Epidemiological considerations and clinical features of ENT tuberculosis.

Between 1 April 1996 and 30 June 1997, 1003 ear, nose and throat (ENT) outpatients and 340 inpatients diagnosed as having pulmonary tuberculosis were analysed for ENT manifestations of tuberculosis to determine the relationship to sputum positivity, whether any high risk factors exist for the ENT manifestations as compared to other pulmonary tuberculosis patients, and the response to anti-tubercular treatment. The commonest ENT manifestation was found to be laryngitis (seven cases), which was more common in pulmonary tuberculosis patients (five out of seven), all except one of whom were sputum negative. All of these patients were defaulters from anti-tuberculosis treatment or relapse cases, and vocal cords were the commonest site of involvement. One case of tuberculous tonsillitis and one case of tuberculous mastoiditis were also noted. The practical implications of an awareness of ENT tuberculosis is a benefit of anti-tubercular therapy and hence conservative management usually suffices.

Comparison of respiratory sensations induced by J receptor stimulation with lobeline in left handers & right handers.

We examined the hypothesis that right handers and left handers may differ in sensory perceptions and respiratory responses to J receptor stimulation with intravenous injections of lobeline HCl in incremental doses. The comparison was made between 6 right handers and 9 left handers (all males) for (i) the dose of lobeline required to produce sensory threshold (viz., first appearance of respiratory sensations) and cough threshold (first appearance of cough); and (ii) latency and duration of sensations for sensory and cough threshold. All these comparisons were not found to be significant statistically. The sensation of breathlessness, and feelings of drowsiness, giddiness and headache were perceived in 3 of the 9 left handers, and in none of the right handers, but the difference was not significant. Reflex bradycardia was recorded only in left handers (5 of 9). The time (sec) for cough threshold was negatively correlated to threshold dose of lobeline (r = -0.5, and P < 0.05). The left handers perceived cough at the threshold as more distressing as compared with right handers (VAS P < 0.05). In conclusion, handedness did not influence J receptor responses to i.v. lobeline.