A preliminary study of thiamine status in northeastern Thai children with acute diarrhea.

This study is a preliminary determination of thiamine status in children with diarrhea and metabolic acidosis admitted to hospital. Children with diarrhea (N = 14; age 2 m-6 yr) were divided into 2 groups according to anion gap type; group 1 (21.4%) with a normal anion gap (5.5 +/- 5.2 mmol/l) and group 2 (78.6%) with a wide anion gap (21.2 +/- 5.2 mmol/l). Blood was taken on the day of admission to determine thiamine and lactate levels. Sixty-six point seven percent of patients in group 1 had a normal lactate level (1.5 +/- 0.8 mmol/l) and 33.3% had a high lactate level (2.2 mmol/l); none had thiamine deficiency (TPPE < 20%). High lactate (3.5 +/- 1.4 mmol/l) was found in 54.5% of group 2 and thiamine deficiency was observed in 18.2% of this group. In conclusion, no thiamine deficiency was noted in patients with normal anion gap, but thiamine deficiency was not uncommon in patients with a wide anion gap, regardless of lactic acidosis.

Thiamine deficiency and parasitic infection in rural Thai children.

A study was carried out to determine whether thiamine deficiency in northeast Thailand is linked with parasitic infection. We assessed the thiamine status and tested for parasitic infections in 231 children between 6 and 12 years of age in Nam Phong District of Khon Kaen Province, Thailand. Thiamine deficiency [thiamine pyrophosphate effect (TPPE) > 20%] and parasitic infections (mostly Strongyloides stercoralis) were identified in 16 and 45% of the children, respectively. No association between thiamine deficiency and parasitic infection was found. The general health of the children, according to Thai standard anthropometric curves, was within the normal range. The suboptimal thiamine status and the high prevalence of parasitic infection require attention.

Plasma ascorbate and ceruloplasmin levels in Thai premature infants.

BACKGROUND: Free radicals have been implicated in the pathogenesis of some complications among premature infants. Even though ascorbate is an important anti-oxidant in human plasma, it can also act as a pro-oxidant at high concentrations in the presence of metal ions, which causes oxidative damage in premature infants. OBJECTIVE: To determine plasma ascorbate and ceruloplasmin levels in premature infants (and their mothers) and full-term infants and to compare between groups. MATERIAL AND METHOD: Premature (n = 27) and full-term infants (n = 24) and the mothers of the premature infants (n = 13) admitted to Srinagarind Hospital, Khon Kaen University, Thailand, were enrolled in the study. Plasma ascorbate and ceruloplasmin levels were determined and compared among various clinical presentations. RESULTS: Plasma ascorbate has negative correlation with gestational age of infants. Its level on day 1 of the premature infants was significantly higher than full-term group (52.62 vs 39.00 micromol/L) and then decline after birth. Premature infants receiving oxygen therapy had lower plasma ascorbate than premature infants without oxygen therapy (p = 0.017). Plasma ascorbate in premature infants who died was higher than in those that survived (p = 0.029). Premature infants with poor outcomes had a higher ratio of plasma ascorbate to ceruloplasmin than those with good outcomes (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: This study shows that high plasma ascorbate and low ceruloplasmin levels are associated with poor outcomes of premature infants; that is, ascorbate can act as either an anti-oxidant or a pro-oxidant.

O.viverrini and gall bladder innervation.

The innervation of normal hamster gall bladders and those that had been infected with Opisthorchis viverrini was visualized by histochemical staining for acetylcholinesterase (AchE) on whole mount preparations. In the uninfected animals, the gall bladder walls were innervated by nonganglionised cholinergic nerve fibers. The nerve fibers ran along the cystic arteries and their smaller branches in the gall bladder walls. A few smaller fibers were also observed that were not associated with the blood vessels, and these ramified irregularly throughout the walls. In contrast, gall bladders from infected animals were dilated ad hyperemic. The vascular trees in the walls were also dilated. In some infected animals the AchE-positive fibers were reduced in number and staining intensity, but in the majority of these animals, AchE-positive nerve plexuses were totally absent. Te loss of AchE-positive nerve fibers may be important in the pathogenesis of gall bladder and biliary tract disease associated with liver fluke infection.