Ponderal index of low birth weight babies a hospital based study

To determine the ratio of disproportionate versus proportionate Intra uterine growth retardation among low birth weight babies using the Ponderal index. This was a retrospective study. Medical records of babies with weight <2.5kg delivered in the Obstetric Department were reviewed. The ponderal index was calculated to determine disproportionate and proportionate intra uterine growth retardation among low birth weight babies. A total of 227 babies were included. Male and Female ratio was equal. Sixty seven percent were delivered vaginally. Only 12 mothers [5.3%] had a history of maternal illness. Eighty nine low birth weight babies [39.9%] had a low ponderal index. Ponderal index in fullterm babies was <2.2 in 54.3% and in pre-term <2.0 in 34.9%. Nearly 40% of low birth weight babies had disproportionate body proportions. This group of babies according to foetal origins of diseases may be predisposed to Diabetes, hypertension and coronary artery disease

Comparative study for diagnosis of plasmodium falciparum by immunochromatographic technology versus standard methods

The diagnosis of falciparum malaria is dependent on the identification of the parasite on thick/thin film which needs expertise of the person reviewing the slide. Thus false negative rates may vary. Sometimes availability of appropriate laboratory facilities may pose a problem. A new method of diagnosis based on immunochromatographic technology [ICT. Malaria P1] has been quoted in literature to be rapid, easy and yet reliable. ICT detects an antigen produced by Plasmodium falciparum. The test becomes negative after 1-2 weeks following curative treatment. Thus it identifies only active parasitaemia and not past infestations. In this study the ICT Malaria has been compared with standard MP thick and thin film diagnosis on 22 samples from febrile children. The objectives were to measure the sensitivity, specificity and predictive values of ICT as compared to blood films in children. The results revealed that ICT had the sensitivity of 90% and specificity was 83.33%. The positive predictive value was 81.81%. An attempt has also been made to confirm whether ICT method identifies only active infestation. The results of the second part of the study were on confirmed falciparum [by blood film examination] checked by ICT 15 days after appropriate anti-malarial therapy was given to these children. Twenty-one of a total of twenty-three children had a negative ICT test and a negative blood film examination. Thus ICT was highly sensitive in identifying only those children who had parasitaemia and not those in whom the parasitaemia had been effectively treated. This reduces unnecessary medication of patients suspected to have falciparum malaria