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Introduction and Aim: Serum lipids play a pivotal role in the immune response of the host during dengue. The aim of this study was to evaluate the serum lipid abnormalities in dengue patients and to study the relationship between serum lipids with disease severity and platelet count. Materials and Methods: This case control study was carried out in 75 cases of dengue of age group > 18 years divided into three groups namely dengue without warning symptoms (DNWS), dengue with warning symptoms (DWWS) and severe dengue (SD) and 75 age and gender matched healthy controls. Lipid parameters such as total cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, LDL cholesterol and triglycerides were thereafter measured in all the subjects. Results: Among 75 patients with dengue fever, 52 (69.4%) were classified as DNWS, 15 (20%) as DWWS and the remaining 8 (10.6%) as SD. Lower levels of serum total cholesterol (TC) levels (118.8 + 30.71) (p

Background: The biomechanical changes in foot among people with type 2 diabetes mellitus often leads to various foot complications which could further add to diabetes related morbidity & mortality. These changes could be seen due to musculoskeletal factor like reduction in intrinsic foot muscle strength, tightness of lower limb muscles, postural changes, etc. Aim: To design and determine the efficacy of a structured exercise program on foot kinetics and kinematics among type 2 participants Materials and methods: A total of 35 participants with type 2 diabetes (n=15, type 2 diabetes mellitus without neuropathy and n=20, type 2 diabetes with peripheral neuropathy) were recruited. All participants were screened clinically & biochemically and given a set of structured exercise program, three times a week for 12weeks along with standard medical care. Results: The mean age of the participants was 56±10.5 (Non neuropathy) 62.3±7.35 (Neuropathy) years, mean duration of diabetes was 8.7±8.95 (Non neuropathy), 10.97±8 (Neuropathy) years, mean Body mass index was 26.54± 4.83(Non neuropathy), 24.39±3.58 (Neuropathy), Significant differences have been observed in kinetic and kinematic variables. Conclusion: The present study shows that the structured exercise protocol is very effective in improving the biomechanics of foot in people with type 2 diabetes with and without neuropathy. It could help to correct the structure and function of the foot and eventually could reduce the risk of foot complications like diabetic foot ulcers.

Introduction. Bacterial infections are more frequent in patients with decompensated cirrhosis than those with compensated liver disease and account for significant morbidity and mortality in them. Once an infection develops, it induces excessive production of pro-inflammatory cytokines leading to organ failure and death. Aims. This study aims to identify the clinical characteristics and outcome of bacterial infections affecting various organ systems in patients with liver cirrhosis and to determine factors associated with mortality. Materials and methods. A cross sectional study was performed on subjects with cirrhosis having microbiologically proven bacterial infection involving various organ systems, admitted to a tertiary care hospital in southern India. Demographic, clinical data, laboratory parameters and outcome details were noted. Univariate associations and subsequent multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed to determine factors associated with mortality. Results. The study included 158 patients. Chronic alcohol intake was the most common etiology of cirrhosis (66.4%). Community acquired infections occurred more frequently than hospital acquired infections (85.5% vs 14.5%). The common site of isolation of etiological agent was ascitic fluid (38.3%) followed by blood (24.3%), respiratory tract (15.5%) and urinary tract (14.5%). Gram negative bacterial infections were more common (74.3%), Escherichia coli being the most frequent pathogen (38.5%). Mortality was noted in 38 (24%) patients. The factors associated with mortality were the type of infection, Child Pugh category, acute kidney injury, hepatic encephalopathy, urinary tract infection, and creatinine and bilirubin levels. Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that type of infection (OR: 0.33, 95% CI: 0.11-1.01), ascitic fluid infection (OR: 2.81, 95% CI: 1.11-7.12), hepatic encephalopathy (OR: 0.17, 95% CI: 0.070-0.422) and acute kidney injury (OR: 0.19, 95% CI: 0.077-0.502) were significantly associated with in-hospital mortality. Conclusion. This study indicates that the type of infection, hepatic encephalopathy, ascitic fluid infection and acute kidney injury are associated with mortality in cirrhotic patients. Early effective treatment and prevention of these complications may help modify the outcome.

Organophosphate (OP) and mixed pesticide poisoning remains an important cause of hospital admission. Therefore, physician must be aware of atypical presentations of delayed neurological complications of poisoning by taking proper patient history. We report a case of a 23-year-old female who presented with high stepping gait and muscle wasting in hands. Patient history revealed consumption of approximately 4ml of mixed pesticide, consisting of 50% chlorpyrifos with synthetic pyrethroid, 5% cypermethrin. The prolonged and severe nature of delayed peripheral neuropathy, persisting at two years of follow-up, suggests that even small quantities of OP taken in combination with a pyrethroid can result in significant morbidity and is irreversible.

Objective: To document the various clinical manifestations, lab parameters, complications and outcomes of Falciparum Malaria. The above data would be correlated with the parasitic index to deduce whether it would be an effective measure of the same. Methods: This was a prospective study among 183 inpatients aged above 18 from Kasturba Hospital, Manipal from May 2009 to January 2011. Ethical clearance was taken. Statistical analysis was done with the independent paired t test, linear correlation and Chi square test using SPSS 16. Results: In this study 78% cases were males. Most cases occurred during the monsoons. Fever was the major presentation with others being jaundice, vomiting and head ache. 50.8 % had complications, including hepatic dysfunction (40.9%), renal failure (19.13%), shock (7%), altered sensorium (9%), ARDS (3.27%) and severe anemia (1.63%). Hypoglycemia and gram negative sepsis were rare. Parasitic index, renal parameters and death were correlating positively. ESR was significantly related (P

We describe a case of a patient who presented with a 20-day history of vomiting, generalised weakness and loss of appetite and a 2-day history of altered sensorium. On examination, he was grossly emaciated and there were no palpable lymph nodes. Central nervous system examination revealed nystagmus with bilateral lateral recti palsy and abdominal examination showed mild hepatomegaly. MRI of the brain showed bilateral and symmetrical hypertense signal changes in T2-weighted and fluid-attenuated inversion recovery sequences with diffusion restriction in the paramedian ventromedial thalamus. These findings were compatible with Wernicke's encephalopathy. He was started on thiamine supplementation with which neurological signs improved. An ultrasound of the abdomen showed mild hepatomegaly with multiple hyperechoic lesions and wall thickening of the pyloric antrum. Upper gastroduodenoscopy showed ulcerative lesions involving the antrum, pylorus and duodenum. Biopsy revealed moderately differentiated adenocarcinoma. The patient underwent palliative gastrojejunostomy and was clinically better at discharge. It is important to consider Wernicke encephalopathy in patients with gastric cancer who have acute neurological symptoms.

We describe a patient who presented to us with fever, decreased appetite, weight loss and dry cough for 1 month with no abnormalities on examination. A chest radiograph showed a mediastinal shadow. CT of the chest revealed multiple mediastinal lymph nodes. Bronchoalveolar lavage was negative for acid-fast bacilli and cytological examination did not show malignant cells. Serum ACE levels were high (93 U/L). Bone marrow aspiration and biopsy did not reveal any pathology. Mediastinoscopy-guided mediastinal lymph node biopsy showed features of granulomatous lymphadenitis. This case report summarises an unusual presentation of tuberculosis in an adult.

Nocardia is known to cause myriad of infections like pulmonary, cutaneous or disseminated in immunocompromised persons. We report a rare case of Nocardia asteroides complex causing chronic suppurative otitis media (CSOM) in a patient with idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP), and then leading to cortical venous thrombosis. The patient was treated successfully and discharged till follow-up.