Assessment of surgical risk factors in the development of ventilator-associated pneumonia in neurosurgical intensive care unit patients: Alarming observations.

Background: Ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) is the most frequent nosocomial infection in patients receiving mechanical ventilation (MV) and contributes to a longer intensive care unit (ICU) stay, duration of MV, and a high morbidity and mortality.

Objective: The purpose of study was to determine the incidence of VAP in neurosurgery ICU patients and to assess the probable contributing neurosurgical risk factors like the site and nature of the lesion in the brain, the duration of surgery, blood loss during surgery, and infection elsewhere in the body, in the development of VAP.

Materials And Methods: The prospective clinical study included patients with a Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) score>8 undergoing a neurosurgical procedure and postoperatively receiving MV for> 48 hours, who were followed for the development of VAP.

Evaluation of 75 g glucose load in non-fasting state [Diabetes in Pregnancy Study group of India (DIPSI) criteria] as a diagnostic test for gestational diabetes mellitus.

Background & Objectives: There is no consensus regarding optimal standard for diagnosis of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). In this study, use of 75 g glucose load in non-fasting state [Diabetes in Pregnancy Study Group of India (DIPSI) criteria] as a diagnostic test for GDM in pregnant women was compared with different oral glucose tolerance tests (OGTTs).

Methods: This prospective study included 936 pregnant women, who underwent plasma glucose evaluation two hours after the challenge of 75 g glucose load irrespective of the timing of last meal (DIPSI criteria for GDM).

A rare case of solid calcified intramedullary neurenteric cyst: Case report and technical note.

Neurenteric cysts are rare lesions of the spinal cord, constituting less than 1.3% of all spinal cord tumors. Approximately 90% of neurenteric cysts are located in the intradural extramedullary compartment, while the remaining 10% are divided between an intradural intramedullary or extradural location.

Solitary giant diffuse neurofibroma of the scalp with calvarial defect.

Neurofibromas of the scalp can have protean presentations. Most of the swellings are small, solitary and are easily diagnosed clinically. Diffuse swellings on the other hand are rare and are commonly seen in adults.

The synergic effect of HPV infection and epigenetic anomaly of the p16 gene in the development of cervical cancer.

Background: Cervical cancer is the most common cancer in Indian women. Infection with a high-risk human papillomavirus (HR-HPV) is the greatest risk factor for developing cervical cancer. The genetic and epigenetic changes in the tumor suppressor p16 gene is play an important role in the development of cervical cancer.

Prevalence of female genital tuberculosis, its risk factors and associated clinical features among the women of Andaman Islands, India: a community-based study.

Objective: There is scarcity of information on the prevalence of female genital tuberculosis (FGTB) in the community. The present study was carried out to estimate the prevalence of FGTB, its risk factors and associated clinical features.

Study Design: Community-based cross-sectional survey.

A Study to Find Out the Full Immunization Coverage of 12 to 23-month old Children and Areas of Under-Performance using LQAS Technique in a Rural Area of Tripura.

Introduction: It is very important to analyze the factors which acts as obstacle in achieving 100% immunization among children. Lot Quality Assurance Sampling (LQAS) is one of the effective method to assess such barriers.

Aim: To assess the full immunization coverage among 12 to 23-month old children of rural field practice area under Department of Community Medicine, Agartala Government Medical College and identify the factors for failure of full immunization.

Toll-like receptor 3 (TLR-3), TLR-4 and CD80 expression in peripheral blood mononuclear cells and urinary CD80 levels in children with idiopathic nephrotic syndrome.

Background: The aims of this study were (1) to detect toll-like receptor (TLR)-3, TLR-4 and CD80 expression in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and estimate urinary CD80 levels in children with idiopathic nephrotic syndrome and (2) to investigate the utility of these markers to differentiate between biopsy-proven minimal change disease (MCD) and focal segmental glomeruloscelerosis (FSGS).

Methods: The study included 70 patients with idiopathic nephrotic syndrome (NS), of whom 40 had steroid-sensitive NS (SSNS; 25 with active NS, 15 in remission) and 30 had steroid-resistant NS (SRNS) patients, and 23 healthy controls. TLR-3, TLR- 4 and CD80 mRNA expression levels in PBMCs were determined and the urinary CD80 level estimated.

Intraventricular Tuberculoma in a Child: A Rare Location.

Intracranial tuberculoma is an uncommon presentation of tuberculosis, and its occurrence in an intraventricular location is very rare. It is usually confused with glioma, parasitic cyst, and craniopharyngioma. Few case reports exist in the literature on this entity.

Incidence of pediatric acute kidney injury in hospitalized patients.

Pediatric acute kidney injury (pAKI) is a common complication associated with high mortality in children. The objective of this study was to determine the incidence of acute kidney injury (AKI) and mortality in hospitalized (critically ill and non-critically ill) patients. This was a retrospective study conducted during the period of June 1, 2013, to May 31, 2014, at the Postgraduate Department of Pediatrics, G.

Guidelines of the Indian Association of Cardiovascular and Thoracic Anaesthesiologists and Indian College of Cardiac Anaesthesia for perioperative transesophageal echocardiography fellowship examination.

During current medical care, perioperative transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) has become a vital component of patient management, especially in cardiac operating rooms and in critical care medicine. Information derived from echocardiography has an important bearing on the patient's outcome. The Indian Association of Cardiovascular and Thoracic Anaesthesiologists (IACTA) has promoted the use of TEE during routine clinical care of patients undergoing cardiac surgery.

An analysis of deep vein thrombosis in burn patients (Part 1): Comparison of D-dimer and Doppler ultrasound as screening tools.

Introduction: The high prevalence of deep vein thrombosis (DVT) reported in prospective studies and the unreliability of clinical diagnosis mandates prospective screening for DVT in burn patients. Our study seeks to compare D-dimer and Doppler ultrasound (DUS) in search for a practical, inexpensive and a reliable screening tool.

Methods: One hundred burn patients (inclusion criteria: 30-60% TBSA burn, >18 years of age, admitted within 48h of burn) were computer randomized into two equal groups.

An analysis of deep vein thrombosis in burn patients (part II): A randomized and controlled study of thrombo-prophylaxis with low molecular weight heparin.

Introduction: Morbidity and mortality from venous thrombo-embolism (VTE) remains a significant problem for trauma and medical patients and there are established guidelines for prophylaxis in these patients. However, the efficacy and safety of VTE prophylaxis in thermally injured patients continue to be elusive as it has never been studied in a prospective, randomized fashion. Selective use of VTE prophylaxis, for high risk patients, is practiced by some burn units even if objective evidence is lacking for majority of risk factors enunciated in burn patients.

Bloodstream infections in NNICU: Blight on ICU stay.

Background: Bloodstream infections (BSIs) are among the serious hospital-acquired infections. Data regarding BSIs in intensive care units (ICUs) are available but there is limited information regarding these infections in neurology and neurosurgery intensive care units (NNICUs).

Objectives: This study was conducted to find out the occurrence of BSI in NNICU patients of a tertiary care institute in India, along with the microbiological profile and risk factors associated with it.

Use of single-lumen tube for minimally invasive and hybrid esophagectomies with prone thoracoscopic dissection: case series.

Minimally invasive and hybrid minimally invasive esophagectomy (MIE) is a technically challenging procedure. Anesthesia for the same is equally challenging due to special requirements of the video-assisted thoracoscopic technique used and shared operative and respiratory fields. Standard ventilatory strategy for this kind of surgery has been 1-lung ventilation with the help of a double-lumen tube.

Assessment of clinical improvement in patients undergoing endovascular coiling in traumatic carotid cavernous fistulas.

Objectives: We attempt to find key points in endovascular coiling which can help us predict degree of clinical recovery, in an attempt to make the treatment of CCF safe and effective.

Patients And Methods: We analyzed a series of 15 patients with traumatic CCFs undergoing coiling by performing clinical, angiographical and radiological assessment before and at regular time periods after the procedure till 6 months. The findings were analyzed to find critical points predicting clinical outcome in each of the patients.

An Unusual Case of Myelitis with Myositis.

The Chikungunya virus belonging to genus alphavirus and family togaviridae causes an arthropod-borne self-limiting febrile illness in humans. Neurological complications are rare with myelitis being even a rarer presentation. We report here a patient with Chikungunya fever who developed acute transverse myelitis with myositis during the convalescent period.

The dilemma of arranged marriages in people with epilepsy. An expert group appraisal.

Introduction: Matrimony remains a challenging psychosocial problem confronting people with epilepsy (PWE). People with epilepsy are less likely to marry; however, their marital prospects are most seriously compromised in arranged marriages.

Aims: The aim of this study was to document marital prospects and outcomes in PWE going through arranged marriage and to propose optimal practices for counseling PWE contemplating arranged marriage.

An eventful journey from menarche to successful motherhood.

Herlyn-Werner-Wunderlich syndrome is an uncommon variant of mullerian duct anomaly and the approach to its diagnosis requires a high index of suspicion and vigilant work up. Presented here is a case of a 26-year-old woman who had the aforementioned anomaly and was pursued for nearly 10 years to provide her with a fruitful obstetric outcome after having undergone Strassman's metroplasty at a young age of 15 years.

Impact of interactions between risk alleles on clinical endpoints in hypertension.

Objective: Impairment of the renin-angiotensinogen-aldosterone system (RAAS), one of the characteristics of essential hypertension (EH), imbalances vascular homeostasis. Despite inconsistent reports on individual single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) as a major predictor of EH, interactions among RAAS genetic variants are rarely investigated.

Methods: Using SNP markers, we studied potential interactions between angiotensin 1 converting enzyme (ACE), angiotensinogen (AGT), angiotensin II-type 1 receptor (AGTR1), and α adducin (ADD1) variants and their correlation with clinical endpoints in 545 individuals with hypertension and 400 age- and ethnicity-matched unrelated controls.

Circulating level of regulatory T cells in rheumatic heart disease: An observational study.

Background: The regulatory T cell (Treg) is essential for prevention of autoimmunity. In a preliminary study, we showed significant deficiency of Tregs (CD4CD25 T cells) in rheumatic heart disease (RHD) patients (an autoimmune disease), but the markers used could not reliably differentiate Treg from nonregulatory conventional T cells (Tcon). The study aim was to reassess the level of circulatory Tregs by using more specific markers.

APASL consensus statements and recommendations for hepatitis C prevention, epidemiology, and laboratory testing.

The Asian Pacific Association for the Study of the Liver (APASL) convened an international working party on "APASL consensus statements and recommendations for management of hepatitis C" in March 2015 to revise the "APASL consensus statements and management algorithms for hepatitis C virus infection" (Hepatol Int 6:409-435, 2012). The working party consisted of expert hepatologists from the Asian-Pacific region gathered at the Istanbul Congress Center, Istanbul, Turkey on 13 March 2015. New data were presented, discussed, and debated during the course of drafting a revision.