A prevalence survey of lipids abnormalities of rural area in Amphoe Phon, Khon Kaen.

A population survey in 13 villages and 3 sub-districts of a rural area in Amphoe Phon, Khon Kaen showed that mean cholesterol and high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) level were 163.0 +/- 35.3 and 29.6 +/- 9.1 mg/dl respectively which is very low compared to Bangkok and other affluent countries. The cholesterol level in females was higher than in males (male 158.0 +/- 33.2, female 166.6 +/- 36.4) and the HDL-C level in males was higher (30.2 +/- 9.0 vs 29.1 +/- 9.2). The cholesterol level increased with age and obesity while HDL-C decreased with obesity. The prevalence of hypercholesterolemia and low HDL-C was 3.0 and 74.9 per cent respectively. The diet of the survey population was high in carbohydrate (80% of calories) and fat intake was very low (8% of calories). The factors which were associated with high cholesterol levels were age, female sex, obesity and increased fat intake while those of low HDL-C were obesity and being a farmer. The low fat intake may explain for the low total cholesterol, HDL-C HDL-C/cholesterol ratio observed in our population compared to other studies.

Factors influencing the management of test turnaround time in emergency service.

By studying the turnaround time (TAT) of two emergency service laboratories for a period of five years, it was found that decentralized management is preferable since it enables more rapid solution of problem and speed which meets the purpose of each service. Factors involved in stat services are the selection of methodology, pre analytical, analytical and post analytical processes related to the utility of the work area, laboratory layout design, and the training of personal having a good attitude forwards service. Other factors are communication and relationship between teams in the laboratory and outside the laboratory or those related to planning for preventive and retrospective quality monitoring in laboratory service.

Screening health of battary manufacture workers.

Eighty male (32.4 + 7.1 years, 59.3 + 8.9 kg) and 17 females (32.5 + 6.5 years, 56.7 + 11.9 kg) from a battary factory were investigated. From personel history taking and physical examination it was found that the workers showed no signs of physical abnormalities. Laboratory results that were found to be abnormal are as follows (number of cases) : glucose 2, creatinine 1, uric acid 12, triglycerides 14, cholesterol 13, SGOT 2, SGPT 2, y-glutamyl transferase 21, calcium (high) 2, Calcium (low) 25 inorganic phosphate (high) 5, 6, inorganic phosphate (low) 8, ESR 30, haemoglobin (high) 2, haemoglobin (low) 7, haematocrit (high) 5, haematocrit (low) 1, white blood cell count (low) 7, eosinophil 19, monocyte 2, basophillic stippling 8. Abnormality in urinalysis found are : albumin 11, sugar 1, white cell 2, coproporphyrin (+ ve) 23 and ๐-aminolevulinic acid (urine) 30, ๐-aminolevulinic dehydratase (red cell) 16, and hepatitis B antigen positive 7 the results of such investigation can be of help to factory administrators in setting up preventive measure for maintenance of optimal health of workers.