ABSTRACT
Background: A few data are available on the effects of pregnancy on pulmonary function in different countries. But no such established data are available in our country. So we designed this study in our population. Objectives: To observe the forced expiratory volume in first second (FEV1) and ratio of forced expiratory volume in first second and forced vital capacity (FEV1/FVC%) in different trimesters of normal pregnant women and to compare them with those of healthy non-pregnant women. Materials and Methods: This observational and analytical study was carried out in the department of Physiology, Dhaka Medical College during July 2004 to June 2005. Total 100 women aged from 25 to 35 years without any recent history of respiratory tract diseases were selected as study population. Among them, 75 normal pregnant women were taken as experimental and 25 healthy non-pregnant women were taken as control groups. The experimental group included 25 pregnant women in first trimester, 25 in second trimester and 25 in third trimester. Forced expiratory volume in first second (FEV1), ratio of percentage of forced expiratory volume in first second and forced vital capacity (FEV1/FVC%) were measured in pregnant and non-pregnant control women. The FEV1 and FEV1/FVC% were measured by using an ‘automatic spirometer’. Statistical analyses were done by unpaired Student’s ‘t’ test between the study groups and p value <0.05 was taken as significant. Results: The mean ± SD of measured values of FEV1 were 2.41 ± 0.87, 2.28 ± 0.59, 2.15 ± 0.74 and 1.89 ± 0.76 liters in non-pregnant women and in pregnant women during first trimester, second trimester and third trimester. The mean ± SD of measured values of FEV1/FVC% were 75.22 ± 16.77, 74.86 ± 11.06, 74.42 ± 17.43 and 71.81 ± 15.87% in nonpregnant women and in pregnant women during first trimester, second trimester and third trimester. Conclusion: The FEV1 and FEV1/FVC% were significantly lower in third trimester pregnant women than that of non-pregnant and first trimester of pregnant women and FEV1/FVC% gradually decreased from first to third trimester of pregnant women.
ABSTRACT
Background: Globally more than 123 million people have impaired visual status due to reduced vision (visual acuity <6/6m) and many of them results into complete or partial blindness. The situation is more crucial in case of children whose reduced vision is usually remain undetected. Apparently healthy children with reduced vision may also found with asymptomatic erythrocyte G6PD enzyme deficiency. Objective: This study has been designed to detect the presence of reduced vision among apparently healthy school children of Dhaka city and also to measure their erythrocyte G6PD enzyme level. Method: This cross sectional study was carried out in the Department of Physiology, Sir Salimullah Medical College (SSMC) during the period of 2007-2008. For this purpose 500 children irrespective of sex and aged 6 to 12 years was selected as study population from different schools of Dhaka city. Children were grouped according to their visual status using Snellen’s letter chart (1862). Erythrocyte G6PD enzyme was measured by Spectrophotometric method. Children with normal visual acuity (6/6m) were grouped as group- A (control) and those with reduced visual acuity (<6/6m) were in group B. Erythrocyte G6PD enzyme level was measured and compared between the groups. Results: Statistically significant (p<0.05) number of children (12.8%) were detected to have reduced vision when compared with that of normal vision. Reduced vision was present in most of the male children & it was bilateral type of reduced vision. Mean erythrocyte G6PD enzyme level was almost similar in both groups and no significant (p>0.05) difference was observed when compared between them. Conclusion: This study revealed that reduced vision may present in apparently healthy children. So, earlier detection of reduced vision can help to minimize the visual complications in childhood age. This study also revealed that there is no association between reduced vision and G6PD enzyme deficiency.