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Background: Thyroid hormones regulate the rate of metabolism, affect growth and modulate energy utilization. Uric acid plays a predominant role due to its involvement in cardio-nephro-metabolic disorders. There are conflicting results regarding relationship between thyroid function and uric acid levels. Few studies have been done to establish the relationship of uric acid with thyroid function among the normal subjects. Current crosssectional study is an attempt by the authors to address this gap in literature. Aim: The study was planned to observe the association of serum uric acid levels with thyroid hormones in apparently healthy patients. Material & Methods: Study population included apparently healthy participants in age group 18-50 years attending the Outpatient Department of the hospital during the study period.Free triiodothyronine (FT3), free thyroxine (FT4), and thyroid - stimulating hormone and Serum uric acid (SUA) were measured. The participants were divided into 4 quartiles based on serum uric acid levels. Results: The results showed that SUAwas significantly correlated with thyroid hormones only in the last quartile (>5.7 mg/dL). Present study hypothesised that there was a linear correlation between FT3 and FT4 and uric acid even in normal patients without overt thyroid dysfunction. Conclusion: Uric acid levels are affected by thyroid hormones and hence they must be evaluated routinely in association with clinical manifestations for better prognosis and management of patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is emerging in the developing world but phenotypic data are limited. We aimed to describe the phenotype, clinical presentation, disease behavior, and treatments of IBD in a large cohort in India., Methods: All persons presenting to the Asian Institute of Gastroenterology in Hyderabad, India since 2004 with a confirmed diagnosis of IBD were enrolled. The demographic profile at the first visit, family history of IBD, smoking history, time from first symptom onset to diagnosis, use of anti-tuberculousis treatment before IBD-specific treatment, disease phenotype, and medication history were collected by interview and chart review. Disease and family history and treatments used were updated at each follow-up visit., Results: Of 4006 persons enrolled, 59.9% had ulcerative colitis (UC) and the majority were male (60.3%). The median diagnostic delay in both UC and Crohn's disease (CD) was at least 2 years. At the time of diagnosis only 4.5% of CD were smokers and only 3.8% of UC were ex-smokers. Positive family history was uncommon (2.1%). The phenotype of persons with CD included 22.9% with stricturing disease and 9.4% with fistulizing disease. The most common site of disease was ileocolonic (40.9%) and only 2.5% had perineal fistulas. Among those with UC 18.7% had proctitis and 30.3% had pancolitis., Conclusions: This is the largest cohort of persons with IBD reported from Asia. Although there are several demographic differences between persons with IBD from India compared with the West, the phenotypes of the disease are not highly different.

Background: Fructosamine (FA) is the product of a reaction between glucose (sugar) and albumin (protein). It is used to monitor the short-term glycemic changes in patients with diabetes and may have a role in conjugation with glycated hemoglobin. Aims & Objective: Fructosamine test is used to evaluate the average amount of glucose in blood over a period of 2-3 weeks. FA is a useful indicator to measure the peripheral metabolic function in patients with thyroid disorders. As serum thyroid function tests, fasting plasma glucose (FPG), glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c), serum FA ratios occupied our attention, their inconsistency in the subjects with subclinical hypothyroidism, overt hypothyroidism, and hyperthyroidism in relation to the euthyroid healthy control subjects was studied here. Materials and Methods: This study was conducted on 100 patients with overt hypothyroidism, subclinical hypothyroidism, and hyperthyroidism attending the medical OPD and radioimmunoassay laboratory of the Department of Biochemistry, Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College and Hospital, Ajmer, Rajasthan, India. Results: The mean glycated hemoglobin level was higher in study group than in controls, and it was not statistically significant. The mean serum FA level was higher in patients with overt hypothyroidism and subclinical hyperthyroidism and lower in those with hyperthyroidism than that in controls. It was found to be highly statistically significant. Conclusion: The FA values, which are largely higher than FPG and HbA1c values, indicate a higher propensity to glycation and a decrease turnover of the proteins in the patients with overt hypothyroidism and subclinical hypothyroidism; contrary results were observed in individuals with hyperthyroidism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]