Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Herpes Zoster During Immunosuppressive Therapy For Autoimmune Diseases, Mohammad Faizan Zahid, Mariam Ghufran, Armaghan-E-Rehman Mansoor, Muhammad Rizwan Sohail

Medical College Documents

Background: Patients on immunosuppressive therapy are at a greater risk for herpes zoster reactivation and are more likely to have adverse outcomes. Propylactic antivrials and vaccinations may potentially prevent these complications.Methods: Medical literature addressing the clinical course and therapy of herpes zoster in patients receiving immunosuppressive therapy for autoimmune disorders, and the roles of anti-viral prophylaxis and vaccination was reviewed. Research databases including PubMed, Ovid, Medline, Google Scholar and Cochrane were utilized.Results: Acyclovir and its derivatives are most commonly used in this setting for treatment and reduction of post-zoster complications. Foscarnet may be used for acyclovir-resistant strains. At both conventional …

Aplastic Anemia: Clinicohaematological Features, Treatment And Outcome Analysis, Rabia Wali, Zehra Fidoo, Salman Adil, Muhammad Ahmed Naqvi

Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine

Objective: To determine the clinicohaematological features, treatment and outcome of children diagnosed with aplastic anemia at a single institution.

Study Design: Observational study.

Place and Duration of Study: The Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi, from January 1999 till December 2008.

Methodology: Medical records of children aged less than 15 years of age diagnosed with aplastic anemia were reviewed. Clinicohaematological features, treatment and its response to therapy and outcome were recorded. Results were described in percentages.

Results: Ninety patients were diagnosed to have aplastic anemia (AA); 65 were male during the study period. Age ranged from 1 to 15 years. Fever …