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Arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy (AC) is a broad term denoting subclinical or clinical heart muscle disease which presents predominantly with serious arrhythmias. Heart muscle disease or cardiomyopathy can present as an abnormal electrocardiogram, heart failure, syncope, arrhythmias, or sudden cardiac death. Ventricular arrhythmogenesis is the hallmark of this entity. A small but significant number of athletes experiencing sudden cardiac death have AC. AC has complex and ill-understood pathophysiology. Usually, arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathies are genetic or hereditary. In these patients, muscle hypertrophy, dilatation, cardiac fat metaplasia, and fibrosis provide the anatomic substrate for arrhythmias. Hereditary cardiomyopathies are considered primary diseases of the cardiac myocytes and their intercellular junctions. Secondary diseases of the myocardium due to coronary artery disease, hypertension, valvular heart disease, etc., are excluded from this nomenclature. Channelopathies are also not included in the spectrum of AC. Initially, AC was reported as a single phenotype and labeled arrhythmogenic right ventricular dysplasia, and it was considered a desmosomal disorder. Our current knowledge about this entity has expanded to include multiple variants of this entity with diverse genetic mutations. Its genotypes and phenotypes are still evolving. As of now, distinct desmosomal, cytoskeletal, nuclear, and sarcomeric ACs have been reported. Geography-specific syndromic ACs have also been described. It is a cell-to-cell disjunction cardiomyopathy impairing the inter- and intracellular signal transduction. Gap junctions make AC unique in the sense that arrhythmias precede structural alterations or heart failure in the vast majority. There is also a distinct arrhythmogenic atrial cardiomyopathy. Diagnostic algorithms include morphofunctional, depolarization and repolarization abnormalities, distinct genetic mutations, and typical arrhythmias which serve as the basis of scoring systems devised to diagnose AC. This review discusses salient aspects of AC focusing on imaging observations.

Extraluminal migration of a drug-eluting intracoronary stent into pericardial space with or without aneurysm formation is a rare complication. It is usually symptomatic although rare asymptomatic cases have been described. Herein, we report a 49-year-old male who presented with atypical chest pain 9 years after intracoronary stent implantation in the right coronary artery and the ramus intermediate branch. Echocardiographic examination showed a 7.4 cm × 3.8 cm large oblong cystic mass along the lateral wall of the left ventricle with inward bulging of the adjacent segments. Computed tomography and invasive coronary angiography showed this mass to be a partly thrombosed giant oblong coronary aneurysm arising from the bifurcation of the left main coronary artery with extraluminal migration of the stent from the ramus branch.

Background: Left atrial (LA) volume indexing for body surface area (BSA) is the common practice. Since LA volume index is of cardiovascular pathophysiologic significance, it is suggested that indexing for other body size parameters be explored to evaluate a more appropriate alternative method. The aims of this study were to find normal and the best cutoff values for LA volume indexed for multiple body size parameters in normal Indian subjects. Methods: Data from the multicentric prospective INDEA study conducted through 2018 to 2020 was reviewed and subjects without known cardiac disease and completely normal echocardiograms that had the left atrial volume (LAV) measured by biplane Simpson's method were included. LAV was indexed by BSA (ml/m2), by height (LAV/m), by height raised to exponent 1.72 (mL/m 1.72 and 2.7 (ml/m2.7), by body weight, by ideal body weight (IBW), by ideal body surface area (IBSA) and by height squared (ml/h2). Results: A total of 1046 healthy volunteers (382 female, 38%), mean age 38 ± 10.4 years (range 30–48 years) and body mass index 23.6 kg/m2 (22–25 kg/m2) were analyzed. Mean and normal values were: LAV/BSA 18.7 + 3.15 ml/m2 (range 15–21 ml/m2), LAV/ht 26.0 ± 4.5 ml/m, (range 17–35 ml/m), LAV/ht2 16 ± 2.8 ml/m2 (range 10.4–21.6 ml/m2) and LAV/ht2.7 8.71 ± 2.2 ml/m2.7 (range 6.98–13.58 ml/m2.7). Using ROC curve analysis, LAV/h 1.72 had the highest AUC and the best predictive value to identify LA enlargement but not very different from LAV/BSA. Ideal BSA and ideal body weight as a denominator did not provide any incremental value. Conclusion: Normal values for LAV indexed for height, weight, body surface area by three different methods of height as an allometric parameter are described in normal Indian individuals. We reinforce that LA volume indexation for BSA is an acceptable and robust method in non-obese Indian subjects. Indexing for height 1.72 is probably slightly superior method to evaluate LAV.

A 68-year-old male developed cardiac tamponade secondary to coronary artery perforation following percutaneous coronary artery intervention. He underwent thoracotomy to seal the perforation of the acute marginal branch of the right coronary artery. Following sealing of perforation with application of cyanoacrylate to the right atrioventricular groove, the patient remained stable with minimal pericardial effusion for 1 month and later developed a large (6 cm × 5 cm) intrapericardial hematoma compressing the right ventricular inflow with intermittent fever. The patient declined repeat surgery and showed some regression of hematoma and a decrease in trans-tricuspid pressure gradients with colchicine after 1 month. The case is reported for its rarity with a review of literature.

Isolated congenital aneurysm-like deformity of the muscular interventricular septum is rare and may be associated with other congenital heart defects, ventricular dysfunction, conduction disturbances, and chromosomal abnormalities. It may be a partial or near-total defect. We report a tunnel-like congenital anomaly of the mid-muscular ventricular septum without other congenital anomalies or conduction disturbance in a 17-year-old asymptomatic girl. The partial ventricular septal defect was lined on the outer side by the right ventricular endocardium and showed partial obliteration during systole.

Vildagliptin, a dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP-4) inhibitor is effective in reducing HbA1c levels in patients with type 2 diabetes (T2DM) when administered as monotherapy, dual or triple combination therapy. In India, Vildagliptin is commonly prescribed in T2DM patients because it reduces mean amplitude of glycemic excursion (MAGE), has lower risk of hypoglycemia and is weight neutral. Early combination therapy with vildagliptin and metformin is effective and well-tolerated in patients with T2DM, regardless of age or ethnicity. In view of already existing data on vildagliptin and the latest emerging clinical evidence, a group of endocrinologists, diabetologists and cardiologists convened for an expert group meeting to discuss the role and various combinations of vildagliptin in T2DM management. This practical document aims to guide Physicians and Specialists regarding the different available strengths and formulations of vildagliptin for the initiation and intensification of T2DM therapy.

A neonate with type 1a tricuspid valve atresia with quadrivalvular involvement is described. There were other associated abnormalities as well. Such a combination is extremely unusual and is being reported here for its uniqueness.

Abstract The current recommendations by Indian experts who are focused on the challenges in the management of patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) in rural areas, due to limited catheterization (CATH) lab facilities and interventional cardiologist coverage across the country, are described. 120 cardiologist experts drafted recommendations during ten advisory board meetings conducted from April to May 2022. Experts framed statements based on experience, collective clinical judgment from practical experience, and available scientific evidence regarding ACS. The consensus positioned fondaparinux as highly useful in non-CATH-lab-based hospitals for patients diagnosed with non-ST elevation acute coronary syndrome (NSTE-ACS) and ST elevation acute coronary syndrome (STE-ACS) patients who cannot be shifted to percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI)-capable centres, or for patients who are thrombolysed at peripheral centres.

Heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) is a heterogeneous clinical syndrome of effort intolerance based on structural and functional abnormalities of the cardiovascular system (CVS). Its prevalence is increasing progressively in comparison to that of heart failure with reduced ejection fraction due to aging, obesity, metabolic stress, and hypertension. Multiple domains of the CVS and peripheral organs have reduced reserve capacity and increased stiffness in patients with HFpEF. This high-gain CVS exhibits increased filling pressures and reduced filling volumes under stress despite the left ventricular ejection fraction, commonly estimated parameter of contractile performance, being normal, i.e., >50%. The cost of increasing cardiac output in terms of left ventricular filling pressures is increased and their relationship shows an upward and more left-directed slope due to reduced ventricular and arterial compliance. At the tissue level, there is myocytic hypertrophy and increased extracellular matrix with capillary rarefaction. There are many phenogroups of HFpEF based on the heart's ability to secrete natriuretic peptides, degree of dysmetabolism, age, renal function, body fat, rhythm, underlying etiology, and subclinical systolic dysfunction. The left ventricle may be pressure-loaded, volume-loaded, or have equipoise with regard to remodeling. Myocardial performance estimated by parameters other than those based on distance or volume displacement may be abnormal in more than half of the patients underlying the presence of subtle systolic dysfunction. This review looks at myocardial performance and characteristics in HFpEF by deformation imaging using acoustic speckle tracking and its diagnostic and prognostic significance. Research points toward the utility of global longitudinal strain in early detection, biological characterization, and risk stratification of HFpEF. Echocardiographic speckle-tracking-based longitudinal strain analysis represents a method of relatively high value and for sensitive phenotyping of HFpEF which is yet to be utilized optimally. Other dimensions of strain, although extensively studied in HFpEF, do not add much value. The focus is on systolic deformation since there is limited utility of diastolic strain and its rate.

A 27-year-old male was admitted with dyspnea of sudden onset and was initially diagnosed to have acute pulmonary embolism, bilateral pleural effusion, and mild pericardial effusion. Detailed echocardiographic examination revealed echocardiographic features of constrictive pericarditis (CP), marked spontaneous contrast in inferior vena cava, and a right atrial thrombus. The patient had bilateral lung consolidation and pleural effusion presumably of tubercular origin. Intracardiac thrombi are rare in patients with CP and may impact prognosis and management strategy.

This report describes a 68-year-old female who, immediately after the primary percutaneous coronary intervention of the left anterior descending artery for acute anterior myocardial infarction, developed an apical aneurysm and a “neo-chamber” within the left ventricular cavity separated from the main cavity by a linear thick hyperechoic free-floating fenestrated membrane. This was an excoriated but perforated subendocardial spiral myocardial layer separated from the subepicardial layer due to ischemia and infarction. Multiple orifices on the inner surface were observed, possibly due to patchy necrosis. In addition, there was a large remote intramyocardial hematoma in the inferolateral wall of indeterminate pathogenesis.

A 21-year-old girl presented with an episode of ventricular tachycardia in September 1991. She was found to have a large (8 cm × 5 cm) mass in the right ventricle and was operated. The mass was full of thrombi and fresh blood that was evacuated. She remained asymptomatic till May 2022, when she presented with another episode of ventricular tachycardia. She also had a history of effort angina of 2 months' duration. Multimodality imaging evaluation revealed a large calcific cystic mass in the right ventricular free wall with an unruptured aneurysm of the right sinus of Valsalva, a markedly distorted right ventricular cavity, and the Brugada pattern of electrocardiogram. The case is reported for its rarity, long follow-up, and strikingly high-quality images.

PURPOSE: There is a lack of studies evaluating the antimicrobial effect of riboflavin and ultraviolet-A (UVA) radiation using an epithelium-off cross-linking technique (Dresden protocol) in the literature. This study aimed to demonstrate the antimicrobial properties of riboflavin and UVA radiation and combined riboflavin/UVA radiation on various ocular pathogens Dresden protocol. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This was a prospective and comparative study. This study included four groups: Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Candida albicans, and Acanthamoeba. All the groups were tested 12 different times with riboflavin alone, UVA light alone, and combined riboflavin with UVA. The growth inhibition zones were measured. Descriptive statistics were expressed as mean and standard deviation. The main outcome was measurement and analysis of growth inhibition zones. RESULTS: The mean growth inhibition zones following riboflavin and UVA exposure were 9.70 ± 1.63 mm for P. aeruginosa and 7.70 ± 1.08 mm for S. aureus. The mean growth inhibition zones for P. aeruginosa were greater than for S. aureus (t = 2.395, P = 0.038). The mean growth inhibition zones for C. albicans and Acanthamoeba were 0. The mean growth inhibition zones following UVA exposure alone and riboflavin alone for all organisms were also 0. CONCLUSION: Combined riboflavin and UVA in the clinical dose was effective against P. aeruginosa and S. aureus but ineffective against C. albicans and Acanthamoeba. Our study shows the potential of combined riboflavin and UVA in the treatment of bacterial keratitis.

Objective Dermatophytoses, one of the most ancient diseases, is becoming a menace in recent times. This has made the knowledge of antifungal susceptibility a priority in today's times. Material and Methods This is a prospective study conducted over 18 months including all dermatophytes isolated during the period. Dermatophytes were identified by routine phenotypic methods. Antifungal susceptibility testing was performed for griseofulvin, terbinafine, and itraconazole as per the Clinical Laboratory Standard Institute M38 A2, and minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) were read after 5 days. Results Patient details and associated risk factors were recorded. Fixed dose combinations with steroids were associated with 79.3% (46 out of 58) of patients with dermatophytosis of skin. Among the 72 dermatophytes isolated during the study period, 58 (80.5%) were isolated from skin scrapings and 14 (19.4%) from nail samples. Tinea corporis with cruris was the most common presentation. The most common dermatophyte isolated from skin scrapings was Trichophyton mentagrophytes complex (70.6%, 41 out of 58), while from nail samples it was Trichophyton rubrum complex (78.57%, 11 out of 14). Based on the MIC50 and MIC90 results, itraconazole showed the lowest MICs, followed by terbinafine and then griseofulvin. Conclusion With the changing epidemiology of species distribution and antifungal resistance, there is a need for continuous surveillance of these parameters of dermatophytes.

Transthyretin cardiac amyloidosis (ATTR-CM) is a rare and under-recognized disorder characterized by the aggregation of transthyretin-derived insoluble amyloid fibrils in the myocardium. Heterogeneity of symptoms at presentation, makes its diagnosis often delayed. An expert panel gathered on a virtual platform across India to conduct a meeting for developing a guiding tool for ATTR-CM diagnosis. The panel recommended younger age (≥40 years) for suspecting ATTR-CM and thick-walled non-dilated hypokinetic ventricle was considered as one of the important red flags. Electrocardiogram (ECG) and echocardiography (ECHO) findings were recommended as primary tests to raise the suspicion while nuclear scintigraphy and hematological tests were recommended to confirm the diagnosis and rule out amyloid light-chain (AL) amyloidosis. Cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) and biopsy were recommended in case of ambiguity in the presence of red flags. Considering the lack of expert guidelines in the Indian scenario, a standardized diagnostic algorithm was also proposed.

Right ventricular myocardial infarction (RVMI) occurs in up to half of the patients of inferior wall myocardial infarction. RVMI results in edema and increased right ventricular (RV) mass, and hence, it should be possible to visualize microvascular obstruction as a manifestation of reperfusion injury. Reperfusion injury of the RV myocardium following primary percutaneous coronary intervention has been rarely reported. This report describes a patient with the left ventricular inferior and RVMI who showed echocardiographically detected reperfusion injury of the RV-free wall and left ventricular basal inferolateral wall and conformed by myocardial contrast perfusion study despite successful percutaneous revascularization of the right coronary artery.

This case report describes a 69-year-old male who presented with acute anterior myocardial infarction and was detected to have a hyperdominant right coronary artery (RCA) with a large posterior descending branch coursing from the posterior interventricular groove into the apical part of the anterior interventricular space and posterior left ventricular branch coursing in the left atrioventricular groove and supplying the entire free wall. Primary percutaneous intervention of the proximally occluded posterior descending artery resulted in resolution of ST-segment elevation in anterior and inferior leads and also revealed the large vascular territory of the RCA. The occurrence of superdominant RCA and intact left circumflex artery presenting with acute anterior wall myocardial infarction has not been described earlier. Precise morphological and physiological knowledge and evaluation of such a variation assists in opting for the best available therapeutic modality and prognosis.

A 63-year-old female with hypertension, evaluated for atypical chest pain and continuous precordial murmur, was found to have an insignificant stenosis in the proximal right coronary artery with a large tortuous fistula originating from the right sinus of Valsalva to the coronary sinus draining into the right atrium with an unusual course parallel to but distinct from the right coronary artery. Multidetector computed tomographic coronary angiography and cardiac catheterization confirmed the diagnosis. Such an anomaly has not been reported earlier.

A 26-year-old female patient who had surgical closure of the ventricular septal defect with an autologous pericardial patch and mitral valve repair for the cleft mitral valve in early childhood at age 4 and then subsequently mitral valve replacement with a bioprosthetic valve in 2011 at the age of 16 years, was found to have a large cystic mass protruding into the right ventricular inflow on echocardiography during a late routine examination in 2012. The cystic mass identified on echocardiography was shown to be an aneurysmal dilatation of the autologous pericardial patch used for the repair of the ventricular septal defect. As the third corrective surgery would have been inherently complicated with risk to the conduction system, she has been followed conservatively for the last 10 years without any significant complaints except mild dyspnea. This case illustrates that the pericardial patch aneurysm is relatively stable and surgery is rarely indicated unless the aneurysm causes mechanical compression or obstruction of the right ventricular inflow or outflow.

This report describes a 62-year-old postmenopausal female patient who presented with cardiogenic shock, wide QRS complete heart block (CHB), left ventricular apical ballooning with severe systolic dysfunction, and normal coronary angiogram. She underwent permanent pacemaker implantation and showed a disappearance of apical dyskinesis and significant improvement in left ventricular function over the next 1 week. CHB was persistent at follow-up. Relevant literature with regard to this unique combination is discussed.

Genetically determined deficiency of connective tissue predisposes to the prolapsed mitral valve and an abnormal fibrous annulus including mitral annulus disjunction and dehiscence of aortomitral annular fibrosa. In a more severe phenotype, there may be abnormal aortic tissue, leading to annuloaortic ectasia. This report describes a 2-year-old male child who presented with failure to thrive and was found to have Barlow's syndrome with bileaflet mitral valve prolapse and mitral annulus disjunction, annuloaortic ectasia, and a pseudoaneurysm of interannular fibrosa. The case is reported for its interesting unifying linkage among various defects.

Treatment of latent pulmonary tuberculosis (TB) in the household contacts of TB has been included in the National Tuberculosis Elimination Program (NTEP) to achieve the target of TB elimination of Govt of India by 2025. However, there are no clear estimates of the prevalence of latent TB among the contacts that could suggest the impact of this intervention. The study was conducted to find the prevalence of and factors predicting latent TB among household contacts of pulmonary TB. All microbiological confirmed pulmonary TB patients registered between January 2020 to July 2021 and their household contacts were enrolled. All contacts underwent Mantoux testing to find the prevalence of latent TB. All symptomatic patients also underwent CXR and sputum examination to diagnose active pulmonary TB. Thereafter different demographic and clinical factors were evaluated to find predictors of latent TB using logistic regression model. A total of 118 pulmonary TB cases and their 330 household contacts were enrolled. The prevalence of latent TB and active TB among the contacts was found to be 26.36% and 3.03% respectively. The female gender of index TB cases was independently associated with a high proportion of latent TB cases in the family. (aOR-2.32; 95%CI-1.07-5.05; p=0.03). Neither the higher sputum smear positivity nor the severity of chest radiograph of index TB cases had any association with the number of contacts being diagnosed as latent TB or active TB. The results showed a significant prevalence of latent TB among household contacts with pulmonary TB. The severity of the disease in the index patient had no association with the prevalence of latent TB.

Degraded salt-affected lands are reported to occupy 1257 million hectares worldwide, representing about 8.5% of land area in 118 countries along with a large area lying barren in arid and semi-arid regions due to lack of good-quality water for irrigation because of saline underground aquifers. Several long-term field experiments carried out in different countries have shown that combining salt-tolerant multipurpose trees with forage grasses, arable and under-explored crops (including aromatic and medicinal plants) using suitable technologies can contribute to a significant improvement in agricultural production without applying costly amendments in sodic lands and sub-surface drainage systems in saline-waterlogged soils. The objective of this review is to discuss salinity constraints to crop production, technological interventions for the tree–based systems, and site-specific systems for enhancing productivity and ecosystem services. Salt-tolerant multi-purpose trees, grasses, high-value halophytes, and commercial crops provide numerous provisioning services including food, fodder, fuelwood, bio-energy, cash crops, and medicinal plants. Bioamelioration of sodic soils, diversity of AM fungi, nutrient cycling, variable litter decomposition rates, and carbon sequestration contribute to enhanced regulatory services. The AM fungal association with fertiliser trees like Prosopis cineraria, and salt-tolerant grasses of sodic soils enhances nutrient cycling. The soil microbial biomass carbon and soil enzyme activities serve as a good indicator of the bio-amelioration of salty lands. Carbon (C) sequestration rates in trees and mallees in South Australia are reported to be 1.73–3.8 ​Mg ​C ha−1 yr−1; C stock in soil (6.839–27.09 ​Mg ​C ha−1) and soil micro-aggregates increased in tree-based systems in north-west India. Soil inorganic C formed 50–78% of total soil C stock in the traditional agroforestry systems in arid regions. The inorganic C stock in semi-reclaimed sodic soil was 157.3 ​Mg ​C ha−1 in a 25-year-old Grevillea robusta plantation.

Myocardial reperfusion injury is defined as the death of cardiomyocytes as a direct result of one or more events initiated by reperfusion. These events could be inflammation, oxidative stress, calcium overload, neurohumoral activation, cytotoxicity of anaerobic metabolites, etc. Intramyocardial hemorrhage as a consequence of ischemia–reperfusion injury during acute myocardial infarction and subsequently is frequent and portends worse prognosis. Animal studies have demonstrated that intramyocardial hemorrhage does not occur with ST-elevation myocardial infarction unless myocardium is reperfused with blood. Magnetic resonance imaging is the technique of choice for its detection but has limited availability in emergencies and is expensive. Echocardiography can be used for indirect myocardial tissue characterization. Echocardiography coupled with myocardial contrast imaging is increasingly being used for detecting hemorrhage in infarcted segments. In the presence of wall motion abnormality, increased segmental echogenicity, significantly increased wall thickness underlying hypermobile endocardium, and neocavitations within the myocardium are the characteristic features. Occasionally, extensive wall splitting and formation of pseudotumor due to large hematoma are the striking features of intramyocardial hemorrhage. Intramyocardial hemorrhage in acute myocardial infarction can occur during early phase, following reperfusion and during remodeling process. There is no definite echocardiographic imaging method to assess reperfusion hemorrhage in vivo, but signal-void cavity-like or cystic appearance within the myocardium in the setting of myocardial infarction is highly suggestive. Detecting hypointense area of hemorrhage could be complicated by low-intensity echoes emanating from the normal myocardium. Echocardiography should be performed in every patient before and after reperfusion therapy and serially till discharge. There are no studies comparing the diagnostic yield of echocardiography compared to magnetic resonance imaging. Those with obvious myocardial hematoma need special attention with regard to antiremodeling agents, dual antiplatelet therapy, and possibly surgery. A majority of patients with significant intramural hemorrhage end up having reduced left ventricular function, adverse remodeling, true or pseudo-aneurysms, and even heart failure although spontaneous resorption has also been reported.

Background: Considering the diverse socio-economic and demographic factors in a vast country like India, it is important to study the long-term trends of hepatitis A (HAV) and hepatitis E (HEV) viruses. This study describes their seroprevalence and long-term trends in a tertiary care center of North India. Methods: The present retrospective observational study was conducted over a period of 8 years (January 2011–December 2018). Serological testing was done for detecting IgM antibodies against HAV and HEV using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Results: A total of 5319 samples were received during the study period, of which 903 (16.9%) were reactive for anti-HAV IgM antibodies and 795 (14.9%) were reactive for anti-HEV IgM antibodies. Majority of the cases occurred from June to October while HEV cases had a constant presence during the later years. Among HAV group, 534 (59.1%) were children, 336 (37.2%) were adults, and 33 (3.7%) were pregnant females. In HEV group, 632 (79.5%) were adults, 114 (14.3%) were pregnant females, whereas only 49 (6.2%) were children. Among those who were co-infected (n = 87), 48 (55.2%) were adults, 22 (25.3%) were pregnant females, and the rest 17 (19.5%) were children. Conclusions: The shift in seroprevalence toward adults, along with an increasing trend of the number of cases reporting to the hospital, warrants active surveillance of HAV. Similarly, screening protocols for HEV should be set up as part of the antenatal management for early detection of the cases among pregnant females.

Abstract Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are common chronic diseases. These two noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) are prevalent among approximately 10% of the general population. Approximately 1% of the population is affected by the co‐existence of both conditions, known as the overlap syndrome (OS). OS patients suffer from greater degrees of nocturnal oxygen desaturation and cardiovascular consequences than those with either condition in isolation. Besides OS, patients with COPD may suffer from a spectrum of sleep‐related breathing disorders, including hypoventilation and central sleep apnea. The article provides an overview of the pathogenesis, associated risk factors, prevalence, and management of sleep‐related breathing disorders in COPD. It examines respiratory changes during sleep caused by COPD and OSA. It elaborates upon the factors that link the two conditions together to lead to OS. It also discusses the clinical evaluation and diagnosis of these patients. Subsequently, it reviews the pathophysiological basis and the current evidence for three potential therapies: positive airway pressure therapy [including continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) and bilevel positive airway pressure], oxygen therapy, and pharmacological therapy. It also proposes a phenotypic approach toward the diagnosis and treatment of OS and the entire spectrum of sleep‐related breathing disorders in COPD. It concludes with the current evidence gaps and future areas of research in the management of OS.

Introduction With an increase in the number of total joint arthroplasties, the count of prosthetic joint infections (PJIs) is also increasing and has become a nightmare for an orthopaedic surgeon. Microbiological diagnosis is important for administering definitive antimicrobial treatment. Negative culture reports hamper patient management and prolonged incubation periods have increased the culture yield but at the risk of culture contamination in conventional microbiology settings. Thus, we aimed to optimize the best incubation time for culture and the aerobic bacterial profile of PJIs. Material and Methods Over a year, samples from clinically suspected PJI patients were collected and processed for culture using standard techniques. The samples were incubated for up to 10 days with daily subculturing on to solid media. The bacterial isolates were identified and antibiotic susceptibility was performed. Results Out of 200 patients, 105 were included in the study and samples were collected in triplicate. In 70 cases culture was positive and 35 were culture negative PJIs. Mean incubation days to culture positivity was 3.6 days with 97.14% culture positivity seen by the seventh day of incubation. Twenty-four percent methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, and more than 50% extended spectrum β lactamase producing Klebsiella pneumoniae and Escherichia coli were isolated. Discussion Culture positivity in PJIs provides definitive evidence of infection and guides the treatment. Increasing the incubation times can help in maximizing the culture yield, and we found that 97.14% pathogens grew within 7 days of incubation. Prolonging it further would not provide an added advantage especially in a resource-constraint setting.

Ebstein anomaly of the tricuspid valve is characterized by apical displacement of septal and posterior leaflets of the tricuspid valve leading to the atrialization of right ventricular cavity and severe low-pressure tricuspid regurgitation. Cor triatriatum dexter is a rare congenital cardiac anomaly in which a membranous structure divides the right atrium into two chambers. This combination is rare and very few cases have been described in the literature. We herein report an asymptomatic young female who was incidentally detected to have these anomalies with intact atrial septum. Echocardiographic examination showed tri-chambered right atrium consisting of atrialized right ventricle, anterior right atrial chamber, and the posterior right atrial sinus portion.

Objective An ambulance is a medically equipped vehicle which is used in case of any medical emergency for the transport of patients to treatment facilities. The ambulances help in the transportation of thousands of patients per year, and such patients may carry infectious microorganisms which pose a major threat to the treatment of such patients. In this study, we analyzed the extent of bacterial contamination in our ambulance vehicles and measured the degree of antimicrobial resistance among isolated pathogens. Material and Method This study included five ambulances of our tertiary care hospital and different random sites were swabbed in each vehicle. These were selected based on their well-known high frequency of contact by emergency personnel and patients. Swabs were inserted into sterile test tubes containing normal saline and immediately transferred to our microbiology laboratory to identify bacterial contaminants utilizing standard microbiological procedures. Result A total of 198 swab samples were collected from all the five ambulances, out of which 170 (85.8%) swabs were sterile and 28 (14.2%) swabs yielded potentially pathogenic bacterial isolates. The highest contamination rate with pathogenic bacteria was detected in the oxygen flow meter knob (60%), suction machine tubing (60%), and stethoscope (40%). Staphylococcus aureus (32%) was the most frequently detected microorganism. Conclusion Our study showed low prevalence of bacterial contamination in ambulances because of good infection control policy of our hospital, however, some areas still need improvement and require proper standard operating procedures of disinfection policies of these emergency vehicles.

Background and Purpose: Trichosporon species are ubiquitous in nature which are associated with fatal opportunistic invasive infections, especially in immunocompromised patients. The present study aimed to evaluate the epidemiological and clinical details, as well as the antifungal susceptibility pattern of the patients with Trichosporon infections. Materials and Methods: In total, 50 clinical isolates of Trichosporon species from various samples were included in this study. The samples were isolated over a period of 18 months from patients in a tertiary hospital in North India. The isolates were characterised phenotypically with Vitek MS (bioMérieux, France). Trichosporon spp. were isolated from urine (30%), nail (30%), tissue (16%), pleural fluid (14%), and sputum (5%). In total, majority of the isolates were of Trichosporon asahii (92%),followed by Trichosporon mucoides (6%), and Trichosporon ovoides (2%). It is noteworthy that most of the reported cases were from intensive care unit (34%). Results: Intravenous catheters, antibiotics, and antifungal uptake were significantly associated risk factors with Trichosporon infection. All invasive isolates were observed to be resistant in vitro to caspofungin and exhibited high minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values against amphotericin B, fluconazole, and 5-flucytosine. The MICs for voriconazole and posaconazole were low. Conclusion: Trichosporonosis is being increasingly reported all around the world, including India. The results of this study highlighted the importance of early detection and treatment for this emerging yeast and also added to the ongoing surveillance for the antifungal susuceptibility pattern for this fungus.

Endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial needle aspiration (EBUS-TBNA) is commonly recommended for the diagnosis of mediastinal lymphadenopathy with malignant and nonmalignant etiology. EBUS-TBNA has been preferred over mediastinoscopy because of several advantages such as comparable diagnostic accuracy, safety, cost-effectiveness, and less invasiveness. Hemorrhage, mediastinitis, pneumonia, mediastinal abscess, empyema, lung abscess, pericarditis, and pneumothorax have been reported as major complications of EBUS-TBNA. Equipment malfunction has been observed mostly in the form of breakage of EBUS scope parts such as working channel, optical fibers, and ultrasound probe. Needle malfunction either involving assembly leading to inability to retract the needle within the sheath or accidental breakage of the needle tip has also been reported but the evidence is still limited. We encountered an accidental breakage of needle tip while performing EBUS-TBNA procedure in a 58-year-old male having subcarinal lymphadenopathy suspected to have lung cancer. We were able to successfully retrieve the broken fragment bronchoscopically without any complications.

Introduction Typhoid fever, caused by Salmonella typhi and paratyphi, is a generalized infection with case fatality of about 10%. The symptoms may be severe, with life threatening sequelae of infection in a proportion of cases. Antimicrobial agents are the mainstay of therapy in enteric fever so as to prevent the complications associated with severe illness and mortality in the patients. Fluoroquinolones (e.g., ciprofloxacin) are very effective against completely susceptible Salmonella bacteria. However, their efficacy is doubtful once any resistance is detected. Pefloxacin testing has ultimately helped in the accurate identification of quinolone susceptibility for a better therapeutic success rate. In the present study we have tried to evaluate the quinolone susceptibility in Salmonella isolates based on minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) determination. Materials and Methods The method used in the study is quinolone susceptibility in Salmonella isolates based on MIC determination. Salmonella isolates show intermediate susceptibility to ciprofloxacin using disk diffusion. Both ciprofloxacin and pefloxacin MIC evaluation has been done to corroborate the results with pefloxacin disk diffusion testing. Results There was a positive correlation between the susceptibility to ciprofloxacin and pefloxacin. However, the isolates with intermediate susceptibility had variations in terms of susceptibility to pefloxacin. MIC values for pefloxacin and our findings suggested that pefloxacin susceptible on disk diffusion as per Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute guidelines showed lower values for MIC using Pefloxacin HICOMB test and pefloxacin resistant isolates showed higher MIC values.

Abstract Background The effectiveness of amlodipine has been reported in clinical trials in India. However, real-world data on the effectiveness of amlodipine in India is limited. Objective To provide real-world evidence regarding the effectiveness of amlodipine as monotherapy or in combination with other antihypertensive drugs (AHDs) in Indian patients with essential hypertension. Methods Electronic medical record data of adult patients who were diagnosed with essential hypertension (≥ 140/90 mmHg) and were prescribed amlodipine as monotherapy or add-on therapy were retrospectively analyzed. Patients were classified based on the number of AHD classes prescribed on initiation of amlodipine. Change in systolic (SBP) and diastolic (DBP) blood pressure from baseline was the primary endpoint. Evaluation of proportion of patients who achieved treatment goals as per 2018 European Society of Cardiology/European Society of Hypertension guidelines was the secondary endpoint. Readings were obtained before initiating amlodipine and after at least a month of therapy with amlodipine. Results Among the 462 included patients, the majority (90.7%) were on amlodipine monotherapy or amlodipine + 1AHD. Mean (95% confidence interval [CI]) change in the amlodipine monotherapy group was: SBP (− 12.1 [− 14.9, − 9.3] mmHg) and DBP (− 7.5 [− 8.9, − 6.1] mmHg) and mean (95% CI) change in the amlodipine + 1AHD group was: SBP (− 17.8 [− 21.0, − 14.6] mmHg) and DBP (− 9.5 [− 11.0, − 8.0] mmHg) (P

Objectives Healthy vaginal microbiota is mainly dominated by Lactobacillus species namely L. crispatus, L. gasseri, L. jensenii, and L. iners. Lactobacilli are thought to play an important role in the prevention of urogenital infections, and Lactobacillus probiotics to restore and/or maintain vaginal health has been advocated. These can interfere with the adherence, growth, and colonization by uropathogenic bacteria, thus reducing the risk of urinary tract infection (UTI). This study aims to isolate and evaluate the susceptibility of healthy vaginal and probiotic Lactobacillus spp. to urinary antibiotics. Materials and methods A total of 50 premenopausal, nonmenstruating women with no symptoms of vaginal infection or UTI or antimicrobial use in the past 2 weeks were enrolled. Two high vaginal swabs were collected for Nugent’s scoring and anaerobic culture. Colonies yielding gram-positive rods were confirmed by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS). Lactobacillus strains in a vaginal probiotic tablet were also isolated, and the sensitivity of both sets to urinary antibiotics was determined. Results A total of 29 Lactobacillus spp. were isolated, including L. crispatus (15), L. gasseri (5), L. vaginalis (4), L. paracasei (2), L. curvatus (1), L. fermentum (1), and L. paraplantarum (1). All strains were susceptible to nitrofurantoin and resistant to norfloxacin, gentamicin, and cotrimoxazole (except L. paracasei). The probiotic strains were pan-sensitive. Conclusions Prophylactic antibiotics are capable of eliminating the normal vaginal inhabitants, which may increase the probability of UTI. The administration of vaginal probiotics as an alternate or multidrug therapy can restore vaginal microbiota and help prevent recurrent UTI.

A 69-year-old male with a long-standing diagnosis of interstitial lung disease and on domiciliary oxygen therapy was evaluated by echocardiography. His supine oxygen saturation ranged between 77% and 86% and upright oxygen saturation was 93%–94%. Two-dimensional transthoracic echocardiography showed a secundum atrial septal defect of 15 mm diameter with left-to-right shunting but without dilatation of right-sided chambers. Air bubble contrast echocardiography showed no air bubbles crossing the atrial septum but bubbles appeared in left-sided chambers through pulmonary veins after five cardiac cycles indicating intra-pulmonary shunting. Computed tomography of the chest demonstrated a mosaic pattern of the lung parenchyma, characterized by the presence of alternating geographic areas of low attenuation with regions of relatively increased attenuation typical of diffuse pulmonary arteriovenous fistulae. This is a rare case of reverse platypnea-orthodexia with possible contribution of two different pathophysiologic mechanisms but precise mechanism remains elusive.

Portable sleep monitoring (PSM) is a promising alternative diagnostic tool for Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) especially in high burden resource limited settings. We aimed to determine the diagnostic accuracy and feasibility of PSM device-based studies in patients presenting for evaluation of OSA at a tertiary care hospital in North-India. PSM studies (using a Type-III PSM device) were compared for technical reliability and diagnostic accuracy with the standard laboratory-based Type-I polysomnography (PSG). Patients were also interviewed about their experience on undergoing an unsupervised PSM studies. Fifty patients (68% males) were enrolled in the study, of which only 30% patients expressed their concerns about undergoing unsupervised PSM studies which included safety issues, ease of use, diagnostic accuracy, etc. Technical acceptability criteria were easily met by the PSM studies with signal loss in 12% studies (complete data loss and inaccessible data in 6% studies), warranting repetition sleep studies in four patients. The overall sensitivity of PSM device (AHI ≥5) was 93.5% (area under curve; AUC: 0.87). The diagnostic accuracy was 68.5%, 80%, and 91.4% for mild, moderate, and severe cases of OSA, respectively. An overall strong correlation was observed between PSM-AHI (apnoea-hypopnoea index) and PSG (r>0.85, p≤0.001), especially in severe OSA. The observed sensitivity was >90% for AHI>20 (clinically significant OSA), with high specificity of 91% for severe OSA (AUC: 0.94, 0.97 for AHI>20, AHI>30 respectively). The overall Bland-Altman concordance analysis also demonstrated only a small dispersion for PSM studies with a Cronbach’s coefficient of 0.95. Therefore, there is good diagnostic accuracy as well as feasibility of home-based portable sleep studies in Indian patients. It can be promoted for widespread use in high burden countries like India for diagnosing and managing appropriately selected stable patients with high clinical probability of OSA, especially during the ongoing crises of COVID-19 pandemic.

Objectives: The clinical profile, molecular characteristics and antifungal susceptibility patterns of the Mucoraceous mould, Syncephalastrum spp are poorly characterized. The present study provides a comprehensive overview of these aspects of this rare fungus. Methods: We characterized 8 clinical isolates of Syncephalestrum spp by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight (MALDI-TOF), 28S rDNA sequencing, Amplified Fragment Length Polymorphism (AFLP, n = 7) and in-vitro antifungal susceptibility testing. Clinical details of these eight cases were reviewed with all cases of Syncephalestrum infections reported in the literature till August 2020. Results: S. racemosum (n = 4) and S. monosporum (n = 4) were identified by MALDI-TOF, sequencing and AFLP also clearly differentiated the two. All isolates were uniformly susceptible to amphotericin B and terbinafine. Analysis of clinical details in our eight patients with 43 more cases reported in the literature revealed that most of the reports were (78.4%) from India and cutaneous mucormycosis was the most common (37.3%) presentation followed by rhino-orbito-cerebral (23.5%) and pulmonary(17.6%) infection. Association of trauma with skin infection (p:0.042); immunosuppression/steroid use (p:0.005) and neutropenia (p:0.000) with pulmonary infection was seen. Conclusion: S. racemosum, S. monosporum give rise to human infections. The improved database of MALDI-TOF could distinguish the two species. Such rare and emerging infections merit careful consideration and clinical attention.

Background and Purpose: More than 300 Fusarium species are grouped into approximately 23 species complexes out of which around 70 are involved in human infections. The nomenclature of these species has undergone considerable changes in recent years. These species cause localized infections in individuals while inducing systemic infections mainly in immunocompromised patients. The present study was conducted to identify Fusarium species in clinical isolates by molecular methods and determine their in vitro minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) patterns to address the lack of data in this domain in Northern India. Materials and Methods: For the purpose of the study, Fusarium isolates obtained from various clinical samples were sent to the Westerdijk Fungal Biodiversity Institute, Utrecht, the Netherlands, for molecular identification. The MIC testing was performed using the microbroth dilution method as per the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute reference method (M38-A2). Results: Fusarium was isolated from 33 patients (i.e., 1, 1, 2, 14, and 15 cases with endophthalmitis, sinusitis, pulmonary involvement, onychomycosis, and keratitis, respectively). These 33 isolates belonged to three species complexes, namely F. solani species complex (FSSC; n=13), F. fujikuroi species complex (FFSC; n=13), and F. incarnatum equiseti species complex (FIESC; n=7). The species identified within FSSC, FFSC, and FIESC included F. keratoplasticum (n=6)/F. falciforme (n=6)/F. solani (n=1), F. proliferatum (n=7)/F. sacchari (n=5)/F. anthophilum (n=1), and F. incarnatum SC species (n=6)/F. equiseti SC species (n=1), respectively. The MIC results showed that all isolates had a lower MIC against amphotericin B than against the other antifungal agents. Conclusion: Timely diagnosis and appropriate treatment will facilitate the improvement of patient outcomes.

AIMS: Diabetic foot ulcer is a dreaded complication of diabetes. Diabetic foot ulcer patients are often infected with multidrug resistant organism (MDRO) due to chronic course of the wound, inappropriate antibiotics treatment, frequent hospital admission, neuropathy, nephropathy, and peripheral vascular disease. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This prospective study was conducted in our 750 bedded hospital for a period of 6 months. The present study was undertaken to isolate various MDRO methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus; Gram-negative bacteria producing enzymes such as extended spectrum beta-lactamases (ESBL), Amp C, Carbapenamases; Pseudomonas and Acinetobacter species producing metallo-beta-lactamases (MBL). In addition we attempted to identify risk factors for association of diabetic foot ulcer and MDRO. RESULTS: A total of 149 bacterial isolates were identified. Of the total isolates 73.2% were Gram-negative and remaining 26.8% were Gram-positive bacteria. Among Enterobacteriaceae 59% were ESBL producers and 48% were Amp C producers. In addition, 41.5% of the isolates produced both ESBL and Amp C and 13.4% were carbapenem resistant Enterobacteriaceae. Among 20 Pseudomonas and Acinetobacter isolates, 5 were MBL producers (25%). Furthermore, in the study, 56% of patients with diabetic foot ulcer harbored MDRO. The risk of multidrug-resistant infection is significantly more in patients having diabetes duration >20 years and size of ulcer more than 4 cm2. CONCLUSION: The detection of MDRO in patients of diabetic foot ulcer changes the treatment strategies limits the antimicrobial options and causes higher complications among them.

Introduction: Upper airway imaging can often identify the anatomical risk factors for sleep apnea and provide sufficient insight into the pathophysiology of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). Materials and Methods: We conducted a case–control, observational study at a tertiary care hospital in North India. All cases and controls underwent lateral cephalometry and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for craniofacial and upper airway evaluation. Only the cases had polysomnography testing for confirmation of OSA and assessing the severity of disease. Results: Forty cases and an equal number of matched controls were recruited. On X-ray cephalometry, it was observed that the cases had a significantly larger hyoid mandibular distance and soft palate length; and shorter mandibular length. The MRI cephalometric variables were significantly different, the soft palate length, tongue length, and submental fat were longer while the retropalatal and retroglossal distance was shorter amongst the cases. A statistically significant positive correlation was found between the cephalometric parameters and the indices of severity of OSA. An increased hyoid mandibular distance and soft palate length, and a decrease in the lower anterior facial height were found to be predictive of severe OSA (Apnea–Hypopnea Index –>30/h). An increased hyoid mandibular distance, soft palate length, and the tongue length and a reduced mandibular length were found to be predictive of need for continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) pressures of ≥15 cm H2O. There were significant differences between the cephalometric parameters of the Indian OSA patients and patients from other ethnicities reported in the literature. Conclusions: OSA patients had a significantly smaller upper airway compared to age-, sex-, and body mass index-matched controls and cephalometric variables correlated with the indices of OSA severity. The cephalometric assessment was also predictive of severe OSA and the need for higher pressures of CPAP. This indicates the important role of upper airway anatomy in the pathogenesis of OSA.

Lung recruitment maneuvers are rescue measures commonly used to improve oxygenation in severely hypoxemic patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), who fail to improve on standard treatment. After recruitment, appropriate level of positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP) is applied to prevent alveolar de-recruitment during expiration. Computed tomography scan of thorax and quasi-static pressure-volume curves have played a pivotal role are important in the assessment of recruitment, but they have several limitations. Lung ultrasound (LUS), which is now easily available in nearly every Intensive Care Unit, could be an attractive alternative method for assessing lung recruitment. It is noninvasive, easily repeatable and is devoid of radiation hazards. We are presenting a case of 24-year-old female patient with moderate ARDS in whom bedside LUS was successfully used into assessing lung recruitment as well as into determining the appropriate level of PEEP.

The members of the family Pseudomonadaceae have been reorganised under various groups, each with several species and are known as opportunistic pathogens. Pseudomonas mendocina (P.mendocina) formerly known as CDC group Vb-2, belongs to stutzeri group (group II) and was first discovered in 1970 in Mendoza. The present case report is about an overwhelming leg ulcer in an asthmatic and diabetic 53-year-old, Indian farmer following a fall due to a multi-drug resistant strain of P.mendocina without any systemic spread due to timely intervention. Authors emphasise that P. mendocina may be an important emerging pseudomonad or alternatively an under-diagnosed pathogen in immunocompromised patients exposed to soil. The multidrug resistant nature of this organism is alarming and it may become a threat to people with weakened immune systems.