Role of 18F-FDG PET/CT for detection of recurrence and metastases in renal cell carcinoma-are we underusing PET/CT?

PURPOSE The aim of this study was to compare 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography- computed tomography (18F-FDG PET/CT) scan with computed tomography (CT) scan for detecting recurrence and metastasis in renal cell carcinoma patients. METHODS This retrospective study included patients from October 2013 to April 2017. Contrast-enhanced CT and PET/CT scans were compared and correlated with histopathology or/and follow-up studies.

International models of neuropalliative care.

Can equitable Neuropalliative care (NpC) be delivered globally? This chapter surveys existing services and ground realities in different parts of the world. In many countries, universal healthcare (UHC) seems to have been a precondition for the establishment of palliative care (PC). PC has been recognized as a basic human right as a part of UHC.

Hypercalcemia with methotrexate pneumonitis: A rare, important and intriguing adverse event.

Methotrexate leading to hypercalcaemia is a rarely reported adverse event. We present three elderly patients with inflammatory arthritis who developed hypercalcemia probably due to methotrexate-induced granulomatous pneumonitis. All patients presented with worsening non-productive cough with dyspnea, nausea, loss of appetite, and confusion.

Health-care-associated bloodstream and urinary tract infections in a network of hospitals in India: a multicentre, hospital-based, prospective surveillance study.

Background: Health-care-associated infections (HAIs) cause significant morbidity and mortality globally, including in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs). Networks of hospitals implementing standardised HAI surveillance can provide valuable data on HAI burden, and identify and monitor HAI prevention gaps. Hospitals in many LMICs use HAI case definitions developed for higher-resourced settings, which require human resources and laboratory and imaging tests that are often not available.

Asia Pacific perspectives on the second year of the COVID-19 pandemic: A follow-up survey.

Background: The Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic is currently in its third year. This follow-up survey was commissioned by the Asia Pacific Association of Allergy Asthma and Clinical Immunology (APAAACI) Task Force on COVID-19 to compare and contrast changes in the epidemiology, clinical profile, therapeutics and public health measures of the pandemic in the Asia Pacific region.

Methods: A questionnaire-based survey comprising 32 questions was electronically sent out to all 15 member countries of APAAACI using Survey Monkey® from 1 December 2021 to 28 February 2022.

Pituitary Apoplexy Following Severe Diabetic Ketoacidosis, With Two Uncommon Complications of Supraventricular Tachycardia and Acute Limb Ischemia in a Patient with Neglected Pituitary Adenoma and Undiagnosed Diabetes Mellitus: A Rare Clinical Association.

Pituitary apoplexy (PA) is a clinical emergency arising from acute ischemia or hemorrhage of the pituitary gland. A small subset of pituitary adenomas present with an apoplectic crisis, with common symptoms being headache, nausea/vomiting, visual impairment, ophthalmoplegia, altered sensorium, panhypopituitarism, etc. Though diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) is an established complication of uncontrolled diabetes mellitus, its association with PA is extremely rare.

Clinical standards for drug-susceptible pulmonary TB.

The aim of these clinical standards is to provide guidance on 'best practice´ for diagnosis, treatment and management of drug-susceptible pulmonary TB (PTB). A panel of 54 global experts in the field of TB care, public health, microbiology, and pharmacology were identified; 46 participated in a Delphi process. A 5-point Likert scale was used to score draft standards.

Clinical standards for the dosing and management of TB drugs.

Optimal drug dosing is important to ensure adequate response to treatment, prevent development of drug resistance and reduce drug toxicity. The aim of these clinical standards is to provide guidance on 'best practice´ for dosing and management of TB drugs. A panel of 57 global experts in the fields of microbiology, pharmacology and TB care were identified; 51 participated in a Delphi process.

Ovarian granulosa cells from women with PCOS express low levels of SARS-CoV-2 receptors and co-factors.

Purpose: Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection is global pandemic with more than 5 million deaths so far. Female reproductive tract organs express coronavirus-associated receptors and factors (SCARFs), suggesting they may be susceptible to SARS-CoV-2 infection; however, the susceptibility of ovary/follicle/oocyte to the same is still elusive. Co-morbidities like obesity, type-2 diabetes mellitus, cardiovascular disease, etc.

Molecular Epidemiology and Polymorphism Analysis in Drug-Resistant Genes in Clinical Isolates from Western and Northern India.

Introduction: The mechanistic details of first line drug (FLD) resistance have been thoroughly explored but the genetic resistance mechanisms of second line injectables, which form the backbone of the combinatorial drug resistant tuberculosis therapy, are partially identified. This study aims to highlight the genetic and spoligotypic differences in the second line drug (SLD) resistant and sensitive ( clinical isolates from Mumbai (Western India) and Lucknow (Northern India).

Methods: The and target loci were screened in 126 isolates and spoligotyped.

Molecular diagnostics of SARS-CoV-2: Findings of an international survey.

Background: In the current COVID-19 pandemic, early and rapid diagnosis of potentially infected and contagious individuals enables containment of the disease through quarantine and contact tracing. The rapid global expansion of these diagnostic testing services raises questions concerning the current state of the art with regard to standardization of testing and quality assessment practices. The aim of this study was to provide a global overview of the test methods, laboratory procedures and quality assessment practices used for SARS-CoV-2 diagnostics.

A review of clinical evidence to assess differences in efficacy and safety of luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone (LHRH) agonist (goserelin) and LHRH antagonist (degarelix).

Luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone agonist (LHRH-A), goserelin, and antagonist, degarelix, are both indicated for the treatment of advanced prostate cancer (PCa); however, large comparative trials evaluating their efficacy and safety are lacking. In this review, we assessed the available evidence for both the drugs. Although degarelix achieves an early rapid decline in testosterone (T) and prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels, median T and PSA levels, in addition to prostate volume and International Prostate Symptom Scores, become comparable with goserelin over the remaining treatment period.

Expert survey on management of prostate cancer in India: Real-world insights into practice patterns.

To gain insights on the diverse practice patterns and treatment pathways for prostate cancer (PC) in India, the Urological Cancer Foundation convened the first Indian survey to discuss all aspects of PC, with the objective of guiding clinicians on optimizing management in PC. A modified Delphi method was used, wherein a multidisciplinary panel of oncologists treating PC across India developed a questionnaire related to screening, diagnosis and management of early, locally advanced and metastatic PC and participated in a web-based survey (WBS) (n = 62). An expert committee meeting (CM) (n = 48, subset from WBS) reviewed the ambiguous questions for better comprehension and reanalyzed the evidence to establish a revote for specific questions.

The Comparison Between Supreme Laryngeal Mask Airway and Endotracheal Tube With Respect to Adequacy of Ventilation in Patients Undergoing Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy Under General Anesthesia-A Prospective, Randomized, Double-Blind Study, and Comparative Study.

Background: Laparoscopic cholecystectomy is a commonly performed surgical procedure. Most anesthesiologists advocate tracheal intubation. Laparoscopic cholecystectomy is becoming a day care surgery, hence many anaesthesiologists have started using laryngeal masks to decrease airway manipulation seen with conventional laryngoscopy and endotracheal intubation and avoid hemodynamic pressor responses and postoperative sore throat.

The Effect of Higher and Lower Protein Intakes on Nitrogen Balance in Renal Transplant Recipients with Underlying Graft Dysfunction.

It is essential to determine the optimum protein intake in renal transplant recipients on steroids with renal dysfunction to maintain a neutral nitrogen balance. Our aim was to study the effect of higher (1.2 g/kg/day) and lower (0.

Emerging inflammatory bowel disease demographics, phenotype, and treatment in South Asia, South-East Asia, and Middle East: Preliminary findings from the Inflammatory Bowel Disease-Emerging Nations' Consortium.

Background And Aim: Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is emerging in the newly industrialized countries of South Asia, South-East Asia, and the Middle East, yet epidemiological data are scarce.

Methods: We performed a cross-sectional study of IBD demographics, disease phenotype, and treatment across 38 centers in 15 countries of South Asia, South-East Asia, and Middle East. Intergroup comparisons included gross national income (GNI) per capita.

Serum Alkaline Phosphatase in Newly Diagnosed Genito-Urinary Cancers-Do We Need to Review the Guidelines?

Objectives: To evaluate the role of alkaline phosphatase (ALP) as marker of bone metastases in patients of genitourinary cancers compared to bone scan, and to correlate with NCCN guidelines.

Methods: This retro-prospective, observational study included all newly diagnosed patients of renal, bladder (muscle invasive) and prostate cancers who presented from July 2014 to March 2017. For diagnosis of bone metastases, ALP groups (raised/normal) were compared with bone scan (positive/negative).

Pazopanib-Induced Asymptomatic Necrotizing Pancreatitis Diagnosed on F-FDG PET-CT Scan.

Multi-targeted tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) pazopanib approved for the treatment of advanced soft tissue sarcoma (STS) has prolonged the estimated survival times and quality of life of patients. However, several adverse effects associated predominantly with the inhibition of the vascular endothelial growth factor receptor by these drugs may prove to be potentially life-threatening. One such rare adverse event with the use of pazopanib is acute pancreatitis.

Post-COVID-19 Unusual Inflammatory Syndromes Detected on 18F-FDG PET/CT Scan.

SARS-CoV-2 is primarily known to cause respiratory symptoms. However, in this global COVID-19 pandemic, we have come across many extrapulmonary manifestations during and in the immediate post-COVID phase such as gastrointestinal symptoms, kidney and liver injury, myocardial dysfunction and acute coronary syndromes, and neurological, thromboembolic, dermatological, and musculoskeletal disorders. We present 2 such unusual cases of post-COVID complications-diffuse panniculitis and inflammatory myositis, as well as their clinical and FDG PET/CT imaging features.