Performance of CBNAAT on Pleural Biopsies Obtained by Semirigid Thoracoscopy for Diagnosis of Unexplained Pleural Effusion: A Prospective Study from North India.

BACKGROUND: Exudative pleural effusions are commonly encountered in clinical practice, but in about one-fourth of cases, etiology remains elusive after initial evaluation. Medical thoracoscopy with semirigid thoracoscope is a minimally invasive procedure with high diagnostic yield for diagnosing pleural diseases, especially these undiagnosed exudative pleural effusions. In tubercular endemic areas, often, these effusions turn out to be tubercular, but the diagnosis of tubercular pleural effusion is quite challenging due to the paucibacillary nature of the disease. Although culture is the gold standard, it is time-consuming. Cartridge-based nucleic acid amplification test (CBNAAT) is a novel rapid diagnostic test for tuberculosis (TB) and has been recommended as the initial diagnostic test in patients suspected of having extrapulmonary TB (EPTB). MATERIALS AND METHODS: We conducted a prospective observational study of 50 patients with undiagnosed pleural effusion admitted to our tertiary care hospital. The primary aim of the study is to evaluate the diagnostic performance of CBNAAT on thoracoscopic guided pleural biopsy and compare it with conventional diagnostic techniques like histopathology and conventional culture. RESULTS: Of 50 undiagnosed pleural effusions, TB (50%) was the most common etiology. The overall diagnostic yield of semirigid thoracoscopy in this study was 74%. Our study showed that CBNAAT of pleural biopsies had a sensitivity of 36% only but a specificity of 100%. The sensitivity of CBNAAT was not far superior to the conventional culture. CONCLUSION: Tuberculosis (TB) is a common cause of undiagnosed pleural effusion in our set-up. CBNAAT testing of pleural biopsy, though, is a poor rule-out test for pleural TB, but it may aid in the early diagnosis of such patients.

Prognostic value of hematological parameters in older adult patients with acute coronary syndrome undergoing coronary intervention: a single centre prospective study.

BACKGROUND: Cardiovascular disease is a significant contributor to the disease burden in geriatric patients. Underlying systemic inflammation is thought to be the cause of age-related changes in the bone marrow and a major risk factor for atherosclerosis. The purpose of the study was to assess the accuracy of these hematological biomarkers in predicting 30-day mortality in older patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS). METHODS: This was a prospective observational study of 601 older adult patients (age > 60 years) with ACS who underwent percutaneous coronary intervention over two years (2017-2019). The relationship between baseline hematological parameters and mortality was assessed during the 30-day follow-up. Logistic regression analysis and receiver operating characteristic curve analysis were done to evaluate for diagnostic accuracy of various hematological parameters. RESULTS: The mean age of presentation was 77 ± 17 years. The mean neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) value was 5.07 ± 4.90 and the mean platelet-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) value was 108.65 ± 85.82. On univariate analysis, total leucocyte count [odds ratio (OR) = 0.85, P = 0.021], hematocrit (OR = 0.91, P = 0.018), NLR (OR = 1.10, P = 0.001) and PLR (OR = 1.05, P = 0.001) were associated with mortality. On receiver operating characteristic curve analysis, NLR predicted mortality with 68.1% and PLR with 65.7% accuracy. On multivariate analysis, NLR (OR = 1.096, 95% CI: 1.006-1.15, P = 0.035) was an independent predictor of 30-day mortality. CONCLUSIONS: For the risk classification of all elderly ACS patients, we highly advise using NLR rather than the total white blood cell count.

A Rare Case of Brucellosis With Spontaneous Splenic Rupture Presenting as an Acute Abdomen.

Brucellosis is a common zoonotic infection worldwide caused by the bacterial species Brucella. It has a wide range of presentations from asymptomatic infection to multisystem involvement. Splenomegaly is seen in around 30-60% of cases, however, atraumatic spontaneous splenic rupture is extremely rare. We present a case of a 45-year-old man who presented with acute left upper quadrant pain and fever of five days duration without a history of antecedent trauma. He was hemodynamically stable with examination revealing left upper quadrant tender palpable mass. Ultrasonography followed by computed tomography revealed subcapsular hematoma with perisplenic and perihepatic free fluid. Viral markers (hepatitis B and C, cytomegalovirus {CMV}, Epstein-Barr virus {EBV}, HIV, and dengue) were negative. The autoimmune profile was negative. Brucella serum agglutination test was positive (1: 640) and blood cultures grew Brucella melitensis. He was managed conservatively for splenic hematoma and received one unit blood transfusion and treatment with combination of antibiotics (rifampicin and doxycycline) for brucella for six weeks. On follow-up, the patient reported no further complications. Spontaneous splenic rupture is a clinical rarity and should be considered in patients presenting with acute abdomen and suspected infective, neoplastic, and inflammatory pathology. Spontaneous splenic rupture in acute brucellosis requires prompt clinical recognition and immediate anti-Brucella therapy to prevent the catastrophic progression.

Tuberculosis of Finger Presenting As Non-healing Ulcer of Digit: A Case Report.

Tuberculosis (TB) is a chronic granulomatous infection which most often localises to the respiratory system. Extra-pulmonary tuberculosis is prevalent in immunocompromised individuals, of which cutaneous tuberculosis is exceedingly rare (0.5-2%). Cutaneous TB presents with varied clinical morphologies, either acquired exogenously via direct inoculation on the skin or endogenously due to systemic dissemination. Diagnosis is particularly challenging due to the multitude of differential diagnoses of skin lesions. Microbiological evidence from biopsy and histopathological findings suggestive of granulomatous inflammation are needed to make a definitive diagnosis. Herein we present a rare case of tuberculosis of the finger in a middle-aged man who presented with an ulcerating and erythematous lesion. As cutaneous TB is usually misdiagnosed at the earlier stages, dermatologists and primary care physicians should keep high suspicion for cutaneous TB in any non-healing ulcers which are otherwise unexplained.

Vitamin D Toxicity Presenting as Altered Mental Status in Elderly Patients.

Background and objective  Around 25-30% of elderly patients present to emergency departments (ED) with altered mental status (AMS), with hypercalcemia being one of the metabolic causes. Elderly patients, due to their multiple vulnerability factors and relative homeostenosis, are susceptible to alterations in mental state at even milder grades of hypercalcemia. There is a trend of overzealous prescription of higher doses of vitamin D in elderly patients for various ailments, which often exceeds the requirements of the patients. In this study, we aimed to establish vitamin D toxicity (VDT) as an underlying cause of AMS in elderly patients presenting to the hospital. Methods This was a descriptive case study conducted at a tertiary care university hospital in North India, from January 2015 to March 2020 for a total duration of five years. Elderly patients (aged ≥60 years) who were admitted with VDT as a cause for underlying hypercalcemia were included. The evaluation included patient history regarding the dosage of vitamin D received, route of administration, and biochemical parameters, such as serum calcium, intact parathyroid hormone (iPTH), 25-hydroxy vitamin D [25(OH)D], and albumin. All other potential causes for hypercalcemia and AMS were ruled out concurrently. Results A total of 19 patients were enrolled in the study, with a mean age of 72.3 years (range: 62-86 years). All patients had received injectable vitamin D formulation. The mean serum calcium among the patients was 12.52 ± 1.12 mg/dL (range: 11.2-15.7 mg/dL), whereas the mean 25(OH)D was 196.34 ± 70.44 ng/mL (range: 107-356 ng/mL). The mean cumulative vitamin D supplement intake was 2.594 ± 0.841 million IU (range: 1.2 million-4.2 million IU). While six patients had mild hypercalcemia, 12 had moderate, and one person had severe hypercalcemia, with altered sensorium (85%) being the most common complaint for presenting to ED, followed by generalized weakness (15%). Conclusion VDT can manifest with AMS as an initial presenting complaint. The geriatric population, due to various underlying vulnerability factors, is more susceptible than their younger counterparts. We strongly recommend that in elderly patients, higher doses of vitamin D should be prescribed only after checking their serum levels, and frequent monitoring of vitamin D should be performed.

Prevalence and predictors of pulmonary embolism in patients with acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

BACKGROUND: The prevalence of pulmonary embolism (PE) in patients of acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (AECOPD) varies over a wide range. Early detection and treatment of PE in AECOPD is a key to improve patient outcome. The purpose of the study was to investigate the prevalence and predictors of PE in patients of AECOPD in a high burden region of North India. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This prospective study included patients of AECOPD with no obvious cause of exacerbation on initial evaluation. Apart from routine workup, the participants underwent assessment of D-dimer, compression ultrasound and venous Doppler ultrasound of the lower limbs and pelvic veins, and a multidetector computed tomography pulmonary angiography. RESULTS: A total of 100 patients of AECOPD with unknown etiology were included. PE as a possible cause of AE-COPD was observed in 14% of patients. Among the participants with PE, 63% (n = 9) had a concomitant presence of lower extremity deep venous thrombosis. Hemoptysis and chest pain were significantly higher in patients of AECOPD with PE ([35.7% vs. 7%, P = 0.002] and [92.9% vs. 38.4%, P = 0.001]). Likelihood of PE was significantly higher in patients who presented with tachycardia, tachypnea, respiratory alkalosis (PaCO2 <45 mmHg and pH >7.45), and hypotension. No difference was observed between the two groups in terms of in-hospital mortality, age, sex distribution, and risk factors for embolism except for the previous history of venous thromboembolism (35.7% vs. 12.8% P = 0.03). CONCLUSION: PE was probably responsible for AECOPD in 14% of patients with no obvious cause on initial assessment. Patients who present with chest pain, hemoptysis, tachypnea, tachycardia, and respiratory alkalosis should be particularly screened for PE.

Spirometric abnormalities in patients with sleep-related breathing disorders.

INTRODUCTION: Patients with sleep-related breathing disorders (SRBD) have various structural and functional abnormalities of the upper airway during sleep which may get reflected on their pulmonary function tests. The aim of the study was to find the correlation between the spirometric indices and snoring, grades of apnea-hypoapnea index (AHI), and STOPBANG. There is scarcity of literature showing correlation of STOP BANG with spirometric variables. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Patient with SRBD fulfilling the inclusion and exclusion criteria were enrolled. The pretest probability sleep score STOPBANG and polysomnography (PSG) were calculated for all the patients. Spirometric indices like forced expiratory volume in one sec (FEV1), forced vital capacity (FVC), postbronchodilator ratio FEVI/FVC (PBDR), and peak expiratory flow rate (PEFR) were studied. Their association with snoring, different grades of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), and STOPBANG were evaluated using statistical analysis. RESULTS: A total of 70 patients were enrolled. Abnormalities of spirometric indices were found to be common in patients with SRBD but their association with snoring, grades of OSA, and STOPBANG were not statistically significant. There is no statistically significant correlation between body mass index (BMI) and grades of AHI. CONCLUSION: This study found no statistically significant correlation between spirometric parameters and STOPBANG and degree of AHI. Primary care physicians should be aware that obstructive lung disease does coexist with the sleep disordered breathing but as per this study, their statistically significant association needs further validation.