BACKGROUND: Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a metabolic syndrome, characterized by anovulation, hyperandrogenism, and polycystic ovary. With serological markers of autoimmunity found elevated in PCOS, there is a possible link between autoimmunity and PCOS. AIM: The study aimed to investigate the possible correlation between autoimmune markers of autoimmune thyroiditis (AIT) and PCOS. SETTING AND DESIGN: This case control study was conducted at the Department of Pathology of a tertiary care academic center during a 1-year period. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Fifty-five subjects with clinical PCOS and 51 age matched control non-PCOS subjects were recruited and subjected to clinical, biochemical, and endocrinal evaluation for AIT. All subjects underwent blood glucose and serum sampling for luteinizing hormone (LH), follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), testosterone, dehydroepi androsterone, thyroxine, thyroid stimulating hormone, anti-thyroid peroxidase, anti-thyroglobulin (Tg), and insulin. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS: Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS version 12 for Windows. The quantitative variables are described as mean ± standard deviation. To compare quantitative variables between two groups, unpaired t-test was used. The Chi-square/Fischer's exact test was used to compare qualitative variables. ANOVA was used to compare the PCOS and non-PCOS groups. P < 0.05 was considered significant. RESULTS: Significantly higher prevalence of AIT (anti-Tg antibodies) was noted in subjects with PCOS as compared to non-PCOS control subjects (P < 0.05). The PCOS subjects had higher insulin resistance index and also twice the level of LH: FSH ratio as compared to controls. CONCLUSION: Higher prevalence of AIT in PCOS subjects suggest possible role of autoimmune phenomenon in the etiopathogenesis of PCOS. More data from longitudinal follow-up studies is required to clearly establish this possible link.

Background: Haemoglobin measurement in antenatal care can help in timely detection and treatment of anaemia, which is a major contributory factor to maternal mortality in developing countries. The transport of samples for haemoglobin assessment may delay the treatment, resulting in preventable deaths. Haemoglobin measurement by point of care testing (POCT) devices is easy, quick and less invasive. There are very few studies which compare the capillary blood haemoglobin using point of care devices with venous blood samples. This study was conducted to compare capillary blood haemoglobin using POCT device with venous blood haemoglobin using haematology analysers in antenatal Indian females. Methods: One hundred pregnant women were recruited during their first trimester antenatal visits. Hemoglobin by finger prick capillary sample (POCT) was compared with haemoglobin of venous sample analysed by the haematology analyser (Beckman coulter) which was considered as gold standard. Intraclass correlation co-efficient based on Bland Altman analysis was computed using SPSS v21. A p value less than 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: The intraclass correlation coefficient of 0.97 was recorded with central laboratory reference standard, with a mean difference of -0.481 gm% and -0.482 gm% by capillary and venous blood samples, respectively (p<0.0001). Conclusions: A good agreement between capillary blood haemoglobin (POCT device) and venous blood (haematology analyser) was achieved.

Lung carcinoma was the most common cause of cancer deaths globally in 2022, with non-small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC) accounting for 81% of the burden. Due to promising tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) trials, NSCLC patients harboring EGFR gene mutations are of interest. Our aim was to determine EGFR mutation prevalence in north India and its histologic and demographic correlations. We investigated the frequency of EGFR mutations in 40 patients with histologically confirmed NSCLC using real-time polymerase chain reaction. A 15% mutation frequency was observed in the study sample, involving 32 males and 8 females with a median age of 59 years. Squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) patients had only EXON20 (T790M, exon20 insertion) mutations, while adenocarcinoma patients had mutations in both EXON20 (T790M) and 21 (L858R) with mutation frequencies of 22% and 10%, respectively. 28% of the SCC patients were non-smokers, and 60% of these non-smokers had an EGFR mutation. South Indian and Asian studies have identified EXON19 (19-Del) and EXON21 (L858R) mutations as “common mutations” that account for nearly 80-90% of all mutations and respond well to TKIs. Interestingly, “common mutations” were found seldom in our study population, while the uncommon variants constitute 83% of all mutations, which we assume is due to diverse Indian genetics and ethnicity and co-existing signature mutations that involve the tyrosine kinase domain of EXON20. We suggest future genome-wide association studies to identify plausible genetic polymorphisms responsible for interethnic differences in EGFR mutation, which will contribute to better treatment and prevention of NSCLCs.