Profile of diabetic foot complications and its associated complications--a multicentric study from India.

Aim: The aims of this study were to determine. The prevalence of foot complications such as neuropathy, peripheral vascular disease (PVD), amputations and infections and the associated diabetic complications and practice of foot care among these subjects.

Methods: A total of 1319 type 2 diabetic patients, were selected from four different centres across India.

Cardiac isoform of alpha-2 macroglobulin as a novel diagnostic marker for cardiac diseases.

Background: Earlier we showed cardiac isoform of alpha-2 macroglobulin (CA2M) to be an early marker of cardiac hypertrophy.

Design: In this study, we tried to explore the possibility of using this protein as a marker for diagnosis of cardiac diseases.

Methods: A total of 593 samples were analyzed for the presence of CA2M using sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.

Plasma CRP level predicts left ventricular function and exercise capacity in patients with acute myocardial infarction.

Background: C-reactive protein estimation can help in predicting short- and long-term prognosis after acute myocardial infarction. High plasma C-reactive protein level in the acute phase strongly indicates a poor clinical outcome of the patients with myocardial infarction.

Methods And Results: One hundred consecutive patients admitted with ST elevation myocardial infarction in the intensive coronary care unit in our hospital who were able to do symptom-limited treadmill test during early recovery phase were studied.

Gradenigo's syndrome--a rare complication of otitis media.

Petrous apicitis is a rare intracranial complication of otitis media. A 4-year-old female child was presented with persistent ear discharge, retro-orbital pain and lateral rectus palsy (triad of Gradenigo's syndrome). A right temporal burr-hole was placed and tapping was done under antibiotic coverage.

Syphilitic abdominal aortic aneurysm.

A case report of a syphilitic aortic aneurysm in a 37-year-old male, presenting as upper abdominal pain accompanied by a pulsatile abdominal mass, is discussed.

Dextropropoxyphene dependence: a cautionary note.

Drug abuse and dependence is common in patients with chronic pain. Of concern are the opioid analgesics prescribed commonly, and its availability over the counter. Often the cause of dependence is iatrogenic.

Neurocognitive impairments in hiv infection.

Neuropsychological impairments punctuate the early neurological involvement among HIV-1 infected patients. Three groups of patients, twenty in each were selected. The first group consisted of seronegative local controls, the second being a group of asymptomatic seropositive patients and the third a group of seropositive symptomatic individuals.

Aetiology of severe vitamin A deficiency in children.

Background: Severe forms of vitamin A deficiency or keratomalacia are common in young children. Keratomalacia is thought to be associated with malnutrition due to poor weaning practices and manifests at 3 to 4 years of age. As survival rates for infants have increased, keratomalacia is being seen in children less than 6 months of age.

Biomechanics and head injury outcome.

On the basis of biomechanical principles, common head injuries can be classified into acceleration injuries characterised by a predominant diffuse cerebral injury and contact injuries characterised by a predominant focal injury. In a follow-up of 174 head injured patients, it was found that patients with acceleration injuries evinced a longer duration of coma, lengthier post-traumatic amnesia, and less number of skull fractures. Organic behaviour syndromes were seen mostly in acceleration injuries.

Prevalence of neurosyphilis at Government Rajaji Hospital, Madurai, India.

Forty patients (34 males and 6 females) with neurological complaints/manifestations and with a past history of multiple sexual partners attending the Government Rajaji Hospital, Madurai, India between April 1992 and October 1992 were investigated for neurosyphilis. Metabolic disorders, hypertension, ischaemic heart disease, arrhythmias and trauma were excluded. Seven males (17.

Influence of basal cisterns, midline shift and pathology on outcome in head injury.

The relationship of outcome to the basal cisterns, midline shift and pathology as seen on initial CT scan was assessed in 107 moderate and severe head injured patients. The mortality rates were 82 cases (76%) and 29 cases (27%) among those with obliterated and normal basal cisterns, and 74 cases (69%) and 42 cases (39%) when the midline shift was present and absent, respectively. The state of the cisterns and midline shift was correlated with the type of intracranial pathology and Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) scores.

Tri-o-cresyl phosphate induced neuropathy : pathological study of human sural nerve biopsy.

An 18 year old male who consumed food cooked in contaminated cooking oil, during an epidemic at Calcutta in 1988, developed Tri-O-Cresyl Phosphate toxicity and peripheral neuropathy. Pathological study revealed focal loss of large myelinated fibres.EM study showed accumulation of agranular reticulum in relatively preserved axons and axonal and myelin vacuolation and accumulation of dark bodies and granular transformation of axoplasm in more affected axons, similar to those described in experimentalanimals.

Long-term outcome following head injury.

In a perspective study of follow-up of 141 head-injured patients, neurological, behavioural, neuropsychological and psychosocial parameters of outcome were used to measure the patient's functional status for 18 months. Neurophysical sequelae including seizure disorders were seen in 29 patients. Cortical functional disturbances observed were nominal difficulties in 5 patients, perseveration in 5 patients, disturbed kinetic melodies in 9 patients, frontal acalculia in 4 patients, constructional apraxia in one patient and left side neglect in one patient.

Sacral agenesis occurring in siblings: case report.

We report a rare incidence of sacral agenesis occurring in siblings. One of our patients had a low-lying conus, and untethering of the cord in the area of the filum terminale led to improvement in urinary symptoms. The need for aggressive investigation of patients with sacral agenesis and static neurological deficits is discussed.

Behaviour change in HIV infected subjects following health education.

A total of 85 HIV seropositive subjects among consecutive new registrants in the STD Department were given health education measures directed to avoiding high risk behaviours and also the events with a high potential for transmission of infection. The emphasis was on the use of condoms, discontinuing promiscuity, abstaining from homosexual acts and avoidance of pregnancy and advice against marriage for those contemplating it. The Health Education Programme was delivered individually to each subject over two or three sessions, each lasting for 30 to 45 min.

Spectrum of immune reactivity to mycobacterial (BCG) antigens in healthy hospital contacts in south India.

In an effort to study the immunological responses to antigens of tubercle bacilli, 49 tuberculin positive and 41 tuberculin negative hospital contacts aged 20-29 years (staff nurses and students working in Government Rajaji Hospital, Madurai, South India) were studied for serum antibodies (IgG, IgM and IgA classes) to BCG by ELISA and diameter of induration to PPD by Mantoux procedures. The two immunological parameters were correlated in regression analysis. The results have revealed higher anti-BCG serum antibody levels in hospital contacts than in non-contacts, significantly higher antibodies in tuberculin negative hospital contacts than in tuberculin positive hospital contacts, an inverse correlation of tuberculin reactivity and antibodies and a bimodal decline (regression) of antibodies against the increase in skin test induration.

Effects of placental dressing indolent ulcers.

Fifteen cases of indolent ulcers of varying aetiology were treated by human placental dressing. An equal number of patients treated with antibiotics were taken as control. Human placental dressing for chronic ulcers was found to be effective in wound healing, inexpensive, freely available and devoid of side-effects.