Maternal Occupational Tobacco Exposure and Newborn Umbilical Cord Serum Leptin Concentration.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the effect of maternal occupational tobacco handling (bidi rolling) on cord serum leptin levels. METHODS: We enrolled 64 neonates born to women who were bidi-rollers, and 64 small for gestational age (SGA) neonates and 57 term appropriate for gestational age (AGA) neonates born to mothers with no tobacco exposure. Cord blood leptin levels between the groups were compared. Adjusted mean difference in leptin was calculated using regression model. RESULTS: Cord leptin showed moderate correlation with birthweight (r=0.16; P=0.027) across the groups. Mean (SD) cord serum leptin levels (ng/mL) of study group was 19.79 (13.32), in comparison to 21.4 (13.4) of SGA (P=0.497), and 27.70 (13.96) of term AGA (P=0.002). Maternal occupational tobacco exposure contributed to significant decrease in cord leptin (adjusted mean difference (95%CI): -4.5 ng/mL (-8.82, -0.19); P=0.041). CONCLUSIONS: Maternal occupational tobacco exposure causes signifi-cant reduction in fetal leptin levels.

Unusual presentation of immature teratoma of the neck: A rare case report.

Cervical region teratoma is a rare disease, accounting for 3-5% of all teratomas in the children. Teratomas of the head and neck due to their obscure origin, unpredictable behavior, and often manifest as a clinical surprise. Airway obstruction is the most serious postnatal complication of cervical teratoma. Prenatal diagnosis is crucial for early recognition of the neck masses that could obstruct the airway. We present a case of 4-month-old female child at age of 4 th month with right submandibular region swelling. Computed tomography neck showed ill-defined, multiloculated cystic lesion with enhancing thick septations in the right side of the neck. Excision biopsy revealed Grade I--immature teratoma--cervical region. On 1-year of close follow-up, no evidence of local recurrence or metastasis was seen. Unlike adults, teratomas in children are often congenital and very rarely turn malignant. The treating consultant should be aware of their natural history, clinical features, pathology, and principles of management.

A Rare Case of an Epidermoid Cyst in the Parotid Gland - which was Diagnosed by Fine Needle Aspiration Cytology.

Cystic lesions are common in the head and neck. The most common are the cutaneous cysts, which are referred to as epidermal cysts. These cysts present as nodular and fluctuant subcutaneous lesions and they are seen most commonly in the acne - prone areas like the head, neck and the back. They arise following a localized inflammation of the hair follicle and occasionally after the implantation of the epithelium, following a trauma or surgery. The presence of benign cystic lesions in the salivary glands is rare.We are presenting a rare case of a 55-year-old male who presented with a soft swelling on the left side of the face. A diagnosis of an epidermoid cyst was given on cytology. A superficial parotidectomy was performed and the histopathology confirmed the above diagnosis.

Subcutaneous human dirofilariasis due to dirofilaria repens: report of two cases.

Zoonotic filariasis due to Dirofilaria repens (D. repens) is prevalent in several regions of the world. In view of recent rise of human D. repens infections in Europe, Africa and Asia, it is considered an emerging zoonosis in these continents. Most of the documented cases of human dirofilariasis recorded in India had ocular infections, but very few subcutaneous dirofilariasis have been reported. We hereby report two cases of subcutaneous human dirofilariasis due to D.repens with varied clinical presentations.