Measurement of birthweight is an indicator of community health. The mean birthweight (MBW) of babies born in 1963, 1983 and 1986 were measured in 2254, 3550 and 3368 babies, respectively. Mean (SD) birthweight was found to be 2652 (553) g in 1963, 2724 (502) g in 1983 and 2726 (478) g in 1986. There was a rise in MBW (72 g) between 1963 and 1983 and a reduction in the percentage incidence of low birthweight from 34.29% to 26.06%. A change in birthweight distribution (was also seen, except in extreme weight groups. The improvement in birthweight is statistically significant (p less than 0.001). A trend for increase has been noticed in birthweights, and the mean birthweight values are the same as the national average.

Age Factors↗

PubMed1990

Increased plasma lipid peroxidation in riboflavin-deficient, malaria-infected children.

Plasma lipid peroxides were measured as malonyldialdehyde (MDA) by the thiobarbituric acid (TBA) method in 75 children suffering from Plasmodium falciparum malaria. Their riboflavin status was assessed by measuring erythrocyte glutathione reductase activation coefficients (EGRACs), and values greater than 1.40 were regarded as indicating biochemical deficiency. Plasma MDA was higher (p less than 0.001) in patients than in control subjects; the concentrations were 3.65 +/- 0.70 and 1.77 +/- 0.45 mumol/L (means +/- SD), respectively. The riboflavin-deficient group had higher plasma MDA values (3.98 +/- 0.70 mumol/L) than did the nondeficient group (3.30 +/- 0.68 mumol/L, p less than 0.001). Plasma MDA concentrations correlated with EGRACs (r = 0.46, p less than 0.01) in the patients. It is proposed that riboflavin deficiency restricts regeneration of reduced glutathione making the parasitized erythrocytes more vulnerable to destructive lipid peroxidation and increasing plasma lipid hydroperoxides.

Animals↗

PubMed1990