Red cell distribution width and high sensitivity C-reactive protein as risk markers in hypertension.

Background: Even though red cell distribution width (RDW) and C reactive protein (CRP) are considered as markers of inflammation and cardiac injury studies on the diagnostic and/or prognostic applications of these parameters as renal markers in hypertension (HT) are scanty. Objective: To evaluate the association, if any, between RDW and high sensitive CRP (hs-CRP) with renal complication in HT. Materials and Methods: One hundred and twenty patients with clinically proved hypertension under treatment formed the test group and 60 age and sex matched healthy adults formed the control group. . Blood collected in EDTA was used for complete blood cell count (CBC). Serum was separated immediately after clotting and is used for the estimation of hs-CRP by particle enhanced immunonephelometry. Results: A significant elevation in hs-CRP was observed in both the male and female patients with HT compared to the control group. In the case of RDW even though the values were higher in the test group than control, the elevation was significant only in the male test subjects indicating they are at a higher risk than the females. Conclusion: The elevation of hs-CRP and RDW in the test group suggest that inflammation may be one of the cause or effect of hypertension. Long term inflammation may lead to chronic kidney disease and cardiovascular disease hence monitoring of these markers may be of use in predicting the outcome of hypertension.

A dot-immunobinding assay (dot-Iba) for rapid diagnosis of pulmonary tuberculosis.

IgG antibody to Mycobacterium tuberculosis from the sera of patients with 'definite' pulmonary tuberculosis (PT) was isolated and coupled with Cyanogen bromide-Sepharose 4B. Using an immunoabsorbent affinity chromatography, 14 kDa antigen was recovered from the culture filtrates of M. tuberculosis. With this mycobacterial antigen, a dot immunobinding assay (Dot-Iba) was developed for the detection of specific antibody to M. tuberculosis in the sera of patients with PT and controls. The assay gave positive results in all the 12 sputum-smear positive [acid fast bacilli (AFB)] patients with PT and gave negative results in the 50 sera from control groups. The Dot-Iba as described in this study, is simple, rapid and specific for laboratory diagnosis of PT.

Primary antiphospholipid syndrome presenting as pseudobulbar palsy in a young male.

Antiphospholipid antibody syndrome (APS) is now recognized as an important risk factor for young stroke. Recurrent stroke seems to be common in patients with APS and a first stroke, recurrent stroke and vascular dementia are feared consequences of APS. We are reporting a case of primary APS with recurrent stroke presenting as pseudobulbar palsy in an young man.

Comparative study of anti-PGL-1, anti-35 kDa and anti-lipoarabinomannan assays for serodiagnosis of leprosy.

Three antibody assays (anti-PGL-1, anti-35 kDa and anti-LAM) were used to determine the levels of antibodies in the sera of untreated leprosy patients. All the three assays showed higher levels of antibodies in BL/LL patients as compared to I and TT/BT patients, as well as healthy controls. BL/LL patients showed positivity of 100%, 84.2% and 78.9% by anti-PGL-1, anti-35 kDa and anti-LAM assays respectively. All the three assays were negative for leprosy in healthy controls. Anti-PGL-1 assay was positive in 20% of TT/BT patients and 17.9% of I patients. Anti-35 kDa assay was negative in all the TT/BT patients and positive in 7.14% of I patients. Anti-LAM assay was positive in 13.3% of TT/BT patients and in 10.7% of I patients. Hence, while these assays are valuable in diagnosing BL/LL patients, their usefulness in diagnosing I, BT or TT leprosy is limited.

Waldenstrom's macroglobulinaemia.

Waldenstrom's macroglobulinaemia is a rare form of monoclonal plasma cell dyscrasia in which there is excess production of immunoglobulin M. Clinically the patient has features of hyperviscosity syndrome and the effects of bone marrow replacement by lympho-plasmacytoid cells. We report here two such cases seen within a period of two months.