Polycystic ovary syndrome risk: efficacy of self-assessment test

Background: Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a growing morbidity in young women globally. This disease has an association with several exogenous factors like irregularity of menses, hirsutism and obesity. Very few standardized self-assessment tools based on easily observable factors are available for use in the Indian population, which can help them to assess their PCOS risk accurately.Methods: Undergraduate women of the age group 18-22 years enrolled in a university campus participated in the survey questionnaire. Nineteen questions with binary answers as “yes” or “no” were used for self-assessment test. Each “yes” was scored as one mark, and each “no” scored as zero, leading to the maximum score of 19. Scores of the women with irregular menses (test group) were compared to those of regular menses (control group). Welch’s corrected t-test was used to calculate the significance at 5% between the groups. The clinical assessment confirmed the presence or absence of PCOS condition.Results: One thousand and fifty-four women participated in the study. The study showed that 262 (24.8%) of young women reported irregular menstrual cycle. The average total score of the control group was 3.07±2.35, whereas that of the women with irregular menses was 5.93±2.86. 21 out of 28 participants, who scored high, were diagnosed with PCOS, on clinical assessment by Rotterdam criteria.Conclusions: The self-assessment test can assess the risk of PCOS. This test has 75% sensitivity and accuracy in predicting the presence of PCOS.

A study of serum vascular endothelial growth factor in infantile hemangiomas

Background: Though infantile hemangiomas are the most common benign tumor of infancy, their etiopathogenesis is not fully understood. Some studies report a diagnostic role for vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), but such studies are lacking from India. Aims: To study the clinicoepidemiological profile of infantile hemangiomas, to estimate and compare the serum levels of VEGF in infantile hemangiomas and controls, and to determine correlations between serum levels of VEGF and growth characteristics of infantile hemangiomas. Methods: A hospital-based, cross-sectional study was carried out on 30 clinically diagnosed cases of infantile hemangioma and 30 controls presenting with other disorders. VEGF levels were recorded for both cases and controls by the sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) technique. Results were analyzed using SPSS version 20.0, and their significance determined using appropriate tests. Results: Mean serum VEGF level in the cases was 216.8 ± 49.2 pg/ml while in the control group it was 115.1 ± 43.1 pg/ml (P < 0.0001). There were no statistically significant correlations between serum VEGF levels and sex or size, phase of growth, morphological variants or ulceration of lesions. Limitations: Our sample was not large enough to draw clinically applicable conclusions. An adequate sample size could not be achieved because of low incidence of the disease, and resource and time constraints. Conclusions: The mean value of serum VEGF in the study group was significantly higher than that in the control group, suggesting that serum VEGF can serve as a diagnostic marker of infantile hemangiomas. Mean serum VEGF was higher in proliferative lesions than in involuting lesions, indicating that it may also be useful as a prognostic serological marker in cases of infantile hemangioma.

Effect Of Smoking On Body Mass Index, Blood Pressure And Pulse Pressure In Chronic Smokers.

Background and Aim: This study was conducted to depict the influence of cigarette smoking on changes in body weight as well as changes in blood pressure. The significance of this study lies in the fact that chronic smoking contributes to unhealthy weight. Further a comparison was done between Body mass index and Blood Pressure as per smoking load (average number of cigarettes multiplied by average duration of smoking) in chronic smokers. Methodology: In the present study, chronic smokers from outpatient clinic were selected randomly; subjects were then divided into two groups as per their smoking load. Out of them 33 with smoking load less than 50,000 and 32 with smoking load more than 50,000 were selected, their BMI was calculated, SBP and DBP were recorded and pulse pressure was derived. Based on these calculations, values were analyzed by Z test. p values of less than 0.1 was considered significant. Results: Results showed that BMI of chronic smokers with smoking load more than 50,000 was lower than those having smoking load less than 50,000 (p<0.05). Observations of Blood pressure revealed that the ones having smoking load higher than 50,000 had lower systolic blood pressure and pulse pressure (p<0.1 and p<0.05 respectively) whereas values of diastolic blood pressure had no significant changes. Conclusion: There was a significant relationship between smoking load and Body mass index as well as between smoking load and systolic blood pressure. The study showed that smoking is independently associated with reduced BMI and reduced systolic BP.

Determinants of Nutritional Anemia in Adolescents.

Objectives: To associate the severity of nutritional anaemia with serum levels of ferritin, vitamin B12 and folate; and to determine demographic, socio-economic and nutritional correlates for nutritional anemia in adolescents. Methods: Cross-sectional hospital-based study among 200 adolescents (10-18 y) with anemia. Dietary intake (24-h recall), and serum levels of folate, vitamin B12 and ferritin were estimated. Results: Iron, folate and vitamin B12 deficiency was present in 30.5% 79.5% and 50% of adolescents, respectively. Statistically significant association was observed between severity of anemia and serum vitamin B12 levels, iron intake, folate intake, Vitamin B12 intake, vegetarian diet, attainment of menarche and history of worm infestation. Conclusions: Folate and vitamin B12 deficiencies are more common than iron deficiency in anemic adolescents. Low dietary intake of these nutrients seems to be a significant determinant of their deficiencies.

Evaluation of polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) using hupB gene in diagnosis of tuberculous lymphadenitis in fine needle aspirates.

Backround: Although pulmonary tuberculosis(PTB) is the most common manifestation of tuberculosis, extra pulmonary tuberculosis(EPTB) has equal significance. Among the extra pulmonary manifestations, tubercular lymphadenitis (TBL) is the most common form. Objectives: To perform PCR on fine needle aspirates of lymphnode by using hupB gene as target. To compare the sensitivity and specificity of PCR with culture, cytology, serology and clinical response to therapy. Material & Methods: After processing the samples by Universal Sample Processing(USP) method,two step nested PCR was performed using two sets of primers(N1S1 & CTFR) of hupB gene. All patients were put on ATT and were followed up for two months. The response to therapy was considered as the gold standard in our study. Results: The PCR assay for hupB gene was positive in 85 patients. Of these, 82% patients showed infection with M. tuberculosis, 1% was positive for M. bovis and 2% showed co- infection with both M. tuberculosis and M. bovis. The PCR assay of hupB gene in our study showed a sensitivity of 87.4% and specificity of 66.7%. Conclusion: PCR assay for hup B gene is a rapid means of diagnosis of tubercular lymphadenitis.