Estimated causes of death in Thailand, 2005: implications for health policy

Background  

Almost 400,000 deaths are registered each year in Thailand. Their value for public health policy and planning is greatly diminished by incomplete registration of deaths and by concerns about the quality of cause-of-death information. This arises from misclassification of specified causes of death, particularly in hospitals, as well as from extensive use of ill-defined and vague codes to attribute the underlying cause of death. Detailed investigations of a sample of deaths in and out of hospital were carried out to identify misclassification of causes and thus derive a best estimate of national mortality patterns by age, sex, and cause of death.     

Decrease in mean platelet survival time in acute poststreptococcal glomerulonephritis (APSGN)

In an attempt to study further the possible participation of platelets in the pathogenesis of acute poststreptococcal glomerulonephritis (APSGN), we studied the platelet survival time, as an index of platelet activation, in 22 patients with APSGN. Mean platelet survival time was computed from the disappearance of radioactivity from blood, sampled serially after injection of autologous 51Cr-labelled platelets. C1q solid phase ELISA and conglutinin (K) solid phase ELISA were used to measure the serum levels of immune complexes. The platelet survival time in APSGN patients was 113 +/- 10 h vs 197 +/- 10 h in the control group (p less than 0.001); 68% of the patients had a shortened platelet survival, lower than 95% confidence limit. There was a significant increase in the platelet survival in the six patients that were studied after recovery from acute nephritic syndrome. There was no significant association between the mean platelet times survival and CICs (circulating immune complexes). Similarly, no significant correlation was found between the mean platelet lifespan and the severity of the glomerular disease, as assessed by the serum creatinine level and the proteinuria. These results support evidence of platelet activation and consumption in APSGN and we suggest that this activation occurs in the glomeruli capillary wall, due to platelet-vascular wall interaction.     

Intestinal obstruction and pregnancy. Diagnostic and therapeutic approach. Apropos of 3 cases

The etiological diagnosis of obstruction is difficult during pregnancy. The authors report 3 cases of this rare association: obstruction due to adhesions [1], volvulus of the transverse colon on a common mesentery [1] and obstruction due to an appendix abscess [1]. Complementary investigations, obviously limited under these circumstances, were based on plain abdominal X-rays, repeated if necessary. The diagnosis must be made early and appropriate treatment given in order to ensure a good materno-fetal prognosis as was obtained in these 3 cases.     

Effects of intravenous L-acetylcarnitine on retinal oscillatory potentials

L-acetylcarnitine is a compound with cholinergic properties and putative action on the visual system and the glucose metabolism. Ten healthy, emmertropic volunteers (age range: 21 to 28 years) were studied. Each subject was administered 5, 10, and 30 mg/kg acute intravenous doses of L-acetylcarnitine and matching placebo. Retinal oscillatory potentials to full-field flash stimulation were recorded before and 30, 60, and 120 min after administration. A systematic reduction of the implicit time of the P2 and N2 oscillatory potential components was observed after administration of the 10 and 30 mg/kg doses: significant changes were not evident at the 5 mg dose or after placebo. The latency reduction was significantly correlated with the postdrug increment of the L-acetylcarnitine plasma concentration. No other systematic modification in latency of amplitude was observed.The results were presented in part at the XXV I.S.C.E.V. Symposium, Sarasota (Florida), April 26–30, 1987.     

Quality of life and exercise performance in patients in sinus rhythm versus persistent atrial fibrillation: a Veterans Affairs Cooperative Studies Program Substudy.

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to determine quality of life (QOL) and exercise performance (EP) in patients with persistent atrial fibrillation (AF) converted to sinus rhythm (SR) compared with those remaining in or reverting to AF. BACKGROUND: Restoration of SR in patients with AF improving QOL and EP remains controversial. METHODS: Patients with persistent AF were randomized double-blind to amiodarone, sotalol, or placebo. Those not achieving SR at day 28 were cardioverted and classified into SR or AF groups at 8 weeks (n = 624) and 1 year (n = 556). The QOL (SF-36), symptom checklist (SCL), specific activity scale (SAS), AF severity scale (AFSS), and EP were assessed. RESULTS: Favorable changes were seen in SR patients at 8 weeks in physical functioning (p < 0.001), physical role limitations (p = 0.03), general health (p = 0.002), and vitality (p < 0.001), and at 1 year in general health (p = 0.007) and social functioning (p = 0.02). Changes in the scores for SCL severity (p = 0.01), functional capacity (p = 0.003), and AFSS symptom burden (p < 0.001) at 8 weeks and in SCL severity (p < 0.01) and AF symptom burden (p < 0.001) at 1 year showed significant improvements in SR versus AF. Symptomatic patients were more likely to have improvement. The EP in SR versus AF was greater from baseline to 8 weeks (p = 0.01) and to 1 year (p = 0.02). The EP correlated with physical functioning and functional capacity except in the AF group at 1 year. CONCLUSIONS: In patients with persistent AF, restoration and maintenance of SR was associated with improvements in QOL measures and EP. There was a strong correlation between QOL measures and EP.     

Hypertension in developing countries

Population surveys carried out since the 1970s in 15 developing countries including 23 population groups show that the prevalence of hypertension ranges from as low as 1% in some African countries to over 30% in Brazil. A trend analysis of the mortality statistics for 35-74 year-olds from 16 countries in which data are available shows a downward trend in mortality from hypertension and cerebrovascular diseases in most of these countries. In spite of the current low prevalence in some countries, the total number of hypertensives in the developing world is high, and a cost assessment of possible antihypertensive drug treatment indicates that developing countries cannot afford the same drug treatment levels as developed countries.