Lipid peroxidation and diabetic retinopathy

The high level of glucose in blood for a long duration is the main cause of the development of retinopathy. So yearly screening of patients newly diagnosed with NIDDM diabetes is recommended because rare cases of treatable diabetic retinopathy have occurred early in one course of NIDDM diabetes. Hyperglycaemia leads to non-enzymatic glycosylation of proteins and HbA1C was found increased. Antioxidants such as GSH and SOD level is found decreased in retinopathy conditions due to the higher lipid peroxidation, which is evident from high MDA and DC values. So it can be clearly stated that increase in the free radical by hyperglycaemia, lipid peroxidation and advanced glycosylation endproducts along with decreased antioxidants are the causative agents for the development of retinopathy.

Mycosis fungoides treated with Puva and Topical Corticosteroids

An 89-year old patient had mycosis fungoides with extensive skin involvement and palpable but pathologically uninvolved lymph nodes. He was successfully treated with PUVA combined with topical 0.1% fluocinolone acetonide ointment. PUVA therapy is highly effective in the treatment of mycosis fungoides confined to the skin, especially in the elderly where more aggressive therapy may not be tolerated.

Intra-pancreatic splenic artery pseudoaneurysm. A rare complication of chronic calcific pancreatitis

The authors present the case of a 12-year-old boy with a history of chronic upper abdominal pain. Based on ultrasonography, endoscopic retrograde cholangio-pancreatography, and computerized tomography, a diagnosis of chronic calcific pancreatitis with dilation of the main pancreatic duct and a pseudocyst of the proximal pancreas was made. At surgery, in addition to confirmation of the above findings, a pseudoaneurysm arising from the splenic artery was found in the head and body of the pancreas. Pancreaticoduodenal resection including the pseudoaneurysm was performed. Postoperatively the child developed diabetes, which is easily managed with small doses of insulin.