Tropical sprue in megaloblastic anemia

Background: The causes of megaloblastic anemia may vary in different geographical regions. The aim of the present study is to evaluate the utilization of bone marrow examination and upper gastrointestinal endoscopy (UGIE) in megaloblastic anemia.Methods: This was a cross-sectional descriptive study done on 50 patients (age ≥15years) of macrocytic anemia after applying inclusion and exclusion criteria. A bone marrow aspiration with biopsy and an UGIE with duodenal biopsy were performed in consented patients with evidence of megaloblastic anemia in the peripheral smear or Vitamin B12 deficiency or folate deficiency or both.Results: Out of 50 cases, 38 patients had pure Vitamin B12 deficiency, 2 patients had pure folate deficiency and 5 patients had combined deficiency. Among 43 patients with vitamin B12 deficiency, only four (9.3%) were vegetarians and remaining 39 (90.7%) were having non-vegetarian diet. Bone marrow study was done in 29 patients (out of 50) and all of them were found to have megaloblastic erythropoiesis in the bone marrow. Thirty three out of 50 consented for UGIE and duodenal biopsy. Out of 33, 17 patients (51.5%) had features of tropical sprue in biopsy.Conclusions: We found a high prevalence of tropical sprue in megaloblastic anemia due to Vitamin B12 and/or folate deficiency. We recommend that UGIE with deep duodenal biopsy should be considered in all patients with megaloblastic anemia to rule out tropical sprue in India

Prevalence of metabolic syndrome in patients with premature coronary artery disease proven by coronary angiogram

Background: Metabolic syndrome (MS) is associated with premature coronary artery disease (CAD). The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of MS and its association with severity of CAD proven by coronary angiogram (CAG) in young patients.Methods: We included patients, aged 45 years or less, admitted with acute coronary syndrome (ACS), who had CAD confirmed by coronary angiography. They were divided into two groups according to the presence or absence of MS based on International Diabetes Federation (IDF) criteria. CAD was classified into single, double and triple vessel disease (TVD). The prevalence of MS and its individual parameters was calculated.Results: Among 90 young patients who presented with ACS, MS was present in 67 patients (74.44%). Among those with MS, the prevalence of each individual criterion was statistically significant in MS group (P <0.05). Prevalence of pre-existing hypertension and diabetes was significantly higher in MS group (p <0.01). Smoking, alcohol consumption and family history of CAD were not statistically significant in patients with and without MS. Fifteen out of 90 patients (14 in MS group) who presented with ACS had TVD in CAG, but this was not statistically significant (p 0.06).Conclusions: This study confirms a very high prevalence of MS in young Indian patients with premature CAD. MS was more prevalent than the conventional risk factor smoking in young CAD patients. We could not find significant difference in severity of CAD based on CAG between MS and non-MS group

Pooled analysis of WHO Surgical Safety Checklist use and mortality after emergency laparotomy

Background The World Health Organization (WHO) Surgical Safety Checklist has fostered safe practice for 10 years, yet its place in emergency surgery has not been assessed on a global scale. The aim of this study was to evaluate reported checklist use in emergency settings and examine the relationship with perioperative mortality in patients who had emergency laparotomy. Methods In two multinational cohort studies, adults undergoing emergency laparotomy were compared with those having elective gastrointestinal surgery. Relationships between reported checklist use and mortality were determined using multivariable logistic regression and bootstrapped simulation. Results Of 12 296 patients included from 76 countries, 4843 underwent emergency laparotomy. After adjusting for patient and disease factors, checklist use before emergency laparotomy was more common in countries with a high Human Development Index (HDI) (2455 of 2741, 89.6 per cent) compared with that in countries with a middle (753 of 1242, 60.6 per cent; odds ratio (OR) 0.17, 95 per cent c.i. 0.14 to 0.21, P <0001) or low (363 of 860, 422 per cent; OR 008, 007 to 010, P <0.001) HDI. Checklist use was less common in elective surgery than for emergency laparotomy in high-HDI countries (risk difference -94 (95 per cent c.i. -11.9 to -6.9) per cent; P <0001), but the relationship was reversed in low-HDI countries (+121 (+7.0 to +173) per cent; P <0001). In multivariable models, checklist use was associated with a lower 30-day perioperative mortality (OR 0.60, 0.50 to 073; P <0.001). The greatest absolute benefit was seen for emergency surgery in low- and middle-HDI countries. Conclusion Checklist use in emergency laparotomy was associated with a significantly lower perioperative mortality rate. Checklist use in low-HDI countries was half that in high-HDI countries.Peer reviewe

Global variation in anastomosis and end colostomy formation following left-sided colorectal resection

Background End colostomy rates following colorectal resection vary across institutions in high-income settings, being influenced by patient, disease, surgeon and system factors. This study aimed to assess global variation in end colostomy rates after left-sided colorectal resection. Methods This study comprised an analysis of GlobalSurg-1 and -2 international, prospective, observational cohort studies (2014, 2016), including consecutive adult patients undergoing elective or emergency left-sided colorectal resection within discrete 2-week windows. Countries were grouped into high-, middle- and low-income tertiles according to the United Nations Human Development Index (HDI). Factors associated with colostomy formation versus primary anastomosis were explored using a multilevel, multivariable logistic regression model. Results In total, 1635 patients from 242 hospitals in 57 countries undergoing left-sided colorectal resection were included: 113 (6·9 per cent) from low-HDI, 254 (15·5 per cent) from middle-HDI and 1268 (77·6 per cent) from high-HDI countries. There was a higher proportion of patients with perforated disease (57·5, 40·9 and 35·4 per cent; P < 0·001) and subsequent use of end colostomy (52·2, 24·8 and 18·9 per cent; P < 0·001) in low- compared with middle- and high-HDI settings. The association with colostomy use in low-HDI settings persisted (odds ratio (OR) 3·20, 95 per cent c.i. 1·35 to 7·57; P = 0·008) after risk adjustment for malignant disease (OR 2·34, 1·65 to 3·32; P < 0·001), emergency surgery (OR 4·08, 2·73 to 6·10; P < 0·001), time to operation at least 48 h (OR 1·99, 1·28 to 3·09; P = 0·002) and disease perforation (OR 4·00, 2·81 to 5·69; P < 0·001). Conclusion Global differences existed in the proportion of patients receiving end stomas after left-sided colorectal resection based on income, which went beyond case mix alone

Clinical Profile of Patients with Dengue: A One-year Retrospective Study at a Tertiary Care Center

Introduction: Dengue is an acute viral illness caused by the Flaviviridae RNA virus and spread by the Aedes mosquito. Being a tropical illness, knowledge of its demographic and clinical profiles and seasonal incidence can aid in the management and control of the disease. Additionally, it is important to know the relationship between thrombocytopenia, leukopenia, transaminitis, and the severity of dengue and its mortality and morbidity. It is aimed to assess the clinical profile of patients with dengue at a tertiary care center. Materials and Methods: A retrospective observational study was conducted at a tertiary care hospital located in South India. The medical records of patients admitted between January 2022 to December 2022 were reviewed. A total of 582 patients were screened, and 539 patients with a definite diagnosis of dengue were selected based on the inclusion and exclusion criteria. We obtain data on the demographic and clinical profile of dengue, seasonal variation in the incidence of dengue, degree of thrombocytopenia, transaminitis, albumin/globulin (A/G) ratio and number of days in hospital. All the analyses were performed using Microsoft Excel 2021. The continuous variables are presented as means, standard deviations, and minimum and maximum values. The categorical variables are presented as frequencies and percentages. Results: The present study included 539 participants with a mean age of 30.23±13.81 years. Most participants (80.52%) suffered from dengue without warning signs. The incidence of dengue was higher during winter (60.11%) than during the other seasons. Most participants suffering from dengue without warning signs had severe thrombocytopenia (49.35%), leukopenia (46.20%) and transaminitis severity of Grade 1 (35.44%) based on serum glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase levels and Grade 0 (39.89%) based on serum glutamic pyruvic transaminase levels. Furthermore, most of these patients had a normal A/G ratio (63.64%) and moderate morbidity (69.76%). Conclusion: Dengue without warning signs was the most common type of dengue seen. These participants had varying degrees of thrombocytopenia, leukopenia, and transaminitis, moderate morbidity, and low mortality. The present study is the first of its kind to associate the type of dengue and different hematological conditions with the morbidity and mortality of patients with dengue which helps in early identification of types of dengue and effective management

Anemia types in hypothyroid patients in a Coimbatore tertiary care hospital: A prospective observational study

Objective. Hypothyroidism is a syndrome characterized by clinical manifestations associated with thyroid hormone deficiency. The thyroid hormone plays a pivotal role in the hematopoietic system and stimulates precursors of erythropoietin gene expression. Therefore, anemia is a common clinical manifestation in hypothyroid individuals. The goal of this study was to carry out a prospective analysis of the prevalence of anemia, its types, and the etiology behind the differing anemia morphology among hypothyroid patients

Correlation of leucocyte and platelet indices in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus with microvascular complications at a tertiary care hospital in south India – A prospective cross-sectional study

Objective. The present study was directed to assess the correlation between leukocyte and platelet indices and microvascular complications in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM)

Global variation in anastomosis and end colostomy formation following left-sided colorectal resection

Background: End colostomy rates following colorectal resection vary across institutions in high-income settings, being influenced by patient, disease, surgeon and system factors. This study aimed to assess global variation in end colostomy rates after left-sided colorectal resection. Methods: This study comprised an analysis of GlobalSurg-1 and-2 international, prospective, observational cohort studies (2014, 2016), including consecutive adult patients undergoing elective or emergency left-sided colorectal resection within discrete 2-week windows. Countries were grouped into high-, middle-and low-income tertiles according to the United Nations Human Development Index (HDI). Factors associated with colostomy formation versus primary anastomosis were explored using a multilevel, multivariable logistic regression model. Results: In total, 1635 patients from 242 hospitals in 57 countries undergoing left-sided colorectal resection were included: 113 (6·9 per cent) from low-HDI, 254 (15·5 per cent) from middle-HDI and 1268 (77·6 percent) from high-HDI countries. There was a higher proportion of patients with perforated disease (57·5, 40·9 and 35·4 per cent; P &lt; 0·001) and subsequent use of end colostomy (52·2, 24·8 and 18·9 per cent; P &lt; 0·001) in low-compared with middle-and high-HDI settings. The association with colostomy use in low-HDI settings persisted (odds ratio (OR) 3·20, 95 per cent c.i. 1·35 to 7·57; P = 0·008) after risk adjustment for malignant disease (OR 2·34, 1·65 to 3·32; P &lt; 0·001), emergency surgery (OR 4·08, 2·73 to 6·10; P &lt; 0·001), time to operation at least 48 h (OR 1·99, 1·28 to 3·09; P = 0·002) and disease perforation (OR 4·00, 2·81 to 5·69; P &lt; 0·001). Conclusion: Global differences existed in the proportion of patients receiving end stomas after left-sided colorectal resection based on income, which went beyond case mix alone