Is Depression Related to Low Folate Levels in People with Epilepsy? An Observational Study and Meta-analysis.

Background: Both depression and low serum levels of folate are common in people with epilepsy (PWE), the latter especially in patients on hepatic enzyme-inducing antiepileptic drugs (AEDs). We did a cross-sectional study and a meta-analysis to assess if lower folate levels have any relation with depression in PWE.

Materials And Methods: Two hundred and one PWE were recruited and assessed for depression using the Inventory of Depressive Symptomatology-Self-Rated (IDS-SR) and Inventory of Depressive Symptomatology-Clinician Rated; serum folate levels were measured in them at the same time.

Coincidental Finding of Beta Thalassaemia Minor in a Patient of Lacquer Thinner Poisoning Presenting as Methaemoglobinemia.

Lacquer thinner, commonly used for removing household paints, is known to contain various aromatic hydrocarbons and naphtha; if ingested, may cause methaemoglobinemia. We report a case of 13-year-old girl who presented with episodes of vomiting, abdominal pain and numbness of limbs. Peripheral blood smear showed few fragmented erythrocytes and 10-12 nucleated red blood cells /100 white blood cells.

A prospective study of haematological changes after switching from stavudine to zidovudine-based antiretroviral treatment in HIV-infected children.

Long-term use of stavudine is associated with a high incidence of lipodystrophy, warranting its substitution with zidovudine in first-line antiretroviral therapy (ART) regimens. In a prospective observational study, we determined the spectrum and severity of haematological changes after switching from stavudine- to zidovudine-based ART in Indian children aged 2-18 years who had received a stavudine-based ART regimen for at least 48 weeks. They were followed for 48 weeks for changes in haematological parameters and CD4 cell counts after switching to zidovudine.

Identification of high-risk population and prevalence of kidney damage among asymptomatic central government employees in Delhi, India.

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) has attained epidemic proportions in India due to increased incidence of diabetes and hypertension (HTN). It was surmised that identification of only high-risk groups (HRGs) through a questionnaire would be sufficient to identify cases of kidney damage (KD). The study attempted to device a questionnaire to classify the subjects in to HRG and low-risk group (LRG) and assess the extent of early KD.

Pure red cell aplasia in a three-months-old infant possibly secondary to cytomegalo virus infection.

We report a 3 months old child who presented with severe anemia due to pure red cell aplasia (PRCA). After ruling out other known causes of PRCA, congenital cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection was diagnosed to be the cause. The child responded to Ganciclovir and is doing well.

Hemoglobin e syndromes: emerging diagnostic challenge in north India.

Hemoglobin E (HbE) is one of the world's most common and important mutations. HbE disorders may be found in heterozygous (AE), homozygous (EE) and compound heterozygous state. It is important to distinguish HbE disorders diagnostically because of marked differences in clinical course among different genotypes.

Ataxia telangiectasia: A report of two cousins and review of literature.

Ataxia telangiectasia (AT) is a rare multisystem, neurodegenerative genetic disorder. Due to its wide clinical heterogeneity, it often leads physicians to an incorrect or missed diagnosis, and insight into this rare disease is important. Here is a case report of two cousins from the same family who showed salient characteristic features of AT along with the incidental finding of co-inheritance of hemoglobin E trait.

Childhood acute erythroleukemia diagnosis by flow cytometry.

Acute erythroid leukemia in children is very rare. Here is a case of erythroleukemia in a child of age 1.5 years, which was diagnosed on peripheral smear, bone marrow examination, cytochemistry but was confirmed on immunophenotyping.

JAK2-positive Philadelphia-negative myeloproliferative neoplasms.

The recent discovery of the JAK2 mutations has rekindled interest in the approach to classic BCR/ABL-negative myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPNs) in terms of both diagnostic evaluation and treatment. However, additional clinical, laboratory and histological parameters play a key role to allow diagnosis and subclassification, regardless of whether JAK2 V617F mutation is present or not. Here are two cases which incidentally presented with splenomegaly and moderate leukocytosis, and were diagnosed as MPN-primary myelofibrosis (PMF) in prefibrotic phase and polycythemia vera (PV), respectively, using revised World Health Organization (WHO) 2008 criteria.