BACKGROUND Tuberculosis (TB) is a major health problem in India. The World Health Organization has recently in 2010 endorsed the GeneXpert MTB/RIF assay for rapid detection of smear negative and multidrug-resistant tuberculosis. The aim of the study is to evaluate the role of Cartridge-Based Nucleic Acid Amplification Test (CBNAAT) in sputum AFB negative Pulmonary Tuberculosis (PTB). MATERIALS AND METHODS This is an observational study conducted in the Department of Pulmonary Medicine, RRMCH, Bengaluru, between August 2016 to June 2017. Patients who presented with symptoms and signs suggestive of pulmonary tuberculosis, chest x-ray showing features of pulmonary tuberculosis were included in the study whose sputum for AFB was negative. Sputum/BAL samples from these patients were sent for CBNAAT. RESULTS CBNAAT was done for 80 samples of the patients who were having history and CXR suggestive of pulmonary tuberculosis with sputum AFB negative. Out of these 80 sputum-AFB negative samples, 29 (36%) were CBNAAT positive. Most of the cases were men aged >50 yrs. Most diabetics (78%) were CBNAAT positive. Most diabetics had HbA1C >10. Most diabetics had lower zone infiltrates on CXR. CONCLUSION Because of its simplicity, rapidity and sensitivity, this seems to be a very novel tool for diagnosis of extrapulmonary tuberculosis from clinical samples and that it should be researched more thoroughly.

Introduction: Acute hypoxia is an important prognostic indicator in Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) as a biomarker. RDW can aid in identification of persistent Hypoxia. Objective: To investigate the association of red cell Distribution Width (RDW) values in COPD exacerbation patients. Methods: This is a prospective cross-sectional study of 50 patients with COPD evaluated between September 2021 to December 2021.Hemogram,demographics,Spirometry and 2D echo data collected.Results: Mean age of the patients was 56 ± 10 years.Correlation between RDW with hypoxia, 6MWT,Pulmonary hypertension,CAT was found to be significant (p = 0.001 respectively) Patients with poor expiratory volumes (FEV1) were found to have higher CAT scores. Most patients in the study cohort were seen to be older, with significant smoking exposure and belonging to Stage 1 COPD. Conclusion: In conclusion, we demonstrated that elevated RDW levels in patients with COPD were associated with disease severity.It might be an indicator of hypoxemia. Therefore, an inexpensive and simple laboratory parameter, such as RDW, could be considered as a biomarker in the evaluation of the severity of COPD

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