Anubhuti Singh

Renal tuberculosis presenting as acute pyelonephritis – A rarity

One of the major health problems faced particularly by the developing world since ages is that of tuberculosis (TB). Genito-urinary tuberculosis (GUTB) is the second most common extrapulmonary TB, with kidney being the most frequent site of infection. Due to the diverse and atypical clinical manifestations of urinary TB, the disease is easy to misdiagnose. The diagnosis of renal TB should be suspected in a nonspecific bacterial cystitis associated with a therapeutic failure or a sterile pyuria and a past history of pulmonary TB with important radiologic findings, particularly with the help of CT scan. Here, we describe a case of renal TB where no clinical or radiological features suggestive of renal TB were present. The diagnosis was only evident after the histopathological examination of the excised kidney. This case highlights the importance of suspecting renal TB as an important cause of kidney disease, which can lead to irreversible renal function loss particularly in an endemic area, and also the diversity that this disease may acquire in its presentation leading to misdiagnosis. In such a case, particularly in a high endemic area for TB, therapeutic trial of ATT may also be considered to avoid unnecessary surgical intervention and end-stage renal disease.

A rare presentation of disseminated tuberculosis: Prostatic abscess

Involvement of the prostate by tuberculosis (TB) occurs rarely and tuberculosis prostate abscess is an even rarer occurrence. It has been reported in immunocompromised patients, mainly human immunodeficiency virus seropositive individuals. We are reporting a case of tuberculosis prostatic abscess in an immunocompetent patient with relapse of TB.

Crizotinib in treatment of lung cancer

Lung cancer is one of the most common malignancies and is the leading cause of cancer-related mortality throughout the world. Despite advances in surgery and chemotherapy, survival is still poor. Crizotinib is an oral inhibitor of multiple kinases, including anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK), and is indicated in the treatment of patients with locally advanced or metastatic? non small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC) harboring ALK mutation as a targeted therapy. This is short drug review of crizotinib in the treatment of advanced lung cancer.

Linezolid induced pancytopenia in a patient of extensively drug-resistant pulmonary tuberculosis: An unusual outcome

Linezolid (Lnz) is the first oxazolidinones to be developed and introduced in clinical use. Its use is growing by day and day in the treatment of resistant pulmonary tuberculosis (TB). Lnz has been associated with adverse hematological effects, primarily thrombocytopenia. But pancytopenia is a very rare complication. Myelosuppression is a rare and a serious side effect of Lnz. Here, we present a case of extensively drug-resistant pulmonary TB, which was started on Lnz. Patient returned 1-month back with clinical presentation suggestive of pancytopenia which was confirmed on bone marrow aspiration and was attributed to the use of Lnz. Patient improved on stopping the Lnz and adding steroid for a short course. This case report emphasizes the importance of both the use of Lnz for well-defined indications and appropriate hematological monitoring during the course of treatment.

Correlation between clinical characteristics, spirometric indices and high resolution computed tomography findings in patients of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

Introduction: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a chronic inflammatory disease affecting the airways, leading to significant morbidity and mortality throughout the world. There is a need to have a holistic evaluation of COPD patients, other than just measuring the level of obstruction as performed by spirometry. High resolution computed tomography (HRCT) scan of thorax partly fulfills this requirement. Materials and Methods: Fifty patients of COPD (confirmed on spirometry as per the GOLD guidelines 2014 guidelines) were enrolled, out of which 35 patients got a HRCT done. Complete clinical evaluation was done. The Philips computer program for lung densitometry was used with these limits (−800/−1, 024 Hounsfield unit [HU]) to calculate densities, after validating densitometry values with phantoms. We established the area with a free hand drawing of the region of interest, then we established limits (in HUs) and the computer program calculated the attenuation as mean lung density (MLD) of the lower and upper lobes. Results: There was a significant correlation between smoking index and anteroposterior tracheal diameter (P = 0.036). Tracheal index was found to be decreasing with increasing disease severity which was statistically significant (P = 0.037). Mean upper lobe MLD was −839.27 HU, mean lower lobe MLD was −834.91 HU and the mean MLD was −837.08 HU. The lower lobes MLD were found to be decreasing with increasing disease severity. A mild linear correlation of pre forced expiratory volume in the first second (FEV1) was observed with lower lobe and total average MLD while a mild linear correlation of Post-FEV1 was observed with both coronal (P = 0.042) and sagittal (P = 0.001) lower lobes MLD. In addition, there was a linear correlation between both pre (P = 0.050) and post (P = 0.024) FEV1/forced vital capacity with sagittal lower lobe MLD. A predictive model can be derived to quantify obstruction severity (FEV1). Conclusion: HRCT may be an important additional tool in the holistic evaluation of COPD. HRCT can well be correlated with the spirometric and clinical features and the level of obstruction can be indirectly derived from it by measuring the MLD.