Comparison of lactose breath hydrogen test and milk breath hydrogen test in the diagnosis of lactose malabsorption

In both clinical and field situations, breath hydrogen analysis has been widely used in evaluating lactose malabsorption. It is as accurate as other tolerance tests and has an advantage of being noninvasive. The use of milk (360 ml) as a test meal for breath hydrogen test was evaluated in 16 adult subjects (8M:8F), age ranging from 20 to 50 years. Lactose (17.6 g) breath hydrogen test was used as standard test. Of 16 subjects tested, 5 subjects were found to be lactose absorbers and 11 subjects were lactose malabsorbers by lactose breath hydrogen test. In milk breath hydrogen test, the same 5 subjects were found to be lactose absorbers and 8 out of 11 subjects (lactose malabsorbers) were detected as lactose malabsorbers. The present study demonstrates that breath hydrogen test using milk (360 ml) as a test meal has a sensitivity of 73 per cent and a specificity of 100 per cent and could be used as an alternative test in the diagnosis of lactose malabosorption.

Serum calcium in normal and preeclamptic pregnant Myanmar women

To study the changes during normal pregnancy and in preeclampsia, serum calcium concentration was measured in 26 apparently healthy pregnant Myanmar women and in 15 preeclamptic patients. They were 20-40 years of age. In healthy pregnant women, serum total calcium levels measured at 24th week, 28th week, 32nd week and 36th week of gestation were 2.45 + or - 0.30 mmol/1, 2.47 + or - 0.29 mmol/1, 2.41 + or - 0.29 mmol/1 and 2.46 + or - 0.29 mmol/1 respectively and ionized calcium levels at these periods were 1.24 + or - 0.15 mmol/1, 1.23 + or - 0.14 mmol/1, and 1.20 + or - 0.16 mmol/1 respectively. In preeclamptic patients, the mean serum total calcium level (2.26 + or - 0.24 mmol/1) was significantly lower than that (2.52 + or - 0.23 mmol/1) of 0.27 mmol/1) and ionized calcium level (1.23 + or - 0.14 mmol/1) of preeclamptic patients were not significantly different from those (2.43 + or - 0.24 mmol/1 and 1.24 + or - 0.13 mmol/1 respectively) of control.

Time usage and energy expenditure of volleyball players during training

Fifteen male Myanmar national volleyball players, selected for 11th Asian Games, 1990, were studied during training. This is the first assignment of energy expenditure on Myanmar volleyball players. The average daily training period of the players was 4.23 h. They utilized 1508.8 kcal for training activities out of the 24 h energy expenditure of 3088.6 kcal. The mean + or - SD energy intake was 3965.3+ or - 469.4 kcal per cent day and was found to be sufficient for twenty four-h energy expenditure. The individual training activities belonged to heavy type of activities but the daily training period was short compared to those of other countries.

Serum uric acid level as predicting sign of preeclampsia

Serum uric acid levels were measured in 19 pregnant Myanmar women clinically diagnosed as preeclampsia, before any treatment was given. The subjects were in the perid of 36 + or - 2 weeks gestation and their ages ranged from 20 to 40 years. Out of 90 cases, 12 had mild preeclampsia and 7 had severe preeclampsia. All cases became normotensive and proteinuria ceased after puerperium. The serum uric acid level of severe preeclampsia varied widely from 4.9 to 11.9 mg/dl while that of mild preeclampsia ranged from 3.4 to 7.9 mg/dl. The mean serum uric acid level of severe preeclampsia (9.3 + or - 2.36 mg/dl) was significantly higher than that of apparently healthy pregnant women of the same age and gestational period. The mean value of mild preeclampsia (5.5 + or - 1.38 mg/dl) was not significantly different from the normal. Therefore, a single uric acid level of a pregnant women is of little use as a predicting sign of preeclampsia.