Background Until recently, circulating micro-RNAs (miRNAs) have attracted major interest as novel biomarkers for the early diagnosis of coronary artery disease (CAD). This review article summarizes the available evidence on the correlation of micro-RNAs with both the clinical and subclinical coronary artery disease and highlights the necessity for exploring miRNAs as a potential diagnostic and prognostic biomarker of early CAD in an adult population. Methods A systematic literature analysis and retrieval online systems Public/Publisher MEDLINE/ Excerpta Medica Database /Medical Literature Analysis and Retrieval System Online,(PUBMED/EMBASE/MEDLINE) search were conducted for relevant information. Search was limited to the articles published in English language and conducted on humans, January 2000 onwards. We excluded studies of heart surgery, coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG), angioplasty and heart transplant. Eighteen studies met the inclusion criteria. Results Seven out of 18 studies were multivariate, i.e. adjusted for age, gender, body mass index (BMI), smoking, hypertension, diabetes, and blood lipid profiles, while the remaining twelve studies were univariate analysis. Different sources of miRNAs were used, i.e. plasma/serum, microparticles, whole blood, platelets, blood mononuclear intimal and endothelial progenitor cells were investigated. Fourteen out of 18 studies showed up-regulation of different miRNA in CAD patients and in vulnerable plaque disease. Four out of 18 studies showed both the up-regulation and down-regulation of miRNA in the population, while only three studies showed down-regulation of miRNA. Various sources and types of miRNA were used in each study. Conclusion This review gives an extensive overview of up-regulation and down-regulation of miRNA in CAD and non-CAD patients. The pattern of miRNA regulation with respect to CAD/non-CAD study subjects varies across individual studies and different parameters, which could be the possible reason for this aberrancy. We suggest further trials be conducted in future for highlighting the role of miRNA in CAD, which may improve both the diagnostic and therapeutic approaches to stratifying CAD burden in the general population.

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Acute coronary syndrome (ACS) is an acute and severe manifestation of coronary artery disease (CAD); thus, timely diagnosis can save a life. Commonly, cardiac troponin T (CTnT), cardiac troponin I (CTnI) or creatine kinase muscle/brain subtype (CK-MB) have been used as cardiac biomarkers to assess ACS with certain limitations, such as increased time to rise for diagnosis and increased levels in the patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). Recently, micro-ribonucleic acids (miRNAs) have become potential candidates as biomarkers for cardiac ischemia due to their remarkable stability and reproducibility. Certain miRNAs, for instance, miR-1, miR-133a/b, miR-208a/b, and miR-499a, strongly increase in the serum or plasma of patients with acute cardiac ischemia, making them as cardio-specific miRNAs and prospective biomarkers in ACS. This literature review gives enlightenment about the regulation of cardio-specific miRNA in acute myocardial ischemia (AMI) and correlation with common cardiac biomarkers and time at which they increase in the blood.

Dengue is the major cause of arthropod-borne viral disease in the world. It presents with high fever, headache, rash, myalgia, and arthralgia and it is a self-limiting illness. Severe dengue can occur in some cases resulting in dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHF) and dengue shock syndrome (DSS). We present a case of a 32-year-old male patient of high-grade fever, bilateral subconjunctival hemorrhages, swelling on hands and lips, and nasal bleeding. After investigations, he was diagnosed with dengue fever and it was observed that he developed systemic fungal infection secondary to Candida tropicalis infection. The patient’s bone marrow biopsy showed hemophagocytic activity. He also developed hepatitis E infection while hepatitis A, B, or C serology profile showed no active infection. The bilateral iliopsoas hematoma was also observed on CT scan manifested by decreased power in bilateral lower limbs and pain in the right leg. The patient was treated in the hospital with antibiotics (ceftriaxone 2 g once daily for 14 days) and antifungal (fluconazole 200 mg per oral initially for one day then 100 mg daily for 13 days) medicines, and his condition improved on discharge. There is evidence of variable presentations of dengue fever after the disease burden is increased, and thus, diagnosing with such manifestations can be very challenging.

Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) is an autosomal dominant disorder leading to left ventricular outflow tract (LVOT) obstruction. It can present with chest pain, syncope, breathlessness, or it may cause sudden cardiac death in some cases. The echocardiography in most cases while cardiac CT or cardiac MRI in selected cases are the important diagnostic modalities to make the diagnosis of HCM. In this case report, we discuss a case of a young female patient previously diagnosed with HCM and presented with palpitations, chest pain, and shortness of breath. Her echocardiography revealed severe asymmetrically hypertrophied left ventricle (LV) with normal function, the systolic anterior motion of the mitral valve was present and a subvalvular aortic membrane was also seen. The CT was also performed showing severe asymmetrical hypertrophied septum and thickened trileaflet tricommissural aortic valve with no calcification or significant valvular aortic stenosis but there was a subaortic membrane (concentric only sparing anteriorly). The presence of subaortic membrane with HCM is a rare finding and it can be a diagnostic challenge and untreated cases are susceptible to progressive heart failure and worsening of the symptoms by further increasing LVOT obstruction. A thorough investigation and planning before surgical intervention is required to achieve optimal results.