Immunophenotypic subsets in acute lymphoblastic leukemia from a single centre in North India: correlation with outcome to induction chemotherapy.

The poorer outcome of Indian patients with acute lymphoid leukemia (ALL) has been observed in earlier studies. However, little data is available on their immunophenotypic characteristics. The aim of the present study was thus to characterize the immunophenotypic subsets of Indian ALL patients and correlate with outcome at the end of induction chemotherapy. Immunophenotyping of 45 childhood and 25 adult ALL patients was performed by dual colour flow cytometry using a panel of B-lineage, T-lineage and Myeloid lineage specific monoclonal antibodies. Eighty and 17% of childhood and 92% and none of adults were B-lineage and T-lineage ALL, respectively. Aberrant myeloid marker expression was seen in 11% and 28% of childhood and adult groups, respectively. B-lineage ALL with aberrant T-lineage marker expression was observed in 4.4% and 8% of childhood and adult groups, respectively. Two each induction failures were observed in both childhood and adult groups. All of these were associated with aberrant expression of myeloid and/or T-lineage markers on B-lineage ALL. Aberrant expression of markers was associated with poorer outcome to induction chemotherapy in both childhood and adult ALL patients.

Langerhans cell histiocytosis.

Langerhans cell histiocytosis (LCH) is a rare disorder affecting predominantly children and manifesting as bone pains, bony swellings and lytic lesions. Involvement of vertebrae as presenting manifestation is unusual. Here we have presented three cases of LCH, two of multifocal eosinophilic granuloma (MEG) and one of Hand Schuller Christian disease (HSC). One of the patients with MEG; had vertebral involvement as the presenting manifestation.

Ulcerative colitis and immune thrombocytopenia: a report of two cases.

Ulcerative colitis is known to be associated with autoimmune diseases. We report two patients with coexistent ulcerative colitis and immune thrombocytopenia, a rare association.

Japanese B encephalitis with neurocysticercosis.

A case of Japanese encephalitis (JE) with multiple calcified lesions suggestive of calcified neurocysticercosis on CT scan of the head is reported. The presence of nonenhancing calcified lesions and rising antibody titres for JE differentiated it from acute encephalitis neurocysticercosis. Post mortem studies indicate that neurocysticercosis predisposes to fatal JE infection. The present report is of an association of the two diseases which did not result in a fatal outcome.

Clinical evaluation of chandonium iodide as a nondepolarising muscle relaxant.

The effect of chandonium iodide (as a non-depolarising muscle relaxant) was studied in 50 patients of ASA grade I or II who were scheduled for surgery. The patients were divided into 2 groups according to the dose of chandonium iodide (0.2 and 0.25 mg/kg respectively). The onset and duration of action was found to be dose dependent. Intubation characteristics were good to fair in all the patients, the reaction to intubation being either absent or mild. There was mild and transient rise in pulse and blood pressure. No allergic reaction was observed in any patient and reversal characteristics were good in all the cases.

Clinical trials with gugulipid. A new hypolipidaemic agent.

Multicentric clinical trials of the efficacy of gugulipid conducted at Bombay, Bangalore, Delhi, Jaipur, Lucknow, Nagpur and Varanasi have been reported. Two hundred and five patients completed 12 week open trial with gugulipid in a dose of 500 mg tds after 8 week diet and placebo therapy. One patient showed gastrointestinal symptoms which did not necessitate withdrawal of the drug. A significant lowering of serum cholesterol (av. 23.6%) and serum triglycerides (av. 22.6%) was observed in 70-80% patients Double-blind, crossover study was completed in 125 patients with gugulipid therapy and in 108 patients with clofibrate therapy. Two patients had flu-like syndrome with clofibrate and opted out from the study. With gugulipid the average fall in serum cholesterol and triglycerides was 11 and 16.8% respectively and with clofibrate 10 and 21.6% respectively. The lipid lowering effect of both drugs became evident 3-4 week after starting the drug and had no relationship with age, sex, and concomitant drug intake. Hypercholesterolaemic patients responded better to gugulipid therapy than hypertriglyceridaemic patients who responded better to clofibrate therapy. In mixed hyperlipidaemic patients response to both drugs was comparable. HDL-cholesterol was increased in 60% cases who responded to gugulipid therapy. Clofibrate had no effect on HDL-cholesterol. A significant decrease in LDL-cholesterol was observed in the responder group to both drugs.