No abstract

BackgroundThe diagnosis of abdominal tuberculosis is a major health challenge. Limited data are available to support the use of GeneXpert MTB/RIF in the diagnosis of abdominal tuberculosis. The current study is an analysis of the sensitivity and specificity of GeneXpert MTB/RIF for the diagnosis of abdominal tuberculosis, keeping histopathology as the gold standard.Materials and methodsA prospective study was conducted in Surgery Unit-I of Holy Family hospital in the year 2017. Data of 21 patients presenting with abdominal tuberculosis were collected. The samples collected were ascitic fluid for GeneXpert and acid-fast bacilli (AFB) and a tissue sample for histopathology, which included either the enlarged lymph nodes or the involved gut segment.ResultsOut of a total of 21 patients, 10 were male and 11 were female. The predominant age group was less than 30 years with 76.2% cases. Of the 21 samples analyzed, all were positive for tuberculosis (TB) by histopathology. GeneXpert was positive in six and negative in 15 patients. The sensitivity of GeneXpert was 28.57% and specificity was 0%. The positive predictive value was 100%. The diagnostic accuracy was found to be 28.57%.ConclusionIn our study, GeneXpert has shown poor sensitivity and specificity for the detection of abdominal TB from ascitic fluid samples. On the basis of this data, we lay stress on finding new tests and biomarkers for the rapid diagnosis of abdominal TB.

Summary:potential for cell damage due to high local drug concentrations. 2,7Anticholinergic therapy decreases saliva production which may result in less oral mucositis. Oral mucositis is a dose-limiting toxicity of high-dose etoposide regimens. Since etoposide is excreted in saliva,The ability of anticholinergic drugs to protect the oral mucosa after higher doses of etoposide and after more prowe tested the hypothesis that the induction of xerostomia would reduce the severity of the mucositis. We longed administration of etoposide by continuous infusion is unknown. We designed a phase II trial of oral propanthe- We studied 31 consecutive patients with a diagnosis of a and schedule of ICE reported mild mucositis in 10 of nonhematologic malignancy. Each had evidence of chemo-46 (22%) (95% CI 11-36%) patients and severe mucossensitivity determined by a complete or partial response to itis in 36 of 46 (78%) (95% CI 64-89%). Propantheline an induction regimen. All patients had documentation of therapy had no protective effect on esophagitis and renal, hepatic, cardiac and pulmonary organ reserve. Each enteritis associated with high-dose ICE. Minor toxicities patient signed an informed consent form approved by the were constipation and asymptomatic tachycardia; institutional review board. major toxicities were palpitations in one patient and urinary retention in one patient. We conclude that anticholinergic therapy dramatically reduced the oral mucositis Conditioning regimen associated with high-dose etoposide and should beThe ICE regimen consisted of ifosfamide 3.33 g/m 2 i.v. h considered as a supportive care measure for patients 0-1 on days 1-6, carboplatin 0.3 g/m 2 i.v. h 12-13 on days receiving etoposide-containing regimens.