S.N. Singh

Predictors of Poor Outcome in Neonates with Pyogenic Meningitis in a Level-Three Neonatal Intensive Care Unit of Developing Country

Background The mortality of neonatal pyogenic meningitis is reduced to 10-15%, but morbidity is unchanged. Methods Primary objective is to determine the outcome, i.e. death or abnormal neurological examination (NE) at discharge and abnormal developmental quotient (DQ) at 3 months. Secondary objective is to find predictors of poor outcome. Results In all, 89 neonates enrolled, 10 expired and 24 neonates had abnormal NE at discharge. A total of 59 neonates came for follow up, 13 had DQ < 70. Prolonged shock (odds ratio, OR: 8.28; p = 0.001), coma (OR: 4.3; p = 0.001), seizures (OR: 14; p = 0.012), mechanical ventilation (OR: 18.55; p = 0.00), orogastric feeding (OR: 2.78; p = 0.042) and electroencephalography (EEG; OR: 9.6; p = 0.00) predicted poor short-term outcome. Abnormal NE at discharge (OR: 15.6; p = 0.001), EEG (OR = 10.60; p = 0.00) and brainstem-evoked reflex audiometry (OR = 37.20, p = 0.00) predicted a low DQ at 3 months. Mortality and morbidity of neonates with Pyogenic Meningitis (PM) were similar to that in developed countries. Outcome depended on severity of the disease and NE at discharge.

Transdermal Drug Therapy-A Novel Approach for Acne Vulgaris Treatment

Acne vulgaris, one of the skin inflammatory disorders, is most common among youths of various countries including India, countries of U.S and U.K. It is caused by the colonization of Propionibacterium acnes, following with other factors in the skin. This disorder also causes mental disturbances to the patient. Therefore, it is very necessary to cure this disease in an effective manner. Transdermal therapy, a novel approach to cure skin inflammatory diseases, has contributed a big step which allows drug molecules to passively diffuse through the skin surface without damaging the deeper tissues. It has overcome all the disadvantages of general topical therapy and hypodermic injections and gained more attention among researchers and patient.