Determinants of breast feeding practices in rural community of Wardha.

PIP: In 4 villages of Wardha District in Maharashtra State, India, interviews were conducted with 200 mothers of at least 1 child younger than 12 months so researchers could identify determinants of breast feeding. Most mothers were younger than 25 years (73.5%). The proportion of mothers who initiated breast feeding within 1 hour of childbirth and within 5 hours of childbirth increased as educational level increased. 52.2% of all women initiated breast feeding within 6 hours. Primiparous mothers were less likely to wait 24 hours before breast feeding than multiparous mothers (16.9% vs. 34.5%). Multiparous mothers were more likely to be illiterate than primiparous mothers, which may explain this delay in initiation of breast feeding. As income increased, the likelihood of feeding colostrum to newborns also increased (66.7% for Rs 150, 80% for Rs 200-299, and 85.2% for Rs 300). 28.5% of all women discarded the colostrum. Multiparous mothers were more likely to breast feed for more than 1 year than primiparous mothers (68.5% vs. 31.5%). These findings suggest that increasing the educational level and socioeconomic status of mothers as well as improving the maternal and child health care system by supporting an IEC (information, education, and communication) component in child survival and safe motherhood program will promote breast feeding.^ieng

Epidemiology of early neonatal mortality.

PIP: During 1981-1991 at a rural teaching hospital (Kasturba Hospital) of Mahatma Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences in Sevagram, Wardha, India, 454 of 13,939 newborns died during the early neonatal period for an early neonatal mortality rate (ENMR) of 33.7/1000 live births. The ENMR for boys was not significantly different from that for girls (36.1 vs. 28.6). Community medicine specialists analyzed data on these early neonatal deaths to examine distribution of early neonatal mortality, especially its relationship with prematurity, low birth weight, birth order, and by sex. They calculated average percent deaths (APD) per hour to examine the dynamics in early neonatal mortality. The mean age at death was lower among newborns of birth order greater than 2 than those of birth order less than 2 (23.47 vs. 26.85 hours; p 0.001). ENMR was higher for newborns of birth order greater than 2 than those of birth order less than 2 (41.74% vs. 27.35%; P 0.001). The mean age at death increased as gestation increased (10.34 for 28 weeks; 24.27 for 28-33 weeks, 31.53 for 33-37 weeks, and 34.43 for 37 weeks; p 0.001). ENMR decreased as gestation increased (850 for 28 weeks; 375 for 28-33 weeks, 147.02 for 33-37 weeks, and 8.77 for 37 weeks; p 0.001). The mean age at death increased as birth weight increased for newborns weighing less than 1500 gms through 2000-2500 gms (23.36-37.13 hours; p 0.001). It was lowest among those weighing more 3000 gms (11.55 gms). ENMR fell as birth weight increased (614.33 for 1500 gms, 116.19 for 1500-2000 gms, 19.38 for 2000-2500 gms, 10.99 for 2500-3000 gms, and 5.41 for 3000 gms; p 0.001). The APD/hour for the first hour of life was 3.74% for a relative risk of 12.9. It decreased steadily as the hours of life increased (3.08% for 1-6 hours, 1.19% for 6-24 hours, 0.67% for 24-72 hours, and 0.29% for 72-168 hours). Knowledge of time of likely death can help providers know where they need to focus their attention to prevent early neonatal deaths.^ieng

Study of serum amylase in acute viral hepatitis.

Serum total Amylase and its heat stable fraction (HSF) were studied in 10 healthy controls, and 20 patients of Viral hepatitis. A highly significant (p < 0.001) elevation in the levels of total and HSF of Serum amylase was found in acute viral hepatitis, mainly due to the HSF which originates from hepatitis. The levels declined significantly after 10 days when the disease regressed and there was evidence of improvement in clinical and functional status of the liver. Hence an estimation of total and HSF of Serum amylase proved to have some diagnostic and prognostic importance.

Effect of pinealectomy on daily rhythm of blood glucose in rabbits.

Daily rhythm of blood glucose was studied in superior cervical ganglionectomized (SCGX), sham operated and normal rabbits. A typical daily rhythm was observed in normal animals which was not influenced by surgical procedures. However, ganglionectomy, which tantamount to physiological elimination of pineal gland, caused complete reversal of this rhythm. Probable role of pineal gland in controlling blood glucose daily rhythm is suggested.

Blood histaminase in phlyctenulosis.

Blood Histaminase estimations were done in 42 cases of phlyctenulosis and 25 normal subjects. Significantly higher level of blood Histaminase was found in patients of phlyctenulosis, which may be a consequence of its induction secondary to increased release of histamine in the early phase of disease.

Studies on histamine and histaminase in spring catarrh (vernal conjunctivitis).

Patients with spring catarrh (vernal conjunctivitis) were studied for blood histamine (36) and plasma histaminase (16), and were compared with control histamine (22) and histaminase (19) levels. The patients group showed significantly higher histamine and lower histaminase levels than the respective controls. In addition, the patients also had higher eosinophil counts and erythrocyte sedimentation rate. The data suggest that a systemic allergic process may be the most important underlying causative factor in this disorder.