Background: Type 2 diabetes, with its complications is perpetually on the rise more so in India .Diabetic Nephropathy progresses silently, and manifests at a stage where, patient can be offered only renal replacement. This study was undertaken to detect early markers of Diabetic Nephropathy. Aims and objective of the study was to study early nephropathy by UACR (urinary albumin/creatinine ratio), RFT (renal function test) and e-GFR in Type 2 diabetic patients of more than 2 years duration, with and without hypertension.Methods: A hospital based cross-sectional observational study, of 100 patients, 18-60 years of age, of type 2 Diabetes of 2 year duration and above, of which 50 were only diabetic and 50 had diabetes and hypertension. Patients who had an established renal disease were excluded from study.Results: Our study of 100 patients, 18-60 years of age, had 23 male and 77 female patients. Maximum patients were in age group 41-50 years, and 52% had diabetes of 2-4 years duration. Of the renal parameters studied, BUN was normal in 72% and S. Creatinine normal in 67%. UACR was normal in only 38%, and e-GFR was normal in 49%.Conclusions: In our study age and sex, duration of Diabetes and HbA1c did not have any bearing on renal parameters. UACR followed by e-GFR, were deranged early. UACR was more deranged in diabetics with hypertension.

A 40 year old male, first presented with erythema nodosum, fever, weight loss and joint pains and did not respond to anti-tubercular treatment. One year later he came back with joint pains, erythema nodosum, fever and dry cough. He also had weakness in distal right lower limb more than left limb. He had raised ESR, hypocalcaemia, raised ACE levels and lymphnode involvement on HRCT, with skin biopsy suggestive of sarcoidosis. This time patient responded to treatment and is on regular follow up.

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Anti-synthetase syndrome is an autoimmune disease associated with interstitial lung disease (ILD), dermatomyositis and polymyositis. It has been recognized as an important cause of autoimmune inflammatory myopathy in a subset of patients with dermatomyositis. 37-year-old male, known case of type 1 diabetes mellitus, came with complaints of: generalized anasarca, pain in both knees, ankles, wrist and small joints of fingers. He also had dyspnoea on exertion, chronic non-productive cough, and fever off and on, all for 1 month. Initially all involvement was attributed to diabetes. For joint pain an antinuclear antibodies (ANA) was sent. He turned out to be anti-Jo1, antibody positive. Rash on hands was diagnosed by dermatologist as, mechanic’s hand, hence diagnosed as an inflammatory myopathy with dermatomyositis anti-synthetase syndrome. Patient was successfully treated with immunosuppressants and supportive treatment and responded to tablet Prednisolone and Mycophenolate mofetil. The patient had one major and 2 minor criteria-ILD, arthritis and Mechanic’s hand and anti-Jo 1 antibody positive. Thus, diagnosed as anti-synthetase syndrome with type 1 diabetes mellitus.

Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is a life threatening complication of many infectious diseases like malaria, H1N1, bacterial pneumonia, and leptospira. Malaria is an important treatable cause of ARDS. ARDS can develop either at initial presentation or after initiation of treatment when the parasitaemia is falling and patient is improving. 58 year old female presented with high grade fever and breathlessness since 5 days. Arterial blood gas (ABG) on admission showed type 1 respiratory failure and chest X-ray was suggestive of ARDS. Thus patient was shifted to intensive care unit and was put on non-invasive ventilation. PBS was positive for Plasmodium vivax malaria and patient was started on antimalarial drugs. Considering the epidemic of H1N1 swab was sent for polymerase chain reaction (PCR) which turned out to be negative. Thus antimalarial and supportive treatment for ARDS was continued. Patient was discharged on day 11 and started on tablet primaquine to prevent relapse. ARDS is a hard to predict late complication of severe malaria. ARDS in malaria is a disease with high mortality. Early diagnosis and institution of specific antimalarial treatment along with assisted ventilation can be life-saving.