Capecitabine in the management of colorectal cancer

5-Fluorouracil has been a mainstay in the treatment of colorectal cancer for nearly five decades; however, the use of oral formulations of the medication has been gaining increasing traction since capecitabine was approved for use in adjuvant settings by the US Food and Drug Administration in 2005. The use of capecitabine has since spread to a number of off-label indications, including the treatment of advanced or metastatic colorectal cancer and the neoadjuvant treatment of rectal cancer. In light of increasing utilization, it is critical that clinicians have a firm understanding of the literature supporting capecitabine across various settings as well as the attributes of the drug, such as its dosing recommendations, side-effect profile, and use in the elderly. The purpose of this review is to synthesize the literature in a fashion that can be used to help guide decisions. In a setting of increasing focus on cost, the pharmacoeconomic literature is also briefly reviewed

17β-Hy­droxy-17α-(hy­droxy­meth­yl)estr-4-en-3-one

The title compound, C19H28O3, the fungal-transformed metabolite of the steroid methyl­oestrenol contains four fused rings A, B, C and D. Ring A adopts a half-chair and the trans-fused rings B and C adopt chair confirmations; the five-membered D ring is folded like an envelope. In the crystal, adjacent mol­ecules are linked by O—H⋯Ocarbon­yl and O—H⋯Ohy­droxy hydrogen bonds into a layer structure

Effects of seasons on condition factor and weight - length relationship in Dussumier's halfbeak, Hyporhamphus dussumieri (Valenciennes, 1847), (Actinopterygii: Beloniformes: Hemiramphidae) from Karachi coast in the Arabian Sea

A total of (n=114) H. dussumieri were collected during monsoon (August and September), post monsoon (October and November) seasons in 2011. Mean total length of females (t test: P = 2.5663E-12) and males (t test: P = 1.4766E-08) between two seasons were significantly different. Similarly, mean total length (t test: P = 9.8887E-20) and Size-frequency distribution (Kolmogorov-Smirnov two sample test: d = 0.82716, P = 3.41312E-15) were significantly different between monsoon and postmonsoon for combined sexes. The slope (b) of WLRs regression lines for monsoon except for male were significantly different from the isometric growth curve slope (b = 3). Therefore, the slope of WLRs regression lines for postmonsoon by combined sex and both female and male were significantly lower than the isometric growth curve slope (b = 3) suggesting negative allomnetric growth in post-monsoon season

Utility of second trimester beta HCG levels in prediction of gestational hypertension: a prospective cohort study

Background: Gestational hypertension is a significant threat both to maternal and fetal health. However, it is still a distant dream to predict accurately its occurrence in early pregnancy. Objective was to find out if β HCG levels determined between 13 to 20 weeks of gestation can be used as a predictor for gestational hypertension.Methods: This prospective observational cohort study was conducted from August 2014 to January 2016. Serum β HCG levels were determined at 13 to 20 weeks of gestation of 190 normotensive pregnant women attending the antenatal clinics. They were followed for the development of gestational hypertension till 40 weeks of gestation or delivery.Results: Out of the total 190 women, 25 (13.1%) developed gestation hypertension. Of those who developed gestational hypertension, 22 (88%) were having β HCG levels >2 MOM (p2 MOM were 83.3, 96.9, 80.0 and 97.5 respectively (95% CI).Conclusions: Pregnant women with high Beta HCG levels in early pregnancy have significantly higher risk for development of gestational hypertension

Proprotein convertase subtilisin/Kexin type-9 (PCSK-9) inhibitors induced liver injury - a retrospective analysis.

Background: Proprotein convertase subtilisin/Kexin type 9 (PCSK-9) inhibitors induced liver dysfunction in patients with or without previous liver injury, and this is not well discussed in the previous literature. Methods: A total sample of 202 patients were retrospectively reviewed at the University of Missouri, Kansas City, from the year 2015 to 2018 based on predefined selection criteria. Inclusion criteria involved patients with dyslipidemia, with or without PCSK-9 inhibitors, liver function tests and lipid profile at baseline and at a mean of 6-month follow-up. The variables, including age, gender, and confounding factors like other medications (statin, oral antidiabetic, and antihypertensive) induced, or chronic secondary liver diseases causing liver injury were taken into consideration. Exclusion criteria included patients without dyslipidemia. Results: The mean age of the study population was 64 ± 11 years (63% males and 37% females). The lipid profile including triglyceride and cholesterol levels during 6-month followup visit showed a mean of 184 ± 260 and 163 ± 50 mg/dL as compared to that at baseline of 227 ± 603 and 181 ± 70 mg/dL, respectively. In terms of clinical efficacy, a 6-month follows-up showed a drop in triglyceride and cholesterol levels by 38 and 15 mg/dL, respectively. A liver function test at 6 months in patients taking PCSK-9 inhibitors showed an increase in alanine transaminase (ALT) and aspartate transaminase (AST) by 5.8 mg/dL (p = 0.037) and 6.2 mg/dL (p = 0.008), respectively, from baseline values. Conclusion: PCSK-9 inhibitors should be used cautiously with a follow-up liver function test

The Approach of Pharmacy Students Towards Communication of Medication Errors in Karachi, Pakistan

Purpose: To assess pharmacy students’ knowledge of communicating medication errors in Karachi, Pakistan.Methods: The study design was cross-sectional and conducted from February to May 2014. A previously validated questionnaire was adopted, modified and distributed to final year pharmacy students in four universities of Karachi. Descriptive statistics were used to present students’ demographic information and their response to the questionnaire items. Pearson chi square test and Logistic regression model were executed to evaluate the association of gender and institution of students with their response.Results: Out of 600 survey questionnaires distributed, only 464 were returned in useable form, giving a response rate of 77.33 %. A majority of the students showed moderately positive attitude towards general communication and training in communicating medication errors. More than 40 % of the respondents were not satisfied with the training they received in communicating and reporting incidence of medication errors. Incorrect drug (14.65 %), incorrect dose (8.40 %) and improper storage of medicines (7.97 %) were the most common errors observed by the students during clerkship.Conclusion: The findings indicate the need for a more standardized approach to improving knowledge of medication errors as well as training in the communication of occurrence of medication errors.Keywords: Communication, Medication error, Pharmacy students, Standardized trainin

Serum malondialdehyde and adiponectin in albuminuric kidney disease patients

Background: Diabetes, hypertension, oxidative stress, obesity, adipocytokine dysfunction, and dyslipidemia are causative factors in development of Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD). Adiponectin secreted from adipose tissue, has Reno protective effect against development of albuminuria in animal studies. The previous studies investigated the relationship between serum adiponectin level and urinary albuminuria in kidney disease patients, but the results are conflicting.Methods: The pre diagnosed kidney disease patients were divided into microalbuminuria and macroalbuminuria groups, while control subjects were called as normoal buminuria group. The pre diagnosed adult kidney disease patients of both genders with age matching control subjects with no known comorbidity were included in the study. Whereas pregnant female patients and the patients with comorbidity were excluded from the study. The demographic data and the anthropometric data of control and kidney patients were recorded. The blood was analyzed for Glycosylated Hemoglobin (HbA1c), electrolytes, glucose, calcium, total protein, albumin, urea, creatinine adiponectin and malondialdehyde. The Urine was analyzed for Creatinine and albuminuria. The glomerular filtration rate was estimated.Results: The blood pressure, blood urea, creatinine, glycated hemoglobin, malondialdehyde, adiponectin levels were higher in albuminuric kidney patients as compared to normal control subjects. The mean glomerular filtration rate was lowest in macroalbuminuric patients as compared to micro and normoalbuminuric patients. The serum adiponectin and serum malondialdehyde both showed positive correlation with serum creatinine, and with albuminuria/urinary creatinine ratio.Conclusions: The study concludes that, positive correlation of serum malondialdehyde with adiponectin and albuminuria