Sujeet Raina

Pattern of cutaneous manifestations in diabetes mellitus

Background: Diabetes mellitus affects individuals of all ages and socioeconomic status. Skin is affected by the acute metabolic derangements as well as by chronic degenerative complications of diabetes. Aims: To evaluate the prevalence of skin manifestations in patients with diabetes mellitus. To analyze the prevalence and pattern of skin disorders among diabetic patients from this region of Western Himalayas. Materials and Methods: One hundred consecutive patients with the diagnosis of diabetes mellitus and having skin lesions, either attending the diabetic clinic or admitted in medical wards were included in this study. Results: The common skin disorders were: Xerosis (44%), diabetic dermopathy (36%), skin tags (32%), cutaneous infections (31%), and seborrheic keratosis (30%). Conclusion: Skin is involved in diabetes quite often and the manifestations are numerous. High prevalence of xerosis in our diabetic population is perhaps due to cold and dry climatic conditions in the region for most of the time in the year.

Prevalence of dementia among Kashmiri migrants

Background: Neurological diseases are common disorders resulting in the loss of productive life and disability. Dementia is becoming a major public health problem in the developing world also. Aim: To ascertain the prevalence of dementia among Kashmiri Pandit population aged 60 years and above. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted among the elderly population of the Kashmiris living in a migrant camp. We developed and used a Kashmiri version of the Mini-Mental State Examination as the test instrument, and a score below 24 was considered indicative of dementia. A functional ability questionnaire was also administered to the subjects. A neurologist carried out the examinations. Results: A sample comprising 200 subjects (95 males and 105 females) were evaluated. The prevalence of dementia is 6.5% among the Kashmiri Pandit population aged 60 years and above, which is higher than that reported from other parts of India.

Prevalence of metabolic syndrome among newly diagnosed hypertensive patients in the hills of Himachal Pradesh, India.

To study the prevalence of metabolic syndrome (MS) among newly diagnosed hypertensive patients in a tertiary care hospital in the northern hilly state of Himachal Pradesh, India, located in western Himalayas at a moderate altitude of 2200 m above mean sea level. One hundred and eighteen newly diagnosed hypertensive patients above the age of 20 years were studied in a hospital-based cross-sectional study. MS prevalence was estimated by International Diabetes Federation (IDF) criteria and modified National Cholesterol Education Program-Adult Treatment Panel III (NCEP-ATP III) criteria. Students t-test was used to compare the mean of the continuous variables. Chi-square test was used to compare discrete variables. The prevalence of MS in hypertensive patients was 68.6% (modified NCEP-ATP III) and 63.6% (IDF criteria). The most common phenotype of MS with the component of hypertension was the coexistence of waist circumference (90.1%), low high-density lipoprotein (HDL; 70.4%), and high triglycerides (67.9%) as per the modified NCEP-ATP III criteria, and low HDL (76.2%) and high triglycerides (66.4%) as per the IDF criteria. Fasting blood glucose (33.2% as per the modified NCEP-ATP III criteria and 32.6% as per the IDF criteria) was the least significant factor having an association with MS. The prevalence of MS among hypertensive patients was high and indicates the need for metabolic screening in all hypertensive patients at the first diagnosis.

Prevalence of Hypertension in a Tribal Land Locked Population at High Altitude.

Introduction. Extensive pubmed search reveals paucity of data on prevalence of hypertension in tribal population at high altitude. The data is all the more scarce from our part of India. Studies among tribal populations at high altitudes provide an interesting epidemiological window to study human evolution and adaptation to hypobaric hypoxia. Material and Methods. 401 participants above the age of 20 years were evaluated for blood pressure using a stratified simple random technique among villages located at high altitude. Results. Out of a total of 401 individuals studied 43 (males: 35; females: 8) were identified as hypertensive yielding a crude prevalence of 10.7%. The prevalence was higher in males (35/270; 12.9%) as compared to females (8/131; 6%). Prevalence was the highest in the age group of 30–39 among males (16/35; 45.7%) while it was the highest in the age group of 40–49 among females (7/8; 87%). Conclusions. Prevalence of 10.5% is noteworthy when interpreted in light of prevalence of hypertension in general population especially if hypobaric hypoxia is considered to have a protective effect on blood pressure in high altitude native populations.

Symmetrical peripheral gangrene associated with peripartum cardiomyopathy

Symmetrical peripheral gangrene (SPG) is a rare clinical entity. It was first described in late 19th century and since then has been reported with array of medical conditions mainly those complicated with shock, sepsis, and disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC). Here in, we describe a parturient with peripartum cardiomyopathy (PPCM) and SPG. Clinicians should be aware of this entity as early recognition can help in reducing morbidity and mortality.

Bleeding Ectopic Varices as the First Manifestation of Portal Hypertension

Ectopic varices are defined as dilated portosystemic collateral veins in locations other than the gastroesophageal region. We present a case of recurrent upper gastrointestinal bleeding as the first manifestation of portal hypertension. We diagnosed ectopic duodenal varices without gastroesophageal varices on upper GI endoscopy and extrahepatic portal venous obstruction (EHPVO) on CT angiography and managed this case.

Coinfections as an aetiology of acute undifferentiated febrile illness among adult patients in the sub-Himalayan region of north India

Background & objectives: In India, certain geographic regions witness simultaneous outbreaks of two or more diseases like scrub typhus, dengue fever, malaria, leptospirosis and chikungunya during monsoon and post-monsoon period, sharing common indication of acute febrile illness. The objective of the present study was to assess the prevalence of coinfections among patients with acute undifferentiated fevers (AUF) admitted in a tertiary care hospital in the northern hilly state of Himachal Pradesh, India. Methods: This was a hospital based open cohort study conducted over a period of two months (September and October) in 2016. All the patients above the age of 18 yr admitted in medical wards and fulfilling the definition of AUF were included. The patients diagnosed with dual infections were the subjects of the study. Standard guidelines were used for case definitions of scrub typhus, dengue, chikungunya, malaria and leptospirosis. Results: Dual infections were noted in 16 patients admitted with AUF. The most common coinfection was scrub typhus and dengue, reported in 10 patients. Scrub typhus and leptospirosis coinfection was observed in three patients. Dengue and chikungunya was observed in one patient. Scrub typhus, dengue and vivax malaria was detected in one patient. Scrub typhus and vivax malaria was detected in one patient. Out of the 10 cases positive for both scrub and dengue, four had no history of travel outside Himachal Pradesh. All three cases positive for both scrub and leptospirosis were indigenous without any history of travel outside Kangra, Himachal Pradesh. The outcome of all the patients was with full recovery. Interpretation & conclusion: The study established the presence of coinfections (mainly dengue fever and leptospirosis) as a cause of AUF in the study area, which is a nonendemic region. The role of easily available and widely performed serological tests in the aetiological diagnosis of AUF is significant. Studies are required to determine the normal titres in the local population before using the imported commercially available serological tests in the diagnosis of AUF.

Response to questionable usefulness of the everyday abilities scale of India to screen for dementia

Indian Journal of Psychiatry Volume 59, Issue 3, July-September 2017 396 Department of Psychiatry, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, 1Department of Psychiatry, Medical College Baroda, Vadodara, Gujarat, Departments of 2Psychiatry and 3Psychopharmacology, National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India. E-mail: swapnajit.same@gmail.com

Serum uric acid levels in hypertensive patients with and without metabolic syndrome in the hills of Himachal Pradesh, India

Introduction: The objective was to assess the prevalence of hyperuricemia among newly diagnosed hypertensive patients in a tertiary care hospital in the Northern hilly state of Himachal Pradesh, India. Materials and Methods: In all 118 newly diagnosed patients with hypertension above the age of 20 years were included. Uric acid (UA) was measured using enzymatic uricase method. Hyperuricemia was defined as serum urate level > 6.8 mg/dl. National Cholesterol Education Program-Adult Treatment Panel III criteria modified for Asian subjects, was used for defining metabolic syndrome (MS). Students t-test for mean of continuous variables and Chi-square test for proportions were used for statistical significance. Results: The mean UA level among all the hypertensive subjects was 4.7 ± 1.0 mg/dl. The mean UA of patients with MS was 5.2 ± 1.3 mg/dl while in those without MS was 4.2 ± 0.7 mg/dl. The difference in mean UA in the two groups was statistically significant (P = 0.001). The prevalence of hyperuricemia was 5%, and all the patients were postmenopausal females among the MS group. Conclusion: In this study, cross-sectional associations between hypertension, MS and hyperuricemia were observed.

Autoimmune Cholangitis: A Variant Syndrome of Autoimmune Hepatitis

Autoimmune cholangitis (AIC) or autoimmune cholangiopathy is a chronic inflammation of liver and a variant syndrome of autoimmune hepatitis (AIH). We present a case of an adult female who had biochemical features of cholestasis and transaminasemia but aminotransferases were not in the hepatitis range and had histological evidence of bile duct injury which was subsequently diagnosed as autoimmune cholangitis.