Background: Dengue epidemic is a major health problem in India. Kerala has reported the highest number of dengue related deaths in the country in 2017 as per the reports of the directorate of National Vector Borne Disease Control Programme (NVBDCP). The aim of the present study is to find out the cardiac manifestations of patients admitted with dengue fever during the epidemic in 2017 in a rural tertiary care centre in coastal Kerala. Method: 341 patients who were admitted in the medicine department of a rural tertiary care Centre in Kerala with Dengue were included in the study. W.H.O case definitions were used for the diagnosis. Complete blood counts, RBS, serum creatinine and liver function tests and E.C.G were carried out in all patients. Echocardiogram and cardiac biomarkers were done when indicated. Results: Males predominated. 317 were diagnosed as dengue fever, 12 as dengue hemorrhagic fever and 12 had dengue shock syndrome. Only four patients succumbed to death. Head ache and myalgia were the common symptoms at the time of presentation. 72 patients had abnormal ECG, but all had normal ECG at the time of discharge, indicating a transient change during the episode. Conclusion: This retrospective observational study included 341 patients admitted in a rural tertiary care Centre in Kerala. Patients were diagnosed as per W.H.O. case definition for dengue. 317 were diagnosed as dengue fever, 12 as dengue hemorrhagic fever and 12 had dengue shock syndrome. Study population was predominantly males. 72 patients had abnormal ECG, but all had normal ECG at the time of discharge, indicating a transient change during the episode.

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Objectives: The objectives of this study were to determine if serum albumin level is an independent predictor of nosocomial pneumonia in stroke patients. Methods: Relevant medical data of 500 consecutive ischemic stroke patients admitted within 24 h of stroke onset during the study period were analyzed. Serum albumin level was measured within 36 h after stroke onset. Nosocomial pneumonia was foundin 10.5% of stroke patients. SPSS (Version 22.0) was used for analysis. Results: Patients with pneumonia had significantly lower serum albumin level than those without pneumonia (31.5 ± 7.3 g/l vs. 35.3 ± 6.4 g/l) and serum albumin level was associated with risk of pneumonia on multivariate analysis (OR: 0.95, 95% CI: 0.90–0.97). Conclusion: Our results show that serum albumin level is an independent predictor of nosocomial pneumonia in stroke patients.

Background: Dengue epidemic is a major health problem in India. According to the directorate of National Vector Borne Disease Control Programme (NVBDCP) over 18,700 cases of dengue have been reported in India in 2017.Kerala has reported the highest number of dengue related deaths in the country. The aim of the present study is to find out the clinical profile of patients admitted with dengue fever during the epidemic in 2017 in a rural tertiary care centre in coastal Kerala.Methods: 341 patients who were admitted in the medicine department of a rural tertiary care centre in Kerala with Dengue were included in the study. W.H.O case definitions were used for the diagnosis. Complete blood counts, RBS, serum creatinine and liver function tests and E.C.G were carried out in all patients. Chest X ray, Echocardiogram, ultrasonogram, MRI and CSF study were done when indicated.Results: Males predominated. 317 were diagnosed as dengue fever, 12 as dengue hemorrhagic fever and 12 had dengue shock syndrome. Only four patients succumbed to death. Aminotransferases were elevated in 74.4%. In all cases AST was more than ALT. Head ache and myalgia were the common symptoms at the time of presentation. 72 patients had abnormal ECG, but all had normal ECG at the time of discharge, indicating a transient change during the episode.Conclusions: Careful monitoring of clinical and biochemical parameters is necessary during dengue epidemics. Atypical manifestations of dengue should also be considered in the differential diagnosis of various diseases in different organ systems.