Background: Presence of metabolic syndrome in an individual substantially increases his risk of developing cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes mellitus. Occurrence of both obesity and type 2 DM have reached epidemic proportions in India. Metabolic syndrome is considered to be a proinflamatory state associated with low grade systemic inflammation. C-reactive protein is a robust biomarker of this chronic systemic inflammation. Higher values of high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) are associated with metabolic syndrome and its components and provides additional prognostic information on future development of cardiovascular events in them. Methods: 50 patients aged 18 years and above with metabolic syndrome, and 50 age and sex matched controls attending OPD or admitted to medicine department wards of Bangalore Medical College were enrolled for this cross sectional study. The new IDF criteria were used for the diagnosis of metabolic syndrome. A fasting blood sample was drawn for estimation of hs-CRP, blood glucose and lipid profile. Waist circumference, height and weight were measured at the same time. The results were tabulated and analysed. Results: There was a statistically significant difference in values of various demographic parameters like BMI, waist circumference, BP and biochemical parameters like blood sugar, lipid profile between cases and controls. Patients with metabolic syndrome had higher mean value of hs-CRP (8.3±1.04 Vs 1.6±0.79mg/l) with a p value <0.001. Conclusions: Patients with metabolic syndrome had significantly higher levels of hs-CRP when compared to controls and hs-CRP levels increased linearly with increasing number of metabolic syndrome components. Hence hs-CRP can probably be used as a surrogate marker of chronic inflammation in patients with metabolic syndrome.

To determine raised serum hsCRP levels, an established risk marker in stroke patients and also to study the co relation between raised serum uric acid and hsCRP levels in ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This was a cross sectional study of 200 patients presenting with a history of focal neurological deficit of acute onset in the form of hemiparesis, hemiplegia having evidence of presence of ischemic or hemorrhagic infarct in CT scan of brain. In all patients hsCRP levels were measured within 48hours of presentation. RESULTS: Most of the patients (65%) were in the age group of more than 50 years. Left-sided hemiparesis with altered sensorium and UMN facial palsy was the most common presenting symptom. hsCRP levels were found to be increased in hemorrhagic stroke patients than with ischemic stroke, this difference was found to be statistically significant (p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: From this study we concluded that hsCRP level is increased in cases of stroke-ischemic as well as hemorrhagic, but more in hemorrhagic stroke suggesting an inflammatory response in acute stroke. Furthermore, the increased levels correlated with larger bleed and infarct size, severe neurological deficit and worse outcome.

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Although urinary tract infections (UTIs) are considered to be the most common bacterial infections worldwide, their assessment remains a big clinical challenge, because they are not reportable diseases in developed countries like United States and any other parts of the world including India. This situation is further complicated by the fact that accurate diagnosis depends on both the presence of symptoms and a positive urine culture, although in most outpatient settings this diagnosis is made without the benefit of culture. Our study aimed to appraise the impact of urinary tract infections symptoms on selected patients and comprehend their adherence to medications despite the challenges of antimicrobial susceptibility and resistance observed. One hundred and twenty patients with confirmed cases of urinary tract infections were recruited for the study. The mean age of females and males patients was found to be 59.86±2.37and 52.27±3 years respectively. Pertinent descriptive and inferential statistics were performed. Spearman correlation test revealed a strong positive correlation between overall UTIs’ symptoms and their impact on patients at baseline (0.84) and at follow up (0.799) with p value =0.5. On the other hand the majority of patients were found to be adherent to the medications after discharge. The current study revealed that Urinary tract infections if left untreated can negatively impact the lives of patients suffering from it and hinder their adherence to medications. Consequently, accurate and early assessment of UTIs’ symptoms in clinics and hospitals becomes a necessity.