A “Near-Miss Lethal Accident Case” in MR Suit of a Tertiary Care Hospital

A “near miss” is an unpleasant event that did not result in injury, illness, or damage but had the potential to do so, but for a fortunate break in the chain of events. We present a near-miss case which occurred in the MR suite of a tertiary care hospital. Although the MR is considered a very safe procedure, if MR safety guidelines are not adhered to, adverse and catastrophic events to the extent of patient deaths are known to have occurred. It is hoped that this incident will prompt hospitals to document and follow MR safety protocols for patient and staff safety. Although MRI is an extremely safe procedure rarely MR adverse incidents have resulted in serious physical injury or even death. The incident is an eye opener regarding potential adverse events lurking in the relatively safe MR environment and provides an opportunity to rectify the inadequacies in MR safety

Dermatological adverse drug reactions with particular reference to Steven-Johnson syndrome and toxic epidermal necrolysis

Background: Drug therapy is an inevitable cause of cutaneous adverse reactions. Aims and Objectives: The primary aim was to identify the incidence and magnitude of various dermatological adverse reactions including Steven-Johnson syndrome (SJS) and toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN). Moreover, secondary aim was to quantify the risks associated with the use of specific medications. Materials and Methods: A prospective and hospital-based study was conducted in the department of dermatology SMHS hospital on hospitalized cases of cutaneous adverse drug reactions (CADRs). Informed consent was sought and reactions were reported on validated questionnaire based on adverse drug reaction (ADR) monitoring form provided by Central Drug Standard Control organization Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India. These dermatological reactions were assessed for the clinical pattern, causative agents, and prognosis. The WHO-Uppsala Monitoring centre system for standardized case was used for causality assessment of all cases identified. Results: A total of 101 hospitalized patients with varied dermatological ADRs were reported during the study period. Cases were found more in females (n=75, 74.25%) than in males (n=26, 25.75%). CADRs that were reported in our study were exanthematous rash, fixed drug eruptions, urticarial rashes, SJS, TEN, urticarial vasculitis, anticonvulsant hypersensitivity syndrome, erythema multiforme, contact dermatitis, exfoliative dermatitis, mucosal hyperpigmentation, and nail pigmentation, respectively. After a meticulous drug history, the drugs implicated in causing the cutaneous reactions were anticonvalscents such as phenytoin, carbamazepine, lamotrigine, and phenobarbitone. Other drugs identified were non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as oxicam, antibiotics such as sulfasalazine, cefixime, cefpodoxime, amoxicillin, fluoroquinolones such as levofloxacin and ciprofloxacin, chemotherapeutic agents such as cyclophosphamide, 5FU, and hydroxurea. Conclusion: The present study concluded that skin is most common target for ADRs. Drug-induced cutaneous reactions can be as simple as a mild rash to rare life-threatening SJS and TEN. Moreover, certain group of patients is at increased risk for developing CADR’s as women are more susceptible than men

Effect of early tranexamic acid administration on mortality, hysterectomy, and other morbidities in women with post-partum haemorrhage (WOMAN): an international, randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial

Background Post-partum haemorrhage is the leading cause of maternal death worldwide. Early administration of tranexamic acid reduces deaths due to bleeding in trauma patients. We aimed to assess the effects of early administration of tranexamic acid on death, hysterectomy, and other relevant outcomes in women with post-partum haemorrhage. Methods In this randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, we recruited women aged 16 years and older with a clinical diagnosis of post-partum haemorrhage after a vaginal birth or caesarean section from 193 hospitals in 21 countries. We randomly assigned women to receive either 1 g intravenous tranexamic acid or matching placebo in addition to usual care. If bleeding continued after 30 min, or stopped and restarted within 24 h of the first dose, a second dose of 1 g of tranexamic acid or placebo could be given. Patients were assigned by selection of a numbered treatment pack from a box containing eight numbered packs that were identical apart from the pack number. Participants, care givers, and those assessing outcomes were masked to allocation. We originally planned to enrol 15 000 women with a composite primary endpoint of death from all-causes or hysterectomy within 42 days of giving birth. However, during the trial it became apparent that the decision to conduct a hysterectomy was often made at the same time as randomisation. Although tranexamic acid could influence the risk of death in these cases, it could not affect the risk of hysterectomy. We therefore increased the sample size from 15 000 to 20 000 women in order to estimate the effect of tranexamic acid on the risk of death from post-partum haemorrhage. All analyses were done on an intention-to-treat basis. This trial is registered with ISRCTN76912190 (Dec 8, 2008); ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT00872469; and PACTR201007000192283. Findings Between March, 2010, and April, 2016, 20 060 women were enrolled and randomly assigned to receive tranexamic acid (n=10 051) or placebo (n=10 009), of whom 10 036 and 9985, respectively, were included in the analysis. Death due to bleeding was significantly reduced in women given tranexamic acid (155 [1·5%] of 10 036 patients vs 191 [1·9%] of 9985 in the placebo group, risk ratio [RR] 0·81, 95% CI 0·65–1·00; p=0·045), especially in women given treatment within 3 h of giving birth (89 [1·2%] in the tranexamic acid group vs 127 [1·7%] in the placebo group, RR 0·69, 95% CI 0·52–0·91; p=0·008). All other causes of death did not differ significantly by group. Hysterectomy was not reduced with tranexamic acid (358 [3·6%] patients in the tranexamic acid group vs 351 [3·5%] in the placebo group, RR 1·02, 95% CI 0·88–1·07; p=0·84). The composite primary endpoint of death from all causes or hysterectomy was not reduced with tranexamic acid (534 [5·3%] deaths or hysterectomies in the tranexamic acid group vs 546 [5·5%] in the placebo group, RR 0·97, 95% CI 0·87-1·09; p=0·65). Adverse events (including thromboembolic events) did not differ significantly in the tranexamic acid versus placebo group. Interpretation Tranexamic acid reduces death due to bleeding in women with post-partum haemorrhage with no adverse effects. When used as a treatment for postpartum haemorrhage, tranexamic acid should be given as soon as possible after bleeding onset. Funding London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, Pfizer, UK Department of Health, Wellcome Trust, and Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation

Dual versus Monotherapy in the Prophylaxis of Acute and Chronic Migraine

Migraine, a primary headache disorder, is a debilitating condition with reduced productivity, increased disability, and a very high economic burden. The present study aimed to individualize the treatment protocols for episodic and chronic migraine in order to reduce the duration, frequency, and severity of attacks, as well as the disability associated with migraine by comparing monotherapy and dual therapy