Significance of history taking before autopsy: A case study.

Many cases are being reported before the Forensic Experts, in which it becomes difficult to find out the precise cause of death. A 73 year male was brought for autopsy examination at Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences, Ranchi, Jharkhand with suspicion of death due to brain tumor. The findings of autopsy examination was edema of brain matters and depressed area in right frontal lobe of brain with several stitches marks on right side of head. Detailed history from all the concerned persons were taken which reveals previously person was operated by neurosurgeon for space occupying lesion in cranial cavity. Histo-pathology examination of mass showed Koch’s lesion as tuberculoma en plaque a very rare presentation of tuberculosis which is very common in our country even in the era of 21st century. Case is being presented with brief discussion showing the need of early and prompt history taking including hospital records details before an autopsy examination. It may reveal important facts as well as helps the Forensic Experts to take the consideration of therapeutic artefacts during autopsy to find the exact cause of death.

Mortalidade materna e sua interface com a raça em Mato Grosso / Maternal mortality and race in the Brazilian State of Mato Grosso

Analisar a correlação entre óbitos maternos e raça/cor no Estado de Mato Grosso entre os anos de 2000 a 2006. MÉTODOS: estudo epidemiológico com base nos dados da Declaração de Óbitos, DATASUS e SIM/SES-MT, que propiciaram a análise da série histórica entre esses anos. Relacionou-se raça/cor das mulheres que foram a óbito por causas maternas com as variáveis idade, escolaridade, estado civil, causa básica de óbito e tipo de causa obstétrica. Utilizaram-se teste de Χ2 e odds ratio. RESULTADOS: o teste Χ2 evidenciou associação significativa entre raça/cor e morte materna, ao nível de significância de 95 por cento. A odds ratio apontou uma razão de chances dessas mortes 5,13 vezes maior para mulheres pretas e 5,71 para indígenas, comparadas às mulheres brancas. 'Transtornos hipertensivos da gravidez, parto/puerpério' foram a principal causa de óbito materno para as afrodescendentes e pardas; respectivamente 45,4 por cento e 29,93 por cento. As indígenas morreram mais pelas 'complicações do trabalho de parto/parto' com 27,2 por cento. Das mulheres brancas, 30,7 por cento morreram por 'outras complicações obstétricas não classificadas em outras causas'. CONCLUSÕES: em todo Mato Grosso as mortes maternas por causas obstétricas diretas pervaleceu entre mulheres pretas e indígenas...

To examine the correlation between maternal mortality rates and race/color in the Brazilian State of Mato Grosso between 2000 and 2006. METHODS: an epidemiological study was carried out using the death certificates, DATASUS and SIM/SES-MT to provide a time series for these years. The race/color of the women who died during childbirth was related to the variables age, level of education, marital status, primary cause of death and type of obstetric cause. In combination with the Χ2 test and the odds rati were used. RESULTS: the Χ2 test showed a significant association between race/color and maternal mortality, with a level of significance of 95 percent. The odds ratio revealed that such deaths were 5.13 times more likely among black women and 5.71 times more likely among indigenous women, compared to white women. 'Hypertensive disorders during pregnancy, childbirth or puerperium' were the main cause of maternal mortality among African Brazilian women and women of mixed race; 45.4 percent and 29.93 percent respectively. Indigenous women died more of 'complications during labor' with 27.2 percent. White women died more (30.7 percent) of 'other obstetric complications'. CONCLUSIONS: in the state of Mato Grosso a high maternal mortality rate from direct obstetric causes are found among black and indigenous women...

Incidence and risk factors for cutaneous adverse drug reactions in an intensive care unit / Incidencia y factores de riesgo en las reacciones adversas medicamentosas de tipo cutáneo en la unidad de cuidados intensivos

Objective. To evaluate the incidence of adverse cutaneous drug reactions in intensive care unit patients. Design. Cohort study. Setting. General adult intensive care unit of an institutional tertiary care hospital. Patients. Patients in the intensive care unit during a consecutive 8-month period were examined for adverse cutaneous drug reactions. Results. Patients in the intensive care unit have an incidence of 11.6% of adverse cutaneous drug reactions. Associated risk factors were female gender, obesity, age over 60 and immune dysregulation (systemic lupus erythematosus, dysthyroidism, and antiphospholipid antibodies syndrome). Few patients had previous history of adverse cutaneous drug reactions. Antimicrobials were the main drug involved. Morbilliform rash followed by urticary were the most frequently observed reactions. Interestingly, over 50% of patients with massive edema -independent of etiology- died. Conclusions. Intensive care unit patients are particularly at risk for developing an adverse cutaneous drug reaction.

Se realizó un estudio de cohorte en la Unidad de Terapia Intensiva (UTI) de un hospital de tercer nivel para evaluar la incidencia de reacciones cutáneas adversas a drogas. Se examinaron todos los pacientes internados en dicha unidad durante un periodo consecutivo de ocho meses. Observamos una incidencia de reacciones adversas a medicamentos de 11.6%. Los factores de riesgo asociados fueron sexo femenino, obesidad, edad mayor a 60 años y alteraciones inmu-nológicas (lupus eritematoso sistémico, distiroidismo y síndrome de antifosfolípido). Los antimicrobianos fueron los principales medicamentos involucrados. La erupción morbiliforme y la urticaria fueron las reacciones más frecuentes. Un hallazgo interesante fue que más de 50% de los pacientes con anasarca fallecieron. Concluimos que los pacientes internados en la UTI son particularmente susceptibles para desarrollar una reacción adversa cutánea a medicamentos.