Unveiling the Burden of Sickle Cell Anemia: A Pilot Study Validating Dried Blood Spots for Newborn Screening.

This hospital-based cross-sectional study aimed to screen newborns for sickle cell anemia immediately after birth and validate dried blood spot (DBS) samples against conventional venous blood samples (CBS) for hemoglobin variant analysis by HPLC. Among 751 newborns, 2.93% were found to have sickle cell trait.

Association between homocysteine and coronary artery disease-trend over time and across the regions: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: The association of homocysteine with coronary artery disease (CAD) has been explored previously with mixed findings. The present Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis (SRMA) has assessed the pooled estimate of association between homocysteine (Hcy) and CAD, and its variation over the period and geography.

Methods: Systematic literature search was done in PubMed, Scopus and Cochrane to identify the observational studies that have reported mean Hcy among cases (CAD) and control.

Association of serum cathelicidin and Vitamin D levels with infectiousness in patients with pulmonary tuberculosis: A prospective cohort study.

Background: The immunomodulatory effects of Vitamin D expand to induce the synthesis of an antimicrobial peptide, cathelicidin. There is evidence showing altered levels of cathelicidin in tuberculosis (TB). It has been suggested that Vitamin D-mediated antimicrobial activity depends on its ability to induce cathelicidin.

Sequential Application and Post-Test Probability for Screening of Bladder Cancer Using Urinary Proteomic Biomarkers: A Review based Probabilistic Analysis.

Background: Bladder cancer is one of the most common cancers in the world, with men being affected more than women. Diagnosis by cystoscopy, cytology and biopsy is invasive. Urine cytology, a non-invasive modality is not sensitive.

Decreased circulatory levels of Vitamin D in Vitiligo: a meta-analysis.

Background: The serum Vitamin D status in patients with vitiligo is ambiguous when compared to controls. A systematic review and updated meta-analysis were conducted to evaluate the association between Vitamin D and vitiligo.

Methods: Relevant studies were identified by searching PubMed and other databases.

Higher skin autofluorescence detection using AGE-Reader™ technology as a measure of increased tissue accumulation of advanced glycation end products in dialysis patients with diabetes: a meta-analysis.

This meta-analysis was conducted to compare skin autofluorescence (SAF) levels as a measure of advanced glycation end products (AGEs) accumulation between diabetic and non-diabetic dialysis patients. Relevant studies were identified primarily by searching PubMed/MEDLINE and other online databases and manual searching of cross-references. Random-effects model was used to obtain standardized mean differences (SMD) as a summary statistic.

Association of Vitamin D and Parathyroid Hormone Levels in Overweight and Obese Adolescents.

Vitamin D deficiency in known to be high in obese and overweight adolescents. Few studies in other countries have shown lower parathyroid hormone (PTH) levels in obese adolescents despite high vitamin D deficiency. The aim of the study is to assess vitamin D and PTH levels and their relationship in overweight and obese adolescents in Telangana.

The Urinary Uric Acid/Creatinine Ratio is An Adjuvant Marker for Perinatal Asphyxia.

Objective: To assess the urinary uric acid/creatinine ratio (UA/Cr) in relation to Apgar score and cord blood gas analysis in identification of perinatal asphyxia and to define the cutoff values.

Design: case control study.

Setting: The newborns admitted in the department of pediatrics and NICU of Mediciti Institute of Medical Science, Ghanpur, Medchal mandal, Telangana from May-July 2011 were enrolled.

Genomics and phenomics of Hashimoto's thyroiditis in children and adolescents: a prospective study from Southern India.

Background: Hashimoto's thyroiditis (HT) is the commonest cause of acquired hypothyroidism in children and adolescents in iodine non-endemic areas. The genetic analysis in HT shows two types of susceptibility genes-immune regulatory and thyroid specific genes. The exact genotype-phenotypic correlations and risk categorization of hypothyroid phenotypes resulting from these known mutations are largely speculative.

Maternal serum ischemia modified albumin as a marker for hypertensive disorders of pregnancy: a pilot study.

Background: Hypoxia driven oxidative stress of the placenta contributes to the pathogenesis of preeclampsia. Serum Ischemia Modified Albumin (IMA) has recently emerged as an oxidative stress marker, used in diagnosis of cardiac ischemia. Aim: To determine the efficiency of serum IMA in differentiating hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (pregnancy induced hypertension, preeclampsia) from normal pregnancy.

Relationship of serum uric acid, serum creatinine and serum cystatin C with maternal and fetal outcomes in rural Indian pregnant women.

Background: Hypertensive disorders are the most common in pregnancy. Several studies showed a positive correlation between elevated maternal serum uric acid (UA), serum creatinine and adverse maternal and fetal outcomes, but only a few studies are available on serum cystatin C and maternal and fetal outcomes. The present study was undertaken to study the association of serum UA, creatinine and cystatin C with maternal and fetal outcomes.

Comparative Analysis of Urinary Total Proteins by Bicinchoninic Acid and Pyrogallol Red Molybdate Methods.

Background: The concentration of total proteins in urine is a good index of renal function, but its determination is found to be unreliable. The pyrogallol red molybdate (PRM) method for urine total proteins is being widely used in most of the hospitals because of its high sensitivity, better precision and its practicability. Bicinchoninic acid method (BCA) is also used for protein estimation and there have been no studies comparing this method with the PRM method in human urine samples.

Study of Insulin Resistance in Subclinical Hypothyroidism.

Background: Thyroid hormones influences glucose homeostasis. The association of insulin resistance in overt hypothyroidism is well proven, but very less information is available about insulin action on subclinical hypothyroidism.

Objective: This study was done to evaluate the association between thyroid hormones and insulin resistance in subclinical hypothyroidism (SCH).

Study of serum uric acid and creatinine in hypertensive disorders of pregnancy.

Background: Renal dysfunction, increased xanthine oxidase activity and oxidative stress in placenta contributes to the elevated uric acid levels in preeclampsia (PE).

Objective: To determine serum uric acid and creatinine in hypertensive disorders of pregnancy and correlate with fetal outcome.

Materials And Methods: Pregnant women ≥32 weeks of gestation.

Rural-urban epidemiologic transition of risk factors for coronary artery disease in college students of Hyderabad and nearby rural area--a pilot study.

Objectives: Massive urbanization in developing nations like India is predicted to cause epidemiologic transition to increased Coronary Artery Disease (CAD). To evaluate the rural-urban epidemiologic transition, risk factors for CAD were measured in two groups of subjects; Rural and Urban college students.

Methods: Subjects included 232 college students (58 men and 58 women in each group) aged between 18-22 years (mean 19.