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Biomedical subjects

N Perera

Publications and source records attributed to N Perera.

12 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2001

Helicobacter pylori in school children from the Western province of Sri Lanka.

BACKGROUND: Little is known about the prevalence of Helicobacter pylori in Sri Lanka and nothing is known about its prevalence in children. Therefore the prevalence of H. pylori in a group of school children in Sri Lanka was determined. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The presence of H. pylori colonisation was determined by detection of faecal antigen and salivary antibody (IgG) by enzyme immuno assay, in 184 children aged between 5 and 19 years, in the Western Province-Colombo district of Sri Lanka. RESULTS: Overall, only 12/184 (6.5%) had detectable H. pylori antigen in their stools and were considered infected with H. pylori, while 51/184 (27.7%) had H. pylori IgG in saliva. H. pylori salivary IgG declined with age while H. pylori antigen detection increased with age. H. pylori infection, as determined by salivary antibody (66%), was greater in children living in overcrowded conditions, although this was not statistically significant. CONCLUSION: The prevalence of H. pylori among school children in Sri Lanka was 6.5% by detection of faecal antigen and 27.7% by detection of salivary antibody, respectively. Initial infection with H. pylori appeared to occur in early childhood whilst active disease began in late childhood. Overcrowding appears to facilitate the transmission of the organism. Overall the prevalence of H. pylori was low in Sri Lanka compared with other countries in South-east Asia.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2000

The isolation of Burkholderia cepacia in a hospital setting in Sri Lanka.

INTRODUCTION: Burkholderia cepacia is widely prevalent in nature. The natural habitat of this organism is soil, water and vegetation, but the hospital environment remains the main source of infection. It causes a wide variety of infections in hospitalised patients. Since there are no reports of its prevalence in Sri Lanka, a data retrieval and analysis was undertaken to determine its incidence among patients at Sri Jayawardenepura General Hospital (SJGH). OBJECTIVE: To determine the prevalence, morphological characteristics, biochemical profile and antibiotic susceptibility pattern of B cepacia in a Sri Lankan tertiary care hospital. METHODS: Relevant clinical data were retrieved from all isolates of B cepacia from SJGH for 12 months from October 1996. Standard procedures were used to isolate the organism from clinical specimens. API 20E was employed for biochemical identification. Antibiotic susceptibility tests was carried out using the modified Kirby Bauer method. RESULTS: B cepacia was isolated from 17 patients. 16 of them were hospitalised and were from the medical, surgical, and intensive care units. All were in a compromised state of health. The organism was isolated from a variety of specimens which included swabs of surgical wounds, chronic ulcers, sputum, bronchial lavage, endotracheal aspirate, urine, peritoneal fluid and blood. Blood agar, MacConkey agar and cystine lactose electrolyte deficient medium supported the growth of all strains. They were motile Gram negative rods. All strains were oxidase positive. Strains gave variable results with other biochemical tests. Antibiograms too were variable. All strains were sensitive to ceftazidime, and the majority of the strains were sensitive to the other third generation cephalosporines. All strains were resistant to four or more antimicrobial agents included in the study. Of the 17 patients from whom B cepacia was isolated, only 9 seem to have had actual infection; others were probably instances of colonisation or contamination. CONCLUSIONS: The present report confirms the prevalence and importance of B cepacia as a hospital pathogen in Sri Lanka. Hospital laboratories should be equipped to isolate, identify and perform antibiotic sensitivity test on these strains. Antibiotic susceptibility testing is necessary as the patterns seem to differ among strains. The multiple drug resistant nature of the organism warrants strict infection control measures to prevent spread in a hospital setting.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1994

Prevalence of lipid abnormalities in Sri Lankan patients with non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the prevalence of hyperlipidaemia in Sri Lankan patients with non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM) and a normal control population. DESIGN: A cross-sectional study. SETTING: Patients with NIDDM randomly selected from a diabetic clinic register and non-diabetic controls randomly selected from an electoral register. PATIENTS: 498 patients with NIDDM (197 females mean age 53.5, SD 6.2 years) and 253 non-diabetic controls (101 females, mean age 53, SD 5.5 years matched for age and sex. METHODS: Diabetes and impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) were excluded in the control group by a 75g oral glucose tolerance test. Total cholesterol, high density cholesterol and triglycerides were determined in fasting blood samples. RESULTS: The prevalence of lipid abnormalities was significantly higher in diabetic patients than in controls. The prevalence of hypercholesterolaemia was 21% vs 14% and that of hypertriglyceridaemia 16% vs 8.3%. Mean fasting blood glucose was higher (9.7 + 2.7) in hyperlipidaemic patients than in normolipidaemic diabetic patients (7.5 + 2.1) CONCLUSIONS: Hyperlipidaemias are common in Sri Lankan patients with NIDDM and screening for them should be an essential component of management of patients with diabetes mellitus.

Cross-Sectional Studies↗
PubMed1993

The prevalence of macrovascular disease and lipid abnormalities amongst diabetic patients in Sri Lanka.

The prevalence of macrovascular disease and hyperlipidaemia was examined in 500 patients with non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus attending a diabetic clinic in a Sri Lankan teaching hospital and 250 controls matched for age and gender. Macrovascular disease was assessed using a modified World Health Organisation questionnaire and modified Minnesota coding of electrocardiogram recordings. Twenty-one per cent of diabetic patients and 14.3% of controls had hypercholesterolaemia (P < 0.05). Macrovascular disease was present in 13.4% of diabetic patients and 8.2% of controls. Significant differences were seen in the prevalence of hypertension (15.6% vs 4.8%, P < 0.05), obesity (16.2% vs 9.7%, P < 0.05), peripheral vascular disease (5.6% vs 2%, P < 0.05) and electrocardiographic abnormalities (12% vs 6%, P < 0.05) in diabetic patients when compared to controls. Hyperlipidaemia and macrovascular disease is common in non-insulin-dependent diabetic patients in Sri Lanka and accounts for significant morbidity.

Cerebrovascular Disorders↗
PubMed1993

Haemodilution during transurethral resection of the prostate using water as the irrigant fluid.

Of 58 patients who underwent transurethral resection of prostate (TURP), in whom water was used as the irrigant fluid, four patients had clinical evidence of the "TURP syndrome" (1). Although the serum sodium decreased to less than 120 in 7 patients, only one of them had clinical signs. Reduction in haemoglobin and serum proteins caused no untoward signs. It is concluded that water is an acceptable irrigant fluid.

Adult↗
PubMed1988

Identification from skeletal remains.

The remains of a suspected case of homicide, found to be almost totally skeletal on exhumation, was dug out from a pit in a tract of marshy land in the deep south or Sri Lanka. No clothing or other identifying articles were found with the remains. During exhumation a distinct odour of kerosene oil was observed. Examination revealed that the major part of the skeleton was present, including the skull and lower jaw. Examination of these enabled an opinion to be given on the stature, sex and age of the deceased. The head hair found at exhumation showed evidence of burning. Two groups of injuries were found in the bones. One group was consistent with injuries caused during life and showing the characters of healing and moulding. Although medical records were not available, it was possible to obtain a description of the injuries from the court records as a doctor had given evidence on injuries sustained by the deceased years previously. The other group comprised of injuries that would have caused or contributed to death, or were post-mortem injuries inflicted for purposes of disposal. This case illustrates that personal identification may be established from old healed skeletal injuries.

Adult↗
PubMed1982

Antihypertensive therapy in patients above age 60 with systolic hypertension. A progress report of the European Working Party on High Blood Pressure in the Elderly (EWPHE).

1. Although systolic blood pressure elevation is responsible for increased incidence of cardiovascular accidents in old people, the preventive benefit of lowering systolic hypertension in elderly has not been confirmed. 2. A double blind study comparing the effects of a placebo and of an active regimen (hydrochlorothiazide-triamterene with or without methyldopa) in people over 60 years with isolated systolic hypertension has been undertaken by the European Working Party on High blood pressure in the Elderly (EWPHE). 3. The actively treated group shows a lowered sitting blood pressure (-15/6 mm Hg), a mild increase of serum creatine, serum uric acid and blood glucose and a mild decrease of serum potassium after two years of treatment when compared to the spontaneous changes observed in the placebo treated group. 4. The study is continuing to evaluate if the blood pressure reduction prevents or reduces the incidence of cardiovascular accidents, although some biochemical changes were provoked by the treatment.

Aged↗
PubMed1982

The pharmacokinetics of benoxaprofen in elderly subjects.

Benoxaprofen plasma profiles were obtained in two groups of elderly female patients. A single dose of benoxaprofen, either 600 mg or 300 mg, was given and blood levels were measured daily to 120 hours. Mean peak plasma levels were reached at five hours following the 600-mg dose and at seven hours after the 300-mg dose. Elimination half-lives calculated from levels during 36-120 hours resulted in means of 111 hours and 86.4 hours for the 600-mg and 300-mg doses respectively. (Normal subjects, 30 to 35 hours.) Because of these extended half-lives, a further study was conducted following a single 600-mg dose to four more patients. Blood vessels were measured up to 504 hours (21 days). This resulted in a means half-life of 147.9 hours calculated from levels during 168-504 hours. Although serum creatinine levels ere not generally above the normal for this age group, calculated creatinine clearances were considerably reduced. It is concluded that the high plasma benoxaprofen levels achieved, combined with the slow clearance rates and long half-lives, indicate that it may be possible to work is needed to determine whether this prolonged half-life is matched by an equally prolonged therapeutic effect.

Aged↗