BACKGROUND: Fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) is widely considered as the diagnostic technique of choice in the assessment of thyroid swellings. AIMS: The aim of this study is to determine the diagnostic precisions of FNAC of thyroid swellings performed and compare with other regions. SETTING AND DESIGN: The retrospective study of FNAC of thyroid swellings performed in the Department of Pathology Sri Devaraj Urs medical college, Kolar, during the period January 2000 to December 2004. The FNAC findings were correlated with the histopathological diagnosis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: One hundred twenty seven patients who had undergone FNAC during the study period were retrieved and information about age, sex, FNAC and Histopathological diagnoses were reviewed. The cytological results were classified as inadequate, benign, suspicious, and malignant. The histopathology diagnosis was classified as non-neoplastic and neoplastic. RESULTS: A total of 127 FNACs of thyroid lesions were done during the study period. The results of the FNA cytological diagnosis showed that two (1.6%) of the patients had FNAs, which were inadequate for cytological assessment, 114(90.6%) patients had benign lesions, 8 (6.8%) had lesions that were suspicious for malignancy, and three (1.4%) had malignant neoplasms. The correlation of the FNAC findings with the histopathological diagnosis, showed that our FNAC diagnostic accuracy rate was 96.3%, with a sensitivity of 65%, and specificity of 99.9%. CONCLUSIONS: The results of our study are comparable with the other data and demonstrate that FNA cytology is a sensitive, specific and accurate initial diagnostic test for thyroid swellings.

Aim: To evaluate the correlation of iron deficiency anemia with thrombocytosis in correlation with serum erythropoietin levels. Introduction: Thrombocytosis is a common hematologic finding that can present as an incidental finding and can lead to a great diagnostic challenge. Thrombocytosis can be caused due to autonomous or as a reactive overproduction secondary to infections, iron deficiency anemia, malignancies. Erythropoietin (EPO) is the primary regulator of erythrocyte production and also affects thrombopoiesis and platelet function. The mechanism leading to thrombocytosis in cases of iron deficiency anemia (IDA) remains unclear. Hence, this study was undertaken to evaluate correlation between IDA with thrombocytosis and serum EPO levels. Materials & Methods: A total of 50 patients of all the age groups attending outpatient and inpatient departments of Basaveshwara Medical College Hospital and Research center, Chitradurga suspected of having microcytic hypochromic anemia on initial hematological investigations were included for study over a period from January 2016 to august 2016. Relevant investigations like peripheral smear study, serum iron studies and serum erythropoietin levels were subsequently performed. Results: Majority 52% (n=26) had anemia between 7-9.9 gm/dl of which 57.69% (n=15) cases had platelet count between 5-7 lakhs/cu.mm, 34.61% (n=9) cases had moderate thrombocytosis and 7.69% (n=2) cases had severe thrombocytosis. Out of 50 cases in the present study 76% (n=38) cases had significant increase in the levels of serum erythropoietin while 24% (n=12) cases had normal serum erythropoietin. Conclusion: From the present study, it may be concluded that erythropoietin would play a significant role in causing thrombocytosis in patients with iron deficiency anemia.

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CONTEXT: Tuberculosis is a major public health problem in India. Tuberculous pleural effusion is a paucibacillary manifestation of the Tuberculosis, so isolation of Mycobacterium tuberculosis is difficult, biomarkers being an alternative for diagnosis. Pleural fluid Adenosine deaminase (ADA) level is being used in diagnosis of Tubercular pleural effusion. The combination of ADA and pleural fluid lymphocyte count is being recognized as a better method for increasing the specificity of ADA test. The present study was conducted to analyze the diagnostic usefulness ofAIM: ADA alone (≥ 40U/L) compared with the combination of ADA and pleural fluid lymphocyte count ( ≥ 50% ). SETTINGS AND DESIGN: METHODS AND MATERIAL:Retrospective study. Study was conducted for a period of one year from May 2017 to April 2018. A total of 110 pleural fluid samples data was analysed. SPSS 20STATISTICAL ANALYSIS USED: statistical software. ADA level in Tuberculous pleural effusion ranged from 40U/L to 112U/L with mean value ofRESULTS: 69.4U/L. Sensitivity, Specificity, Positive predictive valve (PPV) and Negative predictive values (NPV) for ADA alone were 93.2%, 76.4%, 82% and 90.6% respectively. For ADA and lymphocyte count the Specificity and PPV increased (98% and 98.1% respectively) with hardly any decrease in sensitivity or NPV (89.8% and 89.5% respectively). CONCLUSION: Combined use of ADA and pleural fluid lymphocyte count increases the specificity and PPV when compared to the specificity of ADA test alone in diagnosing Tubercular pleural effusion.