Clinical and laboratory parameters as predictors of mortality in patients with chronic liver disease presenting to emergency department- a cross sectional study.

BACKGROUND: The World Health Organization (WHO) reports that Asia and Africa have the highest Chronic Liver Disease (CLD) mortality rate. Cirrhosis, responsible for 22.2 fatalities per 100,000 people, is India's 10th most common cause of mortality. The increasing prevalence of chronic liver disease necessitates a study to identify predictive factors for patients who visit the emergency department. Identifying elements that enhance the predictive value of mortality in unstable patients with CLD complications is important in emergency departments. This study aims to determine Clinical and Laboratory Parameters as mortality predictors in adult chronic liver disease patients. METHODOLOGY: The study was conducted at the emergency department of a tertiary healthcare center in Northern India. Patients with chronic liver disease above 18 years of age who satisfied the inclusion criteria were clinically evaluated. Clinical and demographic details were collected, and data was analyzed. RESULTS: Two hundred thirty-six patients were enrolled. The mean age was 50.77 ± 14.26 years. 78.4% of the participants were men. Abdominal distension, affecting 59.7% of patients, was the most common presenting ailment, followed by melena and hematemesis, affecting 41.9% and 32.6%, respectively. The mean stay in the emergency department was 10.29 ± 8.10 h. Refractory septic shock, the leading cause of mortality, accounts for 69.2% of all deaths, alongside grade 4 hepatic encephalopathy and massive Upper Gastrointestinal (UGI) bleeding, as identified in our study. Factors such as altered mental sensorium, high respiratory rate, low SpO2, increased heart rate, low systolic blood pressure, low diastolic blood pressure, and low Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) on Emergency Department (ED) arrival are significantly associated with mortality. CONCLUSIONS: Chronic liver disease, a prevalent condition in India, most commonly seen in middle aged men and lower socioeconomic groups. The parameters independently associated with mortality in our study were presence of altered mental sensorium, Glasgow coma scale, Child Pugh class and need for ICU admission. Understanding the presentation pattern, and mortality predictors can help ED physicians in managing acute events and follow-ups.

A case study to investigate the effects of Chlorhexidine mouthwash on serum cytokines levels in children with Asthma.

Asthma is an airways inflammatory disease and the most common chronic disease of childhood, which causes most hospital visits and placing a heavy financial burden on families and communities. Interleukins 4, 5 and 13, play a central role in the pathogenesis of asthma. Given the importance of oral hygiene in asthmatic patients and IL-4 and 5 are involved in the inflammatory process of periodontitis, the effect of chlorhexidine as mouthwash on asthma attacks in children on serum cytokines is necessary. In this study, 375 children with asthma were divided into two groups using or non-using chlorhexidine. Blood samples were taken and cytokines were measured by ELISA. From 375 patients, 17 patients were excluded. In this study, 171 males and 187 females participated and there were 180 patients in asthma group and 178 patients in asthma/Chlorhexidine group. The levels of IL-4, IL-5 and IL-13 had no significant difference (p > 0.05) between Asthma and Asthma/Chlorhexidine groups. Using chlorhexidine as mouthwash in children with asthma had no effect on the type 2 cytokines and may not trigger an asthma attack via allergo-inflammatory mechanism.

GABAergic implications in anxiety and related disorders.

Evidence indicates that anxiety disorders arise from an imbalance in the functioning of brain circuits that govern the modulation of emotional responses to possibly threatening stimuli. The circuits under consideration in this context include the amygdala's bottom-up activity, which signifies the existence of stimuli that may be seen as dangerous. Moreover, these circuits encompass top-down regulatory processes that originate in the prefrontal cortex, facilitating the communication of the emotional significance associated with the inputs. Diverse databases (e.g., Pubmed, ScienceDirect, Web of Science, Google Scholar) were searched for literature using a combination of different terms e.g., "anxiety", "stress", "neuroanatomy", and "neural circuits", etc. A decrease in GABAergic activity is present in both anxiety disorders and severe depression. Research on cerebral functional imaging in depressive individuals has shown reduced levels of GABA within the cortical regions. Additionally, animal studies demonstrated that a reduction in the expression of GABAA/B receptors results in a behavioral pattern resembling anxiety. The amygdala consists of inhibitory networks composed of GABAergic interneurons, responsible for modulating anxiety responses in both normal and pathological conditions. The GABAA receptor has allosteric sites (e.g., α/γ, γ/ß, and α/ß) which enable regulation of neuronal inhibition in the amygdala. These sites serve as molecular targets for anxiolytic medications such as benzodiazepine and barbiturates. Alterations in the levels of naturally occurring regulators of these allosteric sites, along with alterations to the composition of the GABAA receptor subunits, could potentially act as mechanisms via which the extent of neuronal inhibition is diminished in pathological anxiety disorders.

Pharmacokinetic Drug Interactions of Piperine: A Review of Pre-clinical and Clinical Studies.

Piperine (amide alkaloid) derived from pepper is globally utilized in diverse conventional and traditional systems of medicine. The co-administration of piperine has been observed to induce subtle modifications in the absorption, membrane transport, and drug metabolism of several high-efficacy medicines. The occurrence of medication interactions might have a notable impact on the pharmacokinetic parameters, resulting in either a favorable or unfavorable pharmacological effect. This comprehensive pharmacokinetic drug interaction evaluation of piperine encompasses a total of 34 scholarly articles (specific for pharmacokinetic interactions), consisting of 62 studies (56 preclinical studies and 6 clinical investigations). In this study, we propose that piperine has the ability to increase the bioavailability and bioactive molecules of a natural origin of a variety of medications, making it an effective bioenhancer. By enhancing bioavailability, piperine can reduce the required dosage, lower drug costs, minimize the occurrence of drug resistance, and mitigate dose-dependent side effects associated with various medications such as ciprofloxacin, ampicillin, metronidazole carbamazepine, curcumin, and oxytetracycline. However, a limited number of published studies have indicated a reduction in bioavailability following oral administration of isoniazid, puerarin, diltiazem, desacetyldiltiazem, and magnolol in combination with piperine or pepper/Trikatu (containing piperine majorly). Several other critical studies have demonstrated that there is no significant variation in pharmacokinetic characteristics along with piperine. The medications containing piperine have led to significant modifications in their pharmacokinetic properties, finally yielding advantageous outcomes for drugs with low bioavailability. Additionally, these alterations have resulted in reduced side effects and extended half-life (T1/2) for specific drugs.

Diabetic Ketoacidosis: A Rare Complication of Type 3c Diabetes.

Recently termed pancreoprivic diabetes, type 3c diabetes refers to high blood sugar values secondary to disease of the exocrine pancreas. The disease is most commonly misdiagnosed as type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) and is overlooked by physicians and the general public. Chronic pancreatitis (CP) accounts for most cases of type 3c diabetes. Diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) is a rare occurrence in type 3c diabetes as both alpha and beta cell dysfunction occur concurrently. In this case, the major hormones involved in lipolysis and ketone body production would be catecholamines, cortisol, and growth hormone. We report a case of a 37-year-old female with a history of endocrine pancreatic insufficiency secondary to CP who presented with DKA, one of the life-threatening but preventable complications of diabetes. Noncompliance with insulin and concurrent urinary tract infection were the inciting factors. Her condition improved with DKA management according to standard protocol, intravenous antibiotics, and other supportive care. She got discharged after optimization of insulin therapy, with proper advice for home blood sugar monitoring and regular follow-up. A patient with pancreatic pathology may present to the emergency with DKA as the first manifestation, and if not properly evaluated, the diagnosis of type 3c diabetes can be missed.

Thrombotic microangiopathy following a white-lipped pit viper envenomation.

Certain snake envenomation patients with consumptive coagulopathy, termed venom-induced consumption coagulopathy, develop thrombotic microangiopathy (TMA). Due to predominant renal involvement, TMA is said to resemble haemolytic uraemic syndrome and is treated with haemodialysis. We present a case of a young male who presented to the emergency department after being bitten by a white-lipped pit viper (Trimeresurus albolabris). He developed heart failure in addition to acute kidney injury secondary to TMA. He was treated with 30 vials of anti-snake venom according to national guidelines and underwent haemodialysis. Despite haemodialysis, the patient's ventilatory parameters continued to worsen, necessitating invasive mechanical ventilation. Thus, he was initiated on plasma exchange therapy, to which the patient responded well. TMA has not been reported in Trimeresurus envenomations yet, to the best of our knowledge. Additionally, plasma exchange therapy can be considered an adjunctive therapy for snakebite patients who develop TMA.

The diagnostic accuracy of point-of-care ultrasound parameters for airway assessment in patients undergoing intubation in emergency department-an observational study.

BACKGROUND: Endotracheal intubation is an essential resuscitative procedure in the emergency setting. Airway assessment parameters such as the Mallampati classification are difficult to perform in an emergency setting. As point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) assessment of airway parameters does not require patients to perform any mandatory action, ultrasound may become the potential first-line noninvasive airway assessment tool in the emergency department (ED). The use of POCUS in the ED has not been sufficiently studied. Using POCUS in airway assessment for predicting difficult intubation may be the next step in successful airway management. METHODOLOGY: The study was an observational study conducted at the ED of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (Rishikesh). The treating emergency physician recorded the patient history and systemic examination along with an indication for intubation. The POCUS assessment of airway parameters pre-epiglottis to epiglottic vocal cord ratio (Pre-E/E-VC), tongue thickness, hyomental distance, and distance from skin to the hyoid bone was performed by the study investigator. During laryngoscopy, Cormack-Lehane (CL) grading was assessed. The data was entered and analyzed. RESULTS: Seventy patients who required intubation in the ED were enrolled in the study. Among the study population, 48.6%, 28.6%, 14.3%, 1.4%, and 7.1% were classified with the following CL grading: 1, 2a, 2b, 3a, and 3b, respectively. At a cutoff of ≥ 1.86, Pre-E/E-VC predicts difficult laryngoscopy (AUC 0.835) with a sensitivity of 83% and a specificity of 94%. At a cutoff of ≥ 5.98 cm, tongue thickness predicts difficult laryngoscopy (AUC 0.78) with a sensitivity of 83% and a specificity of 88%. At a cutoff of hyomental distance ≤ 6 cm, it predicts difficult laryngoscopy with a sensitivity of 83% and a specificity of 88%. All parameters can act as a promising tool for predicting difficult laryngoscopy, with the single best parameter being Pre-E/E-VC. CONCLUSION: Assessment of the airway with POCUS may be helpful to the emergency physician when the clinical airway assessment parameters fail to predict difficult laryngoscopy as most patients requiring intubation are uncooperative. Assessment of the parameters in our study Pre-E/E-VC, tongue thickness, and hyomental distance can act as a promising tool for predicting difficult laryngoscopy in the emergency scenario.

From LncRNA to metastasis: The MALAT1-EMT axis in cancer progression.

Cancer is a complex disease that causes abnormal genetic changes and unchecked cellular growth. It also causes a disruption in the normal regulatory processes that leads to the creation of malignant tissue. The complex interplay of genetic, environmental, and epigenetic variables influences its etiology. Long non-coding RNAs (LncRNAs) have emerged as pivotal contributors within the intricate landscape of cancer biology, orchestrating an array of multifaceted cellular processes that substantiate the processes of carcinogenesis and metastasis. Metastasis is a crucial driver of cancer mortality. Among these, MALAT1 (Metastasis-Associated Lung Adenocarcinoma Transcript 1) has drawn a lot of interest for its function in encouraging metastasis via controlling the Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition (EMT) procedure. MALAT1 exerts a pivotal influence on the process of EMT, thereby promoting metastasis to distant organs. The mechanistic underpinning of this phenomenon involves the orchestration of an intricate regulatory network encompassing transcription factors, signalling cascades, and genes intricately associated with the EMT process by MALAT1. Its crucial function in transforming tumor cells into an aggressive phenotype is highlighted by its capacity to influence the expression of essential EMT effectors such as N-cadherin, E-cadherin, and Snail. An understanding of the MALAT1-EMT axis provides potential therapeutic approaches for cancer intervention. Targeting MALAT1 or its downstream EMT effectors may reduce the spread of metastatic disease and improve the effectiveness of already available therapies. Understanding the MALAT1-EMT axis holds significant clinical implications. Therefore, directing attention towards MALAT1 or its downstream mediators could present innovative therapeutic strategies for mitigating metastasis and improving patient prognosis. This study highlights the importance of MALAT1 in cancer biology and its potential for cutting back on metastatic disease with novel treatment strategies.

Bioactive Compound-Loaded Nanocarriers for Hair Growth Promotion: Current Status and Future Perspectives.

Hair loss (alopecia) has a multitude of causes, and the problem is still poorly defined. For curing alopecia, therapies are available in both natural and synthetic forms; however, natural remedies are gaining popularity due to the multiple effects of complex phytoconstituents on the scalp with fewer side effects. Evidence-based hair growth promotion by some plants has been reported for both traditional and advanced treatment approaches. Nanoarchitectonics may have the ability to evolve in the field of hair- and scalp-altering products and treatments, giving new qualities to hair that can be an effective protective layer or a technique to recover lost hair. This review will provide insights into several plant and herbal formulations that have been reported for the prevention of hair loss and stimulation of new hair growth. This review also focuses on the molecular mechanisms of hair growth/loss, several isolated phytoconstituents with hair growth-promoting properties, patents, in vivo evaluation of hair growth-promoting activity, and recent nanoarchitectonic technologies that have been explored for hair growth.

Graduating from Laboratory to Operating Rooms-the Way Forward for Future Surgeons!

Background: Changing healthcare and social scenarios are reducing the learning opportunities of surgical postgraduates in our country. Majority of surgical training centers in the developed world use laboratory training as an integral part of their curricula. However, in India, most of surgical residents are still trained by traditional apprenticeship model. Aims: To describe the role of laboratory training in improving the competency of surgical postgraduates. Settings and Design: Laboratory dissection was used as an educational intervention for postgraduates in tertiary care teaching hospital. Methods and Material: Thirty-five (35) trainees from various surgical subspecialties performed cadaveric dissection led by senior faculty members. The perceived knowledge and operative confidence of trainees were assessed before and three weeks after the course using a five-point Likert scale. A structured questionnaire was administered to explore the experience of training. Results were tabulated in percentage and proportion. Wilcoxon signed-rank test was applied to find any difference between pre and post perception of knowledge and operative competence of participants. Results: Thirty four (34/35; 96%) were males; 65.7% (23/35) trainees demonstrated improvement in knowledge level after dissection (p < 0.0001) and 74.3% (26/35) in operative confidence (p < 0.0001). Majority believe that cadaveric dissection helps to improve knowledge of procedural anatomy (33/35; 94.3%) and enhances technical skill (25/35; 71.4%). Thirty participants (86%) rated cadaveric dissection as the best tool for surgical training of postgraduates better than operative manuals, surgical videos, and virtual simulators. Conclusions: Laboratory training including cadaveric dissection is feasible, relevant, effective, and acceptable to postgraduate surgical trainees with few disadvantages, which can be taken care of. Trainees felt it should be made part of curriculum.

Orally administered solasodine, a steroidal glycoalkaloid, suppresses ovalbumin-induced exaggerated Th2-immune response in rat model of bronchial asthma.

Bronchial asthma is a chronic lung disorder, that affects an estimated 262 million people worldwide, thereby, causing a large socio-economic burden. Drug molecules from natural sources have exhibited a good promise in providing an alternative therapy in many chronic ailments. Solasodine, a glycoalkaloid has received an immense interest due to its large pharmacological and industrial value, however, its usefulness in asthma control has not been investigated till date. In this work, solasodine was tested for its ability to reverse several characteristics of bronchial asthma induced by intraperitoneal injection of ovalbumin (OVA) and aluminium hydroxide in experimental rats. Treating asthmatic animals with solasodine (1 mg/kg b.w. or 10 mg/kg b.w.) or dexamethasone (2.5 mg/kg b.w.) reversed OVA-induced airway hyperresponsiveness, infiltration of inflammatory cells and histamine levels in the airways. Furthermore, as compared to OVA-control rats, allergen-induced elevated levels of IgE, nitrites, nitric oxide, and pro-inflammatory mediators, including TNF-α, IL-1ß, LTD-4, and Th2-cytokines, particularly, IL-4, IL-5 were remarkably reduced in both bronchoalveolar lavage fluid and blood. These findings are supported by significant protection offered by various treatments against OVA-induced airway inflammation and mast cell degranulation in mesenteric tissues. Further, In-silico molecular docking studies performed to determine inhibitory potential of solasodine at IL-4 and IL-5, demonstrated strong affinity of phytocompound for these receptors than observed with antagonists previously reported. Results of current study imply that solasodine has therapeutic promise in allergic asthma, presumably due to its ability to prevent mast cell degranulation and consequent generation of histamine and Th2-associated cytokines in airways.

Targeting the mitochondria in chronic respiratory diseases.

Mitochondria are one of the basic essential components for eukaryotic life survival. It is also the source of respiratory ATP. Recently published studies have demonstrated that mitochondria may have more roles to play aside from energy production. There is an increasing body of evidence which suggest that mitochondrial activities involved in normal and pathological states contribute to significant impact to the lung airway morphology and epithelial function in respiratory diseases such as asthma, COPD, and lung cancer. This review summarizes the pathophysiological pathways involved in asthma, COPD, lung cancer and highlights potential treatment strategies that target the malfunctioning mitochondria in such ailments. Mitochondria are responsive to environmental stimuli such as infection, tobacco smoke, and inflammation, which are essential in the pathogenesis of respiratory diseases. They may affect mitochondrial shape, protein production and ultimately cause dysfunction. The impairment of mitochondrial function has downstream impact on the cytosolic components, calcium control, response towards oxidative stress, regulation of genes and proteins and metabolic activities. Several novel compounds and alternative medicines that target mitochondria in asthma and chronic lung diseases have been discussed here. Moreover, mitochondrial enzymes or proteins that may serve as excellent therapeutic targets in COPD are also covered. The role of mitochondria in respiratory diseases is gaining much attention and mitochondria-based treatment strategies and personalized medicine targeting the mitochondria may materialize in the near future. Nevertheless, more in-depth studies are urgently needed to validate the advantages and efficacy of drugs that affect mitochondria in pathological states.

Point of care ultrasound as initial diagnostic tool in acute dyspnea patients in the emergency department of a tertiary care center: diagnostic accuracy study.

BACKGROUND: Dyspnea is one of the common symptoms patients present to the emergency department (ED). The broad spectrum of differentials often requires laboratory and radiological testing in addition to clinical evaluation, causing unnecessary delay. Point of care ultrasound (PoCUS) has shown promising results in accurately diagnosing patients with dyspnea, thus, becoming a popular tool in ED while saving time and maintaining safety standards. Our study aimed to determine the utilization of point of care ultrasound in patients with acute dyspnea as an initial diagnostic tool in our settings. METHODOLOGY: The study was conducted at the emergency department of a tertiary healthcare center in Northern India. Adult patients presenting with acute dyspnea were prospectively enrolled. They were clinically evaluated and necessarily investigated, and a provisional diagnosis was made. Another EP, trained in PoCUS, performed the scan, blinded to the laboratory investigations (not the clinical parameters), and made a PoCUS diagnosis. Our gold standard was the final composite diagnosis made by two Emergency Medicine consultants (who had access to all investigations). Accuracy and concordance of the ultrasound diagnosis to the final composite diagnosis were calculated. The time to formulate a PoCUS diagnosis and final composite diagnosis was compared. RESULTS: Two hundred thirty-seven patients were enrolled. The PoCUS and final composite diagnosis showed good concordance (κ = 0.668). PoCUS showed a high sensitivity for acute pulmonary edema, pleural effusion, pneumothorax, pneumonia, pericardial effusion, and low sensitivity for acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (AECOPD) and acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS)/acute lung injury (ALI). High overall specificity was seen. A high positive predictive value for all except left ventricular dysfunction, pericardial effusion, non-cardiopulmonary causes of dyspnea, and a low negative predictive value was seen for pneumonia. The median time to make a PoCUS diagnosis was 16 (5-264) min compared to the 170 (8-1346) min taken for the final composite diagnosis. Thus, time was significantly lower for PoCUS diagnosis (p value <0.001). CONCLUSION: By combining the overall accuracy of PoCUS, the concordance with the final composite diagnosis, and the statistically significant reduction in time taken to formulate the diagnosis, PoCUS shows immense promise as an initial diagnostic tool that may expedite the decision-making in ED for patients' prompt management and disposition with reliable accuracy.

Difficult Mask Ventilation in Penetrating Facial Trauma Due to Animal Attack: A Unique Challenge in the Emergency Department.

Penetrating facial trauma can be a life-threatening condition, especially due to its impact on the airway. In a facial trauma, there is a distortion in the basic anatomy of the affected, making it a particularly difficult situation for managing the airway. Challenging intubation scenarios have been widely explored in the literature; however, difficult to ventilate situations have been undermined. We describe a case of a 35-year-old female who presented with a history of animal attack on the face. The extent of penetrating facial trauma warranted the need to secure the airway. Preserving spontaneous breathing and using an oral endotracheal tube for oxygenation saved the airway manager from cannot intubate and cannot oxygenate situation in a facial trauma patient. Difficult to mask ventilate while arranging for a definitive airway can be more pressing and challenging for the emergency physician. It also jeopardizes the patient's life, whose survival may only depend on acquiring the patency of the airway. Facial trauma patients may be conscious and spontaneously breathing, leading to the missed or delayed intervention in the airway; hence, prompt assessment and management of the airway in all facial trauma are of utmost importance.

Endothelial dysfunction assessed by brachial artery flow-mediated dilatation predicts severe COVID-19-related disease.

Background: Endothelial dysfunction, inflammation, and hypercoagulability are hallmarks of severe COVID-19 related disease. Endothelial function can be measured non-invasively by flow-mediated dilatation in the brachial artery. We planned a study to measure it as a marker of the severity of COVID-19 disease. Objective: To evaluate the association of clinically recognizable endothelial dysfunction in COVID-19 disease and its usefulness as a marker of severe COVID-19-related disease. Methods: 20 COVID-19 patients being admitted to our unit were analyzed for endothelial dysfunction and correlated with disease severity as per computed tomography (CT) chest score. Patients with diabetes, atherosclerotic coronary artery disease, dyslipidemia, chronic renal disease, and infections other than COVID-19 were excluded. Endothelial dysfunction was measured by flow-mediated dilatation in the brachial artery. Results: The mean age was 46.4 ± 16.5 years; 70% were males. The mean CT severity score was 22 ± 8; 60% required supplemental oxygen and steroids. The incidence of endothelial dysfunction was more in patients with a computed tomography severity score of >19.5 or oxygen saturation of <93% at room air as compared to mild cases (P = 0.003). Endothelial dysfunction was more evident >7 days after onset of disease as compared to early (<7 days) disease (P = 0.016). There was negative correlation between % flow-mediated dilatation in brachial artery and severity of lung involvement and prolonged symptomatic phase. Conclusions: Endothelial dysfunction as measured by impaired brachial artery flow mediated dilatation correlates with disease severity.

Study effect of probiotics and prebiotics on treatment of OVA-LPS-induced of allergic asthma inflammation and pneumonia by regulating the TLR4/NF-kB signaling pathway.

Asthma is a common respiratory disease, and immune system dysregulation has direct relevance to asthma pathogenesis. Probiotics and prebiotics have immunomodulatory effects and can regulate immune responses and may attenuate allergic reactions. Therefore, in this study, we explored the role of probiotics and prebiotics in regulating acute airway inflammation and the TLR4/NF-kB pathway. Allergic asthma model of BALB/c mice was produced and treated with probiotics (LA-5, GG, and BB-12) and prebiotics (FOS and GOS). Then AHR, BALF cells count, EPO activity, IL-4, 5, 13, 17, 25, 33, as well as IFN-γ, total and OVA-specific IgE, IgG1, Cys-LT, LTB4, LTC4, and TSLP levels were measured. Also, the GTP/GOT assay was performed and gene expression of Akt, NLR3, NF-kB, PI3K, MyD88, TLR4, CCL11, CCL24, MUC5a, Eotaxin, IL-38, and IL-8 were determined. Finally, lung histopathological features were evaluated. Treatment with probiotics could control AHR, eosinophil infiltration to the BALF and reduce the levels of immunoglobulins, IL-17, GTP and also decrease mucus secretion, goblet cell hyperplasia, peribronchial and perivascular inflammation and also, EPO activity. It could reduce gene expression of TLR4 and CCL11. On the other hand, IL-38 gene expression was increased by both probiotic and prebiotic treatment. Treatment with probiotics and prebiotics could control levels of IL-4, 5, 13, 25, 33, leukotrienes, the gene expression of AKT, NLR3, NF-κB, MyD88, MUC5a. The prebiotic treatment could control peribronchial inflammation and PI3K gene expression. Both of the treatments had no significant effect on the GOT, TSLP and IL-8, eotaxin and CCL24 gene expression. Probiotics and prebiotics could induce tolerance in allegro-inflammatory reactions and alter immune responses in allergic conditions. Probiotics could also modulate cellular and humoral immune responses and prevent allergic disorders.

An Unusual Case of Persistent Hypoglycemia in Scrub Typhus.

Acute fever is a common worldwide issue among patients presenting to the emergency department. Main tropical fevers presenting as acute fever are malaria, dengue fever, typhoid, scrub typhus, and leptospirosis. Scrub typhus is a zoonotic disease caused by Orientia tsutsugamushi, which is endemic in many parts of India. Its clinical presentation varies significantly from undifferentiated fever and fever with thrombocytopenia to meningoencephalitis. Persistent hypoglycemia in scrub typhus has not yet been reported. Here we report a case of a 27-year-old male who presented with altered mental status after seven days of scrub typhus diagnosis. Diagnosis of hypoglycemia (random blood sugar of 37 mg/dL) was made at triage. Altered mental status responded to dextrose, but despite meals and treatment, hypoglycemia persisted. The cause for persistent hypoglycemia remained unexplained as most laboratory panels for hypoglycemia were either normal or did not fit into a particular cause.

Extracranial Internal Carotid Aneurysm Manifesting With Tinnitus: A Rare Presentation.

A 19-year-old male presented with a history of pulsatile tinnitus on the left side after he underwent drainage for a tonsillar swelling. He had noticed a painless neck swelling one month ago that was associated with difficulty in swallowing. His physician had made a diagnosis of peritonsillar abscess, and drainage had been performed. After the procedure, the swelling had progressed further, leading to drooling of saliva and disabling tinnitus. When he presented to the emergency, local examination revealed a pulsatile neck swelling with peritonsillar mass. CT angiography/digital subtraction angiography (DSA) of the neck and brain revealed a large aneurysm of the distal cervical segment of the left internal carotid artery (ICA). The patient successfully underwent an urgent open repair. This case highlights the importance of a thorough history and examination in identifying a rare cause of pulsatile tinnitus. A stepwise approach to determine the reason behind tinnitus revealed an underlying ICA aneurysm of the extracranial segment.

Vertebral arteriovenous fistula in neurofibromatosis type 1.

INTRODUCTION: Vertebral arterio-venous fistulas (VAVFs) are uncommon lesions that can arise spontaneously or secondarily to iatrogenic or mechanical trauma. Among spontaneous cases, it is most commonly found to be associated with neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1). EVIDENCE ACQUISITION: We performed a systematic review of the literature to obtain information regarding demographics, clinical presentation, treatment modalities and outcome of VAVFs associated with NF1. A literature search was performed by using databases PubMed Central, Embase, Cochrane Library, and Ovid MEDLINE. Also, the grey area search was done using the "Google Scholar" search engine. On screening of the original full-text English language articles, a total of 48 cases were considered suitable for inclusion in this review. EVIDENCE SYNTHESIS: VAVFs in NF1 commonly present between 3rd and 6th decade of life affecting females 2.4 times more than males. Left-sided fistulae were more common than the right side and most seen in the upper V2 segment of the vertebral artery. Most VAVFs in NF 1 patients were treated with constructive (occlusion of fistula only) endovascular therapy (N.=26) with a high success rate. Moreover, pooled proportion of the outcome data have shown significant difference between the endovascular constructive and destructive procedure. CONCLUSIONS: The spontaneous VAVF, commonly associated with NF-1, often requires treatment. Awareness of the coexistence between NF1 and VAVF is crucial to avoid diagnostic delays and unnecessary surgical intervention leading to disastrous outcomes. Endovascular treatment is the preferred treatment approach while open surgical treatment is required in some complex fistulae and failure of endovascular techniques.