Pattern of admissions to neonatal unit

To document the number, disease pattern and outcome of patients admitted to neonatal unit. Descriptive study. The study was conducted in the Neonatal Unit of National Institute of Child Health, Karachi, Pakistan from 1st January 2001 to 31st December 2001. The data of all the admitted neonates was analyzed for age and weight at the time of admission, sex, duration of stay, cause of admission and outcome. A total of 1984 neonates were admitted during study period. Among them 62.1% were males, 17.54% were admitted within 6 hours of their life, and 51.36% within 72 hours of birth. The low birth weight accounted for 55.4% admissions. Neonatal infection was the major cause of admission [45.21%] comprising 30.64% cases of septicemia, 9.82% of pneumonia and 4.73% of meningitis. Other causes of admission were birth asphyxia [18.85%], neonatal jaundice [13.15%], pre-term [6.87%], meconium aspiration syndrome [3.67%], hemorrhagic disease of newborn [2.21%], diarrhea [2.11%] and hyaline membrane disease [1.05%]. 48.53% were discharged with satisfactory condition, 25.5% died and 25.85% left against medical advice [LAMA] and or discharged on request [DoR]. Low birth weight [LBW], infections and birth asphyxia were the major causes of neonatal admission

Effects of methysergide on serotonin and secretagogues treated gastric secretion in intact pylorus ligated rats of different age groups

To study the effect of antiserotonin drug methysergide on the serotonin and secretagogues on gastric acid secretion in younger and older age animals. Setting: The study was conducted at the pharmacology department, Basic Medical Science Institute, Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre, Karachi. Pylorus ligated rate stomach preparation was done on 48 hours starved animals. Drugs were administered, 4 hours latter on rat was sacrified. After opening abdomen, oesophagus was ligated and stomach removed. Contents of stomach were flushed with 3ml distilled water. The contents were used to determine the volume of gastric juice and free and total acidity by titration. Result: Methysergide significantly blocked the gastric inhibitory action for serotonin in the presence of histamine and bethanechol and values were found increased in older animals than younger. But when secretagogue was pentagastrin icnreased values were insigificantly found in older animal against younger. The effect of methysergide, serotonin, histamine and bethanechol on gastric juice volume and acidity is according to parietal cell mass which increases with advancement of age of animals. While pentagastrin's stimulatory action in the presence of serotonin and its antagonist is insignificantly higher in older animals

effect of serotonin on basal gastric acid secretion in pylorus ligated rats of different age groups

The effect of serotonin on gastric acid secretion and its acidity have been examined by using four hour pylorus ligated rats of different age groups. Serotonin alone decreased the volume of gastric secretion and, free and total acidity in both younger and older animals, while methylsergide alone increased these parameters. Each of these drugs produced a significantly higher response in older animals. Methylsergide when given with serotonin abolished the inhibitory effect of serotonin and the observed secretions were similar to those of basal state. This indicates that serotonin as gastric inhibitor acts in accordance with parietal cell mass which increases with age

Prescribing patterns of consultants and general practitioners in Hyderabad, Pakistan

One hundred randomly selected prescriptions [50 from specialists and 50 from general practitioners] from localities in Hyderabad were analysed for average number of drugs per prescription and the percentage of antibiotics, injections, analgesics, vitamins, and drugs by generic name and from the National Essential Drugs List of Pakistan [NEDLP] prescribed in the total analysed prescriptions. An average of 3.98 drugs per prescription were prescribed by specialists and 4.12 by general practitioners [GPs]. More vitamins and analgesics were prescribed by GPs and more injections by specialists. Antibiotics were present in about the same number in the prescriptions of both specialists and GPs. The GPs prescribed more drugs by generic name and also slightly more from the NEDLP

effect of gastric secretagogues during ontogenesis in rats

The effects of histamine, bethanechol and pentagastrin on gastric acid secretion were studied in rats of younger and older age groups. After 48 hours starvation, the pylorus was ligated and each of the secretagogues was administered subcutaneously to individual groups. Four hours later the animals were sacrified by chloroform-induced asphyxia and the stomach was removed after ligating the cardiac end. The stomach contents, obtained by flushing with 3 ml of distilled water, were used to determine the volume of gastric juice and its free and total acidity. Histamine and bethanechol produced a greater increase in the volume and acidity of gastric juice in older animals as compared to younger ones. Pentagastrin also produced greater increase in these parameters in older animals but it was not statistically significant. Possible explanation of these results include variable size of parietal cell mass and/or difference in the sensitivity of parietal cells to individual secretagogues in animals of different age groups