Stratifying empiric risk of schizophrenia among first degree relatives using multiple predictors in two independent Indian samples.

Background: Schizophrenia (SZ) has an estimated heritability of 64-88%, with the higher values based on twin studies. Conventionally, family history of psychosis is the best individual-level predictor of risk, but reliable risk estimates are unavailable for Indian populations. Genetic, environmental, and epigenetic factors are equally important and should be considered when predicting risk in 'at risk' individuals.

Comprehensive review of challenges associated with management of lower limb fractures in poliomyelitis patients.

Poliomyelitis is on the verge of eradication. But the survivors of polio are still living with its consequences in different parts of the world and so will continue to be seen for almost a century. Fractures in the polio-affected limb are a common entity in these patients and are difficult to manage using the common fracture management protocols.

Chondroblastic osteosarcoma of breast in a case of phyllodes tumour with recurrence, a rare case report.

Introduction: Primary extra osseous osteogenic sarcomas have been reported in many tissues of the body but their occurrence in the breast is extremely rare. It can arise as a result of osseous metaplasia in a pre-existing benign or malignant neoplasm of the breast.

Case Presentation: A 24 year-old young lady was diagnosed to have mass in right breast.

Facial Diplegia with Paresthesia: An Uncommon Variant of Guillain-Barre Syndrome.

Facial nerve palsy (FNP) is a common medical problem and can be unilateral or bilateral. Unilateral facial palsy has an incidence of 25 per 100,000 population and most of them are idiopathic. However, facial diplegia or bilateral facial nerve palsy (B-FNP) is rare with an incidence of just 1 per 5,000,000 population and only 20 percent cases are idiopathic.

Randomised control trial showed that delayed cord clamping and milking resulted in no significant differences in iron stores and physical growth parameters at one year of age.

Aim: Placental redistribution has been shown to improve haematological outcomes in the immediate neonatal period and early infancy. This study compared the effects of delayed cord clamping (DCC) and umbilical cord milking (UCM) on haematological and growth parameters at 12 months of age.

Methods: This was a follow-up study of a randomised control trial, conducted in a tertiary care paediatric centre from August 2013 to August 2014.

Cognitive remediation in schizophrenia-The view from India.

The prevalence and disability due to Schizophrenia (SZ) in India is similar to other parts of the world. Cognitive impairments are also present in a large group of Indian persons with SZ. Interventions to address these impairments - termed cognitive remediation or cognitive retraining - are being tested all over the world.

Pulmonary Aspergillosis: What CT can Offer Before it is too Late!

Aspergillus is a large genus of saprophytic fungi which are present everywhere in the environment. However, in persons with underlying weakened immune response this innocent bystander can cause fatal illness if timely diagnosis and management is not done. Chest infection is the most common infection caused by Aspergillus in human beings.

Mental illness, poverty and stigma in India: a case-control study.

Objective: To assess the effect of experienced stigma on depth of multidimensional poverty of persons with severe mental illness (PSMI) in Delhi, India, controlling for gender, age and caste.

Design: Matching case (hospital)-control (population) study.

Setting: University Hospital (cases) and National Capital Region (controls), India.

Waldenstrom's macroglobulinaemia: to treat or not to treat?

Waldenstrom's macroglobulinaemia (WM) is a rare lymphoproliferative disorder. It is mostly seen in the elderly population with a median age of 65 years at the time of diagnosis. The clinical presentation is variable and the patient may be entirely asymptomatic.

Suggested avenues to reduce the stigma of mental illness in the Middle East.

Background: Stigma toward mentally ill individuals acts as a barrier to accessing care and receiving treatment.

Aim: To review current evidence pertaining to stigma toward mental illness in the Middle East in order to inform effective and sustainable interventions in this region.

Methods: We conducted a systematic literature search using the PubMed database and evaluated all identified studies according to specific inclusion criteria.

Acrocyanosis in a young adult: a rare presentation of extra-adrenal pheochromocytoma.

Extra-adrenal pheochromocytomas (EAPs) are rare catecholamine-secreting tumours. The patient commonly present with headache, palpitation, anxiety, diaphoresis, raised blood pressure and heart rate which can be sustained or episodic and less commonly Raynaud's phenomenon. We present a case of an adult woman who presented with unilateral upper limb acrocyanosis and hypertension which was secondary to EAP and resolved completely after surgical removal of the tumour.

Livedo reticularis heralding hypercalcaemia of malignancy.

The term livedo reticularis is used to describe net-like purple rash usually on the lower limbs. It is an important clinical sign with diverse aetiologies. Hypercalcaemia is an uncommon but important clinical entity, sometimes associated with livedo reticularis.

Preanalytical quality in clinical chemistry laboratory.

Background: Haemolysis is usually caused by inadequate specimen collection or preanalytical handling and is suggested to be a suitable indicator of preanalytical quality. We investigated the prevalence of detectable haemolysis in all routine venous blood samples in OPDs and IPDs to identify differences in preanalytical quality.

Methods: Haemolysis index (HI) values were obtained from a Vitros 5,1 in the routine clinical chemistry laboratory for samples collected in the outpatient department (OPD) collection centres, a hospital, and inpatient departments (IPD).

Bladder erosion and stone as rare late complication of laparoscopic hernia meshplasty: is endoscopic management an option?

As laparoscopic hernia repair is slowly becoming the norm in the management of inguinal hernia, its remotely possible long-term complications have started becoming evident. We report an asymptomatic hanging anterior bladder wall calculus, formed over a migrated hernia mesh into the bladder 16 years after laparoscopic hernia repair and managed using holmium laser while performing transurethral resection of the prostate. There are only a few case reports in the literature regarding this issue, and the management suggested has been either periurethral cystoscopic pulling for extraction of the mesh or resection of mesh along with the bladder wall and cystorrhaphy.

A comparative study of fixed tapering dose regimen versus symptom-triggered regimen of lorazepam for alcohol detoxification.

Aims: The study aimed at comparing the fixed tapering dose and the symptom-triggered regimens of lorazepam for alcohol detoxification.

Methods: We carried out a prospective, randomized, double blind controlled trial involving 63 consecutive consenting male patients admitted with diagnosis of uncomplicated alcohol withdrawal. The patients were randomized into two groups based on the type of lorazepam dosage: symptom-triggered (n = 33) and fixed tapering dose regimens (n = 30).

Atypical respiratory complications of dengue fever.

In last decade, dengue has emerged as one of the most important vector born disease. With increasing cases, uncommon presentations and complications are now commonly recognized. Here, we report two cases of rare pattern of respiratory involvement in dengue: acute respiratory distress syndrome and bronchiolitis with respiratory failure.

Mixed pyogenic and tuberculous liver abscess: clinical suspicion is what matters.

Tuberculosis (TB) is a rare cause of liver abscess, even in country like India where it is a very common infection. Moreover, tubercular liver abscess (TLA) is the most unusual pattern of hepatic tuberculosis. We report an unusual case of liver abscess in an immune-competent patient presenting only with weight loss.