ABSTRACT
Objective. Tuberculosis of the thyroid gland is a very rare disease. The incidence of extrapulmonary tuberculosis has been showing a progressive increase in the recent years. We present three cases of primary thyroid tuberculosis. Methods. Two cases were diagnosed on the basis of fine-needle aspiration cytology (FNAC), as they presented with thyroid nodule. The third case was diagnosed on histopathology as the patient underwent total thyroidectomy for the left-side nodule which was a follicular lesion on FNAC. Tuberculosis was diagnosed on the other lobe. Results. All three patients were given antituberculous treatment for nine months, and their nodular lesions completely resolved after treatment. Conclusion. Although rare the, thyroid tuberculosis should be kept in mind in the differential diagnosis of thyroid masses, even in patient with no history and symptom of tuberculosis disease elsewhere.
ABSTRACT
Hyperkalaemia is a common electrolyte disorder with potentially lethal consequences and can lead to life-threatening cardiac dysrhythmias. Spurious hyperkalaemia, also known as pseudohyperkalaemia or factitious hyperkalaemiais, is also quite common in clinical practice and it's a source of avoidable emergency department visits or hospital admissions. We report a case in which alarming hyperkalaemia was found in a patient having Chronic Monomyelocytic Leukaemia on two different occasions, later diagnosed to be spurious.
Subject(s)
Hyperkalemia/diagnosis , Leukemia, Myelogenous, Chronic, BCR-ABL Positive/blood , Potassium/blood , Aged , Angiotensin II Type 1 Receptor Blockers/adverse effects , Blood Chemical Analysis/methods , False Positive Reactions , Female , Humans , Hyperkalemia/blood , Hyperkalemia/etiology , Kidney Failure, Chronic/complications , Kidney Failure, Chronic/drug therapy , Leukemia, Myelogenous, Chronic, BCR-ABL Positive/complications , Leukemia, Myelogenous, Chronic, BCR-ABL Positive/diagnosis , Losartan/adverse effects , Treatment OutcomeABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To determine the accuracy of Helicobacter pylori Stool Antigen test (HpSA), compared with endoscopic histopathology for the diagnosis of gastric Helicobecter pylori infection. STUDY DESIGN: Cross-sectional study. PLACE AND DURATION OF THE STUDY: Medical Unit ll, Abbasi Shaheed Hospital, Karachi, from March 2003 to March 2004. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A total of 50 patients underwent endoscopy for gastric antral mucosal tissue biopsy for histopathology of H.pylori and advised for HpSA. Patient's information including age, gender, past history, presenting signs and symptoms, results of HpSA and histopathology were recorded. Sensitivity analysis was performed to calculate sensitivity, specificity, and predictive values of HpSA. RESULTS: Among 50 patients, 48% males and 52% females (M: F 1: 1.08), a total of 27 (54%) were true positive while 20 (40%) were true negative. Two patients were false negative and only one was false positive. Sensitivity of HpSA was, therefore, 93.1%, specificity 95% and positive and negative predictive values were 96.42% and 90.9% respectively. CONCLUSION: Helicobacter pylori stool antigen was an accurate and reliable test for the diagnosis of gastric H. pylori infection.
