Laparoscopic ovarian drilling vs. step-up gonadotropin therapy in infertile anovulatory polycystic ovary syndrome women resistant to sequential letrozole and gonadotropin-based ovulation induction cycles: a randomized controlled trial.

Objective: To study the effect of laparoscopic ovarian drilling (LOD) vs. step-up gonadotropin therapy on follicular response in infertile anovulatory polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) women resistant to sequential letrozole + human menopausal gonadotropin (HMG)-based ovulation induction (OVI) cycles DESIGN: Open-labeled, pilot, randomized controlled trial SUBJECTS: Infertile anovulatory PCOS women (diagnosed according to modified Rotterdam criteria), resistant to sequential letrozole 5 mg + HMG-based OVI cycle (no dominant follicle >10 mm after 14 days of stimulation). Other inclusion criteria were: age 19-38 years; body mass index ≤35 kg/m; patent fallopian tubes documented on either hysterosalpingography/saline infusion sonography or laparoscopy; antimüllerian hormone (AMH) levels >6 ng/mL.

Efficacy of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) therapy in children with drug refractory focal epilepsy - A randomized trial.

Background: Low frequency repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) can suppress local neural circuits beyond the stimulation period and can be a potential treatment option for focal epilepsy. This study analysed the short-term effect of rTMS on seizure frequency, EEG, behavior, and cognition in children with drug refractory focal epilepsy (DRFE).

Methods: This is a single center, randomized double-blind sham controlled clinical trial (CTRI/2019/02/017,440).

A retrospective study to assess the accuracy of syphilis rapid test by chemiluminescent microparticle immunoassay (CIA) in volunteer blood donors.

Background: Syphilis screening methods in blood banks have recently transitioned from manual nontreponemal tests to automated treponemal-specific enzyme immunoassays and chemiluminescence immunoassays (CIA). Although convenient and highly sensitive, this has led to increased false-positive rates leading to the wastage of blood resources.

Aims And Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate the positive predictive value (PPV) of (TP)-CIA as a screening tool in healthy blood donors and determine optimal cutoff values to improve specificity, thereby reducing unnecessary blood wastage and donor exclusion.

Urinary lipoarabinomannan: A novel diagnostic tool for distinguishing gastrointestinal tuberculosis from Crohn's disease.

Background: The differentiation between gastrointestinal tuberculosis (GITB) and Crohn's disease (CD) is challenging. Detection of urinary lipoarabinomannan (LAM), a glycolipid component of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis cell wall, has shown potential as a non-invasive diagnostic marker for tuberculosis.

Objective: We evaluated the diagnostic accuracy of urinary LAM in distinguishing GITB from CD.

Outcomes of children with juvenile idiopathic arthritis receiving biological disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs: a retrospective single-centre experience from India.

Background: We aimed to study the outcomes (remission, flare and adverse events) of biological disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (bDMARD) in children with JIA from a low-middle-income country setting, and explore the factors associated with these outcomes.

Methods: The Pediatric Rheumatology Clinic bDMARD register (2009 to August 2024) was screened to enrol children with JIA and at least 3 months follow-up whilst on bDMARDs. Participant characteristics and clinical responses were collected in a pre-designed proforma to evaluate the primary objective i.

Unveiling Therapeutic Potential of Yoga Mitigating Oxidative Stress and Mitochondrial Dysfunction in PCOS: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

Background: Hormonal imbalance, mitochondrial dysfunctions, and oxidative stress (OS) have been implicated in the pathogenesis of polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) and its associated clinical features. A sedentary lifestyle, exposure to air pollutants, prenatal exposure to endocrine-disrupting chemicals, processed and nutritionally depleted food, rich in trans fats, salts, and sugars, and high BMI specifically in visceral adiposity induce OS. OS damages the mitochondrial DNA, lipids, and proteins that impair mitochondrial function.

Nutritional assessment in gynecological cancers: Experience from an Indian tertiary care center.

Background: Malnutrition is highly prevalent among cancer patients and significantly impacts treatment outcomes. In India, the cancer-specific mechanisms of malnutrition are further exacerbated by the already high prevalence of malnutrition in the general population. Despite its clinical significance, nutritional screening remains underutilized in women with gynecological cancers.

Comparison of clinical efficacy and cost-effectiveness of rituximab infusion and intravenous dexamethasone pulse therapy in pemphigus vulgaris: an open prospective randomized controlled pilot study.

Background: Rituximab (Rtx) and dexamethasone pulse (DP) are the two most commonly used therapeutic regimens in pemphigus vulgaris (PV).

Objectives: To compare the clinical efficacy, side-effect profile, cost-effectiveness and changes in desmoglein (Dsg) levels in patients with PV treated with an Rtx biosimilar or DP.

Methods: This open-label prospective randomized controlled study (trial registration number CTRI/2020/04/032978) was conducted at the All India Institute for Medical Sciences in New Delhi, India, from November 2018 to September 2023.

Prevalence and Pattern of Traumatic Dental Injuries in Children and Adolescents With Severe to Profound Hearing Impairment: A Hospital-Based Cross-Sectional Study.

Background/aim: Traumatic Dental Injuries (TDIs) are an emerging public health problem and a realm of research for oral health enthusiasts. Certain populations can be more vulnerable to injuries such as those with a sensory deficit. Nevertheless, literature is scarce, especially for those with hearing impairment.

Mortality in chronic pulmonary aspergillosis: a systematic review and individual patient data meta-analysis.

Background: Despite antifungal treatment, chronic pulmonary aspergillosis (CPA) is associated with substantial morbidity and mortality. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to evaluate rates of mortality and its predictors in CPA.

Methods: A systematic literature search was conducted across MEDLINE (PubMed), Scopus, Embase, and Web of Science to identify studies in English, reporting mortality in CPA, from database inception to Aug 15, 2023.

Impact of iron-folic acid supplementation on maternal and neonatal outcomes: A systematic review & meta-analysis.

Iron-folic acid (IFA) supplementation is widely recommended as both a preventive and therapeutic measure for pregnant women. Despite its widespread use, there is limited research exploring adherence to IFA supplementation during pregnancy and its impact on maternal and neonatal outcomes. This study aims to assess the effectiveness of IFA supplementation in improving pregnancy and neonatal outcomes.

Simple limbal epithelial transplantation versus cultivated limbal epithelial transplantation in ocular burns.

Purpose: To compare the outcomes of simple limbal epithelial transplantation (SLET) with cultivated limbal epithelial transplantation (CLET) for the management of total limbal stem cell deficiency (LSCD) in eyes with unilateral ocular burns.

Design: Randomized controlled trial.

Methods: 100 patients (100 eyes) with unilateral total LSCD following ocular burns undergoing autologous Limbal Stem Cell Transplantation (LSCT) were enrolled and randomized into SLET and CLET groups.

Penetration of Intracoronal Bleaching Agents Across a Calcium Silicate-Based Coronal Barrier in Pulpless Immature Permanent Teeth: An In Vitro Study.

Objective: Tooth bleaching procedures on nonvital teeth have been performed for crown discoloration caused by regenerative endodontic therapy (RET). However, leakage of bleaching agents across the root canal can be detrimental. This study aimed to assess and compare the penetration levels of hydrogen peroxide (HP) from different bleaching agents across calcium silicate-based coronal barriers in immature permanent teeth.

Body mass index and cognitive functioning decline: Exploring the relationship.

Background: Cognitive functions may play an important role in the management of obesity by promoting compliance towards lifestyle-related behaviours. This study aimed to identify cognitive deficits among adults and examine their association across different Body Mass Index (BMI) categories in an Indian setting.

Materials And Methods: The study is a cross-sectional survey of a sample attending a tertiary care hospital in northern India.

Exploring the Link Between Somatic and Psychiatric Symptoms in Patients With Medically Unexplained Physical Symptoms: A Cross-Sectional Survey From North India.

Background: The association between somatic symptoms and psychiatric co-morbidities remains unexplored among patients with medically unexplained physical symptoms (MUPS) in Asian populations. This study aims to bridge this gap by investigating psychiatric morbidities and their determinants among patients presenting with MUPS in an Indian setup.

Methodology: This cross-sectional study, conducted in the outpatient department (OPD) of a tertiary care hospital in India, assessed 200 patients diagnosed with MUPS.

Correlation Between Optical Coherence Tomography Angiography Findings at 3 to 6 Weeks and Functional Outcome at 3 Months Following Acute Ischaemic Stroke Due to Extracranial Carotid Artery Atherosclerotic Disease.

We wanted to evaluate if optical coherence tomography angiography OCTA findings could predict the functional outcome in extracranial carotid artery atherosclerotic disease (ECAD) associated stroke. This exploratory study was performed on adults with acute ischaemic stroke due to ECAD at 3-6 weeks following stroke onset with risk factor matched controls without carotid artery stenosis. Twenty-three stroke patients (cases) and 23 controls were enrolled.

Construction and validation of a covariate-based model for district-level estimation of excess deaths due to COVID-19 in India.

Background: Different statistical approaches for estimating excess deaths due to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic have led to varying estimates. In this study, we developed and validated a covariate-based model (CBM) with imputation for prediction of district-level excess deaths in India.

Methods: We used data extracted from deaths registered under the Civil Registration System for 2015-19 for 684 of 713 districts in India to estimate expected deaths for 2020 through a negative binomial regression model (NBRM) and to calculate excess observed deaths.

Comparing commercial versus low-cost gelatinous phantoms for ultrasound-guided needle tracking: A randomized crossover trial, among emergency medicine residents.

Objectives: The objective of this study was to devise a low-cost indigenous gelatin-based vascular phantom and to compare this newly constructed phantom with a commercially available phantom.

Methods: This was a randomized crossover study conducted at a tertiary care hospital of India. The aim of the study was to develop a prototype low-cost gelatin-based vascular phantom and compare it with a commercially available phantom.

Effectiveness of Yoga in Modulating Markers of Immunity and Inflammation: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Chronic inflammation is central to the pathogenesis of many chronic inflammatory conditions. This review aims to analyze whether the practice of yoga, or yogic meditation and breathing, has any effect on the levels of inflammatory cytokines and other inflammatory markers in patients with various chronic inflammatory diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, neoplastic disorders, and asthma, as well as in healthy subjects, compared to usual care or sham interventions. A comprehensive search of databases (PubMed, CENTRAL, Embase, and CINAHL) was performed.

Novel cryotherapy technique for pulpotomy in mature permanent teeth with symptomatic irreversible pulpitis- a randomized controlled trial.

Objectives: To assess the effect of cryotherapy on haemostasis, post-operative pain, and the outcome of full pulpotomy performed in mature permanent teeth with symptomatic irreversible pulpitis.

Materials And Methods: The study included sixty mature permanent mandibular molar teeth with symptomatic irreversible pulpitis and no periapical rarefaction. After coronal pulp tissue amputation, teeth were randomly allocated to one of two groups (n = 30 each).