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Patients with tumor thrombosis in the portal vein due to hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) are uncommon, and the majority of these cases is thought to be in an advanced stage with a bad prognosis. The right atrium and the inferior vena cava may be impacted by the intravascular tumor thrombus, with the latter having a bad prognosis. Portal vein involvement is one of the most serious consequences of HCC. For both systemic and locoregional therapy, targeting many pathways in the HCC cascade using a mix of medications and additional modalities like transarterial chemoembolization, transarterial radioembolization, radiation, and hepatic arterial infusion chemotherapy appears to be helpful. Portal vein tumor thrombosis, which affects 35 to 50% of patients, is a strong predictor of poor prognosis due to the higher likelihood of tumor migration into the bloodstream and the subsequent increased risk of recurrence. This case report highlights about a 60-year-old female who presented with HCC with portal vein tumor thrombosis not willing for chemo- and radiotherapy successfully treated with transarterial chemoembolization as a palliative management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Immune Thrombocytopenic Purpura (ITP), an autoimmune disease, is characterised by isolated thrombocytopenia, with or without bleeding. Thyroid autoimmune illness can coexist with ITP. The specific clinical characteristics are still unknown. The length of ITP or the patients’ response to treatment is not related to their thyroid condition. In patients with ITP, thyroid impairment is more common. In the present case report, a 60-year-old female patient, a known case of asthma, presented to the hospital with complaints of swelling in the neck along with transient episodes of breathlessness for 3-4 years. On local examination, a butterfly-shaped mass was seen in the neck, which moved upwards on deglutination but did not move on protrusion of the tongue. Pemberton’s sign was also positive. On palpation, the thyroid measured around 8×6 cm in size, thyroid lobes were bosselated, consistency was firm, and no bruit was heard on auscultation. Based on routine laboratory findings, she was found to have refractory thrombocytopenia with a normal thyroid profile. Further investigations revealed that the patient had positive antithyroid stimulating hormone antibodies, and Fine Needle Aspiration Cytology (FNAC) showed colloid nodular goitre with haemorrhagic cystic changes. A bone marrow biopsy was performed in view of refractory thrombocytopenia, which was suggestive of ITP. The patient was advised to take tablet eltrombopag, after which the platelet counts improved drastically. Subsequently, the patient was advised to undergo thyroidectomy, but this could not be done due to haemodynamic instability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the increased risk of VTE in cancer patients, particularly in those with colorectal cancer. Topics include the pathophysiology of venous thromboembolism (VTE) in cancer patients; the clinical case of a 38-year-old patient presenting with DVT; and the challenges of managing VTE in cancer patients, with an emphasis on the increased risk of thrombotic events in malignancy and the lack of comprehensive management guidelines.

Bradyarrhythmia can be brought on by intrinsic or extrinsic causes that disrupt the cardiac conduction system, with iatrogenic drug usage being the most common extrinsic cause. Atrioventricular (AV) block is frequently brought on by beta-blockers, calcium channel blockers, anti-arrhythmics, and digoxin. The first course of treatment for heart block involves stopping the problematic medications. Psychotropic medications have the potential to cause cardiotoxic adverse effects that affect the heart. In a patient with a pre-existing cardiac disorder, psychotropic drugs can manifest with dangerous arrhythmias. It is yet unknown what intricate processes cause these effects. A variety of arrhythmias may be brought on by or made worse by many commonly used drugs. Hereby, the authors present a case report of 56-year-old hypertensive male, a known case of chronic depression with chest heaviness. The Electrocardiogram (ECG) revealed Complete Heart Block (CHB) with Right Bundle Branch Block (RBBB). The patient was on fluoxetine and beta-blockers for his mental illness and hypertension. Three days after withholding the drugs, the CHB resolved, and his baseline ECG remained as RBBB. The present case highlights the interaction of drugs leading to CHB in present patient. Therefore, the importance of a detailed drug history in such cases becomes imperative. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on the endoscopic finding of a large gastric diverticulum with ulceration as a rare cause of upper gastrointestinal bleeding. Topics include the clinical presentation of the patient, the diagnostic process involving imaging and biopsy, and the conservative management approach due to the patient's refusal of surgery.

Introduction Asthma, a significant non-communicable disease impacting all age groups, leads to productivity loss, particularly affecting children and causing disruption within families. This study aims to evaluate the knowledge and attitudes of asthmatic patients and caregivers through questionnaires, focusing on available treatment options. Aims and objectives The study aimed to assess the knowledge and attitudes of asthmatic patients and caregivers at a tertiary care hospital in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India. Objectives included evaluating asthma knowledge using a questionnaire and assessing attitudes towards the disease and available treatment options. Materials and methods This cross-sectional study, conducted at the Department of Respiratory Medicine, Sree Balaji Medical College & Hospital, Chennai, focused on bronchial asthma patients and their caregivers in the Outpatient Department (OPD) from May 2021 to November 2022. The study included 150 participants selected randomly based on sample size calculations. Data, collected through a proforma, included demographic variables. Participants' knowledge and attitudes toward asthma were assessed using the Asthma Knowledge and Asthma Attitude questionnaires. Exclusion criteria comprised patients with a history of tuberculosis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, interstitial lung disease, recent hemoptysis, or evidence of infective exacerbation. Results and discussion Among 150 participants, 44% were females and 56% were males. Asthma knowledge was present in 62.1% of females and 79.8% of males, while 37.9% of females and 20.2% of males lacked understanding. High prevalence rates of breathlessness (89.4% females, 90.5% males), wheezing (92.4% females, 81% males), and cough (77.3% females, 75% males) were noted. The knowledge questionnaire revealed a mean score of 4 out of 8, indicating a moderate understanding with significant gaps. Many lacked knowledge about affected sites, harbored misconceptions about pet contact, and dust exposure, and were uninformed about triggers, symptoms, and treatment. Lack of awareness regarding weather-related exacerbations, smoking effects, and medication purposes was evident. Reluctance towards long-term inhaler use underscored the necessity for comprehensive asthma education among patients and caregivers. Attitude questionnaire scores varied: 17 scored 16, 37 scored 18, 24 scored 19, 35 scored 21, 20 scored 24, and 17 scored 26, averaging 20.6, reflecting generally positive attitudes. The attitude questionnaire, with six questions, highlighted attitudes toward asthma. However, stigma around asthma affecting normal lives (77.3%), fear of lifelong medication use (84%), and embarrassment over public inhaler use (74%) highlighted areas for attitude improvement to enhance therapy compliance and patient outcomes. Conclusion Our study highlights concerns among asthma patients and caregivers, particularly those with limited education, regarding treatment side effects. Issues include apprehensions about inhaler therapy's addictive potential, insufficient awareness of asthma triggers, improper inhaler techniques, reluctance towards long-term inhaler use, and embarrassment over public use of inhalers contributing to the study's complexities., Competing Interests: Human subjects: Consent was obtained or waived by all participants in this study. Institutional Human Ethical Committee (IHEC), Sree Balaji Medical College and Hospital, Chromepet issued approval 002/SBMC/IHEC/2021/1593. Animal subjects: All authors have confirmed that this study did not involve animal subjects or tissue. Conflicts of interest: In compliance with the ICMJE uniform disclosure form, all authors declare the following: Payment/services info: All authors have declared that no financial support was received from any organization for the submitted work. Financial relationships: All authors have declared that they have no financial relationships at present or within the previous three years with any organizations that might have an interest in the submitted work. Other relationships: All authors have declared that there are no other relationships or activities that could appear to have influenced the submitted work., (Copyright © 2024, Francis et al.)

Background Women are more likely to be affected with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), a chronic multisystem inflammatory autoimmune illness. It is well established that SLE increases the risk of cardiovascular (CV) events. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of endothelial dysfunction and subclinical atherosclerosis in patients with SLE. If these conditions are identified early, suitable preventative measures may be advocated to lessen the burden of future CV events. Aim This study aims to calculate the frequency of endothelial dysfunction and subclinical atherosclerosis in SLE patients using the flow-mediated dilatation (FMD) of the brachial artery and carotid intima-media thickness (c-IMT). Results There were 50 confirmed cases of SLE. Compared to healthy controls, SLE patients' c-IMT readings were higher, suggesting subclinical atherosclerosis. Thirty-three patients with c-IMT values >0.06 (p<0.00269) out of 50 SLE cases were found to have a high prevalence of subclinical atherosclerosis. Five SLE patients showed FMDs of less than 4.5% (p<0.021) compared to healthy controls, indicating preclinical atherosclerosis with endothelial dysfunction. It was discovered that endothelial dysfunction exhibited a positive linear connection with erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) and C-reactive protein (CRP) when contrasted with traditional inflammatory indicators such as ESR and CRP. Conclusion Patients with SLE face a higher risk of CV events and mortality compared to those without the condition. They are also more prone to developing endothelial dysfunction and subclinical atherosclerosis. Detecting these issues early can help in implementing primary and secondary prevention strategies effectively., Competing Interests: Human subjects: Consent was obtained or waived by all participants in this study. Institutional Ethics Committee of Calcutta National Medical College issued approval CNMC-IEC: 3. Animal subjects: All authors have confirmed that this study did not involve animal subjects or tissue. Conflicts of interest: In compliance with the ICMJE uniform disclosure form, all authors declare the following: Payment/services info: All authors have declared that no financial support was received from any organization for the submitted work. Financial relationships: All authors have declared that they have no financial relationships at present or within the previous three years with any organizations that might have an interest in the submitted work. Other relationships: All authors have declared that there are no other relationships or activities that could appear to have influenced the submitted work., (Copyright © 2024, Biswas et al.)

In young patients, ischemic stroke is an uncommon result of vertebral artery dissection (VAD). Damage to the vertebrae can occur suddenly or as a result of trauma. There are no generally recognized recommendations for diagnosis and treatment, and the majority of vague symptoms and delayed presentation provide a significant diagnostic problem. While medical management with anticoagulant or antiplatelet therapy is advised, no successful dual therapy has been documented. Although traumatic dissection is a more frequent cause of posterior cerebral circulation stroke in people under 45 years of age than spontaneous dissection, spontaneous VAD is well-reported and usually treated with anticoagulation. VAD can result in fatal complications such as basilar area infarction, even though it is often asymptomatic. Here is a case of a 37-year-old male who presented with a posterior circulation stroke after bilateral VAD with no evidence of trauma to the neck and no detectable cause suggesting spontaneous etiology., Competing Interests: Human subjects: Consent was obtained or waived by all participants in this study. Conflicts of interest: In compliance with the ICMJE uniform disclosure form, all authors declare the following: Payment/services info: All authors have declared that no financial support was received from any organization for the submitted work. Financial relationships: All authors have declared that they have no financial relationships at present or within the previous three years with any organizations that might have an interest in the submitted work. Other relationships: All authors have declared that there are no other relationships or activities that could appear to have influenced the submitted work., (Copyright © 2024, Pantbalekundri et al.)

Background Acute coronary syndrome is the most common cause of mortality; cerebral vascular accident ranks second. Stroke is the fourth most common cause of disability worldwide, with nearly 20 million people suffering a stroke every year around the world and an estimated five million dead. Slightly more than 85.5% of stroke-related deaths take place in developing countries. In short, blockage (thrombus or emboli) and decreased blood supply for cerebral tissues lead to a stroke that permanently damages brain tissue. A stroke is clinically defined as rapidly developing clinical symptoms of focal cerebral dysfunction lasting >24 hours or leading to death, as characterized by the World Health Organization (WHO). Objective The present study was designed to compare the efficacy of the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) and the Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) in determining the prognosis of supratentorial and infratentorial stroke. Methods This observational prospective study was performed on over 100 patients admitted to Bharati Hospital, Sangli, who had cerebrovascular accidents from February 2018 to June 2019. Eligibility criteria were adults more than 18 years of age with clinical and computed tomography/magnet resonance imaging (CT/MRI) evidence consistent with acute stroke. Trauma and concomitant supra- and infratentorial strokes were excluded. GCS and NIH stroke scale scores were measured daily, and scores were noted on the first and last day of hospitalization. Statistical analysis was done using IBM SPSS Statistics for Windows, Version 22 (Released 2013; IBM Corp., Armonk, New York, United States), including mean, standard deviation, paired t-test, and Chi-square test. Results Out of 100 patients, 77% had suffered supratentorial strokes, and thus the other 23% had infratentorial strokes. Alcohol consumption was associated with a higher risk of infratentorial strokes, while smoking was linked to a higher risk of supratentorial strokes. Diabetes and hypertension did not differ statistically between the two groups. Compared to patients with supratentorial strokes, those who suffered from infratentorial strokes had a greater death rate and less favorable recovery results. Patients with supratentorial strokes who recovered completely or partially showed considerable improvements in their GCS scores, but patients with infratentorial strokes showed minimal to no improvement. On the other hand, the NIHSS score significantly improved in patients who achieved both complete or partial recovery and no improvement or mortality in both supratentorial and infratentorial stroke. NIHSS is preferred over GCS because it provides a better insight into morbidity and neurological outcomes of both types of strokes in comparison with GCS, which is more useful in predicting mortalities. Conclusion According to this study, supratentorial strokes were more common, whereas infratentorial strokes had a worse prognosis. Alcohol ingestion and smoking may have an impact on the location of a stroke. Compared to GCS, the NIHSS score provided a more thorough evaluation of stroke recovery, indicating its potential for better patient care., Competing Interests: Human subjects: Consent was obtained or waived by all participants in this study. IEC Bharati Vidyapeeth (Deemed to be University) Medical College & Hospital, Sangli, issued approval 2017-18/219. Animal subjects: All authors have confirmed that this study did not involve animal subjects or tissue. Conflicts of interest: In compliance with the ICMJE uniform disclosure form, all authors declare the following: Payment/services info: All authors have declared that no financial support was received from any organization for the submitted work. Financial relationships: All authors have declared that they have no financial relationships at present or within the previous three years with any organizations that might have an interest in the submitted work. Other relationships: All authors have declared that there are no other relationships or activities that could appear to have influenced the submitted work., (Copyright © 2024, Padwale et al.)

Competing Interests: There are no conflicts of interest.

Introduction:  Oxygen saturation is essential for medical care and is closely regulated within the body. Arterial blood gas (ABG) analysis is used to evaluate critically ill individuals' ventilation, oxygenation, acid-base status, and metabolic condition. Pulse oximetry is an easy and non-invasive way to measure the status of oxygen saturation non-invasively in clinical settings and provides a quick and precise assessment of oxygenation and reduces medical errors. SpO 2 may not always be a reliable predictor of arterial oxygen saturation (SaO 2 ), and hypoxemic, hemodynamically compromised, and critically ill patients may have lower SpO 2 accuracy. A study is needed to assess and compare various oxygen saturation methods., Aims and Objectives:  The study aimed to compare the oxygen saturation levels measured by pulse oximetry and ABG analysis in hypoxemic patients. The objectives were to compare the values between SaO 2 , PaO 2 , and SpO 2 values obtained from the patients, and correlate the study parameters among both techniques., Materials and Methods: The study was conducted from February 2021 to June 2022 among the 102 hypoxemic patients who were admitted to the emergency and surgical intensive care unit (ICU) of Sree Balaji Medical College and Hospital in Chennai. Primary data on ABG analysis and pulse oximetry readings were collected from the study subjects. The patient and their past medical records, physical exam, chest x-ray findings, pulse oximetry, and ABG results were all reviewed. Each patient had their ABG, and pulse oximetry measured simultaneously. A comparison was made between SpO 2 and partial pressure of oxygen (PaO 2 ) and arterial oxygen saturation (SaO 2 ) parameters using a paired t-test. The correlation was done against the SpO 2 and ABG parameters and assessed for association using the correlation coefficient value; gender was also considered while correlating., Results and Discussion: An observational study was done among 102 study samples to comparatively analyze the oxygen saturation by two methods, namely pulse oximetry and ABG, in hypoxemic patients. While comparing the mean values of SaO 2 and SpO 2 , they were 84.41 ± 4.24 and 80.58 ± 5.77, respectively, and this difference was statistically very significant (p < 0.001). While comparing the mean values of PaO 2 and SaO 2 , they were 61.02 ± 5.01 and 84.41 ± 4.24, respectively, and this difference was statistically significant (p = 0.043). While comparing the mean values of PaO 2 and SpO 2 , they were 61.02 ± 5.01 and 80.58 ± 5.77, respectively, and this difference was statistically significant (p = 0.054). Among the study population, with regard to the correlation factor, there is notably a very high and strong positive correlation between SaO 2 and SpO 2 and between SpO 2 and PaO 2 . There was a negative correlation between SpO 2 and finger abnormalities and between SpO 2 and blood pressure., Conclusion:  The ABG method is considered the gold standard. When SpO 2 levels fall below 90%, pulse oximetry may not be accurate enough to reliably assess oxygenation. In such cases, where alveolar hypoventilation is suspected, it is recommended to complement pulse oximetry with ABG studies. This is because ABG analysis provides a more comprehensive assessment of oxygenation and acid-base status, which can aid in the diagnosis and management of respiratory conditions., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright © 2023, Abraham et al.)