Family Medicine Updates

A new medical quiz daily

My fellow practitioners
After working relentlessly, we (myself and few like minded medicos) have created India's largest Knowledge portal for medicos - www.indiandoctorsguide.com

SInce the portal gives in depth information on treatment protocols/ drugs/ investigations etc, we decided to restrict access to doctors ONLY. Evey doctor needs an Invitation code to register. Send a mail to inviteme@indiandoctorsguide.com for your invitation code.

Quizzes can be accessed HERE

I await your feedback

Leucocytosis: Interpretation

Leucocytosis - an elevation of the total number of white cells in blood, can be caused by a rise in the amount of one or more leucocyte types:
Ø Neutrophilia
Ø Lymphocytosis
Ø Monocytosis
Ø Eosinophilia
Ø Basophilia.

The division of leucocytoses (especially neutrophilias) according to their aetiology is directly useful in clinical diagnostics.

• Infections and inflammations
• Medication-related (corticosteroids, granulocyte growth factors, others)
• Stress-related (physical, emotional)
• Leukaemias (rare in comparison to the previous-mentioned)

Complete Blood Count

Complete Blood Count (CBC) is calculation of the cellular elements of blood. Earlier these were done manually and but nowadays are determined by cell counters that analyze the different components of blood in less than a minute with much better accuracy. CBC requires 2-3 ccs of Whole Blood in an EDTA bulb. A major portion of CBC is the concentration of WBC, RBC and platelets in the blood. The complete blood count (also called CBC) is generated by testing a simple blood sample, not requiring fasting. Today ALL of us should insist on a CBC done by Automated cell counters.

Prostate Specific Antigen

TUMOUR MARKERS: Early detection of cancer is a priority for all as it offers the best chance for cure. The aim is to diagnose cancer when the tumour is small enough to be removed surgically. A tumour marker is a specific substance present in the blood of a patient having the tumour. These tumour markers are quite sensitive to the type of the cancer. The ease of collecting the sample and being non-invasive makes tumour markers superior to other examinations based on physical methods.

Tumour Markers Are Generally Used In

- Screening the high risk population

- Clinical staging of cancer

- Indicator for disease progression

- To evaluate the success of treatment

- To detect the recurrence

- Monitoring response to therapy

Commonly used tumour markers

CA – 125: It is a marker for ovarian and endometrial cancer

CA 15-3: Useful in staging Breast cancer. Also in cancer of pancreas, ovary and lung.

CEA: Primarily indicated for Cancer of the colon

PSA: Prostate Specific Antigen

Urinalysis

I conceived and brought out an issue for National Journal of Homoeopathy on "Rational Use of Investigations". Here I share my work with my knowledge hungry brethren.

Allergic Rhinitis & Asthma

The impact of Allergic Rhinitis on Asthma has now been establshed beyond doubt.
Few relevant glimpses, for the benefit of my fellow practitioners,  from ARIA (Allergic Rhinitis & its Impact on Asthma) programme in collaboration with WHO. This is more relevant as the guidelines have been framed for developing (poorer) countries.