Background:Anthracosis is the black pigmentation of the mucosal lining of the tracheo-bronchial tree. The significance of this finding is not known and often ignored. The aim of the present study is to find the association of anthracosis with demographic variables, biomass fuel and occupational exposure, respiratory diseases, radiological pattern and functional morbidity.Materials and Methods:Enrolment of the subjects for the study was done at SMS hospital, Jaipur. Patients with anthracosis evident on bronchoscopy were included as the cases. Patients without anthracosis on bronchoscopy, matched according to age, gender and smoking habits, were included in the control group. Subjects in both the arms completed a questionnaire and also underwent computed tomography (CT) of the chest and six minute walk test (6MWT).Results:Thirty cases and 53 controls were included in the study. The patients with anthracosis presented with symptoms ranging from cough (76.65%), hemoptysis (46.6%), fever (26.6%), dyspnea (90%) and malaise (73.3%). Biomass fuel exposure for the cases was 35.13 ± 55.86 hours in a year and for the controls was 28.15 ± 40.09 hours in a year (P > 0.05). Stone mining was significantly associated with anthracosis (P < 0.05). CT chest revealed fibrosis (43.3%), consolidation (33.3%), cavitation (16.6%) and mass (46.6%) in the cases. Sixty percent of cases and 15% of controls were diagnosed to have either old or active pulmonary tuberculosis (P < 0.05).Conclusions:Anthracosis is associated with pulmonary tuberculosis. Biomass exposure is not significantly associated with anthracosis. Post tubercular fibrosis is more common on CT chest of patients with anthracosis.

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Background: Thyroid hormones have profound metabolic effects, the most striking action being an increase in energy expenditure. Thyroid hormones play an important role in regulating lipid metabolism; and thyroid dysfunctions can result in lipid abnormalities which increase the risk of endothelial dysfunction, hypertension and cardiovascular disease. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted on 100 patients with suspicion of thyroid disorders were taken as cases. One hundred patients with normal thyroid profile and no history of other chronic diseases were taken as control group. Results- The serum TC, TG and LDL levels in hypothyroid individuals (both overt and subclinical) were significantly higher than euthyroid subjects but the levels were comparable between hyperthyroid and euthyroid group. Conclusion: We conclude that, dyslipidemias are associated with thyroid disorders, so biochemical screening for thyroid dysfunction in all dyslipidemic patients. Therefore, patients presenting with dyslipidemia are recommended for investigation to explore thyroid dysfunction. Keywords: Total cholesterol, Triglycerides and LDL.

Background: The COPD patients are expected to have a deranged lipid profile for various reasons like smoking, aging, and using such drugs as steroids. Aims of study to estimate the lipid profile level in COPD patients. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted on 50 COPD patients and including 50 control were enrolled in the study. Results: The lipid profile in COPD patients, unpaired t test was performed and it was observed that COPD patients showed significantly higher serum levels of TC, TG, LDL and serum concentrations of HDL were also decreased significantly compared to controls. Conclusion: COPD patients showed significantly higher serum cholesterol level in COPD patients as compared to controls. Keywords: Total cholesterol, TG, COPD.

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