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Biomedical subjects

B M Ansari

Publications and source records attributed to B M Ansari.

9 recordsLinked to original sources

The declining incidence of infantile hypernatremic dehydration in Great Britain.

The feeding habits of 70 infants under 6 months old hospitalized with acute gastroenteritis were studied to determine whether current efforts to discourage high-solute feeding were having an effect on the incidence of hypernatremic dehydration. Fifteen infants (21%) were fed modified (low-solute) milks and 55 (79%) unmodified (high-solute) milks. Of 47 infants under 3 months old, 15 (32%) had commenced mixed feeding. Plasma sodium level was estimated in 60 infants. Mean values in the modified and unmodified groups were the same, at 137 mEq/liter. Only one infant was hypernatremic (sodium level, 152 m/eq/liter). Osmolalities of 65 samples of milk were measured to provide a measure of milk concentration. Only ten (16%) exceeded by more than 25% that recommended by the manufacturers. Twenty-two (34%) were less than 75% of the recommended concentrations. These improved feeding practices have probably contributed largely to the very low incidence of hypernatremia by preventing dangerously high solute intakes at a time of particular vulnerability.

Acute Disease

Chromosomal abnormality in congenital rubella.

An infant with congenital rubella was found to have two extra chromosome fragements in most cells examined. This is an unusual finding in congenital rubella and it is suggested that it may be related to the infection.

Adult

A comparative study of acute myeloblastic leukaemia in children and adults.

The presenting features and clinical course of 89 adults and 15 children with acute myeloblastic leukaemia (AML) presenting to a Regional Leukaemia Centre has been analysed. Remission rate was related to age, being 40% for the total adult group and 60% for all children. Young adults and children had a particularly high remission rate, whilst elderly patients faired badly. Survival diminished with increasing age and patients who entered complete remission survived for a significantly longer time (P less than 0.001) than those who did not. Adult AML differs from childhood AML, the adults having a lower remission rate, a significantly shorter survival (P less than 0.005) and almost complete absence of second remissions. Adults showed no correlation between complete remission and initial WBC or initial blast cell count, but in children there was a significant correlation (P less than 0.05) between initial total WBC and complete remission. A significant correlation between initial platelet count and complete remission could not be demonstrated in either group. Although the numbers of children are small, preadolescent children may represent a favourable sub-group, particularly those between 7 and 8 years of age.

Adolescent

Anterior fontanelle size in the neonate.

A simple method is described for measuring the area of the anterior fontanelle at birth. Normal values in preterm and term infants suggest enlargement of the fontanelle with gestational age. Small-for-dates infants have significantly larger anterior fontanelles than either preterm or term infants. Knowledge of the normal variation in anterior fontanelle size may be of help in the early diagnosis of congenital hypothyroidism or provide a clue to other disorders of skeletal development.

Anthropometry