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Biomedical subjects

D K Guha

Publications and source records attributed to D K Guha.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Glycine, glycyl-glycine and maltodextrin based oral rehydration solution. Assessment of efficacy and safety in comparison to standard ORS.

We evaluated the efficacy and safety of an oral rehydration solution containing glycyl-glycine, glycine, and maltodextrin (GGG-ORS), in comparison to the glucose based ORS (standard ORS). The osmolality of the GGG-ORS (305 mOsm/l) and standard ORS (311 mOsm/l) was similar. Ninety-two children presenting with acute gastroenteritis and moderate dehydration, aged 3 months to 3 years, were randomly assigned to receive standard ORS or GGG-ORS. All the patients were successfully rehydrated orally. The two groups were comparable for baseline characteristics including the microbial etiology. Rotavirus (49%, 36%), ETEC (11%, 18%) or a combination of rotavirus and ETEC (15%, 9%) were the main stool pathogens isolated. There was no significant difference in the mean stool output or duration of diarrhoea between the two groups. Patients in the GGG-ORS group had higher urine output (p less than 0.01) and weight gain (p less than 0.05) in the initial 6 hours when feeding was withheld, but no such differences were observed beyond this period. Hypernatremia did not develop in any patient during the study. We conclude that glycine and glycyl-glycine supplemented oral rehydration solution does not have any therapeutic advantage in the treatment of acute gastroenteritis with moderate dehydration caused predominantly by rotavirus.

Acute Disease↗

Status of newborn care in India.

A questionnaire regarding the existing facilities and concept of newborn care was sent to 135 hospitals. A total of 18 teaching, 9 non-teaching and 5 private hospitals responded. Space provided for most of the nurseries was inadequate. Ratios of nurse: baby and doctor: baby fell short of the recommended. Maintenance of asepsis was lacking in many NSCUs. Regarding equipment, the general concept seems to be that having incubators and phototherapy units is adequate and most of the NSCUs did not go beyond it. Only 40% of the hospitals run special antenatal clinic for high risk deliveries and not all hospitals followed up high risk babies. Among the admitted LBW babies, those belonging to 1000-1500 g group outnumbered others, had higher morbidity and mortality, thereby taking away a major share of newborn care. It was a pleasure to note that most nurseries preferred breast milk for LBW babies. It is concluded that status of newborn care in India has a long way to go.

Humans↗

Significance of maternal and infant serum antibodies to hepatitis B core antigen in hepatitis B virus infection of infancy.

The significance of IgM and IgG class antibodies to hepatitis B virus (HBV) core component (anti-HBc) was investigated in a study of maternal-fetal HBV transmission. An IgM anti-HBc response was lacking in the majority (49/53) of HBV-infected infants. This antibody thus cannot be used as an indicator of transplacental infection. However, most infants who became HBsAg positive during the first 6 months of life acquire infection in the perinatal period rather than transplacentally. Passively transferred maternal IgG anti-HBc in the infant and additional IgM anti-HBc positively in the carrier mother have no modulating influence on HBV infection of infants born to HBV carrier women.

Age Factors↗

Dynamics and impact of perinatal transmission of hepatitis B virus in North India.

The magnitude and significance of perinatal transmission of hepatitis B virus (HBV) were assessed in infants of 8,575 women, of whom 3.7% were seropositive for HBV surface antigen (HBsAg). The e antigen of HBV (HBeAg) was found in 7.8% of these carriers, the antibody to HBeAg (anti-HBe) was found in 30.1% of them, and HBsAg alone was found in 62.1% of them. The estimated incidence of HBsAg positivity by 6 months of age in infants of carrier women was significantly (P less than .001) higher than in controls (18.6% vs 3.0%). Transmission was most frequent (87.5%) if the carrier mother was HBeAg positive and was much less so if she was positive for anti-HBe (17.5%) or for HBsAg alone (9.6%). Toward the end of infancy incidence of HBsAg positivity among offspring of carriers and among controls was not different. Most infants positive for HBsAg and HBeAg continued with the infection beyond 6 months of age. It is estimated that about one-third of the adult asymptomatic HBV carriers in India evolve directly from perinatal infection, while the majority become infected during childhood or early adulthood.

Adolescent↗