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Serum alpha-1 acid glycoprotein levels were measured in 27 patients with idiopathic peripheral retinal vasculitis (Eales' disease) and 31 healthy subjects by single radial immunodiffusion technique. The levels were found to be significantly increased in both moderate and severe types of the disease. The serum levels of this protein paralleled the severity of the disease. The increased alpha-1 acid glycoprotein in serum showed a significant fall to near normal levels during the quiescent stage. Our observations support the hypothesis that idiopathic peripheral retinal vasculitis is an immune mediated disease. It is proposed that serum alpha-1 acid glycoprotein may be considered as a reliable parameter of the activity and the degree of severity of the disease, as well as an useful tool for monitoring the efficacy of treatment.

The isozyme profile of lactic dehydrogenase (LDH) is being studied in this laboratory, mainly for the diagnosis in the suspected cases of myocardial infarction (MI). The isozymes are separated by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and the quantitative assay of the isoenzymes is done by enzyme staining followed by scanning with the help of an automatic scanner. In normal cases, the ratio of the two isozymes H4 and H3M is approximately 0.5. In almost all cases of myocardial infarction the ratio becomes 1 or more and sometimes increases up to 2. In the suspected and potential cases of infarction the ratio tends to become more than 0.5 (usually 0.7) but remains lower than 1. Thus, the measurement of the ratio may be a very helpful diagnostic index in the suspected and potential cases and may also be used for prognostic purposes as well.

Of the 20 cases with biliary colics who had normal OCG and ultrasound, 11 (55%) showed microlithiasis in the form of cholesterol monohydrate crystals and/or calcium bilirubinate granules on polarized light microscopy of the duodenal bile. Microlithiasis was noted in gallbladder bile of all (100%) the cases with proven gallstones but in none of the duodenal bile samples from healthy subjects. This study suggests that polarized microscopy may be a useful method to detect microlithiasis in patients with repeated biliary colics who have normal OCG and ultrasound examination.