IgA nephropathy in teaching hospitals of Dhaka.

A light and immunofluorescence microscopic study on renal biopsies were performed on 42 patients. Nephrotic syndrome with accompanying microhematuria and recurrent hematuria (Macroscopic/microscopic) with or without renal failure were the commonest indications for renal biopsy. Primary IgA nephropathy was diagnosed in five cases. Among the IgA nephropathy patients, the commonest light microscopic finding was mesangial proliferative glomerulonephritis. Macroscopic hematuria with proteinuria was the commonest feature. Three of the patients had hypertension at the time of renal biopsy. The age of the patients ranged from 19-38 years with a mean of 26 years. The high frequency of hypertension, degree of proteinuria and associated renal failure in one patient that it is a progressive disease. This preliminary study revealed that IgA nephropathy exists in Bangladesh. Larger samples need to be studied with a view to find out its prevalence and its peculiarities in this part of the world.

Effect of onion extract on immune response in rabbits.

A total of 40 NZW rabbits were selected for this study to see the effect of onion extract on immune response following antigenic challenge. These animals were randomly divided into four groups, each composed of ten rabbits. Group I and II were challenged with typhoid H (TH) antigen and groups III and IV with sheep red blood cells (SRBC). Groups I and III were considered as control and II and IV as treated groups. The latter two groups were treated with onion extract orally. The immunosuppressive effect of onion extract was evaluated by estimating antibody levels by Widal test and hemolysin titer. It was found that mean antibody titers were significantly lower in the treated groups than in controls. The weights of thymus and lymph nodes were higher and of adrenal glands were lower in the control groups than in the treated groups. It appeared from the current study that onion extract has an inhibitory effect on immune response.

Clinicopathological profile of bronchogenic carcinoma in Bangladesh.

This study reflects some of the basic facts and present status of bronchogenic carcinoma in Bangladesh. Of the total patients admitted in one surgical unit of IDCH during the period 1983 to 1986, 28.7 were clinically suspected to be suffering from bronchogenic carcinoma. Males largely dominated the females (82.4 percent as against 17.6 percent) giving a ratio of 4.6:1.0, and more than 90 percent of the victims were heavy smokers. All the suspected patients were then subjected to radiological examination of chest, bronchoscopic examination (73.0 percent), histopathological examination of the bronchial biopsy specimen and sputum cytological examination (63.2 percent) cases. Bronchoscopic examination revealed endobronchial tumor or suspicious lesion in 63.2 percent cases. The sputum cytological examination were positive for malignant cells in 35.6 percent cases. Histopathological gradation of the carcinoma in order of frequencies were squamous cell carcinoma (13.3 percent), large cell carcinoma (9.7 percent) and adenocarcinoma (4.2 percent) respectively. About one fourth of the cases (27.6 percent) were found to be clinically suitable for operation but on thoracotomy resectability was possible only in 20.6 percent cases. Inoperable cases were subsequently referred for radio or chemotherapy. Follow-up of the cases were rather difficult.