The correlation of cardiovascular risk factors and angiographic findings with serum vitamin D levels in patients undergoing coronary angiography

Background: Studies regarding correlation of various conventional risks factors for Coronary Artery Disease (CAD) are many. Keeping in mind the scarcity of studies regarding Vit-D Deficiency (VDD), a new risk factor in CAD, present study was conducted to correlate Vit-D level with conventional risk factors and Coronary Angiography (CAG).Methods: Hundred adult patients admitted to Medicine and Cardiology undergoing CAG with suspected or established CAD were kept in study. Patients having renal, hepatic, parathyroid disease, osteomalacia and patients taking drugs interfering with Vitamin D (Vit-D) metabolism were excluded. After detailed history and thorough clinical examination, routine investigations and 25-(OH) D level was estimated. Subsequently patients underwent CAG. Statistical analysis by Mann Whitey test and Chi-square Test was done and inference was drawn.Results: 100 patients in different age groups had hypertension (HTN) in 53, diabetics mellitus (DM) 39, dyslipidemia 62, smokers 38 and family history of CAD 19. CAG showed normal coronaries in 4, Single Vessel Disease (SVD) in 30, double vessel diseases (DVD) 43 and triple vessel disease (TVD) 22. Vit-D level <20ng/ml i.e. Vit-D deficiency (VDD) in 68, 20-30ng/ml i.e. Vit-D insufficiency (VDI) in 22 and >30ng/ml (normal) in 10. VDD was profound in 51-60 and 61-70 years age groups. Statistical correlation of VDD was not significant with conventional risk factors, but statistically significant correlation of VDD was observed with dyslipidemia and CAG findings in our study.Conclusions: Like earlier studies we observed significant correlation of Vit-D levels with CAD. Though dyslipidemia was significantly correlated with VDD, correlation of other conventional risk factors like age, sex, HTN, DM, smoking and family history was not found. We conclude from this study presence of significant association of VDD with severe CAD. DVD and TVD by CAG were common with low Vit-D levels.

A Rare case of Subcutaneous Mycosis due to Rhizoctonia solani.

Rhizoctonia solani is a very common soil borne pathogen with a great diversity of host plants. A 52 year old lady presented with sole manifestation of subcutaneous swelling over the left leg for 3 months Pus was collected by aspiration revealed septatate fungal hyphae. After culture on SDA at 25 C showed white cottony growth initially, progressed to buff colored to black colonies on further incubation. On LPCB mount we found septate hyphae with acute and right angled branching with out any conidia and hyphal anastomosis which resembled features of Rhizoctonia solani. Patient was put on Fluconazole and responded well to the treatment.

A Rare case of Subcutaneous Mycosis due to Rhizoctonia solani.

Rhizoctonia solani is a very common soil borne pathogen with a great diversity of host plants. A 52 year old lady presented with sole manifestation of subcutaneous swelling over the left leg for 3 months Pus was collected by aspiration revealed septatate fungal hyphae. After culture on SDA at 25 C showed white cottony growth initially, progressed to buff colored to black colonies on further incubation. On LPCB mount we found septate hyphae with acute and right angled branching with out any conidia and hyphal anastomosis which resembled features of Rhizoctonia solani. Patient was put on Fluconazole and responded well to the treatment.

Incidence of leprosy in school-children and their family members in Berhampur.

A school survey, followed by a contact survey, was carried out in Berhampur, a city in southern Orissa. In a study of 8,870 school-children, leprosy was detected in 15, giving a prevalence rate of 16.91 per 10,000 with a male:female ratio of 8:7. Of these, 14 (93.99%) had paucibacillary leprosy. More cases [11 (73.33%)] were seen in the age-group of 10-15 years. Exposed parts, such as lower limbs, upper limbs and head and neck in that order, were the sites of predilection, accounting for 85.71% of total lesions. Nerve involvement was found in 2 (13.33%) girls with deformity (ulnar claw) in one of them (6.66%). BCG scar was present in 11 (73.33%) cases. Among the vaccinated cases, tuberculoid type was the most common, followed by indeterminate, pure neuritic and borderline, in that order. A contact survey detected 2 multibacillary cases in two families (13.33%). In each case, the father was the index source. The study revealed that a maximum number of students, 8 (53.3%), belonged to the middle socioeconomic class. Of the 15 affected, 60% were undernourished and the rest well nourished. No other systemic disease was found clinically associated with leprosy.

L-asparaginase activity in Aeromonas sp. isolated from freshwater mussel.

Aeromonas sp. from Lamellidens marginalis produced L-asparaginase when grown at 37 degrees C. The optimum enzyme activity was at pH 9 when temperature was 45 degrees C. Half-life of partially purified enzyme at 50 degrees C and 55 degrees C was 35 and 20 min, respectively. Activation and deactivation energies of partially purified enzyme were 17.48 and 24.86 kcal mol-1 respectively. The enzyme exhibited a Km (L-asparagine) value of 4.9 x 10(-6) mol l-1 and a Vmax of 9.803 IU ml-1. Three metal ions inhibited the enzyme activity at 10-20 mumol l-1 concentrations. Catalytic activity was also inhibited by EDTA, iodoacetic acid, parachloromercuribenzoic acid and phenylmethylsulphonyl fluoride at 0.1 mumol l-1.

Double pylorus.

We report a 55-year-old man presenting with postprandial epigastric pain and vomiting. Barium meal study suggested two openings from the stomach to the duodenum. Endoscopy revealed double pylorus with chronic duodenal ulcer, suggesting the second opening as an acquired one.