A comparative study of smica in various body fluids of diagnosed cervical cancer patients and healthy women

Objective@#Cervical cancer (CC) is a major public health problem in women, and its early detection can help reduce morbidity and mortality. The objective of this study was to compare serum levels of soluble major histocompatibility complex class I-related chain A (sMICA) levels in various body fluids between women diagnosed with CC and healthy women. @*Methods@#A case-control study was conducted at a tertiary care hospital and a cancer center in Kolhapur, India. Overall, 150 individuals (100 CC patients and 50 healthy women) participated after providing informed written consent. Demographic data, histopathology history, parity, and tumor, node, and metastasis (TNM) staging data were collected. Pap smears, saliva, blood, and urine samples were collected. Pap smears were examined microscopically, and sMICA levels in all samples were determined by enzyme-linked immunoassay (ELISA). @*Results@#The mean age of women with cervical cancer was 49.86±8.18 years. Squamous cell carcinoma (70%) was the most common histological variant in CC patients. Serum soluble sMICA levels differed significantly with parity and TNM staging (P<0.05). Mean levels of sMICA were significantly different in samples (CC cases vs. healthy patients; saliva: 166.721±108.718 vs. 0.039±0.005 pg/mL; urine: 82.921±45.580 vs. 0.010±0.005 pg/mL; serum: 35.756±10.799 vs. 0.039±0.005 pg/mL, P<0.001). @*Conclusion@#Levels of sMICA in body fluids can be considered as a diagnostic or prognostic tool to determine disease progression or tumor regression.

Prevalence of geriatric depression and assessment of facilities available in old‑age homes of Mysore: A comparative study between public and private homes

Background: In elderly mental disorders are overlooked or underdiagnosed. Almost 20% of elderly above 60 years of age suffer from a mental or neurological disorder, and the most common ones are dementia and depression. Studies have pointed out the increased prevalence of depression in old‑age homes. Objectives: The objectives are as follows: (1) To estimate and compare the prevalence of geriatric depression among people living in public and private old‑age homes and (2) to study the factors associated with depression and compare the facilities in public and private old‑age homes. Materials and Methods: A cross‑sectional questionnaire‑based study was conducted among geriatric population in old‑age homes of Mysore. Depression was assessed using the short form of geriatric depression scale‑15, cognitive impairment using Mini‑Mental State Examination‑30. Data relating to sociodemographic variables and facility assessment were collected separately. Results: The overall prevalence of depression in old‑age homes of Mysore was 33.3% (46.3% in public and 21.6% in private old‑age homes with P = 0.002). The facilities offered and reason for stay also varied significantly across both homes. Marital status, education, economical dependency, and uncorrected impairment were the factors associated with depression. Among the psychosocial factors, feeling of loneliness, and neglect were significant predictors in both settings. Other psychosocial factors such as feeling satisfied by the status of their children’s life, advice taken by their children, financial and personal losses in the past 1 year, and presence in social events were significant predictors only in private old‑age home. Conclusion: Prevalence of depression in the old‑age homes differs significantly with the type of home, the facilities offered, and the reason cited by the inmates for admission probably is the contributing factor for the variation in depression.

Study of Nansal Index Among Students of Tertiary Medical Care Institute in Southern India.

Background: India is an ancient country having a diverse population group of various races, ethnic groups and tribes living in different climatic conditions. Nasal index is an ethnic sensitive anthropometric index which is used to classify race and sex of an individual. Aim: To study the Nasal index by using nasal parameters like Nasal height and Nasal width among students of South India and North India. Materials and Method: The study was done on medical students (male and female) aged between 18-23yrs of age after obtaining the necessary consent. Nasal height and nasal width were measured with the aid of sliding caliper. On the basis of nasal height and nasal width, nasal index was calculated and the data was analyzed statistically. Results: The present study revealed that majority of the Indian population (both South India and North India) belong to mesorrhinae type of nasal form followed by platyrrhinae and leptorrhinae. Conclusion: The majority of the Indian population belongs to mesorrhinae type of nasal form. The particular data will be of importance in forensic science, anthropology and rhinoplasty.

Pain related and overall morbidity with TRUS guided prostate biopsy a prospective study

Objective To assess analgesia requirement after trans-rectal ultrasound guided prostate biopsy(TRUSBx) for appropriate counselling. Materials and Methods Prospectively, successive patients undergoing TRUSBx between July 2009 and November 2011 were given questionnaires prior to procedure. Standard 12-core TRUSBx under peri-prostatic block (10 mL of 1% lidocaine) and antibiotic prophylaxis (oral ciprofloxacin, intravenous gentamicin and metronidazole suppository) were performed. Pain perception was assessed using a Visual Analogue Score (VAS). Results Mean (range) age of the 405 patients was 67.3 years (48-88). Mean VAS during the procedure was 2.93 and 2.20 on reaching home. Mean maximum VAS for the cohort on day 1 and day 2 were 1.27 and 0.7 respectively. 140 (35%) were independent with some or minimal discomfort. 14 patients required assistance for some of their basic daily needs. 9 patients (2.2%) were hospitalised due to sepsis. 131 patients (32.4%) required additional oral analgesia following TRUSBx on days 0, 1 and 2. These patients were generally younger with a mean age for this group of 63.6 years (46-88). The difference in the mean age between those self-medicating and not was not statistically significant (p > 0.005). This group had mean VAS during the procedure of 4 and when patients reached home was 3.5. Mean maximum VAS on day 1 and 2 was 2.1 and 1.3 respectively. 11 patients required assistance from another adult. Conclusion A third of patients required self-medicated analgesia post-procedure. Age alone cannot be used as a criterion to identify patients who will subsequently require analgesia post-procedure, but a higher VAS during the procedure may be indicative. These patients must be counselled appropriately. .

Visceral organ involvement is infrequent in oral submucous fibrosis (OSF).

Associated visceral organ involvement evidence by systemic fibrosis has not been explored in oral submucous fibrosis (OSF). The investigations in this aspect were limited to loco-regional sites of naso/oropharynx and oesophagus. The study of whether the oral fibrosis is part of a systemic spectrum of disease involving multiple organs is an interesting pursuit. With this intention the patients diagnosed on clinical and histological grounds for OSF were concurrently tested by biophysical means for the presence of endomyocardial fibrosis (EMF), pancreatic (PF) and retroperitoneal fibrosis (RPF), which are endemic to the area studied. Twenty-five (n = 25) cases of OSF who visited the Department of Oral pathology & Microbiology. Govt. Dental College, Trivandrum, India for symptomatic relief of their illness comprised the study group. Ten (n = 10) age and sex matched healthy volunteers comprised the control. All the subjects have had undergone cardiologic and gastrointestinal investigations to rule out the possibility of concurrent EMF and PF. The patients were all of Indian ethnic extraction and mostly (> 90%) were from low socio economic classes. The mean age of the patients was 54.16 +/- 14.6 years, including 18 females and 7 males (F:M = 2.57:1). The severity of fibrosis was unrelated to the age of patients (P > 0.05). All the patients were chewers of areca quid (12%)/tobacco (88%). In addition to quid chewing 3/25 (12%) patients smoked 'bidi' and 6/25 (24%) consumed home brewed liquor (arrack/toddy) which contain about 40-50% ethanol. Statistically no relationship was observed between the clinical stages of OSF and severity of epithelial dysplasia in this study (P > 0.05). Out of the 25 patients, 5 (20%) showed sclerotic aortic value which may be an age related finding. Also 7 (28%) patients were found to be hypertensive and interstitial lung disease was present in 2 (8%). The possibility of EMF in one female patient who showed thickened RV apical endocardium was ruled out by cardiac catheterisation. Thus none of the patients showed evidence of endomyocardial fibrosis. The pancreas was found to be hyperchoic in 8(32 1/4) by ultra sonography. Liver was found to be hyperchoic in 6 (24%). Fat stain in stool samples was found to be positive in 13(58%). The hyperchogenecity of pancreas may be due to alcoholism or an underlying endocrine pancreatic insufficiency like diabetes and not due to pancreatic fibrosis. The positivity of fat stain could be due to fatty liver/alcoholism. Thus the study fails to reveal any evidence of pancreatic fibrosis in the group. The lack of any evidence of an associated visceral organ fibrosis in OSF made it prudent to believe that this is a loco-regional disease, initiated by local factors and propagated under their influence without systemic involvement.