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Objectives: In recent years, the prevalence of asthma has globally increased. Despite intensive treatment, many children with asthma are not achieving good symptom control. The present study aims to analyze the prescribing trends in pediatric asthma according to the World Health Organization (WHO) prescribing indicators. Methods: This was an observational, longitudinal study conducted for the duration of 6 months with a sample size of 62. Children with age 1–14 years with asthma, who fulfilled the inclusion criteria, were enrolled after obtaining the written informed consent. Data were collected from outpatient department prescription slips for 2 times, one at 1st enrollment and the next after 1 month and changes in the prescription were noted. Peak expiratory flow rate (PEFR) was measured on both visits and the change in PEFR was noted. Results: Male predominance was seen (67.74%) with age of 5–9 years (40.32%). Average number of drugs per prescription was 1.96. The most commonly prescribed anti-asthmatic drug was inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) (78.22%). Only 1.5% drugs were prescribed by generic names and 22.22% drugs from the essential drug list. Inhalational route (38.71%) was preferred over the oral route (20.97%). After 1 month of treatment, change in PEFR was found to be statistically significant. Conclusion: The study concluded that average number of drugs per prescription and use of antibiotics was conforming to the WHO prescribing standards but prescribing from essential medicines list and by generic name need to be encouraged.

Background: Osteoarthritis is a slowly progressive disorder associated with a hyaline cartilage loss. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs play a pertinent role in management of osteoarthritis. Objectives: The study was carried out for the comparison of efficacy and tolerability of Aceclofenac and Diclofenac in patients of osteoarthritis of knee joint. Material and Methods: It is a randomised parallel group double blinded study. The study included 60 patients of confirmed osteoarthritis of knee joint, 30 patients were given Aceclofenac and 30 patients were given Diclofenac after food for 8 weeks and the patients were evaluated and compared statistically for pain intensity by VAS Score, Joint tenderness, Swelling, Erythema, Pain on movement, Functional capacity and Overall Assessment on LIKERT Scale. Results: Both the drugs caused marked improvements in the parameters of -Pain intensity, Joint tenderness, Swelling, Erythema, Pain on movement of OA knee joint but there was increased improvement in all the parameters with aceclofenac. Conclusion: Aceclofenac is the NSAID of choice in the osteoarthritis of knee joint as compare to Diclofenac as it is found to be more efficacious. Although, no significant difference was found in adverse effect drug profile.

Background: Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of mortality worldwide, including in low- and middle-income countries. Cardiovascular risk assessment is essential to prevent the mortality caused by diabetes. Aim: The current study was conducted to assess the prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors in type 2 diabetes and to compare the United Kingdom Prospective Diabetes Study (UKPDS) and World Health Organization (WHO)/International Society of Hypertension (ISH) chart in assessing cardiovascular risk score. Materials and Methods: Cardiac risk assessments were done in fifty patients attending the medicine outpatient department in an institutional hospital after ethical clearance and taking informed consent from patients. Two assessment tools were applied on the same patient. Results: Overall, 10% of people were obese (body mass index >30). Smoking was prevalent in 20% (10/50) of patients. Hypertension was observed in 60% (30/50) of patients. Raised total cholesterol (TC) was the most common lipid abnormality affecting 94% of patients. The WHO/ISH prediction charts identified 14% and 10% of patients with cardiovascular risk category 40, the WHO/ISH score predicted a higher proportion of patients (18% and 32%) than the UKPDS engine (8% and 4%, respectively). Kappa value was calculated to calculate the degree of agreement between two tools, and it was found to be 0.781 (P < 0.01). Conclusion: Raised TC and hypertension were the most prevalent risk factors. There was no significant discrepancy between two assessment tools in predicting cardiovascular risk score among type 2 diabetes mellitus patients in our study.

Background: UTIs are one of the most common infectious diseases encountered in out-patient departments on day to day basis. Nitrofurantoin and Ciprofloxacin are most commonly used antibiotics in the treatment of UTI. The present study was done to compare the efficacy and tolerability of nitrofurantoin and ciprofloxacin in patients of urinary tract infection.Methods: This prospective, open, randomized, parallel group, comparative study was conducted on 60 patients presenting with acute/uncomplicated or recurrent urinary tract infection in the outpatient Department of Urology, Rajindra Hospital attached to Govt. Medical College, Patiala, Punjab. They were divided into two groups, Group I and Group II of 30 cases each. Group I patients were put on Nitrofurantoin and Group II patients were put on Ciprofloxacin. Initially 100 patients were enrolled but only those who showed growth of uropathogens on baseline urine culture or those who completed the treatment were included in the study. The primary outcome measure was microbiological eradication on post treatment urine culture.Results: The age range of the patients in Group I and Group II was 19 to 68 years (43.40±14.58 years) and 20-60 years (39.77±13.49 years) respectively. The total no. of males and females who participated in this study were 32 (53.33%) and 28 (46.66%) respectively. The most common uropathogen associated with uncomplicated UTI was E. coli (80%), other organisms detected were Klebsiella species (16.67%), Staphylococcus aureus (3.33%) and Providencia (3.33%). Post treatment urine culture results showed significant difference between two groups, 5 patients (16.67 %) in case of Group I and 14 patients (46.67%) in case of Group II showed growth of micro-organisms post treatment. P-value comes out to be 0.017 which is significant.Conclusions: In this era of super bugs, nitrofurantoin is more efficacious than ciprofloxacin in the treatment of UTI. E. coli was found to be major organism causing UTI. Ciprofloxacin is less effective due to increasing antibiotic resistance among uropathogens. Both the drugs were well tolerated, no major significant adverse effects were encountered.

Background: Gout, resulting from the precipitation of urate crystals in the tissues and the subsequent inflammatory response, causes an exquisitely painful distal monoarthritis alongwith joint destruction, subcutaneous deposits (tophi), renal calculi. The main culprit is uric Acid, which is a waste product formed due to purine metabolism. Gout Patients either produce excess Uric acid or are unable to excrete Uric acid produced in normal conditions. Uric acid lowering therapy (ULT) has become popular regarding management of gout. Nowadays. 2 drugs which are responsible for decreasing synthesis of Uric acid are Febuxostat and Allopurinol. The purpose of this study is to determine efficacy of Febuxostat and Allopurinol experienced by patients during course of therapy.Methods: It was an open, prospective, observational, non-invasive, parallel and randomised study, conducted at the Outpatient Department of Urology, Rajindra Hospital, Patiala. It had 60 patients of gout, out which, 30 patients were administered Febuxostat and 30 patients were administered Allopurinol. For each patient, history regarding drug intake was taken, along with analysis of Serum Uric acid profile before prescription and during follow up.Results: The mean age selected for study was 47 years for Febuxostat group and 43 years for Allopurinol group. Mean Urate (mg%) in pre-treatment stage of patients of Febuxostat group is about 8.28 whereas for Allopurinol group its about 8.61. Mean urate levels after 4 follow ups (10 days each) were conducted. The mean Urate level at 10, 20, 30, 40 days were conducted at each group which were found to be statistically significant and the results of Febuxostat group was found to be favourable.Conclusions: Febuxostat, (40mg) given at daily dose was found to have higher efficacy than allopurinol, at a dose of 100mg (zyloric) which is the most commonly prescribed dose in order to lower the serum urate level.

Rheumatoid arthritis is a debilitating disease that has significant impact on quality of life. Biological and non biological DMARDs improved the outcome in RA patients. New agents are still required in inadequate responders or intolerant patients. FDA has recently approved a new drug Sarilumab, a monoclonal antibody for the treatment of moderate to severe form of RA which acts by binding to Interleukin receptor 6 and interrupts the resultant cytokine-mediated inflammatory signaling.

Background: Osteoarthritis is a slowly progressive disorder associated with a hyaline cartilage loss. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs play a pertinent role in management of osteoarthritis. Objectives: The study was carried out for the comparison of efficacy and tolerability of Aceclofenac and Diclofenac in patients of osteoarthritis of knee joint. Material and Methods: It is a randomised parallel group double blinded study. The study included 60 patients of confirmed osteoarthritis of knee joint, 30 patients were given Aceclofenac and 30 patients were given Diclofenac after food for 8 weeks and the patients were evaluated and compared statistically for pain intensity by VAS Score, Joint tenderness, Swelling, Erythema, Pain on movement, Functional capacity and Overall Assessment on LIKERT Scale. Results: Both the drugs caused marked improvements in the parameters of - Pain intensity, Joint tenderness, Swelling, Erythema, Pain on movement of OA knee joint but there was increased improvement in all the parameters with aceclofenac. Conclusion: Aceclofenac is the NSAID of choice in the osteoarthritis of knee joint as compare to Diclofenac.