Mathew John - Academia.edu (original) (raw)

Papers by Mathew John

Research paper thumbnail of Addressing barriers to effective basal insulin therapy

The Journal of the Association of Physicians of India, 2014

Diabetes has reached epidemic proportions worldwide. It is a major health hazard particularly in ... more Diabetes has reached epidemic proportions worldwide. It is a major health hazard particularly in developing countries like India due to the genetic susceptibility and changes in lifestyle. Glycaemic control is very poor in India as reflected by recent studies showing average HbA1c of > 9%. Insulin therapy is the mainstay of diabetes management. Currently available insulins have certain limitations. Modern insulin therapy needs to overcome these limitations to effectively achieve the optimal glycemic control. Hypoglycaemia is one of the important barrier which limits the use of insulin therapy and incidence of hypoglycaemia increases with increased variability in glucose lowering effects of Insulin when one tries to achieve stricter glycaemic targets. Fixed time administration is another important barrier, particularly for basal insulin administration that may affect the quality of life. Also the available basal insulins do not provide complete 24 hours control of fasting hypergly...

Research paper thumbnail of A mentally challenged adult with tonic convulsions, dysmorphic face and sebopsoriasis

Journal of postgraduate medicine

A mentally challenged adult with tonic convulsions, A mentally challenged adult with tonic convul... more A mentally challenged adult with tonic convulsions, A mentally challenged adult with tonic convulsions, A mentally challenged adult with tonic convulsions, A mentally challenged adult with tonic convulsions, A mentally challenged adult with tonic convulsions, dysmorphic face and sebopsoriasis dysmorphic face and sebopsoriasis dysmorphic face and sebopsoriasis dysmorphic face and sebopsoriasis dysmorphic face and sebopsoriasis

Research paper thumbnail of Recommendations for insulin initiation based on ethnicity

Research paper thumbnail of New avatars in endocrine practice: The bariatric physician

Indian Journal of Endocrinology and Metabolism, 2013

953 Overweight and obesity are rapidly increasing in India, with prevalence of 17% reported from ... more 953 Overweight and obesity are rapidly increasing in India, with prevalence of 17% reported from studies in Chennai.[1] The adverse effects and the public health impact of obesity is well-known to the readers of this journal. The management of obesity is multidisciplinary, with involvement of different interventions such as dietary, life-style related, psychological, medical and surgical.[2] Pharmacotherapy of obesity is based upon a few drugs with the effectiveness limited to modest loss of weight.[3,4] Orlistat is the only approved drug currently available for use in India. Because of this, there is a need to explore other means of obesity management.

Research paper thumbnail of Management of hyperglycemia in geriatric patients with diabetes mellitus: South Asian consensus guidelines

Indian Journal of Endocrinology and Metabolism, 2011

Asia is home to four of the world's five largest diabetic populations, two of them being South As... more Asia is home to four of the world's five largest diabetic populations, two of them being South Asian nations, namely, India and Pakistan. This problem is compounded by a substantial rise in the elderly population in Asian countries. On the other hand, the heterogeneous health condition and multiple co-morbidities make the care of chronic disease in the elderly a challenging task. The aim of the South Asian Consensus Guidelines is to provide evidence-based recommendations to assist healthcare providers in the rational management of type 2 diabetes mellitus in the elderly population. Current Guidelines used systematic reviews of available evidence to form its key recommendations. No evidence grading was done for the purpose of this manuscript. The clinical questions of the guidelines, the methodology of literature search, and medical writing strategy were finalized by consultations in person and through mail. The South Asian Consensus guideline emphasizes tailoring of glycemic goals for patients based on age, co-morbid conditions especially that of cardiovascular system, risk of hypoglycemia, and life expectancy. It also recommends cautious use of available pharmacotherapy in geriatric patients with diabetes. The primary principle of diabetes therapy should be to achieve euglycemia, without causing hypoglycemia. Appropriate use of modern insulins and oral drugs, including incretin mimetics will help physicians achieve this aim.

Research paper thumbnail of Plasmacytoma Mimicking Mediastinal Parathyroid Tumour in a Patient with Primary Hyperparathyroidism

Asian Journal of Surgery, 2007

The association of monoclonal gammopathies with primary hyperparathyroidism is well documented. M... more The association of monoclonal gammopathies with primary hyperparathyroidism is well documented. Many case reports have documented the coexistence of primary hyperparathyroidism and multiple myeloma. The cause of this relationship is not known. We report the case of a 49-year-old gentleman who was treated for primary hyperparathyroidism. His initial preoperative nuclear scan had shown persistent activity and retention of tracer in the retrosternal region in addition to the discrete hot spot in the region of the lower pole of the left lobe of the thyroid. During surgery, the enlarged left inferior parathyroid gland was removed. In addition, the retrosternal area was also explored and found to be normal. Ten months later, he developed a mass in the region of the manubrium sternii which was proven to be a plasmacytoma. We review the literature for similar cases and suggest hypotheses for a possible association. In conclusion, coexisting plasma cell dyscrasias including plasmacytoma should be considered in patients with primary hyperparathyroidism.

Research paper thumbnail of Does Hyperparathyroidism Cause Pancreatitis? A South Indian Experience and a Review of Published Work

ANZ Journal of Surgery, 2006

Background: The association between pancreatic disease and primary hyperparathyroidism (PHPT) is ... more Background: The association between pancreatic disease and primary hyperparathyroidism (PHPT) is controversial. We attempt to suggest a causal correlation and characterize the nature of pancreatic disease in PHPT. Methods: This study is a retrospective review of the medical records of patients who were diagnosed with PHPT and presented with pancreatic disease between 1 May 2000 and 30 May 2005 at Christian Medical College, Vellore. Results: During the period of 5 years, there were 1284 patients with pancreatic disease and 101 patients with PHPT admitted to our hospital, accounting for 0.42 and 0.03%, respectively, of the total hospital inpatient admissions of 302 883. Of them, 13 patients had both pancreatic disease and PHPT accounting for 1% of all admissions for pancreatic disease and 12% of admissions for PHPT. Patients admitted with PHPT have a 28-fold increased risk of developing pancreatitis compared with patients admitted without parathyroid disease. The ages of the patients ranged from 22 to 52 years with a median age of 37 years. There were 9 male and 4 female patients. The mean calcium values among patients with PHPT and pancreatic disease were significantly higher than patients with PHPT without pancreatic involvement. Conclusion: The data suggest a causal association between the pancreatic disease and PHPT. This may be correlated to the higher calcium values. Until more information is available, it would be prudent to check serum calcium in all patients presenting with unexplained pancreatic disease.

Research paper thumbnail of Type 1 Diabetes versus Type 2 Diabetes with Onset in Persons Younger than 20 Years of Age

Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, 2008

Type 1 diabetes (T1D) is the most common form of diabetes in children in Western countries. There... more Type 1 diabetes (T1D) is the most common form of diabetes in children in Western countries. There have been no large studies of childhood diabetes from India. We undertook the MEDI study (Multicenter Survey of Early Onset Diabetes in India) to assess the proportion of various subtypes of diabetes among the young subjects presenting to the endocrinology divisions of seven large teaching hospitals in different regions of India. In addition, we compared the clinical features of T1D and type 2 diabetes (T2D) in Indian subjects. Patients with onset of disease at younger than 20 years of age were included in this study. Six hundred and three subjects (603) were studied of whom 535 subjects (89%) had T1D, 36 (6%) had T2D, 18 (3%) had diabetes related to tropical pancreatitis or other forms of chronic pancreatitis, while other subtypes accounted for the rest. Compared to those with T2D, subjects with T1D were younger, had a lower C-peptide level, higher prevalence of ketosis, lower prevalence of acanthosis nigricans, and lower LDL and triglyceride levels. When compared with that of T2D, a higher proportion of patients with T1D were positive for GAD-65 and IA-2 antibodies, and this difference was statistically significant for GAD-65 antibodies. Overall, this large multicenter study showed that T1D is the commonest form of diabetes in childhood. T2D is the next most common kind, while chronic pancreatitis-related diabetes is uncommon.

Research paper thumbnail of Addressing barriers to effective basal insulin therapy

The Journal of the Association of Physicians of India, 2014

Diabetes has reached epidemic proportions worldwide. It is a major health hazard particularly in ... more Diabetes has reached epidemic proportions worldwide. It is a major health hazard particularly in developing countries like India due to the genetic susceptibility and changes in lifestyle. Glycaemic control is very poor in India as reflected by recent studies showing average HbA1c of > 9%. Insulin therapy is the mainstay of diabetes management. Currently available insulins have certain limitations. Modern insulin therapy needs to overcome these limitations to effectively achieve the optimal glycemic control. Hypoglycaemia is one of the important barrier which limits the use of insulin therapy and incidence of hypoglycaemia increases with increased variability in glucose lowering effects of Insulin when one tries to achieve stricter glycaemic targets. Fixed time administration is another important barrier, particularly for basal insulin administration that may affect the quality of life. Also the available basal insulins do not provide complete 24 hours control of fasting hypergly...

Research paper thumbnail of A mentally challenged adult with tonic convulsions, dysmorphic face and sebopsoriasis

Journal of postgraduate medicine

A mentally challenged adult with tonic convulsions, A mentally challenged adult with tonic convul... more A mentally challenged adult with tonic convulsions, A mentally challenged adult with tonic convulsions, A mentally challenged adult with tonic convulsions, A mentally challenged adult with tonic convulsions, A mentally challenged adult with tonic convulsions, dysmorphic face and sebopsoriasis dysmorphic face and sebopsoriasis dysmorphic face and sebopsoriasis dysmorphic face and sebopsoriasis dysmorphic face and sebopsoriasis

Research paper thumbnail of Recommendations for insulin initiation based on ethnicity

Research paper thumbnail of New avatars in endocrine practice: The bariatric physician

Indian Journal of Endocrinology and Metabolism, 2013

953 Overweight and obesity are rapidly increasing in India, with prevalence of 17% reported from ... more 953 Overweight and obesity are rapidly increasing in India, with prevalence of 17% reported from studies in Chennai.[1] The adverse effects and the public health impact of obesity is well-known to the readers of this journal. The management of obesity is multidisciplinary, with involvement of different interventions such as dietary, life-style related, psychological, medical and surgical.[2] Pharmacotherapy of obesity is based upon a few drugs with the effectiveness limited to modest loss of weight.[3,4] Orlistat is the only approved drug currently available for use in India. Because of this, there is a need to explore other means of obesity management.

Research paper thumbnail of Management of hyperglycemia in geriatric patients with diabetes mellitus: South Asian consensus guidelines

Indian Journal of Endocrinology and Metabolism, 2011

Asia is home to four of the world's five largest diabetic populations, two of them being South As... more Asia is home to four of the world's five largest diabetic populations, two of them being South Asian nations, namely, India and Pakistan. This problem is compounded by a substantial rise in the elderly population in Asian countries. On the other hand, the heterogeneous health condition and multiple co-morbidities make the care of chronic disease in the elderly a challenging task. The aim of the South Asian Consensus Guidelines is to provide evidence-based recommendations to assist healthcare providers in the rational management of type 2 diabetes mellitus in the elderly population. Current Guidelines used systematic reviews of available evidence to form its key recommendations. No evidence grading was done for the purpose of this manuscript. The clinical questions of the guidelines, the methodology of literature search, and medical writing strategy were finalized by consultations in person and through mail. The South Asian Consensus guideline emphasizes tailoring of glycemic goals for patients based on age, co-morbid conditions especially that of cardiovascular system, risk of hypoglycemia, and life expectancy. It also recommends cautious use of available pharmacotherapy in geriatric patients with diabetes. The primary principle of diabetes therapy should be to achieve euglycemia, without causing hypoglycemia. Appropriate use of modern insulins and oral drugs, including incretin mimetics will help physicians achieve this aim.

Research paper thumbnail of Plasmacytoma Mimicking Mediastinal Parathyroid Tumour in a Patient with Primary Hyperparathyroidism

Asian Journal of Surgery, 2007

The association of monoclonal gammopathies with primary hyperparathyroidism is well documented. M... more The association of monoclonal gammopathies with primary hyperparathyroidism is well documented. Many case reports have documented the coexistence of primary hyperparathyroidism and multiple myeloma. The cause of this relationship is not known. We report the case of a 49-year-old gentleman who was treated for primary hyperparathyroidism. His initial preoperative nuclear scan had shown persistent activity and retention of tracer in the retrosternal region in addition to the discrete hot spot in the region of the lower pole of the left lobe of the thyroid. During surgery, the enlarged left inferior parathyroid gland was removed. In addition, the retrosternal area was also explored and found to be normal. Ten months later, he developed a mass in the region of the manubrium sternii which was proven to be a plasmacytoma. We review the literature for similar cases and suggest hypotheses for a possible association. In conclusion, coexisting plasma cell dyscrasias including plasmacytoma should be considered in patients with primary hyperparathyroidism.

Research paper thumbnail of Does Hyperparathyroidism Cause Pancreatitis? A South Indian Experience and a Review of Published Work

ANZ Journal of Surgery, 2006

Background: The association between pancreatic disease and primary hyperparathyroidism (PHPT) is ... more Background: The association between pancreatic disease and primary hyperparathyroidism (PHPT) is controversial. We attempt to suggest a causal correlation and characterize the nature of pancreatic disease in PHPT. Methods: This study is a retrospective review of the medical records of patients who were diagnosed with PHPT and presented with pancreatic disease between 1 May 2000 and 30 May 2005 at Christian Medical College, Vellore. Results: During the period of 5 years, there were 1284 patients with pancreatic disease and 101 patients with PHPT admitted to our hospital, accounting for 0.42 and 0.03%, respectively, of the total hospital inpatient admissions of 302 883. Of them, 13 patients had both pancreatic disease and PHPT accounting for 1% of all admissions for pancreatic disease and 12% of admissions for PHPT. Patients admitted with PHPT have a 28-fold increased risk of developing pancreatitis compared with patients admitted without parathyroid disease. The ages of the patients ranged from 22 to 52 years with a median age of 37 years. There were 9 male and 4 female patients. The mean calcium values among patients with PHPT and pancreatic disease were significantly higher than patients with PHPT without pancreatic involvement. Conclusion: The data suggest a causal association between the pancreatic disease and PHPT. This may be correlated to the higher calcium values. Until more information is available, it would be prudent to check serum calcium in all patients presenting with unexplained pancreatic disease.

Research paper thumbnail of Type 1 Diabetes versus Type 2 Diabetes with Onset in Persons Younger than 20 Years of Age

Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, 2008

Type 1 diabetes (T1D) is the most common form of diabetes in children in Western countries. There... more Type 1 diabetes (T1D) is the most common form of diabetes in children in Western countries. There have been no large studies of childhood diabetes from India. We undertook the MEDI study (Multicenter Survey of Early Onset Diabetes in India) to assess the proportion of various subtypes of diabetes among the young subjects presenting to the endocrinology divisions of seven large teaching hospitals in different regions of India. In addition, we compared the clinical features of T1D and type 2 diabetes (T2D) in Indian subjects. Patients with onset of disease at younger than 20 years of age were included in this study. Six hundred and three subjects (603) were studied of whom 535 subjects (89%) had T1D, 36 (6%) had T2D, 18 (3%) had diabetes related to tropical pancreatitis or other forms of chronic pancreatitis, while other subtypes accounted for the rest. Compared to those with T2D, subjects with T1D were younger, had a lower C-peptide level, higher prevalence of ketosis, lower prevalence of acanthosis nigricans, and lower LDL and triglyceride levels. When compared with that of T2D, a higher proportion of patients with T1D were positive for GAD-65 and IA-2 antibodies, and this difference was statistically significant for GAD-65 antibodies. Overall, this large multicenter study showed that T1D is the commonest form of diabetes in childhood. T2D is the next most common kind, while chronic pancreatitis-related diabetes is uncommon.