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Healthcare online Keeping you up-to-date
VOL.  5     ISSUE:  3    March 29, 2007 Medical Services Department

SQUARE Pharmaceuticals Ltd.

EDITORIAL

Dear Doctor:

Welcome to this edition of 'e-SQUARE' healthcare online !

Our current issue focused on some interesting features like

"Booster Shot for Chicken Pox !", "Urine Test Predicts Nephropathy !", "Blood Test for Hidden TB !", "Nitroglycerin Benefits Premature Babies !", "Genetic Signature Predicts Chemo !", "Zinc Benefits 3rd World Kids !".

In our regular feature, we have some new products information of SQUARE Pharmaceuticals Ltd. as well.

Please send us your feedback !

Click on to reply mode.

Yours sincerely,

 

Editorial Team

Reply Mode      : e-square@squaregroup.com

The views expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect those of its editor or SQUARE PHARMACEUTICALS LTD.
 Booster Shot for Chicken Pox !

 A second shot of chicken pox vaccine will improve fading immunity

Chicken pox is rarely fatal, but the risk of serious complications may be greater in adults than in childhood. Introduction of universal varicella vaccination in 1995 significantly lowered mortality and morbidity from chicken pox in America. However vaccine induced immunity fades over time, resulting in increased susceptibility later in life. Onset of rash 6 weeks after vaccination, referred to as breakthrough varicella, was found to be time dependant. A study carried out by US researches found that breakthrough infection occurred in 1.6 cases per 1000 person-years within one year after vaccination, 9 cases at 5 years and 58.2 at 9 years. Although no vaccine is 100% perfect and first shot of varicella vaccination is near about 90 percent effective, a second shot of vaccine is now recommended to reduce the gap. This booster shot will not only improve protection from primary vaccine failure, but also rectify waning vaccine-induced immunity. The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices adopted a recommended that the first dose of the vaccine should be given at 12 to 15 months of age following a second dose at 4 to 6 years of age. The panel also recommended that all children, adolescents and adults, who previously had received the initial dose, should be given a second catch-up dose at any interval longer than 3 months after the first dose.
SOURCE: HealthDay, March 14, 2007.

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 Urine Test Predicts Nephropathy !

Urinary proteins may predict diabetic nephropathy in type 2 diabetes patients

Researchers in Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School in Boston have identified proteins in urine that may help doctors predict the development of diabetic nephropathy in type 2 diabetes patients even before the onset of microalbuminuria. Using proteomic technologies, detection of a set of urinary proteins will foretell the possibility of diabetic nephropathy almost 10 years before the onset of actual disease. The scientists compared urinary protein profiles among 62 Pima Indians having type-2 diabetes with normal kidney functions for 10 years until the development of nephropathy. They found a protein signature that proved highly predictive of the future development of diabetic nephropathy. While diabetic nephropathy is a serious complication of diabetes and a common cause of renal failure, a potential predictive urine test will not only help clinicians to forecast the onset of renal complications in diabetic patients, but also offer early interventions to prevent its’ onset. However, larger studies are required to determine the predictive potential of these markers in other populations with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

SOURCE: Reuters Health, March 16, 2007.

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 Blood Test for Hidden TB !

                                                       Two new blood tests more effective in diagnosing latent TB

Traditional tuberculin skin tests (TST) have low specificity to detect latent tuberculosis infection. While approximately one-third of the world’s population is believed to harbour latent tuberculosis and 5 to 15 percent of immuno-competent persons with latent TB infection will eventually develop tuberculosis, a better test method is of extreme value. Researchers have tested two interferon-gamma release assays (IGRAs) to measure response to an antigen highly specific for Mycobacterium tuberculosis. They studied 785 supermarket customers who came in contact with a contagious, TB-infected supermarket employee. The scientist found that TST could not detect cumulative exposure time and was basically associated with age of the patients. Whereas the blood test for interferon-gamma was associated with how long these shoppers came in contact with the TB patient. These two interferon-gamma assay detection methods are already commercially available in Europe and America. Now they may be used to replace TST in the diagnosis of latent tuberculosis.
SOURCE: HealthDay, March 15, 2007.

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 Nitroglycerin Benefits Premature Babies !

Transdermal nitroglycerin for preterm labour improves baby’s health

Preterm delivery is the leading cause of death and disability for neonates through out the world. However, incidence of preterm birth is on the rise inspite of, development of several perinatal medicines. Although, the use of tocolytic therapy has demonstrated prolongation of pregnancy, no tocolytic has been shown to improve neonatal outcomes. Recently, Canadian researchers revealed that nitroglycerin may be beneficial for mothers who go into early labour. The study included 153 women in labour between 24 and 32 weeks to receive either nitroglycerin patch or placebo. Infants born to transdermal nitroglycerin treated mothers had a significantly reduced composite outcome with reduced birth prior to 28 weeks. The findings are crucial, because it may not only reduce mortality and morbidity of preterm babies, but also save the cost of treating various complications that occur due to premature birth.
SOURCE: Ivanhoe Newswire, February 2, 2007.

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 Genetic Signature Predicts Chemo !

DNA test could determine which breast cancer patients require chemotherapy

The US government will fund a trial to study a new test that will analyze a breast tumour’s DNA to determine aggression and to identify patients requiring chemotherapy. The study will include more than 10,000 breast cancer patients in America. The majority of postmenopausal women with small breast tumours don’t need chemo after surgery to prevent recurrence. However, 12 to 15 percent of these patients will require chemotherapy following lumpectomy, even if there is no apparent sign of lymphatic spread. Whether these women require chemotherapy or not is a common dilemma oncologists face everyday, and to remain in safe side all these patients will receive chemo due to lack of definite identification of those who really needs it. Clinical behaviour of breast cancer depends on gene expression profiles of the tumour. Already available in US, a 21 gene assay (Oncotype DX) is used to evaluate tumours to predict 10 year distant recurrence in breast cancer patients. Although very expensive, this test will help us to develop better therapeutic strategies and save many patients from receiving unnecessary toxic therapy.
SOURCE: HealthDay, March 16, 2007.

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 Zinc Benefits 3rd World Kids !

Zinc supplementation reduces mortality and morbidity in developing countries of Africa

Of the estimated 10.6 million yearly deaths of children less than 5 years old, 45% dies from pneumonia, diarrhea and malaria. A quarter of these dying children and 90% of all children dying from malaria, are from Africa, Studies from Asia already demonstrated zinc supplementation improved odds of survival in children against pneumonia and diarrhea. However, benefits of zinc on malaria morbidity have been inconsistent. A community based trial targeting 42,000 children in Zanzibar assessed the effect of zinc supplementation on mortality in children aged 1-48 months. Children older than 12 months received 10 mg zinc daily and showed 18% reduction in mortality. However mortality reduction was not significant in children less than 12 months of age. This is probably due to children in this group already receive enough zinc from their mothers milk and also because they were supplemented with 5 mg of zinc daily. Next to iron, zinc is the second most abundant trace element in the body and plays a key role in maintaining a healthy immune system. Benefit of zinc against pneumonia, diarrhea and malaria in children will be an important tool combating these diseases globally.
SOURCE: Ivanhoe Newswire, March 19, 2007.

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New Products of SQUARE Pharmaceuticals Ltd.
  Product Xflam®
  Generic Name Dexibuprofen INN
  Strength 200, 300, & 400 mg Tablets
  Dosage form Film-coated Tablet
  Therapeutic Category Antirheumatic Non-Steroid
  Product Zesup® Forte
Generic Name Zinc Sulphate Monohydrate USP
Strength Each 5 ml syrup contains Zinc Sulphate Monohydrate USP (equivalent to 20 mg elemental Zinc).
Dosage form Syrup
Therapeutic Category Other Mineral Supplements
  Product Xripa® 
  Generic Name Nefopam Hydrochloride INN
  Strength

Tablet: 30 mg,   Injection: 20 mg/ ml

  Dosage form Tablet & Injection
  Therapeutic Category Non-narcotic analgesic

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