The impact of hirsutism on the mental status of Indian women

Objective To determine mental status of the hirsute women using Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale [HADS]

Methods Hirsutism was assessed quantitatively by Ferriman-Gallwey score [F-G score] and qualitatively by self-administered questionnaires of Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale [HADS]. Other parameters such as age, occupation, comorbidities, socio-economic status, marriage status, religion, educational status were assessed

Results Mean HADS score of 100 hirsute patients was 12.66+/-6.11 which is abnormal. HADS was normal in 18 percent, 24 percent had borderline abnormal and in 58 percent it was abnormal. Mean anxiety score of HADS was 8.71+/-4.06, which was higher than the mean depression score which was 3.95+/-2.93, which was statistically significant [p=0.008]. HADS score was not affected by severity of hirsutism, age, occupation, socio-economic status, marriage status, presence of polycystic ovarian syndrome, religion and educational status

Conclusion The presence of hirsutism had significant impact on the mental status of the patients which lead to anxiety and depression. There was a greater increase of anxiety in comparison with depression

Sertoli-leydig cell tumor of the ovary in a young female: a case report and literature review

Sertoli-Leydig cell tumor [SLCT] of the ovary is an exceedingly unusual neoplasm that belongs to a group of sex-cordstromal tumors of ovary and accounts for <0.5% of all primary ovarian neoplasms. We present a case of primary ovarian SLCT in a 21-year-old female, who presented with a 6-month history of a pelvic pain, acne, hirsutism, and oligomenorrhea with elevated testosterone and dehydroepiandrosterone levels. Ultrasound and contrast computed tomography revealed well-defined hyper vascular heterogeneous solid lesion in left adnexa. Magnetic resonance imaging demonstrated ovarian origin of tumor, which turned out SLCT on histopathology. In this case, we discuss multimodality imaging findings of SLCT and its management aspects with review of literature

Superior vena cava obstruction [SVCO] in patients with advanced non small cell lung cancer [NSCLC]

To report on prognostic and treatment factors influencing the response of SVCO and related survival outcomes in advanced non small cell lung cancer. From November 2008 through December 2011, 18 consecutively diagnosed NSCLC patients with SVCO were included in this study. The patient, tumor and treatment related factors were analyzed. Median overall survival [OS], Kaplan -Meier survival plots, T-test, Cox Proportional Hazards models were generated by multiple covariates [MVA] and analyzed on SPSS software [version 19.0; SPSS, Inc., Chicago, IL]. Thirteen patients [72%] had presented with SVCO before the pathological diagnosis of underlying lung malignancy, while 5 [28%] progressed to SVCO after initiating treatment with chemotherapy. Twelve [68%] patients achieved subjective relief from the obstruction at the completion of palliative radiation therapy. Treating oncologists preferred 4 Gy per fraction in 11 [62%], while the median biologically equivalent dose delivered was 28 Gy. Six [33%] patients received chemotherapy during the course of treatment. Median OS of the entire cohort was 3 +/- 1.85mths and 1-year survival rate of 7%. Univariate analysis confirmed that SVCO patients with good performance score [p=0.02], and partial response to chemotherapy [p= 0.001] have superior OS. However, Cox regression modeling for MVA demonstrated only good performance SVCO patients [p = 0.05] have a better OS. RT effectively relieves SVCO but overall poor survival associated in our clinical scenario needs to be improved with multimodality approach. Adjuvant chemotherapy is to be considered after initial radiation therapy in good performance patients

Estimating radiation dose from building materials

Natural radioactivity in materials under certain conditions can reach the hazardous radiological levels. So, it becomes necessary to study the natural radioactivity in different materials to assess the dose for the population in order to know the health risks and to have a baseline for future changes in the environmental radioactivity due to human activities. The present study deals with the measurement of radioactivity using "gamma-ray spectrometry" from naturally occurring radionuclides in the soil, stone and sand samples used as building materials in North-Eastern Haryana state of India. The places are in the vicinity of Shivalik range of Himalayas. The activity concentrations for 226Ra, 232Th and 40K varied from 18 +/- 1.5 to 156 +/- 6Bqkg[-1], 23 +/- 1 to 300 +/- 5Bqkg[-1] and 32 +/- 0.5 to 1705 +/- 14 Bqkg[-1] respectively in various samples. The absorbed dose rate in soil, sand and stone samples is investigated at 1 m above ground level. Ra equivalents, Internal and external hazard indices have also been calculated. The natural radioactivity levels measured in the samples under present study are below the recommended limits except for black stone [SB] and red stone [SR]. However, these samples satisfy the universal standards

Dual ectopic thyroid: a case report with review of literature

The ectopic thyroid gland is a rare entity which is mostly found along the line of descent of the thyroid gland. Most of the patients present with midline swelling and usually seek medical attention. Dual ectopic thyroid gland is even rarer. The clinical examination and different imaging modalities establish its diagnosis. Radionuclide studies are highly sensitive and specific in demonstrating the functional tissues in patients with ectopic thyroid, thereby guiding further management. The authors reported a case of ectopic thyroid gland in a girl with midline neck management. The authors reported a case of ectopic thyroid gland in a girl with midline neck swelling initially, subsequently lost to follow-up. She again presented with enlarged swelling after a period of three years with dual ectopic thyroid in the neck region on thyroid scan. Thyroid scintigraphy demonstrated that progression in the size of ectopic glands was due to neglect in treatment

Development and evaluation of cold stable antiseptic cream containing essential oils of sandal wood and khas

Various antiseptic creams are available in the market. These preparations tend to gain high viscosity at low temperatures [below 0°C] and it becomes difficult to remove cream from the container in desirable quantity with the tip of the finger or from big containers with the help of scoop. In the present work attempts were made to develop the cold stable antiseptic cream. Essential oils of Sandal and Khas were added in the cream for their antiseptic property

Variations in the origin of inferior belly of omohyoid muscle

The attachment of the inferior belly of the omohyoid muscle is highly variable. In 58.57% of cases it arises from the scapular notch, in 20% of cases from scapular notch, superior transverse ligament and clavicle, in 5.71% of cases from clavicle only, in 2.85% of cases from coracoclavicular ligament and in 4.28% of cases it is completely absent. The thick muscular inferior belly of omohyoid attached to the clavicle could cause confusion during operatve procedures such as in lymph node biopsy involving minimal exposure

common practice of traditional medication with oil and/or ghee as folk medicine in children of southern Saudi Arabia

In Southern Saudi Arabia a non-invasive traditional medicine in the form of the oral and nasal administration of oil and ghee [samana ganam] to the child is a common deep-rooted tradition. Amongst medical paediatric admissions 73.4% out of a total 1090 had a history of this treatment and 40.63% of them were under 1 year of age; 67% had some signs or symptoms. The commonest symptoms were cough and respiratory distress [57.5%]. The level of parental education had no influence on the administration of this traditional medicine, as 72% of the parents admitted that it was used on the advice of, or insistence of, an older relative or neighbour

Cordylobia anthropophaga causing cutaneous myiasis in a child

A case of cutaneous myiasis due to Cordylobia anthropophaga in a child is reported from Southern Saudi Arabia. This condition has not previously been reported occurring in a child in this Kingdom