Vitamin D status among Kashmiri tribal population: A cross-sectional community-based study

Background & objectives: Vitamin D deficiency (VDD) is prevalent across all age groups in general population of India but studies among tribal populations are scanty. This study aimed to evaluate the prevalence of VDD in the indigenous tribal population of the Kashmir valley and examine associated risk factors. Methods: In this cross-sectional investigation, a total of 1732 apparently healthy tribal participants (n=786 males and n=946 females) were sampled from five districts of Kashmir valley by using probability proportional to size method. Serum 25-hydroxy vitamin D (25(OH)D) levels were classified as per the Endocrine Society (ES) recommendations: deficiency (<20 ng/ml), insufficiency (20-30 ng/ml) and sufficiency (>30 ng/ml). The serum 25(OH)D levels were assessed in relation to various demographic characteristics such as age, sex, education, smoking, sun exposure, body mass index and physical activity. Results: The mean age of the male participants was 43.79±18.47 yr with a mean body mass index (BMI) of 20.50±7.53 kg/m2, while the mean age of female participants was 35.47±14.92 yr with mean BMI of 22.24±4.73 kg/m2. As per the ES guidelines 1143 of 1732 (66%) subjects had VDD, 254 (14.71%) had insufficient and 334 (19.3%) had sufficient serum 25(OH)D levels. VDD was equally prevalent in male and female participants. Serum 25(OH)D levels correlated positively with serum calcium, phosphorous and negatively with serum alkaline phosphatase. Gender, sun exposure, altitude, physical activity and BMI did not seem to contribute significantly to VDD risk. Interpretation & conclusions: VD deficiency is highly prevalent among Kashmiri tribals, although the magnitude seems to be lower as compared to the general population. These preliminary data are likely to pave way for further studies analyzing the impact of vitamin D supplementation with analysis of functional outcomes

Spectrum of imaging findings in trans-gastric migration of accidently ingested metallic foreign bodies

Background: An accidently ingested foreign body may get lodged within the lumen of gastrointestinal tract, pass uneventfully with feces or may migrate extraluminally into the surrounding tissues in which case it may lead to suppurative or vascular complications. The aim of the endeavor was to study the spectrum of imaging findings in patients with accidental ingestion of foreign bodies with trans-gastric migration of metallic foreign bodies.Methods: Total 33 patients with history of accidental ingestion of foreign bodies were subjected to preliminary radiograph of neck, chest and abdomen followed by upper gastrointestinal endoscopy. Failure to retrieve/ localize foreign body endoscopically from upper gastrointestinal tract with check radiograph reiterating the presence of foreign body in upper abdomen were subjected to computed tomography of abdomen.Results: A total of 33 patients comprising of 27 females and 6 males with mean age of 23.76 years with history of foreign body ingestion were studied. Ingested foreign bodies were lodged in pharynx (n=7), esophagus (n=3), stomach (n=13) or duodenum (n=3). In 7 patients in whom endoscopy failed to locate and/or retrieve foreign body, computed tomography confirmed the presence of trans-gastrically migrated foreign body in the surrounding structures. The location of migrated foreign bodies was in lesser sac (n = 2), greater omentum (n = 3), lesser omentum (n = 1) and transmural (n = 1). Two patients had evidence of collection formation around the migrated foreign bodies.Conclusions: Sharp or pointed metallic foreign bodies may migrate trans-luminally with various implications. Though radiography is the preliminary workhorse for the confirmation of ingested foreign bodies, computed tomography owing to its volumetric data acquisition helps in exact localization of migrated foreign bodies and should precede any therapeutic intervention for retrieval of migrated foreign bodies.

Diagnosis of adrenal myelolipoma by imaging and guided biopsy.

Adrenal myelolipoma is a rare, benign, endocrinologically inactive, and asymptomatic tumour which is usually found incidentally at imaging or autopsy. Symptomatic tumours are very rare. We describe a case of adrenal myelolipoma where the diagnosis was made on the basis of radiological features and image-guided fine needle biopsy, without resorting to an operation.

Ochronosis or Alkaptonuric Arthropathy.

A rare case ofOchronotic arthropathy diagnosed on roentgen examination and confirmed by clinical history and urine examination is reported in this communication. To our knowledge this is the first ever case of this entity being reported from this region.