Swaminathan S

Background: Early and accurate detection of HIV infection is essential for patient management and disease control. The primary methodology for HIV testing has shifted from enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) to rapid diagnostic tests in recent years, especially in resource limited settings. Purpose: To correlate two new commercial serologic tests for HIV (ALTA rapid test reader RTR-1, CTK Biotech and HIV ELISA; GenscreenTM ULTRA HIV Ag-Ab). Study design: The sensitivity and specificity of the HIV tests were compared using unknown HIV status of 955 specimens. Results: The two different assays showed excellent sensitivity in the diagnosis of HIV infection (100%). Specificity in RTR was (100%), whereas it is (98.3%) in ELISA which indicates, ELISA given (1.7%) false positive results. Conclusions: Rapid test reader can be useful in the effective and economical screening method for HIV infection. However, rapid test reader is not a substitute for ELISA method

LDH, one of the earliest marker still being used along with troponins in the diagnosis of acute myocardial infarction is now emerging as an important marker in a wide range of cancers. Recently LDH and its isoenzymes have been extensively studied in the detection and its prognostic role in common tumors such as colorectal, breast, ovarian, prostate, liver and various other metastases. LDH levels have been correlated with CEA, CA 15.3, CA 125,CA19.9 and Hodgkin’s lymphomas. Further, isoenzymes of LDH are being studied extensively and each isoenzyme was found to be specific for a particular cancer. LDH has been linked to intracellular enzymes through damaged cells in apotoposis and deregulation. Studies suggest that inhibiting LDH activity may lead to possible anticancer treatment. The objective of this review article is to present the outcome of various research findings during the last two decades and to make awareness among research scholars to undertake further research to establish the exact clinical role of LDH in each type of cancer.

Diabetes Mellitus (DM) is a genetic and/or lifestyle disease which had wide ramifications affecting the functioning of several organs. As of now, approximately 35% of Indian population are with DM. Uncontrolled DM will lead to many other diseases, the first being the alterations in kidney function followed by cardiac and liver diseases. About 45% of kidney diseases are caused by uncontrolled DM. HbA1c and serum creatinine are the two gold standards for the monitoring and control of DM and kidney disease and there must exist some association between them. This research article presents an association found between these analytes and depicts HbA1c/ Creatinine ratio as an Index to assess the progression and control of DM in a group of patients with T2DM. Very good association was found between HbA1c and creatinine as well as HbA1c to the ratio, both for controls and patients ( p< 0.0001). The outcome of this study strongly suggests that all patients undergoing treatment for T2DM be investigated for serum creatinine to ascertain kidney function.