Scrofuloderma - A case series from rural India.

Summary: Cutaneous tuberculosis is the rarest presentation of all the forms of tuberculosis. Scrofuloderma is a frequent manifestation of cutaneous tuberculosis in Indian scenario. Males are affected one and half times more than females. The most common affected age group showing clinical infection is within the first three decades of life. A series of cases mostly malnourished children attending a tertiary care centre in a rural area of central India is being reported. They have presented with a wide spectrum of clinical features, forcing us to establish the final diagnosis by Mantoux test, fine needle aspiration cytology and histopathological examination. The mainstay of treatment remains medical therapy but the underlying cause for severe immunosuppression needs to be ruled out and treated.

Diabetic retinopathy: a preventable scourge.

In recent years, the India has witnessed a rapidly exploding epidemic of diabetes mellitus. It would not be hyperbolic to state that diabetes mellitus is the mother of morbidity of all vital organs. Diabetic retinopathy and its complications cause considerable ocular morbidity as well. With effective management strategies visual loss due to the disease can be controlled and further dissemination of the disease could be prevented. The key to proper management of diabetic retinopathy includes prophylaxis by controlling blood sugar, periodical screening of retina for early detection, prompt referral for prevention of progression by appropriate laser photocoagulation, surgical correction of various anatomical abnormalities, low vision aids and rehabilitative measures in patients with severe visual loss. Howerver, the awareness level of visual consequences of this widely prevalent disease even amongst diabetics is lacking.

Study of gastric carcinomas with special reference to intestinal metaplasia.

An attempt was made to classify 61 cases of gastric carcinomas according to Lauren's classification from the period January 1992-December 1993. All the gastrectomy specimens resected for carcinoma of stomach were included in the study. Of 61 cases, 57 were classifiable according to Lauren's criteria. 38 (62.3%) were of intestinal type and 19 (31.1%) were of diffuse type. 4 cases could not be classified into either group. There were significant correlation of type III intestinal metaplasia with intestinal type gastric carcinoma.