The relationship between anaemia and cognitive function was evaluated among 35 Chinese elderly (24 men and 11 women) aged 60 to 85 years (mean age 70.1 ± 6.7 years) from five old folks homes in Klang Valley. They were interviewed to obtain information on social and health status, habitual dietary intake and cognitive function. Hodkinson's Abbreviated Mental Test was used to measure the cognitive function. Haematological indices which included Full Blood Count (FBC), serum iron, serum ferritin, Total Iron Binding Capacity (TIBC), serum folate and serum cobalamine (vitamin B12) were measured using an automated analyzer. Anthropometric measurements and clinical signs of anaemia were also examined. The findings indicated that the prevalence of anaemia as assessed using haemoglobin alone was 22.9%, while iron deficiency anaemia based on low serum iron, microcytic and hypochromic criterion was detected among 5.7% of the sample. Subclinical folate and vitamin B12 deficiencies were diagnosed among 34.3% and 8.6% of the subjects. However, there was no occurrence of megaloblastic anaemia. There was a positive correlation between cognitive score with mid upper arm circumference (MUAC) (r=0.547, p
A cross-sectional study was undertaken to evaluate if outpatient administration of in-travenous iron sucrose complex (Venofer) was a sensible option in treating iron defi-ciency anaemia during pregnancy and puerperium. A total of 120 patients with iron deficiency anaemia were recruited from the Obstetric Day Care Clinic at the Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Medical Centre (UKMMC) over 18 months from March 2003 to August 2004. The main outcome measures were haemoglobin increment, patients’ compliance, adverse effects and saving from hospitalization fees. The pre-treatment haemoglobin (Hb) level was 8.5+0.85g/dl for the antenatal patient and 7.6+0.80 g/dl in the post-partum group. The mean post-treatment haemoglobin increment at day four-teenth was 3.52+0.75g/dl. One patient developed skin rash while another had low-grade pyrexia. Seven patients experienced mild metallic taste. There were no serious side effects or anaphylactic reactions. Ten patients (8.3%) did not complete their ther-apy - eight delivered before completion of treatment; another two defaulted following delivery. The average number of Venofer used was seven ampoules i.e. 700mg per person, most of them required three sessions to complete the course. Outpatient treatment allows each patient to save hospitalization fees of RM45 per day, which to-talled up to RM135 for a 3-days ward stay. An estimation of RM16,200 hospitalization fees for the 120 patients was avoided during the study period. In conclusion, outpatient treatment of anaemia in pregnancy and post-partum period using Venofer was safe and feasible, with high patient compliant and cost-savings from hospitalization fees.
Study site: Obstetric Day Care Clinic, Pusat Perubatan Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (PPUKM), Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
This study was aimed at determining the prevalence of anaemia amongst the Malaysian Cohort participants and the associated risk factors. This was a cross-sectional study that involved 102,388 participants from The Malaysian Cohort (TMC) aged between 35 and 70 years old recruited from April 2006 to September 2012. Venous blood was taken for the full blood count. The prevalence of anaemia was 13.8% with majority having the microcytic-hypochromic type (59.7%). Comparison between the ethnic groups showed that Indians have the highest prevalence of anaemia (19.9%), followed by Malays (13.1%), and Chinese (12.0%). The prevalence of anaemia was substantially higher in females (20.1%) compared to males (4.9%). Amongst the female participants, the prevalence of anaemia was highest amongst those who were younger than 49 years old and decreased as the age increased. In contrast, the prevalence of anaemia in males increased with age. Gender, ethnicity, age, marital status, presence of platelet disorders and kidney disease were significant risk factors associated with anaemia and contributed to 14.9% of the risk of developing anaemia in this population. The prevalence of anaemia amongst the Malaysian Cohort participants is 13.8% with the majority having the microcytic and hypochromic type implying iron deficiency as the main cause. It is important that those who have anaemia be further investigated and treated.
Study name: The Malaysian Cohort (TMC) project
Identifying the nutrition problems of Asia and the Pacific is made difficult by the enormous geographic, socioeconomic and cultural diversity that exists in these areas. With increasing longevity and reduced infant mortality, the more chronic diseases are becoming increasingly important. For almost 90% of the countries that keep such data in the Western Pacific Region of WHO, at least three of the five leading causes of death are noncommunicable diseases. Nevertheless undernutrition is still the most important nutritional problem in the Region. Even though there have been some encouraging declines in the proportion of malnourished under 5-year-olds, increasing populations have meant the actual numbers have not declined. Vitamin A deficiency, iodine deficiency disorders and iron deficiency anaemia remain major public health problems in many countries. There is evidence that vitamin A deficiency is appearing in countries in which it has not previously been a problem. New challenges are occurring, such as childhood obesity, the susceptibility of undernourished populations to the human immunodeficiency virus and the increase in noncommunicable diseases. The three arms of clinical nutrition: therapeutic, research and public health will need to work closely to meet the considerable and continuing threat posed by the nutrition-related diseases.
This study was undertaken to investigate the toxicological profile of a methanolic extract of Garcinia pedunculata fruit in rats by conducting hematological, biochemical, and histopathological examinations. Long Evans rats were divided into four groups, each with 6 animals, and were treated with three oral doses (250, 500, and 1000 mg/kg) once daily for 21 days. The extract did not cause significant changes in body and relative organ weight, percent water content, or hematological parameters at any administered doses. However, a significant dose-dependent positive effect in serum lipid profile and all atherogenic indices including the cardiac risk ratio, Castelli's risk index-2, and the atherogenic coefficient were observed. Significant increases in the levels of iron and decreases in serum alkaline phosphatase, alanine transaminase, and lactate dehydrogenase activities and the levels of serum glucose were noted when the extract was administered at the highest dose (1000 mg/kg). Histopathological examination of the target tissues further confirmed that the extract was safe and had no observed toxicological features. Our study indicates that G. pedunculata fruit is nontoxic, has the potential to be effective against atherosclerosis, and may be used as a hepatoprotectant. The fruit extract is also beneficial to those with iron deficiency and hyperglycemia.
Objective: This study assessed the pattern of clinical course of hematological disorders in children diagnosed by bone marrow aspiration/biopsy in a tertiary care centre. Setting: The study was conducted at the Department of Pediatrics, Lahore General Hospital, Pakistan. Design: A retrospective descriptive study. Duration of study: Jan 2006 to Dec 2010. Methods: The clinical and laboratory data of 250 patients including complete history, physical examination, investigations and bone marrow examination reports were collected and then analyzed retrospectively. On the basis of these data, relative frequency of different hematological disorders was determined. Results: A total of 250 patients were selected during this study period where their bone marrow was sent for the investigations. Out of these cases, double deficiency anemia was the commonest diagnosis (22%) followed by aplastic anemia (13.6%), megaloblastic anemia (13.2%) and iron deficiency anemia (5.6%). For hematological malignancies, acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) was observed in 27 cases (10.8%) followed by acute myeloid leukemia (AML) in 12 cases (4.8%), lymphoma in 8 cases (3.2%) and chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) in only two cases. Idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP) was reported as frequent as 13.2% (33 cases). Conclusion: The pattern of non malignant hematological disorders in children diagnosed by bone marrow aspiration/biopsy was more common than malignant conditions. Double deficiency anemia was the commonest non malignant condition followed by aplastic anemia, idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura and megaloblastic anemia. ALL was the most common presentation of the hematological malignancy.