Neuropathology practice in India: a survey of the current status of diagnostics and training in tertiary care centres.

Neuropathology has been in existence as a speciality in India since the 1950s. Its practice has kept pace with the developments in the field, paralleling advancements in neurosurgery and neurosciences, especially in tertiary care centres. This nationwide survey, conducted across 52 centres, provides a comprehensive analysis of diagnostic infrastructure, training opportunities, and challenges in the practice of neuropathology.

Multipronged strategy for protection and motivation of healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic: a real-life study.

Objective: We aimed to assess risk of COVID-19 infection & seroprotection status in healthcare workers (HCWs) in both hospital and community settings following an intensive vaccination drive in India.

Setting: Tertiary Care Hospital.

Methods: We surveyed COVID-19 exposure risk, personal protective equipment (PPE) compliance, vaccination status, mental health & COVID-19 infection rate across different HCW cadres.

Up-front dissection of the uterovesical space or "bladder-first approach" reduces hemorrhage and bladder injury during hysterectomy for placenta accreta spectrum: reconfirmed in 78 more cases in a prospective single-center study.

Background: Cesarean hysterectomy for placenta accreta spectrum disorder may be associated with severe hemorrhage because of placental invasion of the myometrium and the uterovesical space or parametrium. It leads to serious complications, such as massive hemorrhage requiring massive transfusion, coagulopathy, bladder and ureteric injuries, need for intensive care unit admission and prolonged hospital stay. To reduce the complications of cesarean hysterectomy for placenta accreta spectrum disorder, ongoing efforts are being made to develop different surgical approaches.

Intracranial hydatid cyst in a pediatric patient: a rare mimic of brain malignancy.

Cerebral hydatid disease, caused by Echinococcus granulosus, is uncommon in children but presents significant diagnostic challenges due to its potential to mimic malignancy. Only a handful of cases with such a dilemma have been reported yet in the literature. We report a case of a 12-year-old female presenting with progressive headache and seizures, initially suspected to be a pilocytic astrocytoma.

A Case Series of Adult Measles from a Tertiary Care Hospital in North India.

Measles or rubeola is caused by an enveloped single-stranded RNA virus belonging to the genus Morbillivirus in the Paramyxoviridae family. Here, we present five adult measles patients. The laboratory confirmation of measles by serology/polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was carried out in the National Measles Laboratory as per WHO standard operating procedure at the Department of Virology, Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, India.

Rights-based reproductive services in medical schools in Rajasthan, Gujarat and Chandigarh, India: baseline findings of mixed-methods implementation research.

Introduction: There is a need to assess and strengthen reproductive rights-based family planning and abortion services in Indian medical schools that play a key role in medical education and service delivery. This study presents the findings of baseline assessment across nine schools in two states and one union territory with objective to assess, identify the gaps and improve the status of reproductive rights and evidence-based family planning and abortion services in Indian medical schools.

Methods: A convergent parallel mixed methods study was conducted in nine medical schools in Rajasthan, Gujarat, and Chandigarh a Union territory in India from October 2018 to June 2019.

Astroblastoma: A molecularly defined entity, its clinico-radiological & pathological analysis of eight cases and review of literature.

Astroblastoma, a unique entity of glial tumor, predominantly occur in young women with distinctive MN1 rearrangement, Given its limited documentation in existing literature, we report eight cases of astroblastoma, detailing their clinical, radiological, and histopathological characteristics along with molecular analysis. We conducted a retrospective analysis of our neuropathology archive database spanning the past 8 years. We included all cases that underwent Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), surgical resection, histopathological examination, molecular testing, and follow-up.

Effects of tenofovir disoproxil fumarate on intrahepatic viral burden and liver immune microenvironment in patients with chronic hepatitis B.

Background: The impact of nucleos(t)ide analogues on intrahepatic viral burden and immune microenvironment in patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB) is not clear.

Objective: We aimed to characterise the effects of tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF) on intrahepatic viral burden and the liver immune microenvironment in patients with CHB.

Design: Core liver biopsies were collected at baseline and year 3 from patients with CHB with minimally raised serum alanine aminotransferase in a double-blind placebo-controlled trial (NCT01522625).

Naproxen-induced liver injury in a case of adult-onset Still's disease.

We present the case of a young female with fever, rash, and joint pain without any other history of connective tissue disorder, who was found on evaluation to have neutrophilic leucocytosis, elevated inflammatory markers and lymphadenopathy with hepatosplenomegaly. After extensive workup, the possibility of adult onset Still's disease was suggested by Yamaguchi criteria. She was started on naproxen, but later on developed drug-induced liver injury.

Clinical utility of plasma cell-free DNA (cfDNA) in diffuse gliomas for the detection of IDH1 R132H mutation.

Liquid biopsy for CNS tumors is in its nascent phase, hindered by the low levels of circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA). Overcoming this challenge requires highly sensitive molecular techniques. DD-PCR emerges as a standout technique due to its ability to identify rare mutations, copy number variations, and circulating nucleic acids, making it one of the best methods for identifying somatic mutations in cell-free DNA (cfDNA).

Exploring the therapeutic and prophylactic potential of bedaquiline in leprosy.

Leprosy remains a significant public health concern despite major strides in treatment and control efforts. The Global Leprosy Strategy 2021-2030 and the National Strategic Plan for Leprosy 2023-2027 majorly focus on facilitating action to reach the goal of zero leprosy. Exploration of new treatment regimens is emphasized as one of the verticals of the multipronged approach for reaching the aforementioned goals.

Uric Acid Status in Subclinical Hypothyroidism.

Overt hypothyroidism is associated with high levels of serum uric acid (UA) however, the association between UA and thyroid function in patients with subclinical thyroid dysfunction remains unclear. Subclinical hypothyroidism (SCH) is a common endocrine disorder characterized by normal thyroxine (T4) and triiodothyronine (T3), and elevated thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) levels, usually without clinical manifestations. Therefore, we carried out a study of patients with subclinical thyroid dysfunction to assess the relationship between thyroid function and UA.

ISCCM Position Statement: Management of Severe Dengue in Intensive Care Unit.

Unlabelled: Dengue is one of the commonest causes of undifferentiated acute febrile illness in India as well as South East Asia. Nearly two-fifths of the world population is at risk of infection, and nearly 96 million infections reported worldwide, it is a major cause of concern across the globe. The ISCCM leadership felt that there have been no new directives/guidelines except the MOH guidelines for the management of dengue fever since 2014.

Co-Twin Prognosis After Single Intrauterine Fetal Death at a Tertiary Care Hospital in India: A Retrospective Observational Study.

Introduction: Twin pregnancy is associated with an increased risk of perinatal morbidity. Besides, if intrauterine death of a single twin occurs, it increases the morbidity of the surviving co-twin perinatally and postnatally.

Aim:  The objective of this study was to determine the incidence of single intrauterine fetal death (SIUFD) in a twin pregnancy and fetal outcome defined in dimensions according to the complications in the surviving co-twin.

Patient-reported outcomes in chronic hepatitis delta: An exploratory analysis of the phase III MYR301 trial of bulevirtide.

Background & Aims: Once-daily treatment of chronic hepatitis delta (CHD) with bulevirtide is well tolerated and associated with significant reductions in HDV RNA in the blood and in biochemical liver disease activity. This study explored the effects of 48-week bulevirtide treatment on health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in patients with CHD.

Methods: In an open-label, randomised, phase III trial, 150 patients with CHD and compensated liver disease were stratified by cirrhosis status and randomised 1:1:1 to no treatment (control), bulevirtide 2 mg/day, or bulevirtide 10 mg/day for 48 weeks.