ABSTRACT
Background: Beta thalassemia continues to be a significant burden to Western India particularly Saurashtra region of Gujarat. Since cost of treatment is high emphasis must be shifted from treatment to prevention that includes mass screening as most effective tool including RBC indices & peripheral blood smear. These tests have limited availability, re quire sophisticated equipments and are expensive. Thus, there is need for simple, low cost and reliable test which can be used in absence of sophisticated equipments. The present study has evaluated the validity of such test: indirect bilirubin and urine urobilinogen. Study had two objectives: 1) Estimation of indirect bilirubin, urobilinogen and Shine & Lal Index. 2) Comparing specificity and sensitivity of above test with HbA2 electrophoresis. Methods: The present study was conducted on 100 (n=100) subjects in blood bank, department of pathology, government medical college Rajkot, Gujarat, India. In first group 50 subjects (Thalassemia minor) were selected while in second group 50 (n2=50) normal individuals from hospital staff were selected. Complete-haemogram, serum-direct, indirect and total bilirubin, urine urobilinogen and their sensitivity and specificity were calculated. Results: Of the 50 cases in test group, 41 had higher Indirect Bilirubin level (>0.7 mg/dl), 35 had high urobilinogen level (>1 mg/dl). In control group out of 50 cases, 3 had high indirect bilirubin levels, 4 had high urobilinogen levels. Indirect-bilirubin had sensitivity of 82%, specificity of 94%. Urobilinogen showed sensitivity of 70% & specificity of 92%. Conclusion: Indirect bilirubin and urine-urobilinogen is a valuable, cost-effective screening test for beta-thalassemia-trait with sensitivity & specificity comparable to RBC indices.
ABSTRACT
Background: The present study was done to investigate the prevalence of granulomatous infection among the patients. The study was conducted from the time period of July 2008 to June 2013. The study was conducted at the histopathology laboratory, pathology department, P. D. U. government medical college, Rajkot (Gujarat, India). Methods: In the present study, total 300 cases were studied. Specimens for study were received from various departments like surgery, ENT, medicine, pediatrics etc. from July 2008 to June 2013. The sections of these specimens were taken & slides were prepared by staining with Hematoxylin & Eosin (H&E) for microscopic examination. Results: In present study, most the common granulomatous reaction was tuberculosis and majority of cases were found in among young Hindu males specially in the lower socioeconomical class of rural areas. Conclusion: Our study confirms that the most common granulomatous reaction is tuberculosis, mainly found in skin and more common among the population of lower socioeconomic class & rural population, signifying increasing incidence of granulomation infection. The present study is a comprehensive comparative study of granulomatous reactions done in correlation with the age, sex, involved sites and clinical profile of the patients. This information is valuable in policy formation for the control & specific treatment and outcome of granulomatous infection.