Outcome of COVID-19 infection in patients on antihypertensives: A cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection frequently have hypertension as a co-morbidity, which is linked to adverse outcomes. Antihypertensives may affect the outcome of COVID-19 infection. AIM: To assess the effects of antihypertensive agents on the outcomes of COVID-19 infection. METHODS: A total of 260 patients were included, and their demographic data and clinical profile were documented. The patients were categorized into nonhypertensive, angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor/angiotensin receptor blocker (ACEI/ARB), calcium channel blocker (CCB), a combination of ACEI/ARB and CCB, and beta-blocker groups. Biochemical, hematological, and inflammatory markers were measured. The severity of infection, intensive care unit (ICU) intervention, and outcome were recorded. RESULTS: The mean age of patients was approximately 60-years-old in all groups, except the nonhypertensive group. Men were predominant in all groups. Fever was the most common presenting symptom. Acute respiratory distress syndrome was the most common complication, and was mostly found in the CCB group. Critical cases, ICU intervention, and mortality were also higher in the CCB group. Multivariable logistic regression analysis revealed that age, duration of antihypertensive therapy, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein, and interleukin 6 were significantly associated with mortality. The duration of antihypertensive therapy exhibited a sensitivity of 70.8% and specificity of 55.7%, with a cut-off value of 4.5 years and an area under the curve of 0.670 (0.574-0.767; 95% confidence interval) for COVID-19 outcome. CONCLUSION: The type of antihypertensive medication has no impact on the clinical sequence or mortality of patients with COVID-19 infection. However, the duration of antihypertensive therapy is associated with poor outcomes.

Short-Term Outcomes of Patients With Hyponatremia Presenting to the Emergency Department: An Observational Study.

BACKGROUND: Hyponatremia is the predominant electrolyte imbalance disorder in the emergency department. It can manifest with a diverse array of symptoms, ranging from non-specific and moderate to severe and even life-threatening. There is a scarcity of literature addressing the clinical characteristics and prognosis of patients with hyponatremia presenting to the emergency department in the western part of Rajasthan. The objective of this study was to investigate the impact of hyponatremia on the outcomes of patients presenting to the emergency department. METHODS: In this prospective, cross-sectional, observational study, 200 patients aged more than 18 years who presented to the emergency department with serum sodium < 135 mEq/l were included. The triage of patients was determined by their primary complaints. The primary outcome was to study the clinical profile of patients with hyponatremia presenting to the emergency department. The secondary outcomes were to examine the etiology, i.e., hypovolemic, euvolemic, or hypervolemic, and the outcome of patients on the 7th day (patient admitted to the ward or intensive care unit) and the 28th day (discharged or death) with hyponatremia presenting to the emergency department. The clinical status of the patients was noted by telephonic follow-up in case they were not admitted for this period. RESULTS: Out of 200 patients, 66 (33%) had hypovolemic, 96 (48%) had euvolemic, and 38 (19%) had hypervolemic hyponatremia. We observed that seizures (84.2%), confusion (56%), and coma (77.7%) were the most common clinical features of patients with severe hyponatremia in the emergency, which was statistically significant than mild and moderate hyponatremia (p = 0.03, 0.023, and 0.029, respectively). On the 7th day of hospitalization, out of 181 (90.5%) admissions in the ward, 116 (64.08%) had severe hyponatremia, and out of 19 (9.5%) ICU admissions, 13 (68.4%) had severe hyponatremia. Death was seen in five (2.5%) patients, one (20%) in moderate and four (80%) in severe hyponatremia cases. CONCLUSION: Most cases of hyponatremia in this study were euvolemic. Most patients experienced severe hyponatremia, and seizures, confusion, and coma were the most prevalent symptoms. These disorders must be recognized early to properly diagnose and treat hyponatremia and prevent its morbidity and death.

Effects of Low and High Doses of Aspirin on Inflammatory Markers in Diabesity Patients: A Quasi-Experimental Study.

Introduction The intertwined nature of obesity and diabetes, termed diabesity, is a significant health concern. Aspirin has been recognized for its potential in mitigating inflammation-related health issues, a key concern in managing diabesity. However, the optimal aspirin dosage and its impact on specific inflammatory markers, viz. high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) and interleukin (IL)-6, over time remain a subject of ongoing research. Objective This study investigated the effects of different doses of aspirin (150mg and 300mg) on the levels of hs-CRP and IL-6 over a period of 6 months. Methods This cross-sectional observational quasi-experiment study involved 125 confirmed type-2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients with obesity aged ≥40 years. Blood samples were collected for analyzing hs-CRP and IL-6 levels. Demographics and clinical characteristics, such as BMI, waist-hip ratio, blood parameters, fasting blood sugar (FBS), and hs-CRP, were analyzed. Results At baseline, both the 150 mg and 300 mg aspirin dose groups had similar median levels of hs-CRP. After two months, there was no significant difference (p=0.150). However, by six months, the 150mg dose group had a significantly higher median hs-CRP than the 300 mg dose group (p=0.003). The 150 mg dose group had a significantly higher median level of IL-6 levels at baseline (median; 40.0) compared to the 300 mg dose group (median; 2.27, p<0.0001). After two months, the levels of IL-6 in both groups were similar (median; 2.27 and 2.23 respectively, p<0.0001). By the end of six months, the groups had no significant difference (median; 0.53 and 2.22 respectively, p=0.128). Conclusion The dose of aspirin may significantly impact the levels of hs-CRP and IL-6 over time, with the effects being more pronounced after six months of treatment. These findings suggest that aspirin, a commonly used and cost-effective medication, could potentially be leveraged in a more targeted manner to manage inflammation (CRP and IL-6 levels) in individuals with diabesity.

Assessing the accuracy of pleural puncture sites in patients with pleural effusion as determined by clinical examination versus ultrasound-A single-centre prospective study.

INTRODUCTION: This study aimed to ascertain the accuracy of clinical examination for the determination of pleural puncture sites as compared to the use of ultrasonography in patients with pleural effusion. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A single-centre, prospective, observational study was carried out amongst 115 patients with pleural effusion in a tertiary care hospital in western India. Patients were subjected to clinical assessment for determination of pleural puncture sites and the same were confirmed with ultrasonography. All physicians were blinded to the marking of the previous physician to prevent any influence on their assessment. RESULTS: The study had 345 physician observations. The overall accuracy of the clinical examination was 94.8%. Multivariate logistic regression of the factors responsible for the accuracy of clinical examination demonstrated a significant role of higher body mass index (BMI) (OR-1.19) and lower zone pleural effusions (OR-4.99) when adjusted for age, gender, side of effusion, and experience of examining doctors. When the effusions were classified according to their location, lower zone pleural effusions and loculated pleural effusions had an error rate of 15.9% and 8.33%, respectively. CONCLUSION: An ultrasound is the standard of care to assess all pleural effusions and guide the best point for aspiration.

Clinico-Epidemiological Profile and Short-Term Outcomes of Patients with Acute Poisoning Presenting to an Emergency of a Tertiary Care Center in Western Rajasthan.

Background: This research aimed to evaluate the clinico-epidemiological profile and short-term outcomes of patients admitted to the emergency department of a tertiary hospital. Materials and Methods: This prospective observational cross-sectional study was conducted between January 1, 2021, and June 30, 2022, in the Emergency Department of a tertiary hospital. Patients of either gender of any age attending the emergency department with acute poisoning were included. These cases were analyzed for their epidemiological profiles, poisoning characteristics, and various clinical variables influencing patient outcomes. Results: Out of a total of 236 patients, 190 patients (80.5%) were aged more than 18 years. Comorbidities were present in 32 (13.5%) patients, and psychiatric illness was the most common comorbidity. The intention of poisoning was suicidal in 185 patients (78.4%) and accidental in 51 patients (21.6%). Organophosphate was the most common poisoning seen in 55 patients (23.3%), followed by drug ingestion seen in 44 patients (18.6%). Twenty-eight patients (11.8%) were transferred to the intensive care unit. Nineteen patients (8.1%) required mechanical ventilation. There were ten deaths (4.2%) in the study population. Aluminum phosphide poisoning was associated with the highest mortality rate, followed by organophosphate poisoning. Conclusions: This study indicates that most poisoning cases involved young people, mainly males. Organophosphorus poisoning was one of the most common poisonings, followed by the ingestion of drugs in this part of the world. Aluminum phosphide had the highest fatality rate.

Iron Deficiency Anemia Presenting With Pancytopenia: A Study From India.

INTRODUCTION: Iron deficiency anemia (IDA) is the most common cause of anemia worldwide. IDA is commonly associated with thrombocytosis and normal or slightly decreased leukocyte count. Sometimes it can present with thrombocytopenia, but rarely present with pancytopenia. Here we are presenting six cases of severe iron deficiency presenting with pancytopenia, which responded to iron replenishment. METHODS:  This 12-month observational study was conducted in the Department of General Medicine at a tertiary care Centre in India. All cases of pancytopenia (after exclusion of other causes) with IDA were included. IDA was established with the help of a complete blood count (CBC), peripheral smear examination, serum iron studies, and serum ferritin.  Results: In our study, CBC at four weeks later of iron transfusion without other supplementation showed significant improvement in hematological parameters. CONCLUSION:  Severe iron deficiency is a reversible etiology of pancytopenia. It should be kept as a differential diagnosis of pancytopenia if common causes of pancytopenia are ruled out.

A clinical and in-silico study of microRNA-21 and growth differentiation factor-15 expression in pre-diabetes, type 2 diabetes and diabetic nephropathy.

BACKGROUND: Diabetic nephropathy (DN), a microvascular complication associated with long-standing diabetes, is a major cause of the end-stage renal disease (ESRD). Our in-silico analysis indicates several enrichment analyses involved in glucose metabolism to be affected by GDF15 transcription factors. METHODS: In-silico analysis was used to identify GDF15 and Insulin related protein-protein interaction (PPI) network and a common set of GDF15 regulating transcription factors by various databases. Common targeting miRNA of GDF15 regulating transcription factors were investigated in miRNet and TargetScan. Further, healthy controls (N.=30) and patients with pre-type-2 diabetes mellitus (pre-diabetes) (N.=30), T2DM (N.=30) and DN (N.=30) were included for analysis of routine biochemical tests, serum GDF15 levels by ELISA and to evaluate the Fold change expression (FCE) of circulating hsa-miR-21 by RT-PCR. RESULTS: MicroRNA-21 was found to directly target GDF15 downregulating transcription factors KLF4, TP53, and CEBPB. A significant difference in the levels of serum GDF15 was observed in Pre-diabetes (708.56±76.37), T2DM (1528.87±140.75) and DN patients (10-fold higher; 5507.90±503.88) when compared to healthy controls (567.36±69.99). The FCE of circulating hsa-miR-21 was 6.19 (pre-diabetes), 8.22 (T2DM), 9.19 (DN), folds higher in cases as compared to controls, reflecting an increasing trend and several folds higher levels of hsa-miR-21 in patients. CONCLUSIONS: We suggest the potential of serum GDF15 and circulating-hsa-miR-21 to serve as clinically important biomarkers and therapeutic targets for controlling advancement of diabetes to DN.

Multiphase computed tomography angiography (mCTA) derived source images in acute ischemic stroke: Beyond collaterals. Can it obviate the need for computed tomography perfusion (CTP)?

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: To compare Multiphase CT Angiography derived source images (mCTA-SI) in acute ischemic stroke (AIS) with CT Perfusion (CTP) derived automated color maps of cerebral blood flow (CBF) and cerebral blood volume (CBV) and to assess the comparability of mCTA-SI with CTP in the prediction of final radiological and clinical outcome. METHODS: This prospective single-centre observational study comprised of patients with AIS of the anterior circulation, presenting within 24 h and undergoing neuroimaging under stroke protocol with follow-up. Non-contrast computed tomography (NCCT), mCTA, and CTP were acquired with follow-up NCCT at 24 h and modified Rankin score (mRS) at 3 months. mCTA-SI and CTP color maps were scored by the ASPECTS (Alberta Stroke program early CT score) method and compared amongst each other and with the outcome. ROC (Receiver operating characteristic) curves were plotted considering mRS 0-2 and FIV≤ 28 ml as favourable clinical and radiological outcomes respectively. RESULTS: The study included 55 patients. The 1st and 2nd phase of mCTA-SI correlated significantly with CBF maps (r = 0.845, p < 0.01, r = 0.842, p < 0.01 respectively). 3rd phase of mCTA-SI correlated significantly with CBV maps (r = 0.904, p < 0.01). A favourable functional and radiological outcome was best predicted by the 1st (AUC 0.8, 95%CI 0.671-0.896) and 2nd ( AUC 0.895, 95% CI 0.783-0.962) phase of mCTA-SI respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The 1st and 2nd phases of mCTA-SI produces results congruent to CBF color maps and the 3rd phase of mCTA-SI simulate CBV color maps. In addition to predicting radiological and functional outcomes, mCTA can predict the salvageable and non-salvageable tissue in AIS and is non-inferior to CTP.

Association of Inflammatory markers with Covid-19 Outcome among Hospitalized adult Patients.

COVID-19 is a highly infectious disease with varied presentation as well as outcome. Inflammation plays a major role in the outcome of COVID-19 infection. This study was aimed to evaluate the role of conventional feasible inflammatory markers in predicting the outcome of COVID-19 in hospitalized adult patients. MATERIAL: A total of 100 confirmed COVID-19 patients were included in the study. Clinical and demographic data were collected. Biochemical, hematological, and inflammatory markers were assessed in all the patients. Disease severity and primary outcome as survival and or mortality were recorded. OBSERVATION: Hematological indices and inflammatory markers were significantly higher among the non-survivor. N/L (Neutrophil/Lymphocyte) ratio and CRP (C-reactive protein) can differentiate non-survivor from survivors with the sensitivity of 85.7%, 85.7%, and specificity of 96.8 %, 77.4% with a cut-off value of 6.44, 23.02 respectively in the receiver operator curve (ROC). N/L ratio and CRP were significantly increased among the patients with severe COVID-19 infection. Cox regression Survival analysis showed that an elevated N/L ratio and CRP were significantly associated with mortality with the Hazard ratio of 1.331 (P <0.001) and 1.014 (P <0.015) respectively. CONCLUSION: The present study implicates that increased N/L ratio and CRP were significantly correlated with severity and mortality in COVID-19 patients. These conventional feasible markers can be useful in predicting the outcome of COVID-19 infection.

A Composite Study of Coagulation Milieu in Covid-19: Experience from a Tertiary Care Centre from India.

BACKGROUND: The understanding of pathogenesis is necessary for the development of effective treatment for COVID-19. Various studies have postulated that there is a complex interplay of mediators of coagulation and inflammation responsible for the pathogenesis of COVID-19. We did this study on coagulation parameters and inflammatory markers and their effect on outcome in patients with COVID-19. METHODS: This was a single centre observational cross-sectional study. Procoagulants [Prothrombin time (PT), activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT), D-dimer, lupus anticoagulant (LA), fibrinogen, factor-VIII (F-VIII)]; anticoagulants [protein-C (PC), protein-S (PS), antithrombin] and inflammatory markers [interleukin-6 (IL-6) and highly sensitive - C-reactive protein (hs-CRP)] were measured at the time of hospitalization and correlated with the severity of the disease. RESULTS: A total of 230 patients were enrolled, of which 61.3%, 20.0%, and 18.7% had asymptomatic/ mild, moderate, or severe disease, respectively. COVID-19 disease severity was associated with rising trends with coagulation parameters (PT, APTT, D-Dimer; p value 0.01, <0.0001, <0.0001, respectively). Falling trends of anticoagulant (PC, Antithrombin; p value <0.0001, 0.003 respectively) and rising trends of procoagulant (fibrinogen, F-VIII; p value 0.004, <0.0001 respectively) were observed with increasing COVID-19 disease severity. Multivariate logistic regression analysis found that advanced age, high D-Dimer, and high hs-CRP (p value 0.035, 0.018, <0.0001 respectively) were independent predictors of mortality in COVID-19. Procoagulant parameters (D-dimer, APTT, Factor VIII) were positively correlated with anticoagulant parameters (PC and PS) and inflammatory parameters (hs-CRP). CONCLUSION: This study revealed increased levels of coagulation and inflammatory parameters, which correlated with the severity of COVID-19. Age, D-dimer, IL-6, hs-CRP, APTT, fibrinogen, and Factor VIII were significantly higher in patients with moderate and severe disease as compared to asymptomatic/mild disease. Advanced age, high D-dimer, and high hs-CRP were significantly associated with poor outcomes.

Clinical Features, Radiological Findings, and Treatment Outcomes in Patients with Pulmonary Nocardiosis: A Retrospective Analysis.

Introduction Lack of specific clinical features makes the diagnosis of pulmonary nocardiosis difficult. A high index of suspicion is required for diagnosis especially in cohorts with pre-existing risk factors. This study aimed to study the clinical and radiological characteristics and outcomes in patients with pulmonary nocardiosis. Methods This was a retrospective observational study. Data of confirmed cases with pulmonary nocardiosis were collected from a digital patient management system. Results A total of eight cases of pulmonary nocardiosis were included. The mean age of patients was 50 ± 14.3 years with a female preponderance (62.5%). The most common co-morbidity was chronic lung disease (37.5%). The common clinical feature of pulmonary nocardiosis was cough with expectoration (50%) and the mean duration of symptoms was 18 days. The common radiological (CT thorax) findings were consolidation, bronchiectasis, mediastinal lymphadenopathy, and nodularity (50% each). One patient had an extension of pulmonary disease in the chest wall. Microbiological detection of Nocardia spp. was done in sputum samples (50%) and in bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) samples (50%). Culture was positive in two BAL samples. Intravenous empirical antibiotics in combination with oral trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole double standard (15 mg/kg trimethoprim) were started at the time of diagnosis. Ceftriaxone and amikacin were commonly used antimicrobials. Conclusion Nocardia spp. commonly causes disease in patients with pre-existing chronic disease. A high index of suspicion is required in patients with subacute to chronic respiratory symptoms, raised inflammatory markers, and the absence of common respiratory pathogens in evaluation.

Rapidly Developing Cataract in Young Adult Patients: Always a Matter for Further Evaluation.

A cataract in the young age group is uncommon and it is usually secondary to eye trauma, intraocular inflammation, uncontrolled diabetes mellitus, and hypoparathyroidism. We report a case of a rapidly developing cataract over two years in a 21-year-old female with extensive intracranial calcification due to primary hypoparathyroidism. Chronic hypocalcemia due to underlying hypoparathyroidism results in cataract. Extensive bilateral intracranial calcification involving basal ganglia and white matter has been rarely reported in the literature. It occurs due to the chronic deposition of calcium-phosphorus complexes. We would like to highlight that cataract in young patients is always a matter for further evaluation. Clinicians and ophthalmologists should be aware of hypoparathyroidism as a cause of bilateral cataracts. Early diagnosis of primary hypoparathyroidism can save patients from many complications.

Post-Discharge Prophylactic Anticoagulation in COVID-19 Patients: A Clinical Dilemma.

BACKGROUND: COVID-19 pandemic has taken a great toll on the health care system worldwide. Along with the pandemic, there is also a concern regarding post COVID-19 complications in recovered patients. Thromboembolism (TE) has been reported as a fatal complication in recovered patients with COVID-19. There is still a great dilemma in post-discharge TE prophylaxis and its long-term benefits. CASE DESCRIPTION: We reported three cases of post COVID-19 with complications related to both diseases as well as post discharge anticoagulant therapy. The first case is about a 60-yr-old male who developed Covid-19 pneumonia (moderate disease) and was discharged on rivaroxaban after initial improvement. 3 weeks later, the patient was readmitted with lower gastro-intestinal bleeding. The other two cases developed pulmonary thromboembolism within a span of 2-3 months (after recovered from COVID-19 pneumonia). Both these patients were not prescribed anticoagulants for TE prophylaxis. CONCLUSION: There is an imperative need for effective guidelines for post discharge TE prophylaxis in COVID-19.

Altered expression of specific antioxidant (SOD1 and SOD2) and DNA repair (XRCC1 and OGG1) genes in patients with newly diagnosed type-2 diabetes mellitus.

BACKGROUND: Uncontrolled increase in Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) leads to the release of free radicals. Additionally, when antioxidants go below a certain level, major molecules of our system such as DNA, proteins, and many other macromolecules get damaged, leading to cancer, heart diseases, and metabolic syndromes like diabetes. Therefore, we in our study focused on newly diagnosed Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM) patients and tried to evaluate the expression of antioxidant enzyme encoding genes; Superoxide Dismutase 1(SOD1) and Superoxide Dismutase 2 (SOD2) and DNA repair genes; X-ray repair cross-complementing 1(XRCC1) and 8-oxoguanine DNA glycosylase 1 (OGG1) in them. METHODS: Expression analysis was performed by RT-PCR on 60 subjects (30 T2DM cases and 30 non-diabetic controls). The level of the SOD enzyme was also estimated in a serum sample by the colorimetric method. Biochemical parameters such as fasting plasma glucose (FBG), glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c), high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP), and lipid profile were estimated in an auto analyzer. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was done, the area under the curve for mRNA expression and enzyme level was calculated to determine their potential as markers in newly diagnosed T2DM. RESULTS: Down-regulation of both SOD1 (0.43 fold, p=0.02) and SOD2(0.41 fold, p=0.13) and up-regulation of both XRCC1(1.15 fold, p>0.05) and OGG1(1.49 fold, p>0.05) was observed in patients with T2DM. We also observed a significant decrease (p=0.02) in SOD enzyme levels in diabetic cases than in controls (599.8 ± 178.9 and 691.3 ±127.3). CONCLUSIONS: We report that antioxidant repair genes are downregulated and DNA repair genes are upregulated in newly diagnosed T2DM patients. SOD levels and SOD1 gene expression can serve as informative biomarkers for identifying T2DM patients.

Is Priapism a Common Presentation of Chronic Myeloid Leukemia in an Adolescent Patient?

Chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) is predominantly a disease of adults and the elderly. CML is uncommon in the paediatric age. Priapism as an initial presentation is quite uncommon in CML and is rare in the case of CML in paediatric and adolescent age. We present a case of CML in an adolescent male who presented with priapism of 48 hours duration. The patient was managed in an emergency by corporal aspiration and saline irrigation and was found to have CML during a hospital stay. The patient was treated with imatinib and is under follow-up for the last two years.

Role of Pigtail Catheter Drainage Versus Percutaneous Needle Aspiration in the Management of Liver Abscess: A Retrospective Analysis.

Introduction A liver abscess is an important health concern in tropical countries. Effective management of liver abscesses includes appropriate antibiotics and drainage of the abscess cavity. Percutaneous abscess drainage by pigtail catheterization is now gaining popularity. We analyzed the role of pigtail catheter drainage over percutaneous aspiration in the treatment of liver abscesses. Methods and material This was a retrospective analytical study conducted in a tertiary care center in western India. Patients of age ≥ 18 years admitted with the diagnosis of liver abscess were included in this study. To find the effectiveness of different treatment modalities, data were analyzed in three groups: Group A (Conservative treatment), Group B (Percutaneous needle aspiration), and Group C (Pigtail catheter drainage). Results A total of 64 patients with a liver abscess were analyzed. There was male predominance (93.75%). Mean abscess volume in Group C (307.9 ± 212.8 ml) was significantly higher when compared to Group A (130.8 ± 72.9 ml, p = 0.03) and Group B (177.2 ± 129.5; p = 0.024). The duration of hospital stay and residual abscess volume at the time of discharge did not show a statistically significant difference between treatment groups. Pigtail catheterization of abscesses with volume >150 ml shortened the hospital stay, whereas it prolonged the hospital stay in patients with abscess volume <150 ml. Conclusion Percutaneous pigtail catheterization would be an operative decision for the management of liver abscess. We concluded that the use of pigtail catheterization of patients with abscess volume > 150 ml improved the clinical outcome.