Apo E genotyping from blood stored on filter paper.

BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVES: Dried blood spotted on to filter paper has been found suitable for a large number of studies. In tropical countries with varying temperature conditions the use of dried blood needs to be validated. We carried out this study to assess the use of blood spotted filter paper as a transport system to study genotyping of Apo E gene. METHODS: Fifty five patients visiting Cardiothoracic Neuroscience Centre (CNC) OPD at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi, and referred for lipid investigations to Cardiac Biochemistry Laboratory were selected at random. Blood was spotted on to Whatman 3 MM filter paper, dried and stored at room temperature. Genomic DNA was extracted and genotyping was carried out at the end of 0, 3 and 12 months. The study was further validated using samples collected on to filter paper from four centres and stored for eight years at room temperature. The temperature and humidity conditions of the centre varied widely. RESULTS: Fifty five samples collected on to filter paper showed exact match of the genotyping when compared to fresh blood. In dried blood samples collected and stored for 1 yr at room temperature DNA extraction and apo E genotyping was done successfully. INTERPRETATION & CONCLUSIONS: The present results showed the feasibility of using dried blood samples on filter paper for apo E genotyping in tropical temperature. The findings need to be validated on a large sample before being recommended for use.

Medical postgraduate (MD) program in Laboratory Medicine in India: The Past, Present and Future.

A medical postgraduate course in the field of Laboratory Medicine for the Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) degree holders has existed for more than two decades in India, initiated and offered by the All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, which was created under the special Act of Parliament of India 1956. This course has recently been included in the draft of National Medical Commission's Post Graduate Regulation 2021 list of medical courses, and the foundation guidelines have been laid for other medical colleges and teaching hospitals across the country to start this course. This article, written purely in academic interest, describes the past, present and future of this postgraduate training program in India with an aim to answer several doubts regarding this unique and holistic course with a view to providing a direction to those who are willing to become a laboratory physician through this post-graduation.

Volume, conductivity, and scatter parameters as diagnostic aid to bacterial sepsis: A tertiary care experience.

UNLABELLED: INTRODUCTION AND MATERIALS AND METHODS: Early diagnosis of sepsis is extremely important to reduce high mortality and morbidity. In this study, clinical usefulness of the volume, conductivity and scatter parameters (mean channels of cell volume, conductivity, and light scatter) in neutrophils was analyzed for predicting acute bacterial infection, which are obtained by the Coulter LH 750 Hematology Analyzer (Beckman Coulter, Fullerton, CA, USA) during automated differential counts. RESULTS: Peripheral blood samples from 162 patients with positive blood cultures for bacteria and 40 healthy controls were studied. We observed a significant increase in the mean channel of neutrophil volume (MNV) from septic patients compared with control subjects (156 ± 13.5 vs. 143 ± 4.8; P < 001). DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: An elevation of the MNV was associated with a higher white blood cell count and percentage of neutrophils and was present even in patients who did not have leukocytosis or neutrophilia. With a cut-off of 149 for the MNV, a specificity of 91.4% and sensitivity of 88.7% were achieved. As a quantitative, objective, and more sensitive parameter, we propose that the MNV has a potential to be an additional indicator for acute bacterial infection.