Predicting immune risk in treatment-naïve HIV patients using a machine learning algorithm: a decision tree algorithm based on micronutrients and inversion of the CD4/CD8 ratio.

Introduction: Micronutrients have significant functional implications for the human immune response, and the quality of food is a major factor affecting the severity and mortality caused by HIV in individuals undergoing antiretroviral therapy. A decrease in CD4 lymphocyte count and an increase in CD8 lymphocyte count are the hallmarks of HIV infection, which causes the CD4/CD8 ratio to invert from a normal value of >1.6 to <1.

Association between liver fibrosis scores and short-term clinical outcomes in hospitalized chronic kidney disease patients: a prospective observational study.

Introduction: In resource-constrained countries, inadequate access to healthcare and prognostic tools can be the Achilles' heel in effectively managing chronic kidney disease (CKD). There is a significant similarity in the pathogenesis of CKD and liver fibrosis. The role of liver fibrosis (LF) scores in predicting short-term clinical outcomes in hospitalized patients with CKD is unknown.

Evaluation of Apo A IV and Haptoglobin as Potential CSF Markers in Patients with Guillain-Barre´ Syndrome: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Background: Brain- and blood-derived protein analysis in the cerebro-spinal fluid (CSF) in various studies performed abroad found that some proteins and their isoforms were altered significantly in Guillain-Barre´ syndrome (GBS) patients in comparison to controls. However, data are lacking in India with respect to the blood- or brain-derived proteins in patients of GBS.

Objective: This study aimed to identify the role of apolipoprotein A IV (Apo A IV) and haptoglobin as potential protein markers in CSF of patients with GBS in our population.

Effectiveness of peer-led intervention in control of non-communicable diseases in rural areas of Khordha district: study protocol for a cluster randomized controlled trial.

Background: The main contributors to death and disability from chronic illnesses in developing nations are elevated blood pressure (hypertension), blood sugar (diabetes mellitus), and blood cholesterol (dyslipidaemia). Even though there are affordable treatments, the treatment gap for these conditions is still significant. Few pilot studies from industrialized nations discuss the value of peer-led interventions for achieving community-level management of blood pressure and blood sugar.

An Evaluation of T-Regulatory Cells and Inflammatory Cytokines in Preeclampsia.

Background Preeclampsia (PE) is a prenatal hypertension condition with unknown aetiology which is one of the leading causes of maternal morbidity and mortality, premature delivery, and foetal and neonatal mortality. T-regulatory cells (T-regs) are the specific subsets of T-lymphocytes that play a key role in the mechanisms of maternal-foetal tolerance, contributing to an effective immunological role in protecting the allogenic foetus during pregnancy and preventing pregnancy-related complications. This study evaluated the T-regs in PE and correlated the T-regs with inflammatory markers in the pathophysiology and for early diagnosis of PE.

Cardio-metabolic risk in Rotterdam clinical phenotypes of PCOS.

Background And Aims: Elevated anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) in polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) characterizes the clinical severity of the 4 phenotypes; but whether it also reflects the corresponding differences in cardio-metabolic risk remains to be elucidated. This study aimed to compare metabolic profile between the 4 clinical phenotypes of PCOS and to determine the influence of AMH levels on metabolic severity.

Methods: One hundred and forty-four women with PCOS, aged between 20 and 40years, were recruited in this cross-sectional study and categorized according to the 4 phenotypes of the Rotterdam criteria.

Association between Gestational Diabetes Mellitus and Postpartum Depression among Women in Eastern India: A Cohort Study.

Background: The study was planned to evaluate the association between Gestational Diabetes Mellitus (GDM) and Postpartum Depression (PPD) in a rural population of Odisha, Eastern India.

Material And Methods: Pregnant women in the first trimester were recruited and followed up till six weeks of postpartum. Gestational Diabetes Mellitus was assessed with 75 grams glucose challenge test and PPD was assessed at six weeks after delivery with Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale.

Exploring the Novelty in Lipid Profiling of Patients: A Non-fasting Approach from Eastern India.

 To date, no reference interval is available for lipid profile, including total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TGs), high-density lipoprotein (HDL), or low-density lipoprotein (LDL)-cholesterol, etc., in a non-fasting state. Hence, the study was taken up with the objective of exploring the possibility of establishing a reference interval for non-fasting lipid profile consisting of serum TC, TG, LDL, HDL, and very low-density lipoprotein (VLDL) cholesterol.

Fetuin B may be a potential marker for predicting maternal and neonatal outcomes in intrahepatic cholestasis: Prospective case-control study.

Objective: To investigate the levels of serum fetuin B in healthy pregnant women and women with intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy (IHCP) and their association with pregnancy outcomes.

Materials And Methods: This was a prospective case-control study, we included sixty singleton pregnant women with IHCP and sixty healthy-matched pregnant women in their third trimester. The serum fetuin B levels of these patients were analyzed.

Analysis of Biochemical and Inflammatory Markers for Predicting COVID-19 Severity: Insights From a Tertiary Healthcare Institution of Eastern India.

Background Coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19) patients often deteriorate rapidly based on viral infection-related inflammation and the subsequent cytokine storm. The clinical symptoms were found to be inconsistent with laboratory findings. There is a need to develop biochemical severity score to closely monitor COVID-19 patients.

Association of serum vitamin B with immuno-hematological parameters in treatment-naive HIV positive cases.

Background: The manifestations of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection and vitamin B deficiency overlap each other, so early diagnosis and intervention is important. The study aims to find out serum vitamin B level and its association with CD4 and CD8 count, clinical-staging, and hemato-biochemical status in newly diagnosed HIV positive cases.

Methodology: Fifty-five confirmed HIV cases above 18 years of age and equal number of age and sex matched controls were recruited for the study.

Vascular Manifestations of Tuberculous Meningitis: MR Angiography and Venography Study.

 The purpose of this study is to evaluate magnetic resonance (MR) angiography (MRA) and venography (MRV) findings in tuberculous meningitis (TBM).  Thirty consecutive patients of clinically diagnosed TBM were enrolled. Apart from T2-weighted imaging, T1-weighted imaging (T1WI), diffusion-weighted imaging, susceptibility-weighted imaging, fluid-attenuated inversion recovery, and postcontrast T1WI, time-of-flight (TOF) MRA and postcontrast MRV were done in all the patients.

Flow cytometry based platelet activation markers and state of inflammation among subjects with type 2 diabetes with and without depression.

Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM) and Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) are highly disabling disorders associated with a multitude of vascular complications. Platelets are known to play a role in the pathogenesis of vascular complications in both T2DM and MDD. These complications could increase in patients with comorbid diabetes and depression.

Evaluation of Homocysteine and Gamma-Glutamyl Transferase Concentrations As Markers of Chronic Kidney Disease: An Indian Perspective.

Background Chronic kidney disease (CKD) involves a gradual loss of kidney function over months to years. Oxidative stress plays a critical role in the pathogenesis of CKD. Homocysteine (Hcy), an amino acid derivative, is a known risk factor for oxidative stress and endothelial damage.

Effect of Vitamin D Supplementation on Thyroid Autoimmunity among Subjects of Autoimmune Thyroid Disease in a Coastal Province of India: A Randomized Open-label Trial.

Objective: Hashimoto's thyroiditis (HT) is a variant of autoimmune thyroid disorders (AITD) which has been associated with vitamin D (vit-D) deficiency. However, whether vit-D supplementation is linked to reduction of thyroid autoantibodies and improvement of thyroid function is not well characterized. The present study was planned to evaluate the effect of vit-D supplementation on possible improvement of thyroid autoantibody titer and thyroid hormone profile in patients with AITD subjects.

Evaluation of Serum Ferritin and Anti-Thyroid Peroxidase Antibody Status in Newly Diagnosed Subclinical Cases of Hypothyroidism.

Background: Serum ferritin concentrations are altered in hypothyroidism, but there is no available literature regarding the status of serum ferritin in anti-thyroid peroxidase (anti-TPO) positive hypothyroidism. The objectives of our study were to evaluate the titer of anti-TPO and serum ferritin in newly diagnosed hypothyroid patients and to find out any difference in serum ferritin concentration between antibody-positive and antibody-negative patients.

Methods: A total of 143 subjects above the age of 18 years were recruited, and serum Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (TSH), free T3, free T4, anti-TPO, and ferritin were assayed by chemiluminescence method.

Effect of Iodinated Contrast Media on Serum Electrolyte Concentrations in Patients Undergoing Routine Contrast Computed Tomography Scan Procedure.

Background And Objectives: Being hypertonic solutions, iodinated contrast media such as iohexol can cause a shift of fluids and electrolytes between different compartments of the body, but there is an ongoing discrepancy in data and current studies as to the effect of iodinated contrast media on serum electrolytes. Hence, this hospital-based prospective clinical observational study was carried out with objectives of evaluating the changes in serum electrolyte concentrations with intravenous iodinated contrast media administration in adult population and to correlate the changes in electrolyte concentrations, if any, with the demographic profile of the patients.

Materials And Methods: We analyzed 103 numbers of adult patient samples over a period of 2 months by collecting blood both before administration of contrast and after 24 h of the contrast-enhanced computed tomography scan procedure.

Thyroid profile status of patients treated for multidrug-resistant tuberculosis in state of Meghalaya, India.

Background: Meghalaya has high tuberculosis burden with increasing multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) cases. Drug-induced hypothyroidism is one of the well-documented adverse effects in treatment of MDR-TB, the data of which are unavailable in the population residing in this part of the Indian subcontinent.

Aim: This study was undertaken to assess the thyroid profile status of patients under DOTS Plus treatment and to evaluate the effects of anti-tubercular drugs on thyroid functions with respect to the pre-treatment thyroid status.

Evaluation of serum zinc status and glycated hemoglobin of type 2 diabetes mellitus patients in a tertiary care hospital of assam.

The present study was undertaken to find out any correlation between serum zinc concentration and HbA1C% in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM). The study was carried out on 50 newly diagnosed patients of type 2 diabetes and controls in the Department of Biochemistry, Assam Medical College and Hospital, Dibrugarh. Analyses of blood glucose (fasting and postprandial), glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c), serum zinc, urea, and creatinine concentrations were performed by standard methods.