Anthropometric characteristics of elderly people: observations at a large diarrheal hospital in Dhaka, Bangladesh.

There is a lack of evidence-based information to assist health policy makers in preparing for appropriate health, nutrition, and social-support guidelines for the elderly in Bangladesh. We examined selected indicators of the nutritional status of elderly people attending the Dhaka Hospital of ICDDR,B, Dhaka, Bangladesh. The population constituted of 1,196 individuals (718 men and 478 women), aged 60 to 106 years, who attended the hospital between 1 January 1993 and 31 December 2003. Patients were recruited from a hospital-based systematic sampling, regardless of age and gender, that presented to the facility. Men were heavier, and taller than women were (p < 0.001 for both comparisons). Using MUAC cut-off of < 22 cm for females and < 23 cm for males, at least 50% of the elderly were peripherally wasted (malnourished). Among all the study population, 40% had a BMI within the optimal range (18.5-24.9 kg/m(2)). Using the chronic energy deficiency (CED) classification, at least half of elderly (> or= 60 year) women were chronic energy deficient (BMI < 18.5). A significantly higher proportion of elderly women (7%) compared to men (2%) were overweight (BMI > or = 25, p < 0.001). Among the elderly ( > or = 60 year), males and females from a higher socioeconomic status (SES) had significantly higher BMI (p < 0.001, p = 0.001, respectively) and MUAC values (p < 0.001, p < 0.001, respectively) than their less well-off SES counterparts. We consider that, although our data were not valid for assessing the country situation, they are still useful as baseline information for longitudinal studies and for highlighting the need for studies in other geographical locations and in other population groups.

Rice-ORS versus glucose-ORS in management of severe cholera due to Vibrio cholerae O139 Bengal: a randomized, controlled clinical trial.

This study examined the comparative efficacies of rice-based oral rehydration solution (R-ORS) and glucose-based oral rehydration solution (G-ORS) in the management of severe cholera due to Vibrio cholerae O139 Bengal that causes epidemic cholera in many developing countries. Stool culture-proved adult male patients with severe cholera due to V. cholerae O139 Bengal were randomly assigned in a 1:1 ratio to receive either R-ORS or G-ORS after their initial rehydration with intravenous (i.v.) fluid and subsequently four hours of observation. They also received the usual hospital diet and tetracycline capsules (500 mg 6 hourly for three days) immediately after their enrollment in the study. The primary outcomes for observation were stool output during the first 24 hours after intervention and treatment failure as measured by the incidence of re-institution of i.v. fluid after initiation of trial therapy and duration of diarrhoea. Of 113 patients finally included in the study, 57 received R-ORS and 56 G-ORS. The admission characteristics of the two treatment groups were comparable. No significant differences in the first 24 hours of median (inter-quartile range) stool output [179 (67-206) g/kg in R-ORS group vs 193 (80-237) g/kg in G-ORS group; p = 0.52], incidences of unscheduled i.v. fluid requirement [21% (12/57) in R-ORS group vs 25% (14/56) in G-ORS group; p = 0.78], and median (inter-quartile range) duration of diarrhoea [32 (24-48) hours in R-ORS group vs 32 (24-56) hours in G-ORS group; p = 0.64] were observed. It is concluded that rice-based ORS is effective but not superior to standard glucose-based ORS in the management of adult males with severe cholera due to V. cholerae O139 Bengal.