Pattern of finger-prints in different ABO blood groups.

Finger print (dactylography / dermatoglyphic) is considered as the best tool of identification. This study was carried out in 2000-2001 on 300 students of different ABA blood groups of Medical College, Ajmer with two objectives, viz. (a) To study distribution of finger print pattern among the subjects having different ABO and Rh blood group and (b) Correlate any relation between their characters and blood groups. Male: female ratio was 2.4:1. Majority of the subjects (38.33%) in the study were of blood group A followed by blood group B, A and AB of whom 95.67% were Rh-positive. The general distribution of pattern of finger print showed high frequency (51.87%) of loops whereas whorls were moderate (35.83%) and arches were least (12.30%) in frequency. Almost same order was noticed in both Rh-positive and Rhnegative individuals or A, B, AB and O blood groups. Blood group A showed more loops (Rh +ve 54.26%, Rh -ve 60%) while, blood group AB had more whorls (Rh +ve 43.34%, Rh -ve60%). The study suggests an association between finger print pattern and blood group. The distribution of different pattern of finger prints in individual fingers also showed some peculiarities in relation to blood group. The total finger ridge count (TFRC) was significantly greater in blood group B.

Benign rheumatoid nodules.

Rheumatoid nodules occur usually in advanced seropositive rheumatoid arthritis, signifying poor prognosis. However rarely rheumatoid nodules can be encountered in patients with no antecedent evidence of arthritis. Herein a case of an arthritic benign rheumatoid nodules is described.

Role of supravital staining of urine sediment and bright field microscopy in diagnosis of acute renal failure in bedside medicine.

BACKGROUND: An early accurate etiological categorization of acute renal failure (ARF) into acute glomerulonephritis (AGN), acute tubular necrosis (ATN) and acute interstitial nephritis (AIN) is very important in clinical medicine. METHODS: To evaluate the efficacy of a simple, cheap supravital staining method developed in our laboratory, we examined urine of 32 cases of ARF at their initial presentation in oliguric phase, which were later biopsied. The stain consisted of 1% crystal violet and 0.5% safranin in normal saline. The coverslip preparations of coded and stained urine sediments were examined under ordinary bright field microscope (BFM) by two independent observers. RESULTS: The renal biopsy showed 12 cases of AGN, 12 ATN and 8 AIN. The diagnosis could be predicted by supravital staining method in 75% cases with 95% uniformity among two observers with a sensitivity of 85.7% for AGN followed by AIN (80%) and ATN (75%). CONCLUSION: Thus this simple supravital staining technique can be used with ordinary BFM for accurate urine sediment analysis in cases of ARF in bedside medicine.

Synergistic immunosuppression by candida in HIV infection: a cytokine based analysis.

Candida is a common opportunistic pathogen in HIV infection and is regarded a signal infection for progression to AIDS. Cytokine imbalances between Th1/Th2 groups have been described in both candida and HIV infections. A study was undertaken to assess the role of candida in furthering immunosuppression in HIV infection based on cytokine levels and CD4 cell counts. 30 Indian subjects were enrolled; 10 HIV positive patients with and 10 without mucosal candidiasis and 10 age matched controls. Th1 cytokines; interleukin (IL) 2, IL 12 and interferon (IFN) gamma, Th2 cytokines; IL 4, IL 6, IL 10 and tumor necrosis factor (TNF) alpha with CD 4 cell counts were estimated using ELISA in all subjects. CD4 cell counts were reduced in both patient groups as compared to controls; significantly more in patients with both HIV and candida infections. There was a decrease in Th1 cytokine levels in all patients; lower levels of Th1 cytokines were seen in patients with both infections. Among the Th2 cytokines, there was a significant increase in the levels of IL 6, IL 10 and TNF alpha in both patient groups; IL 10 and TNF alpha values were significantly raised in patients with dual HIV and candida infections as compared to the other patients. There was no difference in IL 4 values across the subject groups. A positive correlation between CD4 cell counts and Th1 cytokine levels and a negative correlation with Th2 cytokines were noted; these were stronger in patients with both HIV and candidiasis. Thus, there was a Th1/Th2 cytokine imbalance with CD4 cell count reduction in all HIV infected patients, which was more pronounced in patients with both infections. It can be concluded that, owing to the depressed CD4 cell count and Th1 response and increased Th2 cytokines in patients with both candidiasis and HIV as compared to patients with only HIV candidiasis may have a synergistic immunosuppressive effect with HIV in patients with dual infections.

Age and intrinsic left ventricular myocardial contractility.

The purpose of this study was to compare the left ventricular (LV) intrinsic contractile function in normal elderly (age > or = 60 years, mean age 66 +/- 4 years) and young (age < or = 35 years, mean 27 +/- 9 years) healthy volunteers by stress-shortening and stress-length relationship using a co-variate analysis. Echocardiographically determined meridional and circumferential wall stress were plotted against LV fractional shortening, velocity of circumferential fibre shortening, end-systolic volume and diameter. LV ejection fraction, preload (denoted by end-diastolic volume) and afterload (expressed as circumferential wall stress) were similar in the two groups. Stress-shortening and stress-length relationships using the circumferential wall stress showed no difference in the two groups, although meridional wall stress was greater in the elderly population. Our results suggest that circumferential wall stress is a better method to detect intrinsic contractile abnormality in the elderly. Intrinsic LV ejection performance is within the normal range in the elderly healthy individuals.

A study on existing knowledge about AIDS among Naval personnel.

In the present study 1123 Naval personnel posted in one of the Naval bases were interviewed to find out the existing level of knowledge regarding AIDS and its prevention. The personnel had reasonably fair idea about the disease, modes of transmission and its prevention. It was interesting to observe that personnel had information about heterosexual transmission of disease and it is relevant in our context as in India and other Asian countries, the main transmission is through heterosexual route. About 19.31% of sailors as compared to 2.44% of officers had misconception that the disease is curable. The role of refresher health education efforts for imparting factual up-to-date information to the Naval community has been brought out.

Dot immunobinding assay versus sandwich ELISA in diagnosis of invasive amoebiasis.

Sera from 34 patients of amoebic liver abscess (ALA) and 11 patients with amoebic dysentery (AD) were examined for the presence of specific Entamoeba histolytica (EH) antibodies and amoebic antigen by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and dot immunobinding assay (DIB). Both techniques were found to be equally sensitive for detecting antiamoebic antibodies (89.5 and 91.9% respectively) and highly specific (100%) in patients of ALA. ELISA was found to be more sensitive (94.4%) in detecting circulating amoebic antigen compared to DIB (68%) in patients of ALA. Specific antibodies, in significant levels, were detected in 3 and 5 patients of AD by ELISA and DIB assay, respectively. As DIB assay is easier to perform and less expensive, is recommended for detection of antibodies in patients with invasive amoebiasis.

Morphometric analysis of thyroid gland in adult north Indian population by nuclear imaging.

A detailed retrospective morphometric analysis of thyroid gland in adult north Indian subjects using scintillation imaging has been done. Many parameters were found to be significantly different as compared to non-Indian population. Utility of this analysis has been discussed.

Paucibacillary leprosy: a comparative study of different schedules of multidrug therapy.

The study was undertaken to evaluate the efficacy of various multidrug regimens (MDT). Three groups of 10 cases each of Paucibacillary cases were given different schedule of multidrug therapy. First group (T-0) was administered modified WHO regimen consisting of Rifampicin 600 mg once a month, Clofazimine 100 mg alternate days and Dapsone 100 mg daily for 6 months. In second group (T-1) Rifampicin 600 mg was given daily for 6 weeks and in third group (T-2) Rifampicin 600 mg was given daily for 6 months. In both the latter groups Clofazimine 100 mg on alternate days and Dapsone 100 mg daily was also administered for 6 months. Objective clinical scoring was done at the time of admission, three months and six months after treatment in all three groups. The best results were obtained by T-2 followed by T-1; and least effective was T-0 regimen. Pinkish colour of urine and skin was observed in 26 cases and icthyosis in all the cases. All the patients remain under treatment. The work is in progress and subsequent results will be published later.