Utility of bone marrow examination (BME) in the diagnosis of pyrexia of unknown origin (PUO).

INTRODUCTION: Bone marrow examination (BME) is a useful tool in the diagnosis of haematological and non-haematological diseases. It plays an important role in early diagnosis of the underlying cause of pyrexia of unknown origin (PUO) and can influence the management of patients. Bone marrow aspiration (BMA) plays a very important role in establishing a definitive diagnosis in cases of PUO. The aim of this study was to review the indications and usefulness of bone marrow aspirates sent for microbiological evaluation as a diagnostic tool with histopathological correlation. METHODOLOGY: A prospective study was conducted from 1 January 2017 to 30 September 2019 in the Department of Microbiology and Pathology on the bone marrow aspirates of patients of all groups. RESULTS: A total of 148 bone marrow aspirates were included. The cases were categorized as classical PUO (n = 81/148, 54.7%), nosocomial PUO (n = 4 /148, 2.7%), neutropenic PUO (n = 18/148, 12.1%), and immunocompromised PUO (n = 45/148, 30.4%), among which were systemic lupus erythematosus cases n = 8/45 (22.2%), human immunodeficiency virus positive cases n = 10/45 (17.7%), and renal transplant cases n = 27/45 (60%). A total of 28 BMAs were positive for microorganisms, out of which bacterial pathogens were n = 12 (42.8%), mycobacterial n = 12, 42.8%, fungal (n = 3, 10.7 %), and viruses (n = 1, 3.5%). CONCLUSIONS: This study helped in highlighting the role of bone marrow examination as an important diagnostic method in the diagnosis of infectious diseases.

Recurrent Diabetic Ketoacidosis and Extreme Insulin Resistance Due to Anti-Insulin Antibodies: Response to Immunosuppression and Plasma Exchange.

Anti-insulin antibodies (IAs) in patients with insulin-treated diabetes, though common, correlate poorly with glycemic control, insulin requirement, and insulin resistance. We are hereby reporting the clinical course and challenges in the management of a 70-year-old man who had severe insulin resistance as evidenced by recurrent diabetic ketoacidosis and poor glycemic control despite treatment with >9 U of insulin/kg body weight per day. He was found to have anti-IAs and responded clinically to plasmapheresis and immunosuppression with mycophenolate mofetil and prednisolone. Improved glycemic control correlated well with falling titers of antibodies. This case emphasizes that clinicians should be alert to the possibility of insulin resistance due to anti-IAs and the role of immunosuppression and plasmapheresis in such cases.

Calvarial tubercular osteomyelitic abscess in an elderly.

Tuberculous osteomyelitis of skull is very rare, even in areas where tuberculosis is endemic. We herein describe an elderly woman who was apparently immunocompetent and presented with left frontal scalp swelling and right cervical lymphadenopathy. CT scan showed irregular bony destruction of the frontal bone. MRI revealed a large extradural, multiseptate, solid-cystic lesion with peripheral enhancement. FNAC from the lesion showed granulomas with caseation suggestive of tuberculosis. The lesion was debrided and she was started on anti-tubercular therapy. Deterioration of liver parameters led to change from primary drugs to liver-friendly, anti-tubercular agents. Though anti-tubercular therapy is the mainstay of calvarial tuberculosis, surgical debridement reduces the bacterial burden and probably hastens recovery.