Background: Knee proprioception is compromised in knee osteoarthritis. There are several ways of measuring proprioceptive acuity, but there is lack of consensus over the ideal testing position. The study aimed to evaluate the influence of 2 testing positions (sitting versus prone lying) on proprioceptive knee assessment score in patients with early knee osteoarthritis. Methods: The study included 70 subjects who came to the Out-Patient Department with a diagnosis of early knee osteoarthritis. The subjects were assessed for their proprioceptive acuity scores in both the test positions at 30° and 60° of knee flexion using proprioceptive knee assessment device. They were asked to perform 5 trials in both testing positions with appropriate rest intervals. After initial assessment, the subjects were randomly allocated among group 1 and group 2. Treatment implementation was done for 8 weeks followed by re-evaluation: group 1 received context-specific proprioceptive retraining along with multijoint coupling strategies and group 2, conventional treatment. Results: The subjects were compared using difference of pre- and post-treatment proprioceptive acuity scores. The difference of proprioceptive acuity impairment scores of the left knee at 30° and 60°, and the right knee at 60° in prone lying position were statistically significant, with P value ranging from less than 0.001 to 0.028. Conclusion: It was found that the prone lying testing position was more sensitive than sitting position for assessing proprioceptive acuity for knee osteoarthritis.

Objective: To compare the efficacy of a Neurofacilitation of Developmental Reaction (NFDR) approach with that of a Conventional approach in the modulation of tone in children with neurodevelopmental delay. Methods: Experimental control design. A total of 30 spastic children ranging in age from 4 to 7 years with neurodevelopmental delay were included. Baseline evaluations of muscle tone and gross motor functional performance abilities were performed. The children were allocated into two intervention groups of 15 subjects each. In groups A and B, the NFDR and conventional approaches were applied, respectively, for 3 months and were followed by subsequent re-evaluations. Results: Between group analyses were performed using independent t test for tone and primitive reflex intensity and a Mann-Whitney U test for gross motor functional ability. For the within-group analyses, paired t tests were used for tone and primitive reflex intensity, and a Wilcoxon signed-rank test was used for gross motor functional ability. Conclusion: The NFDR approach/technique prepares the muscle to undergo tonal modulation and thereby enhances motor development and improves the motor functional performance abilities of the children with neurodevelopmental delay.

Management of congenital hyperinsulinemia of infancy (CHI) is challenging. A 4-month-old female infant with persistent hypoglycemia and elevated insulin levels was diagnosed with CHI. Gallium-68 DOTANOC positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) scan (⁶⁸Ga-labeled [1,4,7,10-tetraazacyclododecane-N,N’,N’’,N’’’-tetraacetic acid]-1-NaI3-octreotide) demonstrated focal disease in the body of the pancreas. Genetic studies indicated paternal inheritance, making focal disease likely. She was started on diazoxide therapy with partial improvement in blood glucose levels. Due to a suboptimal response to diazoxide and the likelihood of focal disease amenable to surgery, a laparoscopic subtotal pancreatectomy with preservation of the head of the pancreas was performed. The biopsy demonstrated diffuse hyperplastic pancreatic islet cells on immunohistochemistry, indicative of diffuse rather than focal disease. Paternal inheritance is a recognized indicator of focal disease. Gallium-68 DOTANOC PET/CT scan is the only available imaging modality in South India as ¹⁸F-L-dihydroxyphenylalanine (DOPA) PET/CT scan is not available at present. A laparoscopic approach reduces the postoperative recovery time and morbidity in such patients. The absence of ¹⁸F-L-DOPA PET/CT scan and the limited supply of diazoxide makes the management of this complex condition more challenging in developing countries.
Biopsy ; Blood Glucose ; Congenital Hyperinsulinism* ; Developing Countries* ; Diazoxide ; Electrons ; Female ; Head ; Humans ; Hyperinsulinism ; Hypoglycemia ; Immunohistochemistry ; India ; Infant ; Insulin ; Islets of Langerhans ; Pancreas ; Pancreatectomy ; Positron-Emission Tomography and Computed Tomography ; Wills

BACKGROUND: Diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) is characterized by a biochemical triad of hyperglycemia, acidosis, and ketonemia. This condition is life-threatening despite improvements in diabetic care. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the clinical and biochemical prognostic markers of DKA. We assessed correlations in prognostic markers with DKA-associated morbidity and mortality. METHODS: Two hundred and seventy patients that were hospitalized with DKA over a period of 2 years were evaluated clinically and by laboratory tests. Serial assays of serum electrolytes, glucose, and blood pH were performed, and clinical outcome was noted as either discharged to home or death. RESULTS: The analysis indicated that significant predictors included sex, history of type 1 diabetes mellitus or type 2 diabetes mellitus, systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, total leukocyte count, Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II (APACHE II) score, blood urea nitrogen, serum creatinine, serum magnesium, serum phosphate, serum osmolality, serum glutamic oxaloacetic transaminases, serum glutamic pyruvic transaminases, serum albumin, which were further regressed and subjected to multivariate logistic regression (MLR) analysis. The MLR analysis indicated that males were 7.93 times more likely to have favorable outcome compared with female patients (odds ratio, 7.93; 95% confidence interval, 3.99 to 13.51), while decreases in mean APACHE II score (14.83) and serum phosphate (4.38) at presentation may lead to 2.86- and 2.71-fold better outcomes, respectively, compared with higher levels (APACHE II score, 25.00; serum phosphate, 6.04). CONCLUSION: Sex, baseline biochemical parameters such as APACHE II score, and phosphate level were important predictors of the DKA-associated mortality.
Acidosis ; APACHE ; Blood Pressure ; Blood Urea Nitrogen ; Creatinine ; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 ; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 ; Diabetic Ketoacidosis* ; Electrolytes ; Female ; Glucose ; Humans ; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration ; Hyperglycemia ; Hyperglycemic Hyperosmolar Nonketotic Coma ; Ketosis ; Leukocyte Count ; Logistic Models ; Magnesium ; Male ; Mortality ; Osmolar Concentration ; Serum Albumin ; Transaminases

Cervicothoracic thymic cysts are rare and difficult to diagnose preoperatively. We report a case of a cervicothoracic thymic cyst presenting as a lateral neck mass and mimicking a laryngocele in a 3-year-old boy and its definitive management.
Child, Preschool ; Humans ; Laryngocele ; Male ; Mediastinal Cyst* ; Neck

Concomitant dislocation of the tarsometatarsal and metatarsophalangeal joints of foot is an extremely rare injury. Such injuries presenting in a single or adjacent dual rays have been described in few cases previously. We describe such an injury in adjacent three metatarsals of a polytrauma patient. These injuries are likely to be missed in the initial assessment of a polytrauma patient. These patients are at risk of an overlooked diagnosis but the consequences of missing this type of injury may be quite severe. This case is presented in view of its uniqueness along with possible mechanism of injury, the sequence of reduction and follow-up. Knowledge of such injury and its proper management may be useful to the trauma surgeons.
Adult ; Female ; Humans ; Joint Dislocations ; surgery ; Metatarsal Bones ; injuries ; surgery ; Metatarsophalangeal Joint ; injuries ; surgery

Background: Regional nerve blocks are an integral part of multimodal analgesia and should be chosen based on their efficacy, convenience, and minimal side effects. Here, we compare the use of pectoral (PEC II) and serratus-intercostal fascial plane (SIFP) blocks in breast carcinoma cases undergoing modified radical mastectomy (MRM) in terms of the postoperative analgesic efficacy and shoulder mobility. Methods: The primary outcome of this prospective controlled study was to compare the postoperative static and dynamic pain scores, and the secondary outcome was to assess the shoulder pain, range of shoulder joint motion, and hemodynamic parameters. Sixty patients were randomly allocated to three groups and given general anesthesia. All patients received paracetamol, diclofenac, and rescue doses of tramadol based on the Institute's Acute Pain Service (APS) policy. No block was performed in group C (control), whereas groups P and S received PEC II and SIFP blocks, respectively, before surgical incision. Results: The groups were comparable in terms of age, weight, height, and body mass index distribution (P > 0.05). Dynamic pain relief was significantly better 12 and 24 h postoperatively in groups P (P = 0.034 and P = 0.04, respectively) and S (P = 0.01 and P = 0.02, respectively) compared to group C. Shoulder pain relief and shoulder mobility were better in group S, while the hemodynamic parameters were more stable in group P. Conclusions Both SIFP and PEC blocks have comparable dynamic and static pain relief with better shoulder pain scores in patients receiving SIFP.

Background: Reactive arthritis (ReA) is an often neglected disease that received some attention during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. There is some evidence that infection with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 can lead to “reactive” arthritis. However, this does not follow the classical definition of ReA that limits the organisms leading to this condition. Also, there is no recommendation by any international society on the management of ReA during the current pandemic. Thus, a survey was conducted to gather information about how modern clinicians across the world approach ReA. Methods: An e-survey was carried out based on convenient sampling via social media platforms. Twenty questions were validated on the pathogenesis, clinical presentation, and management of ReA. These also included information on post-COVID-19 arthritis. Duplicate entries were prevented and standard guidelines were followed for reporting internet-based surveys. Results: There were 193 respondents from 24 countries. Around one-fifth knew the classical definition of ReA. Nearly half considered the triad of conjunctivitis, urethritis and asymmetric oligoarthritis a “must” for diagnosis of ReA. Other common manifestations reported include enthesitis, dermatitis, dactylitis, uveitis, and oral or genital ulcers. Threefourths opined that no test was specific for ReA. Drugs for ReA were non-steroidal antiinflammatory drugs, intra-articular injections, and conventional disease-modifying agents with less than 10% supporting biological use. Conclusion The survey brought out the gap in existing concepts of ReA. The current definition needs to be updated. There is an unmet need for consensus recommendations for the management of ReA, including the use of biologicals.