Kaushik Saha
@medicalcollegekolkata.in
Professor, Respiratory Medicine Department
Medical College Kolkata
EDUCATION
MBBS, DTCD, MD, FCCP, FICP
RESEARCH, TEACHING, or OTHER INTERESTS
Pulmonary and Respiratory Medicine, Immunology and Allergy, Rehabilitation, Rheumatology
Scopus Publications
Scholar Citations
Scholar h-index
Scholar i10-index
Scopus Publications
Raja Dhar, Sheetu Singh, Deepak Talwar, B.V. Murali Mohan, Surya Kant Tripathi, Rajesh Swarnakar, Sonali Trivedi, Srinivas Rajagopala, George D'Souza, Arjun Padmanabhan,et al.
European Respiratory Society (ERS)
BackgroundIdentifying risk factors for poor outcomes can help with risk stratification and targeting of treatment. Risk factors for mortality and exacerbations have been identified in bronchiectasis but have been almost exclusively studied in European and North American populations. This study investigated the risk factors for poor outcome in a large population of bronchiectasis patients enrolled in India.MethodsThe European Multicentre Bronchiectasis Audit and Research Collaboration (EMBARC) and Respiratory Research Network of India (EMBARC-India) registry is a prospective observational study of adults with computed tomography-confirmed bronchiectasis enrolled at 31 sites across India. Baseline characteristics of patients were used to investigate associations with key clinical outcomes: mortality, severe exacerbations requiring hospital admission, overall exacerbation frequency and decline in forced expiratory volume in 1 s.Results1018 patients with at least 12-month follow-up data were enrolled in the follow-up study. Frequent exacerbations (≥3 per year) at baseline were associated with an increased risk of mortality (hazard ratio (HR) 3.23, 95% CI 1.39–7.50), severe exacerbations (HR 2.71, 95% CI 1.92–3.83), future exacerbations (incidence rate ratio (IRR) 3.08, 95% CI 2.36–4.01) and lung function decline. Coexisting COPD, dyspnoea and current cigarette smoking were similarly associated with a worse outcome across all end-points studied. Additional predictors of mortality and severe exacerbations were increasing age and cardiovascular comorbidity. Infection with Gram-negative pathogens (predominantlyKlebsiella pneumoniae) was independently associated with increased mortality (HR 3.13, 95% CI 1.62–6.06), whilePseudomonas aeruginosainfection was associated with severe exacerbations (HR 1.41, 95% CI 1.01–1.97) and overall exacerbation rate (IRR 1.47, 95% CI 1.13–1.91).ConclusionsThis study identifies risk factors for morbidity and mortality among bronchiectasis patients in India. Identification of these risk factors may support treatment approaches optimised to an Asian setting.
Raja Dhar, Sheetu Singh, Deepak Talwar, Murali Mohan, Surya Kant Tripathi, Rajesh Swarnakar, Sonali Trivedi, Srinivas Rajagopala, George D'Souza, Arjun Padmanabhan,et al.
Elsevier BV
K Saha, MK Maikap, A Maji, M Moitra, and D Jash
Medknow
CONTEXT
There are very limited data regarding clinical, radiological and etiological aspects of malignant pleural effusion (MPE) from Eastern India.
AIMS
To review natural history, clinical features, radiological features and etiology of MPEs.
SETTING AND DESIGN
Hospital based cross-sectional descriptive study.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
We had reviewed166 diagnosed cases of MPEsregarding demography; clinical, radiological and biochemical characteristics, diagnostic modalities and etiologies.
RESULTS
Out of 166 patients, 72.89% were males and 27.11% were females. Mean age of presentation among males was 64.3 ± 12.7 and among females was 52.5 ± 14.8. Most common presenting symptom was dry cough (87.9%) and most common presenting sign was clubbing (54.5%). Massive effusion was found in 45.78% of cases. Pleural fluid macroscopic appearance was haemorrhagic in 54.82% of cases. Mean adenosine deaminase activity in MPE was 24.05 U/L. Mean pleural fluid/serum protein ratio was 0.65, mean pleural fluid/serum lactate dehydrogenase ratio was 1.01. Most of the cases (84.94%) were diagnosed by pleural fluid cytology for malignant cells. Primary cancer was diagnosed in 136 (81.93%) cases; among which 121 (88.97%) cases were lung cancers, among which adenocarcinoma (52.89%) was the most common histology.
CONCLUSIONS
Pleural fluid cytologies for malignant cells are usually sufficient to diagnose MPE in nearly 85% of cases and in remaining cases if thoracoscopyis not available, blind pleural biopsy can be helpful. The most common primary in cases of MPE is lung cancer with adenocarcinoma being the commonest culprit.
Kaushik Saha, Debraj Jash, and Arnab Maji
Medknow
Swelling of the jaw due to metastatic lesions needs careful search for an occult malignancy. Thyroid carcinoma is a rare cause of jaw bone metastasis. A 70-year-old female presented in our chest clinic with progressive shortness of breath for last 1-month and associated painful swelled right jaw for last 4 months. Her computed tomography scan thorax showed bilateral cannon ball metastasis involving all lobes of the lung. Fine-needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) from radiographically evident osteolytic lesion of the mandible was suggestive of metastatic carcinoma probably of thyroid origin. Ultrasonography of the thyroid gland revealed well-defined hypoechoic nodule (measuring about 2 cm × 1.8 cm) with few foci of calcification. FNAC from the thyroid nodule followed by immunocytochemistry was suggestive of follicular carcinoma of the thyroid. We report a very rare presentation, as jaw metastasis in follicular carcinoma of the thyroid.
Kaushik Saha, Mrinmoy Mitra, Arnab Saha, Arnab Roy, Pratik Barma, and RupamKumar Ta
Medknow
Nonne-Milroy syndrome is a rare primary lymphedema characterized by firm non-pitting edema of the lower extremities of the whole leg or may be limited to the feet or toes since birth or infancy. We are reporting a 51-year-old male who presented with dry cough for the previous 7 months and dyspnea for the previous 4 months due to bilateral chylous effusion and that was associated with firm edema of the lower extremities, was waxing and waning since birth. Duplex ultrasound of the lower limbs showed patent blood vessels. Lymphoscintigraphy demonstrated aplasia of the lymphatics in both lower limbs. The patient was diagnosed as primary lymphedema or Nonne-Milroy syndrome after excluding other congenital causes of primary edema. He was treated by bilateral pleurodesis with tetracycline for his chylous effusion and no recurrence was observed after 1 year of follow-up.
Kaushik Saha, Arnab Saha, Mrinmoy Mitra, and Prabodh Panchadhyayee
Medknow
Rhupus syndrome is a rare syndrome characterized by overlap of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Our patient was a diagnosed case of RA and developed SLE 2 years after. She was a middle-aged woman, presented with bilateral pleural effusion with exacerbation of skin and joint symptoms of SLE. We diagnosed the case as tubercular pleural effusion by positive Mycobacterium tuberculosis in bactec 460 culture. She had also anti-phospholipid antibody positivity without any symptoms and signs of thrombosis.
Vadisha Bhat
Medknow
Kaushik Saha, Supriya Sarkar, Debraj Jash, Sajib Chatterjee, and AsisKumar Saha
Medknow
Aggressive angiomyxoma is a rare, locally aggressive, myxoid mesenchymal neoplasm, preferentially arising in the pelvic and perineal regions of young adult females. It may also occur in males, in the inguinoscrotal area. Here we report a case of a young male, who presented with a firm, diffuse, nontender swelling in the abdomen and right-sided pleural effusion. Contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CT) of the abdomen showed the presence of a large, cystic mass, almost filling the entire abdominal cavity. On laparotomy, a huge mass, approximately 25 cm × 20 cm × 4 cm in size, arising from the greater omentum, with increased vascularity, and occupying the entire abdomen, was excised. Histopathological examination along with immunohistochemistry established the diagnosis of an aggressive angiomyxoma. Here, we report the case of an aggressive angiomyxoma, originating from the greater omentum, in a young male, associated with right-sided pleural effusion.
SyedAhmed Zaki
Medknow
1. Joob B, Wiwantikit V. DR‐70 immunoassay and malignant pleural effusion. Lung India 2014;31:91. 2. Sengupta A, Saha K, Jash D, Banerjee SN, Biswas NM, Dey A. Role of DR‐70 immunoassay in suspected malignant pleural effusion. Lung India 2013;30:321‐6. 3. Wu D, Zhou X, Yang G, Xie Y, Hu M, Wu Z, et al. Clinical performance of the AMDL DR‐70 immunoassay kit for cancer detection. J Immunoassay 1998;19:63‐72. 4. Adonis MI, Chahuan M, Urzua U, Miranda VR, Diaz J, Avaria P, et al. Detection of preneoplastic lesions using biological and genemic lung cancer biomarkers in a high risk Chilean population. J Thorac Oncol 2011;6 Suppl 2:S980. Sir,
Kaushik Saha, Supriya Sarkar, Arnab Maji, and Abhijit Kundu
Medknow
Histoplasmosis, a fungal disease caused by Histoplasma capsulatum, is endemic in North and South America. Except few scattered cases, the disease is considered to be a non-entity in India. Furthermore, disseminated histoplasmosis is rare in the immunocompetent individuals. We report an adolescent boy presenting as middle lobe consolidation which did not respond to antibiotics. His condition deteriorated with the development of mediastinal lymphadenopathy, pleural effusion and hepatosplenomegaly. A diagnosis of progressive disseminated histoplasmosis was established by his clinical findings as well as bronchoscopic biopsy, transbronchial needle aspiration cytology and bronchoalveolar lavage culture demonstrating Histoplasma capsulatum. The case represents a unique example of progressive disseminated histoplasmosis in an immunocompetent individual in India.
Kaushik Saha, NiranjanKr. Sit, Debraj Jash, and Arnab Maji
Medknow
Sclerosing hemangioma is a rare variety of benign pulmonary neoplasm. It usually presents as asymptomatic, solitary, peripheral, circumscribed lesions in middle-aged women. Here, we describe a 46-year-old woman presenting to us for evaluation of right parahilar lung mass. Previous chest radiography done 10 years back showed a lung mass of almost similar size. Computed Tomography (CT)-guided fine-needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) was suggestive of adenocarcinoma of lung. A well-circumscribed, capsulated, ovoid mass measuring 5.6 cm × 4 cm × 3 cm, adjacent to the transverse fissure of the right lung was excised by lateral thoracotomy. Histopathological examination along with immunohistochemistry was suggestive of sclerosing hemangioma of lung. A pathologist must consider the clinicoradiological features before coming to a final diagnosis of lung malignancy from FNAC. Whenever there is any confusion regarding lung mass, thoracotomy must be done for arriving at an exact diagnosis from histopathology.
Arnab Maji
JCDR Research and Publications
BACKGROUND
Pleural effusion is a common problem encountered in daily practice. To Establish aetiology of exudative effusions is a diagnostic challenge to general practitioners and even to pulmonologists especially in resource poor government hospitals with lack of investigations like thoracoscopy. Some recent studies had shown that around 2% of patients remained undiagnosed even after these investigations.
AIMS AND OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the role of the commonly available investigations such as pleural fluid study, blind pleural biopsy, sputum examination, CT scan thorax, bronchoscopy in the aetiological evaluation of exudative effusions and to ascertain the proportion of cases which remain undiagnosed after all the above investigations.
MATERIAL AND METHODS
This was a prospective single-centred cross-sectional study carried out at the NRS Medical College, Kolkata, India from February 2008 to February 2013 which included 568 patients of exudative pleural effusions. We performed commonly available procedures like pleural fluid study, blind pleural biopsy, sputum examination, CT scan thorax, bronchoscopic procedures to the diagnosis.
RESULTS
Total number of patients studied were 568. Tuberculosis was the most common cause (54.57%) followed by malignancy (28.17%), empyema (10.56%), parapneumonic effusion (5.28%) and others. Carcinoma of the lung was the commonest cause of malignant effusions and bronchoscopic biopsy was given the highest yield of histological diagnosis (84.6%) followed by CT guided FNAC (77.6%) and pleural fluid cytology (55%). Highest yield to diagnose tubercular effusion was found in lymph node FNAC (81.5%) followed by pleural biopsy (62%). Sputum smear for AFB was positive in only 27.4% cases. Bleeding followed by pneumothorax were the most common complications. Complications are very less (1.3% and 0.9% respectively). 2 patients (0.34%) remained undiagnosed even after these all above said investigations.
CONCLUSION
Above mentioned commonly available investigations can ascertain diagnosis in most of the cases in the aetiological evaluation of exudative effusions and they are relatively safe procedures.
Kaushik Saha, NiranjanKr. Sit, Arnab Maji, and Debraj Jash
Medknow
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) exacerbations admitted in intensive care units (ICUs) occur rarely due to fungal respiratory tract infections, but may occur when associated co-morbidities like diabetes mellitus coexist. Candida ciferrii is a new agent, recently was isolated from lung infections but usually resistant to fluconazole. Here, we report a rare case of pneumonia due to fluconazole sensitive Candida ciferrii in a COPD patient with known diabetes, admitted in our ICU.
Kaushik Saha, Amitabha Sengupta, Debraj Jash, SourindraNath Banerjee, NirendraMohan Biswas, and Atin Dey
Medknow
Context: A good proportion of patients with undiagnosed pleural effusion (PE) turn into malignancy over a period of time. Identification of positive biomarker may help in selecting the individuals who require close follow-up. Aims: The aims of this study were to evaluate the role of DR-70 immunoassay in suspected malignant PE. Settings and Design: We conducted a cross-sectional study among 89 patients of suspected malignant PE and 50 normal subjects (NS) were taken as control. Materials and Methods: Patients with exudative PE; who had pleural fluid lymphocyte count greater than 50% and adenosine deaminase less than 30 U/L were taken as cases. We had selected NSs among relatives of patients having normal blood chemistry and radiological investigations. Sensitivity and specificity of the test to differentiate malignant and non-malignant PE and also to identify PE with underlying malignancy was analyzed. Results: Mean value of DR-70 in NS was found to be 0.83 ± 0.273 mg/L without any significant difference between males (0.82 mg/L) and females (0.85 mg/L). Mean value of DR-70 in PE with underlying cancer was 5.03 ± 3.79 mg/L. Sensitivity (80%) and specificity (77.78%) of the test was maximum in PE with underlying cancer using cut-off value of 2 mg/L. Mean value DR-70 in malignant PE was 5.18 ± 3.75 mg/L and in non-malignant PE was 3.73 ± 3.74 mg/L without any statistically significant difference (P = 0.08). Conclusions: DR-70 assay has high sensitivity in detecting underlying lung cancer, but has no role in differentiating malignant PE from non-malignant PE.
Kaushik Saha, Ankan Bandyopadhyay, Amitabha Sengupta, and Debraj Jash
SAGE Publications
Antitubercular drug (ATD) induced eosinophilic lung disease is a rare phenomenon. It usually occurs due to isoniazid and para amino salicylic acid. A 34-year-male of sputum positive pulmonary tuberculosis, on antitubercular drugs (rifampicin, isoniazid, ethambutol, and pyrazinamide) for last 3 weeks, presented with generalized arthralgia and maculopapular rash for last 2 weeks and shortness of breath for last 1 week. Chest X-ray and High resolution computerized tomographic scan thorax showed bilateral peripheral airspace opacification. Bronchoalveolar lavage revealed 51% eosinophils of total cellularity (1200/cmm) confirming the diagnosis of pulmonary eosinophilia. ATD was stopped for 2 weeks and then reintroduced one by one. Patient again developed similar kind of symptoms with reintroduction of ethambutol. According to criteria for drug induced pulmonary eosinophilia, he was diagnosed as a case of ethambutol induced pulmonary eosinophilia.
Kaushik Saha
JCDR Research and Publications
CONTEXT
Hyponatraemia is one of the common electrolytic disorders which are associated with lung cancer. Hyponatraemia may influence the ECOG performance status at presentation. Also, to the best of our knowledge, we found only limited Indian studies where the ECOG score was correlated with the serum sodium status in lung cancer patients on presentation.
AIM
To assess the incidence of hyponatraemia among the patients of carcinoma of the lung before putting them into the specific treatment category for cancer and to check the effects on their ECOG performance status.
SETTINGS AND DESIGN
A cross-sectional, observational study was conducted on 116 consecutive patients of lung cancer during the period from November 2011 to October 2012.
MATERIAL AND METHODS
The patients with a histologically proven diagnosis of lung cancer were grouped initially according to their ECOG performance statuses. The serum sodium value of each patient was measured and the hyponatraemic patients were given treatment according to the protocol. The correlation of the ECOG performance status with the serum sodium of the lung cancer patients was measured. To check for any laboratory error in serum sodium, we selected (n = 58) age, sex and socioeconomic matched control patients.
RESULTS
At presentation 44.8% of the lung cancer patients showed hyponatraemia [52/116]. The ECOG score was significantly poor in the advanced clinical stages (ECOG ≤2 Vs ECOG ≥ 3 in NSCLC cases, χ(2) =11.25, P=.0008). The ECOG performance status score at admission showed a negative correlation with the serum sodium status which was measured on admission among all the patients (Pearson correlation coefficient = - 0.186). The clinical stage of the lung cancer also showed a positive correlation with the ECOG score at admission in our study (Pearson correlation coefficient = 0.295).
CONCLUSION
Hyponatraemia is not an uncommon condition and it should be suspected and screened in each patient, as it may influence the ECOG performance status score, which serves as an important factor in the prognosis of lung cancer.
Nirendra Mohan Biswas, Dipendra Nath Ghosh, Amitabha Sengupta, Sumit Sen, Debraj Jash, Kaushik Saha, Arpita Banerjee, and Pranab Mandal
Bangladesh Journals Online (JOL)
Background: Stroke accounts as one of the leading cause of morbidity and mortality and third most common cause of death worldwide. In a significant percentage of stroke patients no definite cause can be identified. These group of unknown cause, the so-called cryptogenic strokes are associated with some novel risk factors and now a major focus for clinical discussion. Objectives: To find out conventional risk factors behind ischemic stroke and to establish correlation between ischemic stroke with elevated lipoprotein(a), Homocysteinemia, elevated High-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs CRP),Systemic Lupus Erythematous (SLE) and chronic H.pylori infection and carotid intimo-medial thickness(CIMT). Materials and methods: Thirty (30) admitted ischemic stroke patients based on WHO definition and confirmed by axial CT and or MRI Scan. were included. Thirty (30) controls were recruited from close relatives of the patients attending the Medicine OPD without any prior history of stroke or coronary heart diseases. Risk factors were documented on the basis of biochemical tests performed. Results : Statistically significant association of ischaemic stroke with diabetes,hypertension, smoking, homocysteine, Lp(a), hsCRP, LVH, CIMT,H.pylori infection. No association of valvular heart disease, atrial fibrillation, A.N.A was found with ischaemic stroke. Conclusion: In addition to measures that include blood sugar, blood pressure and lipid control routine estimation of Lp(a), homocysteine level, monitoring of atherosclerotic changes in carotid artery by Doppler study, echocardiographic monitoring of LVH should be done so that appropriate steps can be taken to avert an attack of stroke. Lastly early detection and eradication of H.pylori is always advisable to reduce the incidence of ischemic stroke. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/jom.v14i1.13165 J MEDICINE 2013; 14 : 11-17
Kaushik Saha, Ankan Bandyopadhyay, ParthaP Roy, Semanti Chakraborty, Debraj Jash, and Debabrata Saha
Medknow
Context: Currently treatment decisions in asthma are governed by clinical assessment and spirometry. Sputum eosinophil, being a marker of airway inflammation, can serve as a tool for assessing severity and response to treatment in asthma patients. Aims: To establish correlation between change in sputum eosinophil count and forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1)% predicted value of asthma patients in response to treatment. In this study, we also predicted prognosis and treatment outcome of asthma patients from baseline sputum eosinophil count. Settings and Design: A longitudinal study was conducted to determine the treatment outcome among newly diagnosed asthma patients who were classified into A (n = 80) and B (n = 80) groups on the basis of initial sputum eosinophil count (A ≥ 3% and B < 3%). Materials and Methods: After starting treatment according to Global Initiative for Asthma Guideline, both A and B groups were evaluated every 15 days interval for the 1st month and monthly thereafter for a total duration of 12 months. In each follow-up visit detailed history, induced sputum eosinophil count and spirometry were done to evaluate severity and treatment outcome. Results: FEV1% predicted of group A asthma patients gradually increased and sputum eosinophil count gradually decreased on treatment. Longer time was required to achieve satisfactory improvement (FEV1% predicted) in asthma patients with sputum eosinophil count ≥3%. There was statistically significant negative correlation between FEV1% predicted and sputum eosinophil count (%) in of group A patients in each follow-up visit, with most significant negative correlation found in 8th visit (r = −0.9237 and P = < 0.001). Change in mean FEV1% (predicted) from baseline showed strong positive correlation (r = 0.976) with change in reduction of mean sputum eosinophil count at each follow-up visits in group A patients. Conclusions: Sputum eosinophil count, being an excellent biomarker of airway inflammation, can serve as a useful marker to assess disease severity, treatment outcome, and prognosis in asthma patients.
Kaushik Saha, Amitabha Sengupta, Debraj Jash, and SourindraN Banerjee
Medknow
Hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia (HHT) is a rare autosomal dominant inherited disorder of the vascular system. It can be asymptomatic but when symptomatic most common presentation being epistaxis. It can involve any organs of the body like lungs, skin, liver brain, GI mucosa etc. We are reporting a case of HHT presented to us with dyspnea and severe anemia. He had arteriovenous malformations of different visceral organs and telangiectasia of skin along with presence of similar history in first-degree relatives.
Supriya Sarkar and Kaushik Saha
Medknow
Rhupus syndrome, the overlap of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), is an extremely uncommon condition. Organ damages found due to SLE are usually mild in rhupus. Lupus pneumonitis in rhupus syndrome has not been reported worldwide. We are reporting a 23-year-old female with bilateral symmetric erosive arthritis, oral ulcer, alopecia, polyserositis, anemia, leucopenia, positive RA-factor, anti nuclear antibody (ANA) and anti ds-DNA. She presented with acute onset dyspnea, high fever, chest pain, tachycardia, tachypnea, hypoxia and respiratory alkalosis. High resolution computed tomography (HRCT)-thorax showed bilateral, basal consolidation with air bronchogram. Repeated sputum and single broncho alveolar lavage (BAL) fluid examination revealed no organism or Hemosiderin-laden macrophage. The diagnosis of rhupus was confirmed by combined manifestations of RA and SLE, and the diagnosis of acute lupus pneumonitis was established by clinico-radiological picture and by excluding other possibilities.