropénie et le fardeau de ce médicament. Cette étude suggère des pistes possibles pour des schémas optimaux de chimiothérapie, avec le soutien prophylactique du G-CSF spécifiquement dans le contexte du cancer du sein triple négatif.Cytotoxic chemotherapy continues to be a first-line treatment option for the majority of cancers. A major side effect in chemotherapy regimens is neutropenia. Prophylactic therapy with granulocyte colony stimulating factor (G-CSF), an endogenous cytokine responsible for regulating neutrophil production, is administered concomitantly; the exact timing of the combination chemotherapy and G-CSF is crucial for achieving treatment results. Leveraging on previous work that optimized treatment regimens based on G-CSF timing, we developed a quantitative systems pharmacology (QSP) framework to study dose frequency and intensity of chemotherapy in order to maximize anti-tumor effects while minimizing neutropenia. In this work, we performed an optimization across a wide range of cycle lengths and dose sizes to identify the best cytotoxic chemotherapy regimens with G-CSF support. Our results suggest that doxorubicin 45mg/BSA every 14 days, has a positive impact on tumour growth control, and that to minimize the risk of neutropenia and the burden to patients it is best to delay the administration of G-CSF to day seven after chemotherapy and give fewer doses . This study suggests possible avenues for optimal chemotherapy regimens with prophylactic support of G-CSF in the context of Triple Negative Breast Cancer

Understanding Pacing-Induced Cardiomyopathy: a mini review

Patients with total atrioventricular block or sinus node dysfunction will need pacemaker implantation to improve the physiologic function of the heart.  It is known that chronic pacing such as right ventricular pacing could deteriorate the cardiac function (decreased left ventricular ejection fraction) due to dyssynchrony. This condition is knows as pacing-induced cardiomyopathy (PICM). The incidence of PICM could reach 19.5% during 3 years follow-up. The right ventricle is one of the locations for implantation. Chronic right ventricular pacing may cause interventricular dyssynchrony and disrupt the contraction mechanism in the heart. These will lead to cardiac remodeling and eventually impair the left ventricular function. Therapy is needed in patients with PICM to improve the symptoms and maintain the cardiac function. This article will further highlight the definition, mechanism, risk factor, treatment and preventive strategy for patients with PICM