The assessment of the quality of randomized controlled trials published in Indian medical journals

Aim: In this retrospective cross-sectional study, we sought to evaluate if the published randomized controlled trials (RCTs) reported in the year 2017 among the Indian medical journals (IMJs) complied with the Consolidated Standards of Reporting Trials (CONSORT) guidelines and identify domains where reporting could be improved. Methods: A literature search was performed using PubMed and Google Scholar to identify all the IMJs that published RCTs in the year 2017. In the archives of the identified journals, the number of published RCTs was identified and the full text was obtained. We selected articles that stated RCT in abstract and title and that evaluated the safety and efficacy of all therapeutic and preventive interventions. Results: A total of seven IMJs comprising of the Indian Journal of Anesthesia, Indian Journal of Dermatology, Venereology and Leprology, Indian Journal of Pharmacology, Indian Journal of Ophthalmology, Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Journal of Pharmacology and Pharmacotherapeutics, and Indian Journal of Medical and Pediatric Oncology that published a total of 84 RCTs were included. The mean compliance score of all the RCTs was 13.7 ± 2.66 (57%). Most RCTs had serious reporting deficiencies in the methodology and result sections. Discussion: In spite of journals making it mandatory for prospective authors to comply with the CONSORT guidelines, it is intriguing that there continues to be significant lacunae in reporting RCTs adequately in most IMJs. Conclusion: There is an urgent need to impart training to the medical community of our country in clinical research methods and reporting of RCTs

Indo-Swiss Symposium on Personalized Oncology with a theme on Precision Oncology: The Future of Cancer Care – A Conference Report

<p>The Indo-Swiss symposium on precision oncology for the future of cancer care was conducted as part of Indo-Swiss collaborative project titled 'Molecular and Pharmacogenetic marker evaluation in relation to the toxicity and clinical response of Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL) treatment in Indian children". The main objective of this symposium is to discuss on topics such as precision  oncology practice using somatic genetic information, therapeutic drug monitoring, and  pharmacogenomics with an emphasis given to Paediatric oncology setting. The program involved scientific presentations, panel discussion and a debate that has been appreciated well by the attendees and emphasized the requirement of such events on regular basis as a continued medical  education program in their feedback.</p&gt

Clinical presentation and 2-year mortality outcomes in acute heart failure in a tertiary care hospital in South India: A retrospective cohort study

Background: Heart failure (HF) is one of the leading causes of mortality and morbidity worldwide. We sought to describe the clinical epidemiology of HF from a representative sample in a tertiary care setting and to evaluate the factors which could increase the mortality risk in the study patients. Methods: This retrospective cohort study was carried out among patients who had been admitted with a diagnosis of acute HF from 2013 to 2017. Demographic data, history, laboratory investigations, data on medication clinical variables, and in-hospital outcomes were obtained from the patient's hospital records. The patients were assessed through the telephonic interview for mortality outcomes. Data were analyzed using SPSS software version 16.0 (SPSS Inc., Chicago, IL) and all values of P < 0.05 was considered as statistically significant. Results: A total of 355 acute heart failure (AHF) patients were included in the study with a mean age of 57.78 ± 12.78 years. The most common etiologies among the study patients were ischemic heart disease (58%) and Dilated Cardiomyopathy (24.79%). The in-hospital and 2-year mortality was found to be 104 (29.3%) and 179 (50.4%), respectively. The 2-year mortality was significantly higher in patients with ischemic HF than that of nonischemic HF (119 [57.8%] vs. 58 [39.5%], P = 0.003). Multivariate Cox proportional hazard analysis demonstrated that elderly age, the presence of diastolic dysfunction and higher levels of total leukocyte count (TLC) were independent predictors of mortality. Conclusion: The mortality rate in AHF is higher among ischemic HF than nonischemic HF. The major factors contributing to the 2-year mortality rate among AHF were elderly age, diastolic dysfunction, and high-TLC