A study on thiamine nutritional status of Khayan Township

As staple food of Myanmar is rice, there is a risk to develop thiamine deficiency. So a study was conducted in Khayan township to assess its thiamine nutritional status. Transketolase enzyme activity stimulation test of 59 pregnant women and 26 lactating mothers were studied and 12.9 per cent of them were found to be in deficient state. Thiamine concentration of breast milk samples collected from 31 lactating mothers was also measured; the mean value was 6.7 + or - 4.3 mcg/100ml. Rice samples were collected from conventinal type rice mills, Huller type rice mills and residences of Paukone village, and their thiamine content were 59.7 + or - 23.6 mcg/100gm (n=5), 66.8 + or - 22.7 mcg/100gm (n=20) and 73.97 + or - 41.2 mcg/100gm (n=26) respectively. Boiled rice samples were also collected from Paukone village and the mean thiamine content was 10.74 + or - 8.73 mcg/100gm (n=33). Thus it seems that thiamine nutritional status of Khayan is not in a satisfactory state.

Role of intramuscular anti-snake venom administration as a first-aid measure in the field

Effectiveness of intramuscular (i.m) anti-snake venom (ASV) administration immediately after bite as a first-aid measure in the field followed by standard hospital treatment in the management of Russell's viper bite patients was studied in 12 victims and was compared with that of standard hospital management alone in 82 victims. there was a marked reduction in the number of patients with systemic envenomation ie. disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC), clinical proteinuria, oliguric acute renal failure (ARF), systemic bleeding, hypotension and fatality rate of Russell's viper bite victims who received initial i.m ASV prior to the hospitalization compared with those who did not. It is recommended that i.m ASV could be administered to the Russell's viper bite patients at the site of incident as a first-aid method in places where no facility for giving intravenous ASV therapy prior to hospitalization.

Clinical trial of intramuscular anti-snake venom administration as a first aid measure in the field in the management of Russell's viper bite patients.

Efficacy of intramuscular anti-snake venom administration immediately after bite as a first aid measure in the field followed by standard hospital management versus standard hospital management alone in the therapy of Russell's viper bite patients was studied. There was a definite reduction in the number of patients with systemic envenomation, complications following disseminated intravascular coagulation and in fatality rate of Russell's viper bite victims who had received first aid intramuscular anti-snake venom prior to hospitalization when compared with those who had not.

Endemic goitre in Pindaya and Falam Townships (1991-1992)

Baseline field studies including clinical and biochemical assessments on goitre had been conducted in Pindaya Township, Shan State and Falam Township, Chin State during November 1991 and March 1992. The subjects were school children of both sexes between the age of 5 to 14 years from both urban and rural areas. Clinical assessment was done on 1553 subjects from Pindaya Township and 1224 subjects from Falam Township. Moreover, 135 urine samples from Pindaya and 90 samples from Falam had been collected for laboratory analysis of iodine. 55.4 percent and 62.5 percent total goitre rates were observed in Pindaya and Falam respectively and the mean urinary iodine excretion indicated that the subjects were moderately deficient in iodine.

A study of lipid profile in Myanmar smokers and nonsmokers

This study was carried out to see the levels of serum lipids in smokers and nonsmoders. A total of 155 healthy subjects from the staff of the Institute of Medicine II, Yangon were studied. Among the 155 subjects, 96 were nonsmokers and 59 were active current smokers, smoking 1-9 cigarettes a day. Over night fasting samples of serum total cholesterol, serum HDL cholesterol, serum trigly-cerides and serum phospholipids were measured. It was found that smokers had significantly higher level of serum total cholesterol than nonsmoders.

Comparison of sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine (S-P), sulfamethoxazole-trimethoprim (S-T) and quinine in the treatment of choloroquine resistant falciparum Malaria

In conclusion, we had assessed the effects of three drugs (namely S-P, S-T & Quinine), in the treatment of chloroquine resistant falciparum malaria and resistance to the given drug was found against all the 3 drugs. This finding suggests the need for further trials to obtain a highly effective and reliable therapeutic agent in the near future.