Idiopathic cases of male infertility from a region in India show low incidence of Y-chromosome microdeletion.

Chromosomal and Y-chromosomal microdeletion analysis has been done in cases of idiopathic infertility with the objective of evaluating the frequency of chromosomal and molecular anomaly as the causal factor of infertility. Barring a few cases of Klinefelter syndrome (XXY or XY/XXY mosaics), no chromosomal anomaly was encountered. Y-microdeletion was analysed by PCR-screening of STSs from different regions of the AZF (AZFa, AZFb, AZFc) on the long arm of the Y, as well as by using DNA probes of the genes RBM, DAZ (Yq), DAZLA (an autosomal homologue of DAZ) and SRY (Yp; sex determining gene). Out of 177 cases examined, 9 (azoospermia - 8 and oligoasthenospermia - 1) showed partial deletion of AZF. The size of deletion varied among patients but AZFc was either totally or partially removed in all of them. In contrast, no deletion was detected in AZFa. Testis biopsy done on a limited number of cases (50) showed diverse stages of spermatogenic arrest with no specific correlation with the genotype. The frequency of Y-chromosome microdeletion in our samples (approximately 5%) is much lower than the frequency (approximately 10%) reported globally and the two previous reports from India. We contend that the frequency may be affected by population structures in different geographical regions.

Serum cortisol and thyroid hormone levels in neonates with sepsis.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the thyroid hormone and cortisol levels in neonates with sepsis in relation to the final outcome. It was hypothesized that the hormonal level could act as some prognostic guideline. METHODS: Forty nine neonates, aged 8- 28 days, diagnosed as neonatal sepsis were selected for the study. Neonates below 8 days of age, 35 weeks of gestation and 2000 g of birth weight were excluded from the study. Twenty FT-AGA neonates beyond day 7 of life served as control for the study. The hormones were estimated by radioimmunoassay. RESULTS: The neonates with sepsis had significantly higher mean serum cortisol and lower mean serum total T4 at admission as compared to healthy neonates. The mean serum total T3 level was also lower, but the difference was not statistically significant. The mean serum TSH levels were comparable in both groups. The levels normalised following recovery. Sixteen neonates succumbed to the disease process. The non-survivors had significantly lower mean total T3 and total T4 levels as compared to the survivors. CONCLUSION: The endocrinal abnormalities are of transient nature as a response to sepsis. Low total T3 and total T4 are the predictors of adverse outcome in neonates with sepsis.

Thyroid function in leprosy.

Thyroid function tests were carried out in 43 cases of leprosy. The study subjects included cases of tuberculoid, borderline and lepromatous leprosy and those with lepra reaction. The parameters studied included serum cholesterol, protein bound Iodine, serum T3 level and serum T4 levels. The levels of serum cholesterol and protein bound Iodine were normal in all the four groups of leprosy patients. However, the mean serum T3 and T4 were low in all the four groups. The difference in the levels of serum T3 was statistically significant only in the lepra reaction group. The levels of T4 were statistically significantly decreased in borderline leprosy, lepromatous leprosy and in lepra reaction.

Hormone profile in leprosy.

Hormone profile were carried out in 35 male cases of leprosy. They were divided into tuberculoid leprosy, borderline leprosy, lepromatous leprosy and lepra reaction. Serum testosterone, follicle-stimulating hormone, Luteinizing hormone, and Oestradiol level were measured in these cases of leprosy. It was observed that serum testosterone were significantly low in lepromatous leprosy (P less than 0.001) and lepra reaction (P less than 0.01). The serum levels of follicle-stimulating hormone and luteinizing hormone were significantly high in lepromatous leprosy (P less than 0.02) and lepra reaction (P less than 0.05). Serum Oestradiol was raised in approx. 60% cases in borderline leprosy, lepromatous leprosy and lepra reaction.