Sehgal index and its comparison with Mentzer's index and Green and King index in assessment of peripheral blood smear with marked anisopoikilocytosis

Background: Mild microcytic hypochromic anaemias due to iron deficiency (IDA) and beta thalassemia trait(β-TT) continue to be a cause of significant burden to the society, particularly in the poorer developing countries. The objective of the present study was to study the RBC based indices in patients of marked anisopoikilocytosis in determining the etiology of it, to standardize few automated red cell parameters, and also objective grading of RBC morphology on peripheral smear and interpreting its utility in indicating a diagnosis. Also, to establish a relation between value of RBC indices with that of degree of anisocytosis.Methods: A total of 500 patients diagnosed with mild microcytic hypochromic anaemia on complete blood count and peripheral blood film were included in the study. Hb, RBC count, MCV, MCH and RDW obtained from the electronic cell counter were used to calculate discrimination indices by various mathematical formulae. Sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), negative predictive value (NPV) and Youden’s index (YI) were calculated.Results: Green and King index demonstrated the lowest sensitivity of 70.51%. Mentzer index demonstrated the highest specificity of 96.80%. The highest and lowest PPV were found for Mentzer index (97.09%) and Sehgal index (92.81%) respectively. Sehgal’s index demonstrated the highest NPV of 95.96% and lowest NPV was exhibited by G and K (87.9%). The highest and the lowest values for Youden’s index were shown by Sehgal’s index (87.82%) and G and K index (68.47%).Conclusions: Sehgal’s index followed by Mentzer index are highly sensitive and reasonably specific in differentiating β-TT from IDA and none of the indices is 100% sensitive and specific. Though HbA2 estimation is the gold standard for diagnosing β-TT, in developing countries, Sehgal index followed by Mentzer et al, index can be used to screen mild microcytic hypochromic anaemia cases to eliminate as many false positive cases as possible to reduce the financial cost

Analysis of discard of whole blood and its components with suggested possible strategies to reduce it

Background: Advances in medical technology demand more and more provision of safe blood for effective management of patients. To tackle with the demand and supply of blood and blood components, more stringent criteria should be applied for blood donations and for proper utilization of blood. The present study was designed to analyze the various reasons for the discard of whole blood and blood components. It also intended to suggest various possible strategies for optimum utilization of blood and reduction of wastage.Methods: In this retrospective study we analyzed various causes of discard of blood and blood components from January 2013 to June 2015 (30 months) using various records available in the blood bank of Jawaharlal Nehru Medical college and Acharya Vinoba Bhave Rural Hospital, Sawangi, Wardha, Maharashtra, India.Results: A total of 14,026 blood bags were collected during the study period of 30 months, out of which 9,785 were whole blood while components were prepared from remaining blood bags. A total of 3,944 Packed Red Cells, 2,137 Platelet Concentrate and 3,944 Fresh Frozen Plasma were prepared. Average discard rate was found to be 22.45% while discard rate for Whole blood, Packed Red Cells, Platelet Concentrate and Fresh Frozen Plasma were 07.70%, 06.74%, 61.11% and 14.24% respectively.Conclusions: Platelets were the most commonly discarded blood component due to short shelf life and non utilization in time as demand cannot be predicted. In our study the main reason for discarding whole blood and Packed Red Cells was sero-positivity for various Transfusion Transmitted Infections while non utilization after issue, breakage/leakage were the main reasons for Fresh Frozen Plasma discard. The self audit of blood transfusion service provides insight into current blood transfusion practices prevalent in the hospital.

Accuracy of frozen section analysis in correlation with surgical pathology diagnosis

Background: Intra-operative consultation by frozen section is a high risk procedure with important consequences. Therefore it is critical to determine efficiency of frozen section performance periodically. This study was performed to determine accuracy of frozen section.Methods: In this prospective study, we compared the results of 100 consecutive cases of frozen section with their final permanent section diagnosis in a teaching hospital of Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College, Wardha, Maharashtra during July 2012 to June 2014.Results: A total of 100 cases were studied on frozen section while one case was deferred for permanent paraffin section (deferral rate 01%). The overall accuracy of frozen section was 96.96% with false positive and false negative rates of 1.01% and 2.02% respectively. Sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value and negative predictive value were 97.22%, 96.30%, 98.59% and 92.86% respectively. The turn-around time of 18 minutes was observed in the present study.Conclusions: The accuracy of frozen section diagnosis at our institute can be interpreted as comparable with most international quality control statistics for frozen sections. The overall error rate and deferral rates are within the range previously published studies. The results suggest specific measures should be taken to reduce the number of discrepancies.

Study of intraoperative squash cytology of intracranial and spinal cord tumors

Background: The aim was to study the cytomorphology of neoplastic lesions of brain and spinal cord by intraoperative squash cytology, compare it with the histopathological diagnosis on excision biopsy/surgical specimen and establish a correlation. The causes of erroneous diagnoses achieved at squash cytology of intracranial and spinal cord tumors were ascertained. Tumor types having the advantage of diagnostic certainty by squash cytology of intracranial and spinal cord lesions was also determined.Methods: Squash preparations of 70 patients suspected to have neoplasia were made and stained with rapid hematoxylin and eosin stain and rapid Papanicolaou stain. A few squash smears were also dry fixed and stained with Giemsa stain. The smears were typed according to the cytomorphological criteria and the cytodiagnoses was compared with the histopathological diagnoses and a correlation was established.Results: A positive predictive value for intraoperative squash cytology for diagnosis of intracranial and spinal cord tumors was seen to be 100% and a negative predictive value of 97.22% were established by this study. The sensitivity was found to be 97.22% and the specificity was 100%. Thus, the accuracy of the study was 98.57%.Conclusions: Squash smear cytology of the brain and spinal cord tumors performed intraoperatively for diagnostic consultation fulfills all the determinants of an excellent diagnostic modality.

Ultrasound guided fine needle aspiration cytology of space occupying lesions of liver

Background: The liver is a common site for primary and secondary tumors; most often from malignant tumors within the abdomen and from extra-abdominal primary malignant neoplasm, but also for sarcomas and lymphomas. The main indication of fine-needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) of the liver is diagnosis of single or multiple space occupying lesions. This study aims to evaluate the cyto-morphology of primary and secondary neoplasms of liver and non-neoplastic conditions in the smears of ultrasound guided fine needle aspiration of SOL of liver, to evaluate the cytomorphologic features and to evaluate the erroneous diagnosis when compared with cell block preparation of aspirate (tissue diagnosis).Methods: This study is hospital-based prospective study including 57 patients with space occupying lesion of the liver mass. FNAC were carried out under the guidance of sonography and/or computed tomography. The staining performed were conventional for smears of the aspirate. The cell blocks were prepared from the aspirates by the established procedures. The values of correlation were bought out.Results: Males predominated over females. The distribution of cases for cyto-diagnosis were as follows; cirrhosis with hepatic granulosa (3 cases),pyogenic abscess (3 cases), hepatic adenoma (2 cases), Focal nodular hyperplasia (2 cases), hepatoblastoma (1 case), hepatocellular carcinoma (17 cases), adenocarcinoma deposits (20 cases), deposits of small cell carcinoma (3 cases), deposits of ductal carcinoma (2 cases) and 1 case each of deposits of squamous cell carcinoma, non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, neuroendocrine tumor and adeno-squamous carcinoma. Values of correlation were as follows: sensitivity 97.61%, specificity 100%, PPV 100%, NPV 97.82% and diagnostic accuracy of 98.85%.Conclusions: FNAC is concluded to be first rank diagnostic procedure in diagnosis of SOL of liver of varied etiology with high values of NPV and PPV. It is also concluded that it helps in staging of metastatic malignancies

Bcl-2 Immunoexpression in Invasive Ductal Carcinoma and Its Evaluative Correlation with Molecular Sub-Types and BR-Grade and TNM Stage

Invasive Ductal carcinoma is the most common histological type of breast cancer. It constitutes about 80 percent of all breast cancer diagnoses. The molecular pathogenesis of breast cancer involves multiple gene types. Bcl-2 is one of them. Bcl-2, is an anti-apoptotic protein which is up regulated by oestrogen in breast cancer patients. The immunoexpression of Bcl-2 detection is being carried out by immunohistochemical methods as described in many published studies. Bcl-2 as is known acts through transcriptional induction in pathogenesis of breast cancer. The present chapter describes the role of Bcl-2 in pathogenesis, significance and its relationship with BR Grade and TNM stage. The present chapter specifically describes its observation of Bcl-2 immunoexpression and relationship with molecular subtypes of breast carcinoma

Correlation of glycosylated hemoglobin with microalbuminuria to predict renal damage in diabetic patients

Background: Regular screening of levels of glycosylated hemoglobin and microalbuminuria, diabetic nephropathy can be prevented. The aim was to assess and compare the levels of glycosylated hemoglobin, microalbuminuria and serum creatinine in type 2 diabetic patients divided in groups of those on default antidiabetic treatment compared with those on regular antidiabetic treatment and to assess its correlation in type 2 of diabetic nephropathy. Methods:Two hundred diabetic patients above 40 years of age and 200 age matched control subjects with levels of glycosylated hemoglobin < 6.5% and on regular antiglycemic therapy were selected. Fasting plasma sugar was estimated by the glucose oxidase (GOD) - glucose peroxidase (POD). Glycosylated hemoglobin and microalbuminuria level was measured by the immunoturbidimetric method and serum creatinine estimation was done by the Jaffe’s kinetic method. p value was drawn using the student’s paired t-test. Results: There is a strong correlation between the increase in the levels of glycosylated hemoglobin with the corresponding rise in the levels of microalbuminuria and serum creatinine. Conclusion: Periodic surveillance of the levels of microalbuminuria should be carried out in the type 2 diabetic patients to prevent further damage by early detection of diabetic nephropathy.

Infected Thyroglossal Duct Cyst Involving Submandibular Region: A Case Report

Thyroglossal duct cyst presents most frequently in the midline of the neck, either at or just below the level of the hyoid bone. They generally manifest as painless neck swelling, and they move on protrusion of tongue and during swallowing. A case of thyroglossal cyst was reported in the left submandibular region in a 14-year-old girl, above the level of hyoid bone; ultrasound examination favored a cystic lesion which moved in a vertical fashion on swallowing whereas fine needle aspiration cytology report was suggestive of simple cystic lesion of thyroglossal cyst. No lymphoid or malignant cells were present. The cyst was excised completely by surgical procedure under general anesthesia. Histopathological analysis revealed thyroglossal cyst showing columnar and flattened epithelium of cyst with focal aggregate of chronic inflammatory cells supported by fibrocollagenous cyst wall. The clinical, ultrasound, and histopathological findings suggested that the lesion was an infected thyroglossal cyst. There was no evidence of recurrence 6 months after surgery