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Background: Electrolyte disorders are common in patients in the emergency department and intensive care unit, and have been associated with increased morbidity and mortality. In this respect sodium and potassium are the most important cations, whose improper adjustment may cause severe neuromuscular disorders. This study was designed to compare values obtained by laboratory and point-of-care testing and also to find most frequent electrolyte abnormalities.Methods: Observational Study was done on 51 patients presenting to Tertiary care Hospital emergency department with altered sensorium between 1st January 2016 to 31st May 2017 fulfilling the inclusion criteria and willing for participation by giving written informed consent. Electrolytes were tested in patients with GCS 14 or less by both point of care system and in the laboratory.Results: The distribution of mean sodium and potassium levels did not differ significantly between two techniques (P-value>0.05). The sodium and potassium levels by POC and laboratory techniques are significantly and positively correlated (P-value

Background Pleuroscopy is a minimal invasive technique which allows direct visualization of the pleura, removal of the pleural fluid and biopsy of the pleura through single skin incision. Pleuroscopy provides an accurate diagnosis in effusions of unknown aetiology. The present study aimed to investigate the safety and utility of medical pleuroscopy in diagnosis and management of patients with pleural effusion.

Till date we believed that multidrug-resistant and extensively drug resistant were our deadliest foes when dealing with tuberculosis. However, conditions commonly encountered in daily practice such as diabetes, liver, renal, psychiatric disorders, and pregnancy tend to frequently overlap with tuberculosis. These multimorbid conditions prove to be equally challenging for an average medical practitioner. Inappropriate prescriptions in the above situations prove to be a significant impediment to the overall control of tuberculosis in the community at large. The advent of solid organ transplantation and aggressive use of immunosuppressive medication for malignancies and chronic inflammatory disorders has added a new dimension to the already preexisting challenges faced by practicing clinicians, particularly in the context of treating tuberculosis in the immunocompromised and drug-drug interactions. This is another area which needs special attention. Pediatric multidrug resistant tuberculosis is a growing menace and needs to be controlled before it becomes an insurmountable problem. In addition, the emerging epidemics of metabolic syndrome, substance abuse, and drug dependence have only compounded the problem. Tuberculosis in the above populations, particularly if drug resistant can be one of the worst nightmares for the treating clinician. This article tries to highlight these prevalent issues and offers practical and evidence-based solutions to help clinicians in their endeavor to achieve a tuberculosis free world.