Protein-Losing Enteropathy as the First Presentation of Systemic Lupus Erythematosus in a Resource-Limited Setting in Sri Lanka: A Case Report.

Protein-losing enteropathy (PLE) is one of the rare gastrointestinal manifestations of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), which can manifest several years before the diagnosis of SLE. PLE should be suspected in patients with hypoalbuminemia in the absence of urinary protein loss and normal liver functions without any other manifestations of malnutrition. Due to the non-specificity of the imaging and histological findings, it is difficult to diagnose PLE in resource-limited settings.

A feasibility trial of pulmonary rehabilitation for patients with COPD in a low resource setting: Jaffna, Sri Lanka.

Background: Pulmonary rehabilitation is recommended for most patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Accordingly, the aim of this study was to explore the feasibility of devising a pulmonary rehabilitation program for patients with COPD in a low resource setting (Jaffna, Sri Lanka) and to observe its effects.

Methods: Non-randomized controlled feasibility trial of ambulatory patients with COPD attending the pulmonary outpatient clinic of the Jaffna Teaching Hospital, Northern Province, Sri Lanka.

Development and validation of a set of patient reported outcome measures to assess effectiveness of asthma prophylaxis.

Background: In the local setting, asthma control is assessed by symptoms and signs elicited by clinicians because of the limited availability of spirometry. Hence, we intended to develop a patient reported outcome measure (PROM) with more holistic interpretation that could also serve as a tool to measure the asthma control in resource limited settings. Therefore, this study was carried out in Northern Sri Lanka to develop and validate the Asthma Control PROM (AC-PROM) Tamil to measure the effectiveness of asthma prophylaxis based on symptoms, exacerbation and limitation of activity which could also serve as an easy measure of asthma control to the provider.

Etoricoxib- induced pleural effusion: A case for rational use of analgesics.

Pleural effusion caused by drug is an uncommon event in clinical practice. Etoricoxib induced pleural effusion is an extremely rare. We describe a patient with pleural effusion as an adverse drug reaction of etoricoxib.

Microscopic haematuria: A rare presentation of typhoid fever.

Typhoid fever can cause a number of renal manifestations heretofore dubbed 'nephrotyphoid'. Haematuria in the absence of renal impairment is extremely rare among typhoid patients. We report a case of an adult who presented with a prolonged febrile illness and microscopic haematuria.