Subject(s)
Child , Child Abuse/legislation & jurisprudence , Child, Preschool , Developing Countries , Female , Humans , Male , Sri LankaSubject(s)
Adolescent , Adult , Female , Humans , Lipoid Proteinosis of Urbach and Wiethe/diagnosis , Male , Sri LankaABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To determine some factors associated with infant mortality. DESIGN: Descriptive study. SETTING: Galle district in Sri Lanka. SUBJECTS: 350 infant deaths of singleton births. MEASUREMENTS: Association between variables. RESULTS: Neonatal:post-neonatal death ratio was 3.2:1, and 62.3% (218) were early neonatal deaths. First day deaths comprised 28.6% (100); 67.8% (237) died at the Teaching Hospital. A high incidence (65.7%) of low birthweight (LBW) was noted. Mean birthweights of neonates and post-neonates were 1925 +/- 729 and 2520 +/- 620 gram respectively, and the difference between means was statistically significant (p < 0.001). LBW and related disorders were the major cause of death in 44% (154) of the total sample, and in 55.8% (149) of neonates. Infections were the commonest cause (55.8%) of death in post-neonates. Pediatric clinical assessment to differentiate small-for-dates (SFD) was not recorded in 90.3%. Statistically significant associations were found between the period of death (neonatal and post-neonatal) and the following variables: period of gestation (p < 0.001); birthweight (p < 0.001) and cause of death (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: There was a high incidence of neonatal deaths and a high proportion of early neonatal deaths. About one-third of deaths occurred on the first day of life. Incidence of LBW was high. The major cause of death was LBW and related disorders in the total sample and in neonates. Assessment of SFD was not carried out in the vast majority of infants.
Subject(s)
Cause of Death , Female , Humans , Incidence , Infant , Infant Mortality , Infant, Low Birth Weight , Infant, Newborn , Infant, Small for Gestational Age , Male , Sri Lanka/epidemiologyABSTRACT
A case of subacute sclerosing panencephalitis (SSPE) with a long survival of 8 years is reported. Long term survival in SSPE has not been previously reported from Sri Lanka.
Subject(s)
Child, Preschool , Follow-Up Studies , Humans , Male , Subacute Sclerosing Panencephalitis/diagnosisABSTRACT
We report a case of Wilms tumour associated with unilateral partial aniridia. Although Wilms tumour is known to be associated with bilateral aniridia, there is only one previously reported case associated with dysplasia of the iris.
Subject(s)
Aniridia/etiology , Female , Humans , Infant , Kidney Neoplasms/complications , Wilms Tumor/complicationsABSTRACT
An epileptic patient on sodium valproate therapy, who developed acute liver failure following acute hepatitis A infection is reported. The hepatotoxic effects of this drug, and the possibility of intercurrent infection precipitating the toxic effects are discussed.