Introduction: Breast cancer (BC), a heterogeneous disease, is one of the leading causes of cancer-related deaths among women worldwide. Circulating cell-free DNA (cfDNA) levels have been persistently reported to be elevated in BC patients. In the current study, we evaluated the correlation between the cfDNA levels in patients with BC and its subtypes.Methods: We recruited newly diagnosed, histopathologically confirmed BC patients aged >18 years (N=39), who did not have any previous malignancy, from the

Introduction: Thyroid hormone biosynthesis is dependent on iron metabolism. Changes in iron metabolism and its deficiency may cause a change in the profile of thyroid hormone. Such interferences caused can lead to hypothyroidism in case of anaemia or the other way round. Aim: To find a relationship between various parameters of iron profile to that of thyroid profile in hypothyroid patients when compared to normal healthy subjects. Materials and Methods: Present case-control study was conducted on 50 hypothyroid patients and 50 healthy subjects of same age, in the Department of Endocrinology, IGIMS, Patna between April 2017 to June 2018. Serum ferritin and Serum T3, T4, and Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (TSH) were estimated by Chemiluminescence Immuno Assay (CLIA) method. Serum iron estimation was done using TPTZ (2,4,6-Tripyridyl-s-triazine) method and Total Iron Binding Capacity (TIBC) estimation was done by Nitroso PSAP method. All statistical test and analysis were performed in Statistical Package for the Social Science (SPSS) 16.0. The differences between mean values of groups for each test variable were tested by Student’s t-test after testing for homogeneity of variance and normality test (Kolmogorov-Smirnov test). Results: The mean age of the hypothyroid patients was 30.28±10.5 years while it was 31.14±10.4 years in control group. It was observed from the study that mean serum ferritin level and iron level were significantly lower in hypothyroid subjects compared to control groups (p<0.001) while TIBC was significantly higher (p<0.001). Serum ferritin and iron were found to be negatively correlated with TSH (-0.695 and -0.541) and positively correlated to T3 and T4, respectively. Conclusion: Evaluating iron profile in thyroid disorder may be an aid to the treatment modality and disease outcome

Introduction: Iron is an important factor in neural development. Iron Deficiency (ID) and Iron Deficiency Anaemia (IDA) anaemia is highly prevalent in patients of autism. There are a very small number of studies to show association between iron profile and autism. Aim: To investigate factors affecting iron status such as hemoglobin (%), serum iron, ferritin, and Total Iron Binding Capacity (TIBC) level in children with Autism Spectral Disorder (ASD) and healthy control. Materials and Methods: It was a case-control study done from April 2018 to April 2019. Total 100 participants were recruited of which 50 autistic patients were taken as cases, and 50 healthy subjects were taken as control. Childhood Autism Rating Scale (CARS) was used to evaluate the severity of autistic symptoms. Cut-off value of serum ferritin was <10 ng/mL for preschoolers (<6 years) and <12 ng/mL for school-aged (>6 years) children to evaluate ID. Anaemia was defined as haemoglobin <11.0 g/dL for preschoolers and <12.0 g/dL for school-aged categorical variables and were compared by using chi-square test. Normally distributed parametric variables were compared between groups by using independent samples t-test. Serum ferritin, iron, TIBC values were compared between severe, mild-moderate and control groups with ANOVA. The p-value <0.05 was accepted to be statistically significant. Results: Mean serum levels of ferritin iron TIBC were significantly reduced in ASD patients (p<0.001). The level of haemoglobin was also lower in ASD patients but it was not significant. Risk of ID and IDA was higher than normal subjects (RR for ID 1.74). Level of serum ferritin, iron and TIBC was lowest in severe autism as compared to mild-moderate autism and control groups. Conclusion: These findings suggest iron and ferritin levels should be measured in autistic patients as a baseline investigation and it may be used as a screening test for ASD.

No abstract

Introduction: It was observed that approximately 10% of children with Nephrotic Syndrome (NS) are found as Steroid Resistant NS (SRNS). The data on the prevalence of non-autoimmune hypothyroidism among the SRNS in India is limited. Aim: To assess the prevalence of non-autoimmune hypothyroidism in the case of SRNS. Materials and Methods: A case control cross-sectional study was conducted in which 52 cases of SRNS and 52 healthy controls were enrolled. Thyroid profile like serum Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (TSH), Free Triiodothyronine (T3), Free Thyroxine (T4) done in the all cases and controls but anti-Thyroid Peroxidase (TPO), and anti-thyroglobulin antibody test was done in the case and control group with deranged thyroid function test. Low Free T4 (normal: 0.7-2 ng/mL) and elevated serum TSH above the upper limit of the reference range (>4.5 mIU/L) was defined as overt hypothyroidism, whereas elevation in serum TSH with a normal serum FT4 concentration was defined as sub clinical hypothyroidism. MedCalc statistical software Version 19.2.6 was used to do statistical analysis. Results: Prevalence of Non-autoimmune hypothyroidism was 38.46% (20 out of 52), 16 (30.76%) had subclinical and 4 (7.69%) had overt hypothyroidism in case of SRNS in comparison to 1.96% (1 out of 52) in control group. Out of 16 subclinical hypothyroid patients, two cases with grade 1, 12 cases with grade 2, and two cases with grade 3 found. Patients with SRNS had a mean (SD) TSH value of 4.5±4.7 mlU/L which was significantly higher than control (1.8±1.1 mlU/L). Serum levels of FT4 were within normal range. Anti-TPO and anti-thyroglobulin titre were in normal range in children with hypothyroidism. Conclusion: The prevalence of non-autoimmune hypothyroidism was high in cases of idiopathic SRNS. So, on the basis of this study estimation of thyroid profile in children with SRNS seems to be the rational approach which will lead to early diagnosis and timely management of hypothyroidism in SRNS.