ABSTRACT
Loss of smell function (Anosmia) is reported to be associated with novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection. The present study was designed to evaluate the effectiveness of an indigenously developed prototype smell test to identify/diagnose asymptomatic COVID-19 positive individuals. A panel of five different odorants belonging to Indian household with unique and mutually exclusive odor were used to develop prototype kit to test the hypothesis. The developed prototype kit was tested at 2 centers (N = 49 and 34) with slight modifications. Simultaneously, the kit was also tested on 55 (N = 35 and 20) healthy controls. Our results indicate that otherwise asymptomatic COVID-19 positive individuals were having quantifiable deficit in smell sensation. Interestingly, the variable sensitivity of different odorants was observed in different patients. None of the healthy controls reported difficulty in sensing any of the odorant, whereas, some of healthy controls did misidentify the odorants. Overall, the present study provides a preliminary data that loss in smell sensation for various odorants can be exploited as a quick and affordable screening test to identify infected cases among at risk individuals.
ABSTRACT
BackgroundGlobally, both obesity and underweight are severe health risks for various diseases. The current study systematically examines the emerging evidence to identify an association between Body Mass Index (BMI) and COVID-19 disease outcome. MethodsOnline literature databases (e.g., Google Scholar, PubMed, MEDLINE, EMBASE, Scopus, Medrixv and BioRixv) were screened following standard search strategy having the appropriate keyword such as "Obesity", "Underweight", "BMI", "Body Mass Index", "2019-nCov", "COVID-19, "novel coronavirus", "coronavirus disease". Studies published till 20th April 2020 were included without language restriction. These studies include case reports, case series, cohort, and any other which reported BMI, overweight/obesity or underweight, and its complication with COVID-19 disease. FindingsObesity plays a significant part in the pathogenesis of COVID-19 patients, though the role of BMI in the COVID-19 pandemic must not be ignored. InterpretationConsequences of inflammation of adipose tissue has been reported as a leading cause of insulin resistance and hypertension due to metabolic dysfunction. The results of the current study show that BMI plays a significant role in COVID-19 severity in all ages, especially the elderly population. A panel should review COVID-19 patients with higher BMI and other co-morbidities, and they should be given increased vigilance, testing priority, and therapy. Further, the COVID-19 patients whose illness entered 7-10 days, age >50 yrs, and elevated CRP levels should have additional medical considerations. RecommendationPopulation and patients with high BMI have moderate to high risk of medical complications with COVID-19, and hence their health status should be monitored more frequently.
ABSTRACT
Owing to an oversight in manuscript preparation, the name of the fifth author was rendered incorrectly. The correct spelling is Divya Dahiya.
ABSTRACT
¹â¸F-Fluorocholine (FCH) PET/CT is evolving as a functional imaging modality for the preoperative imaging of abnormal parathyroid tissue(s) helping to localize eutopic and ectopic parathyroid tissue and limit the extent of surgery. FCH PET/CT may show incidental uptake in various thyroid lesions necessitating further evaluation, whereas the role of ¹â¸F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) PET/CT in the detection of incidental thyroid nodules is well documented. The case of a middle-aged woman with dual pathology of parathyroid adenoma and papillary thyroid cancer detected on FCH and FDG PET/CT is presented.
ABSTRACT
Owing to an oversight in manuscript preparation, the name of the fifth author was rendered incorrectly. The correct spelling is Divya Dahiya.
ABSTRACT
A young woman with severe vitamin D deficiency presented with proximal muscle weakness, fragility fracture and pseudoarthrosis. On evaluation, she was found to have hypercalcaemia, a single parathyroid adenoma and an undetectable 25-hydroxyvitamin D level. She received parenteral cholecalciferol and subsequently underwent curative parathyroidectomy. Postoperatively, she had hungry bone syndrome, which she gradually recovered from with calcium and calcitriol replacement. Notably, her calcium levels were in the lower limit of normal range and associated with elevated alkaline phosphatase levels at postoperative Day 14. Follow-up for the next four years showed that the patient had remarkable symptomatic and radiological improvements. In this report, we discuss the pathophysiological interactions between vitamin D deficiency and associated primary hyperparathyroidism.
