Browsing by Author "Sarada, C"
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Item A case of sporadic Creutzfeldt Jakob disease with anterior visual pathway involvement(NEUROLOGY INDIA, 2005) Mooney, T; Sreekumar, J; Hemanth, S; Mathuranath, PS; Sarada, CItem A comparative evaluation of Dot immunobinding assay (Dot-Iba) and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for the laboratory diagnosis of tuberculous meningitis(DIAGNOSTIC MICROBIOLOGY AND INFECTIOUS DISEASE, 2002)The results of a Dot immunobinding assay (Dot Iba) for the detection of mycobacterial antigen in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of 45 patients with tuberculous meningitis (TBM) were compared with the results of a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for the detection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis. In eight patients with culture proven TBM, Dot-lba gave positive results, while PCR yielded positive results only in six patients. The overall sensitivities of Dot-lba and PCR in 37 patients with culture negative (probable) TBM were 75.67% and 40.5% respectively. Dot-lba, in contrast to PCR is a rapid and relatively easier method. More importantly, Dot-lba is suitable for the routine application for the laboratory diagnosis of TBM and therefore best suited to laboratories in the developing world. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science Inc. All rights reserved.Item A newer approach for the laboratory diagnosis of tuberculous meningitis(DIAGNOSTIC MICROBIOLOGY AND INFECTIOUS DISEASE, 2001) Mathai, A; Radhakrishnan, VV; George, SM; Sarada, CIn this prospective study, a simple method was standardized for measuring circulating mycobacterial antigen in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) for the laboratory diagnosis of tuberculous meningitis (TBM). The heat-inactivated CSF specimens from tuberculous and nontuberculous patients were subjected to sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS)-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE) (SDS-PAGE) and they were subsequently transferred onto nitrocellulose membrane (NCM) Using a rabbit polyvalent antibody to M tuberculosis, a heat stable 82 kDa mycobacterial antigen was demonstrated in the CSFs of patients with TBM. This antigen was conspicuous by it!; absence in the CSFs of non-tuberculous subjects. Due to inactivation of CSF; specimens, there is a minimal risk of handling of infectious material in the laboratory. Besides, this newer approach is simple, inexpensive and can be readily applied in any routine clinical laboratory and it is particularly suited to developing countries. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Inc. All rights reserved.Item An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for antibodies against acid soluble skeletal muscle antigen in myasthenia gravis(ACTA NEUROLOGICA SCANDINAVICA, 1999)An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) system has been developed for measuring serum antibodies against citric-acid extract of human skeletal muscles. With this assay, 80% of myasthenia patients with thymoma gave positive results. No sera from patients with neurological diseases other than myasthenia gravis (MG) gave positive results. The result of this study indicates that the ELISA system is useful as an adjunct for the diagnosis of MG particularly in the patients associated with thymoma and that the ELISA method can also be used as a prognostic marker following thymectomy in patients with MG.Item Congenital myasthenic syndromes: Natural history and long-term prognosis(ANNALS OF INDIAN ACADEMY OF NEUROLOGY, 2013) Jagtap, SA; Abraham, K; Sarada, C; Nair, MDIntroduction: Congenital myasthenia syndrome (CMS) is a rare, heterogeneous group of genetically determined, disorder of neuromuscular transmission. They have a varied presentation and progression and very few studies have addressed the natural history. Aim of the present study is to describe the clinical profile and natural history of patients with CMS. Materials and Methods: Study includes patients with CMS who attended comprehensive-neuromuscular-clinic (CNMC) during the period January, 2000-2008 with a minimum follow-up of 2 years, with inclusion criteria: (1) Onset in infancy or childhood with fluctuating ocular, bulbar, respiratory or limb muscle weakness (2) Acetylcholine receptor antibody negative (3) normal computed tomography (CT) thymus (4) Abnormal repetitive nerve stimulation (RNS) testing (5) Exclusion of other autoimmune disorders. Results: Out of 314 patients with myasthenia who attended the CNMC during study period, 15 (4.8%) were with CMS (8 boys, 7 girls). Patients were divided as infantile and childhood onset. The mean age of onset and diagnosis in infantile and childhood onset groups were 5.5 months/3.1 years and 3.6 years/6.5 years respectively. Eleven patients had ptosis and 4 had generalized presentation. Most common site of decremental response was over facial nerve in 12 (75%) patients. All patients showed good response to treatment with acetyl cholinesterase inhibitor with stable course on follow-up without exacerbations. Mean dose for neostigmine was 28 mg/day and for pyridostigmine was 153 mg/day. Conclusion: Ptosis is most common symptom at onset in CMS, emphasing importance of RNS of the facial nerve, in the absence of molecular diagnosis of CMS. Our CMS cohort had relatively stable course without intermittent exacerbations with fair response to acetyl cholinesterase inhibitor.Item Detection of heat stable mycobacterial antigen in cerebrospinal fluid by dot-immunobinding assay(NEUROLOGY INDIA, 2003)Background: Isolation of Mycobacterium tuberculosis in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) specimen in patients with tuberculous meningitis (TBM) is infrequent and carries low sensitivity. Thus development of an alternative laboratory diagnostic test is essential for the early diagnosis and treatment of TBM. Objective: A simple, rapid Dot immunobinding assay (Dot-Iba), for the laboratory diagnosis of TBM is devised. This method minimizes the risk of handling infectious material in the laboratory. Method: The Dot-Iba was standardized with heat-inactivated M tuberculosis antigen (PPD). The heat-inactivated CSF from TBM and non-TBM patients was similarly assayed and it can detect antigen upto 1ng/ml in CSF Result: A positive result was obtained in all the five culture positive patients with TBM and in 20/25 probable TBM. A negative result was obtained in 38/40 CSF from disease control group. The overall sensitivity and specificity of Dot-Iba was 83.3% and 95% respectively. Conclusion: Dot-Iba can be used as an adjunct for the laboratory diagnosis of TBM, particularly in culture negative TBM patients and also in those clinical situations where no laboratory tests are available to distinguish between TBM and partially treated pyogenic meningitis.Item Fulminant cerebral infarction in a patient with nephrotic syndrome(NEUROLOGY INDIA, 2000) Pandian, JD; Sarada, C; Elizabeth, J; Visweswaran, RKFulminant cerebral infarction secondary to arterial thrombosis in adults with nephrotic syndrome is rare. We report a 42 year old male with fulminant right anterior cerebral and middle cerebral artery infarction. Minimal change disease of the kidney was documented by renal biopsy. The possible pathogenesis is discussed and pertinent literature reviewed.Item Guillain-Barre Syndrome with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia(INDIAN PEDIATRICS, 2013) Rajeswari, B; Krishnan, S; Sarada, C; Kusumakumary, PGuillain-Barre syndrome (GBS) is rarely reported in children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia and may be difficult to differentiate from vincristine induced neuropathy. We report two children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia on induction chemotherapy who developed GBS. The diagnostic issues and potential pathogenic mechanisms underlying GBS in pediatric patients with ALL are discussed.Item Iatrogenic meningitis after lumbar puncture - a preventable health hazard(JOURNAL OF HOSPITAL INFECTION, 2004) Pandian, JD; Sarada, C; Radhakrishnan, VV; Kishore, AIatrogenic meningitis (IM) is a rare complication of diagnostic and therapeutic lumbar puncture (LP). This study includes cases of IM managed in the Departments of Neurology, of two referral hospitals, in India between January 1984 and April 2002. The diagnosis of IM was made when symptoms of meningitis occurred 24 h to 21 days after LP. All the procedures were performed in the peripheral hospitals before they were referred to the two centres. There were 17 (63%) women and 10 (37%) men. The age range was 19-50 years with a mean age of 31. The precipitating event was spinal anaesthesia for pelvic and intra-abdominal surgeries (Caesarean section 11 cases, hysterectomy three cases, herniorraphy two cases, appendicectomy two cases, anal fissurectomy one case, varicocelectomy one case and hydrocelectomy one case) laminectomy in two and diagnostic myelogram in four patients. The cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) culture was positive in six (22%) patients. The organisms were Pseudomonas aeruginosa in one case, Staphylococcus aureus in three cases, Acinetobacter spp. in one case and Mycobacterium tuberculosis in one case. In five individuals, mycotic aneurysms with subarachnoid haemorrhage due to invasive aspergillosis was documented at autopsy. The mean follow-up was 10.6 months (range 1-18). Seventeen (63%) patients received conventional antibiotics alone, while 10 patients received antibiotics and anti-tuberculous drugs when the meningitis became chronic. The mortality was 36%. The poor prognostic factors were women who underwent Caesarean section (P < 0.04), presence of hemiplegia (P < 0.04) and altered mental status (P < 0.0004). This study shows high morbidity and mortality of IM after LP. Simple aseptic precautions undertaken before the procedure can prevent IM. The urgent need for increasing the awareness among medical personnel in peripheral hospitals of developing countries cannot be over emphasized. (C) 2003 The Hospital Infection Society. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.Item Immunocytochemical method for early laboratory diagnosis of tuberculous meningitis(CLINICAL AND DIAGNOSTIC LABORATORY IMMUNOLOGY, 2002)A simple immunocytochemical method was standardized for the direct demonstration of mycobacterial antigen in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) specimens of patients with tuberculous meningitis (TBM). CSF-cytospin smears were prepared from 22 patients with a clinical diagnosis of TBM and also from an equal number of patients with nontuberculous neurological diseases (disease control). Immunocytological demonstration of mycobacterial antigens in the cytoplasm of monocytoid cells was attempted, by using rabbit immunoglobulin G to Mycobacterium tuberculosis as the primary antibody. Of the 22 CSF-cytospin smears from TBM patients, 16 showed positive immunostaining, while all of the CSF-cytospin smears from the disease control showed negative immunostaining for mycobacterial antigen. The technical aspects of this immunocytological method for the demonstration of mycobacterial antigens are simple, rapid, and reproducible, as well as specific, and therefore can be applied for the early diagnosis of TBM, particularly in patients in whom bacteriological methods did not demonstrate the presence of M. tuberculosis in the CSF.Item Intractable nausea and vomiting as presenting manifestation of neuromyelitis optica(ANNALS OF INDIAN ACADEMY OF NEUROLOGY, 2013) Jagtap, SA; Sarathchandran, P; Kambale, HJ; Nair, MD; Sarada, CItem Multipoint incremental motor unit number estimation versus amyotrophic lateral sclerosis functional rating scale and the medical research council sum score as an outcome measure in amyotrophic lateral(Annals of Indian Academy of Neurology, 2014-12) Jagtap, SA; Kuruvilla, A; Govind, P; Nair, MD; Sarada, C; Varma, RPINTRODUCTION: Monitoring the disease progression in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a challenge due to different rates of progression between patients. Besides clinical methods to monitor disease progression, such as the ALS functional rating scale (ALSFRS) and the medical research council (MRC) sum score, quantitative methods like motor unit number estimation (MUNE) are of interest. OBJECTIVE: The objective of the present study is to evaluate the rate of progression in ALS using multipoint incremental MUNE and to compare MUNE, ALSFRS and MRC sum score at baseline and at 6 months for progression of the disease. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Multipoint incremental MUNE using median nerve, ALS-FRS and MRC sum score was carried out in 29 ALS patients at baseline and then at 6 months. RESULTS: Of the 29 ALS patients studied, the mean MUNE at baseline was 21.80 (standard deviation [SD]: 19.46, range 4-73), 15.9 in the spinal onset group (SD: 14.60) and 30.16 (SD: 22.89) in the bulbar onset group. Spinal onset patients had 74.02% of baseline MUNE value while bulbar onset patients had only 24.74% baseline value MUNE at 6 months follow-up (Unpaired t-test, P = 0.001). ALSFRS and MRC sum score showed statistically significant decline (P < 0.001) at 6 months follow-up. MUNE had the highest sensitivity for progression of the disease when compared to the ALS FRS and MRC sum score. CONCLUSION: Multipoint incremental MUNE is a valuable tool for outcome measure in ALS and other diseases characterized by motor unit loss. The rate of decline of multipoint incremental MUNE is more sensitive than that of MRC sum score and ALSFRS-R, when expressed as the percentage change from baselineItem Multipoint incremental motor unit number estimation versus amyotrophic lateral sclerosis functional rating scale and the medical research council sum score as an outcome measure in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis(ANNALS OF INDIAN ACADEMY OF NEUROLOGY, 2014) Jagtap, SA; Kuruvilla, A; Govind, P; Nair, MD; Sarada, C; Varma, RPIntroduction: Monitoring the disease progression in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a challenge due to different rates of progression between patients. Besides clinical methods to monitor disease progression, such as the ALS functional rating scale (ALSFRS) and the medical research council (MRC) sum score, quantitative methods like motor unit number estimation (MUNE) are of interest. Objective: The objective of the present study is to evaluate the rate of progression in ALS using multipoint incremental MUNE and to compare MUNE, ALSFRS and MRC sum score at baseline and at 6 months for progression of the disease. Materials and Methods: Multipoint incremental MUNE using median nerve, ALS-FRS and MRC sum score was carried out in 29 ALS patients at baseline and then at 6 months. Results: Of the 29 ALS patients studied, the mean MUNE at baseline was 21.80 (standard deviation [SD]: 19.46, range 4-73), 15.9 in the spinal onset group (SD: 14.60) and 30.16 (SD: 22.89) in the bulbar onset group. Spinal onset patients had 74.02% of baseline MUNE value while bulbar onset patients had only 24.74% baseline value MUNE at 6 months follow-up (Unpaired t-test, P = 0.001). ALSFRS and MRC sum score showed statistically significant decline (P < 0.001) at 6 months follow-up. MUNE had the highest sensitivity for progression of the disease when compared to the ALS FRS and MRC sum score. Conclusion: Multipoint incremental MUNE is a valuable tool for outcome measure in ALS and other diseases characterized by motor unit loss. The rate of decline of multipoint incremental MUNE is more sensitive than that of MRC sum score and ALSFRS-R, when expressed as the percentage change from baseline.Item Rapid diagnosis of tuberculous meningitis by a dot immunobinding assay to detect mycobacterial antigen in cerebrospinal fluid specimens(JOURNAL OF CLINICAL MICROBIOLOGY, 1999)In the present prospective study, a dot immunobinding assay (Dot-Iba) was standardized to measure the circulating mycobacterial antigen in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) specimens for the laboratory diagnosis of tuberculous meningitis (TBM), Immunoglobulin G antibody specific for Mycobacterium tuberculosis in a CSF specimen from a patient with culture-proven TBM was isolated and was coupled with activated cyanogen bromide-Sepharose 4B. By immunosorbent affinity chromatography, a 14-kDa antigen was isolated from the culture filtrate of M, tuberculosis. Antibody to the 14-kDa mycobacterial antigen was raised in rabbits. The Dot-Iba in this study gave no false-positive results with CSF specimens from patients with nontuberculous neurological diseases. The assay gave positive results for all five patients with culture-proven TBM, The Dot-Iba described in the present report is simple, rapid, sensitive, specific, and, more importantly, suitable for routine application in laboratories in developing countries.Item Rapid diagnosis of tuberculous meningitis by a dot-immunobinding assay(ACTA NEUROLOGICA SCANDINAVICA, 2000)In this study, a dot-immunobinding assay (Dot-Iba) was standardized to measure circulating antimycobacterial antibodies in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) specimens for the rapid laboratory diagnosis of tuberculous meningitis (TBM). Specific CSF-IgG antibody to Mycobacterium tuberculosis from a culture proven patient with TBM was isolated and coupled with activated Cynogen bromide-Sepharose 4B. Using an immunoabsorbent affinity chromatography, 14 kDa antigen present in the culture filtrates of ill. tuberculosis was isolated and this antigen was used in the Dot-Iba, to quantitate specific antimycobacterial antibodies in CSF specimens. The Dot-Iba gave positive results in all the 5 culture proven patients with TBM and gave no false positive results in CSFs from patients with partially treated pyogenic meningitis. Dot-Iba developed in our laboratory is a simple, rapid and specific method and more importantly suited for the routine application in laboratories with limited resources.Item Response to thymectomy in South Indian patients with myasthenia gravis(ACTA NEUROLOGICA SCANDINAVICA, 1996)Aims - The rate of remission among patients with myasthenia gravis (MG) following thymectomy and the predictors of the outcome have revealed vast variation in studies from different geographic regions raising suspicion about the influence of ethnic factors. Material & methods - We retrospectively evaluated the outcome of 71 South Indian MG patients who were thymectomized between 1987 through 1993 and analyzed the relationship between clinical and histopathological features and postthymectomy outcome. Results - The clinical severity of the disease did not differ between the 29 patients with and 42 patients without a thymoma. Seventynine percent of our patients responded favourably to thymectomy; without additional immunosupression therapy, 52% achieved a near-complete remission. An younger age and milder disease correlated with a good outcome. Patients with thymoma responded as favourably as those without a thymoma. Conclusions - The postthymectomy response of South Indian MG patients in general did not differ from that of Western and Oriental patients.Item Satoyoshi syndrome(NEUROLOGY INDIA, 2004)Satoyoshi syndrome (Komuragaeri disease) is a rare disorder of presumed autoimmune etiology, characterized by painful muscle spasms, alopecia, diarrhea, endocrinopathy with amenorrhoea and secondary skeletal abnormalities. Most of the previous reports are of the Japanese people. We report the first case from India.Item Satoyoshi syndrome: Comments - Reply(NEUROLOGY INDIA, 2004) Ashalatha, R; Kishore, A; Sarada, C; Nair, MDItem Serological diagnosis of human brucellosis: analysis of seven cases with neurological and cardiological manifestations.(The Journal of communicable diseases, 2001)Serum Tube Agglutination (STA) test was used as routine test to detect antibrucellar antibodies in diagnosis of brucella infection in sera (n = 75) and CSF (n = 14) from 78 patients with neurological (n = 60) and cardiological (n = 15) complaints in whom brucellosis was suspected, over a period of two and a half years from January, 1997 to July 1999. Seven (neurological-six and cardiac-one) serum samples (9.33%) were positive by STA, while none of the CSFs were positive. STA titres ranged from 1:10 to 1:1280. We report the findings of these seven cases with neurological and cardiac manifestations in whom STA were found positive. Treatment was accomplished in two cases (neurological-one and cardiac-one), while remaining five cases either were treated empirically with antitubercular treatment or lost for follow up. However these reported cases should alert clinicians to investigate for Brucella infection in cases of pyrexia of unknown origin and this condition in cases of chronic meningitis with unproven aetiology.Item Significance of circulating immune complexes in myasthenia gravis(INDIAN JOURNAL OF MEDICAL RESEARCH, 2000)In this study, circulating immune complexes (CICs) were isolated and characterized in the sera of myasthenia gravis (MG) patients with thymoma and MG patients without any thymic lesions. High titres of antistriational antibodies in the CICs were demonstrated by an indirect immunofluorescence (IF) method in 60 per cent (15/25) MG patients with thymoma. The CICs showed a steady decrease in these 15 patients during the post thymectomy period. Antistriational antibodies in the CICs of MG patients without thymic lesions were not detected by IF method. The results of this study emphasised the usefulness of estimation of CICs in the overall management of MG patients with thymoma.