ABSTRACT
Objective: Primary: To determine the incidence of congenital malaria in a cohort of pregnant women in a hyper-endemic area of central India. Secondary: (1) To find out the placental weight and placental malaria positivity, and to assess fetal and neonatal outcome in terms of survival, mean hemoglobin and mean birth weight. Design: Prospective observational study. Setting: Maternity and neonatal ward of a tertiary level hospital attached to a medical college located in Rewa, Madhya Pradesh, India. Participants: Near term and term pregnant women admitted in the maternity ward with a singleton pregnancy, whose neonates were available for examination till at least 6 hours after birth. Methods: Thick and thin blood smear were examined for malarial parasites from mothers prior to delivery. Based on the results of peripheral smear they were divided into ‘exposed group’ (peripheral smear positive for malaria parasite) and unexposed group’ (smear negative for malaria parasite). These groups were then followed prospectively till delivery and subsequently till the mother and the neonates were discharged from the hospital. Outcome variables: Primary: Presence of asexual parasite in neonate. Secondary: Placental weight, presence of asexual malarial parasite in placenta, still births, early neonatal deaths, mean birth weight and mean hemoglobin. Results: Seventy-two (35.5%) of 203 blood smears of near term and term pregnant women were found positive for malaria parasite (60 P. vivax and 12 P. falciparum); rest 131 comprised the unexposed group. Six (2.95%) neonates had parasitemia (4 P. vivax and 2 P. falciparum). Of the 203 smears made from placental blood, 24 (11.8%) were positive for malaria parasite. The mean (SD) birth weight [2300 (472) g vs 2430 (322) g; P=0.98], proportion of preterm babies (6.9% vs 8.4%, P=0.71), incidence of still birth (4.2% vs 3.0%, P=1.0) and early neonatal death (2.8% vs 3.0%, P=1.0) were not significantly different between the exposed and unexposed group. Conclusions: The incidence of congenital malaria is low despite high maternal smear positivity for malaria.
ABSTRACT
Objective: To study the efficacy of anti-scorpion venom plus prazocin. Methods: Comparison of clinical features, outcome and duration of stay between children receiving anti-scorpion venom plus prazocin or prazocin alone for management of red scorpion envenomation. Results: Requirement for dopamine and requirement and duration of dobutamine therapy were significantly less in patients received anti-venom plus prazocin than those had prazocin only. Faster recovery was seen in cases who received antiscorpion venom plus prazocin than prazocin only group. Conclusion: Anti-scorpion venom plus prazosin was safe and more effective than prazocin alone for scorpion envenomation.
ABSTRACT
Objective: To study the co morbidities in hospitalized children with severe acute malnourishment. Methods: 104 severe acute malnourished children were included. Results: 54% had diarrhea and 27.8% had acute respiratory tract infections. Tuberculosis was diagnosed in 22% of cases (60.8% cases in children 6-12 mo old). Malaria and Measles were diagnosed in 3.8% each, and HIV infection was seen in 2.9% cases. Signs of vitamin B and vitamin A deficiency were seen in 14.4% and 5.8% cases, respectively. Malaria and HIV were not found to be major co morbid conditions. Conclusions: Timely identification and treatment of various co-morbidities is likely to break undernutrition-disease cycle, and to decrease mortality and improve outcome.
ABSTRACT
Moro response in healthy term newborns were studied to determine latency interval, time taken for optimal response (embracing movement of arms), and total duration of reflex response. Latency interval for onset of response was 0.41-0.49. Time taken for optimal response was 0.910-1.041s. Total duration of Moro response was 2.34 -2.59 s. Values were similar for males and females. Optimal response in babies born by cesarean section were significantly delayed than vaginal babies.