Basanta Gelal

Urinary Iodine Excretion among Nepalese School Children in Terai Region

ObjectivesTo assess the current iodine status among school children in Terai region of Nepal.MethodsA cross sectional study was conducted in 2012 among the school children aged 6–12y in three Terai districts (Siraha, Saptari and Jhapa) of eastern Nepal. A total of 1105 casual urine samples were collected from children of different schools of above districts. Urinary iodine excretion was estimated using ammonium persulphate digestion method.ResultsThe median urinary iodine excretion in school children was 226.33μg/L (234.16μg/L, 229.25μg/L and 210.67μg/L in Siraha, Saptari and Jhapa districts respectively). About 12.7% (n = 140) children were found to be iodine deficient and 34.2% (n = 378) children had excessive iodine nutrition.ConclusionsThere was good improvement in iodine nutrition among children in Terai region, with a large part of population showing excessive iodine nutrition.

Anemia among school children in eastern Nepal

Anemia is one of the most common public health problems in developing countries like Nepal. This study was done to find the prevalence of anemia among the children aged 4-13 years in eastern Nepal. A cross-sectional study was conducted in 2012 in four districts (Morang, Udayapur, Bhojpur and Ilam) of eastern Nepal to find the prevalence of anemia among the school children of eastern Nepal. Children aged 4-13 years were selected randomly from different schools of above districts and 618 venous blood samples were collected. Hemoglobin level was estimated by using cyanmethemoglobin method. The mean hemoglobin level was 12.2 ± 1.82 gm/dl. About 37.9% (n = 234) children were found anemic. Anemia prevalence was 42.4% (n = 78), 31.6% (n = 60), 45.3% (n = 48) and 34.8% (n = 48) among school children of Morang, Udayapur, Bhojpur and Ilam district, respectively. The study finds anemia as a significant health problem among the school children of eastern Nepal.

Household salt iodine content estimation with the use of rapid test kits and iodometric titration methods.

BACKGROUND Universal salt iodization remains the best strategy for controlling iodine deficiency disorders in Nepal. AIMS This study was designed to study the salt types and the household salt iodine content of school aged children in the hilly and the plain districts of eastern Nepal. MATERIAL AND METHODS This cross-sectional study was carried out on school children of seven randomly chosen schools from four districts, namely, Sunsari, Dhankuta, Sankhuwasabha and Tehrathum of eastern Nepal. The school children were requested to bring two teaspoonfuls (approx. 12-15 g) of the salt which was consumed in their households, in a tightly sealed plastic pouch. The salt types were categorized, and the salt iodine content was estimated by using rapid test kits and iodometric titrations. The association of the salt iodine content of the different districts were tested by using the Chi-square test. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive values, and negative predictive values of the rapid test kits were compared with the iodometric titrations. RESULTS Our study showed that mean±SD values of the salt iodine content in the four districts, namely, Sunsari, Dhankuta, Sankhuwasabha and Tehrathum were 34.2±17.9, 33.2±14.5, 27.4±15.1 and 48.4±15.6 parts per million (ppm). There were 270 (38.2%) households which consumed crystal salt and 437(61.8%) of the households consumed packet salts. CONCLUSIONS Our study recommends a regular monitoring of the salt iodization programs in these regions. More families should be made aware of the need to ensure that each individual consumes iodized salt.

Non-enzymatic Antioxidant Status and Biochemical Parameters in the Consumers of Pan Masala Containing Tobacco

BACKGROUND Tobacco consumption is one of the leading causes of oral submucous fibrosis, oral cancer and even premature death. The present study was designed to compare the biochemical parameters and non- enzymatic antioxidant status and the lipid peroxidation products in pan masala tobacco users as compared with age-matched non-user controls. METHODS Pan masala and tobacco users of age 33.2±9.94 years and age-matched controls (31.2±4.73 years) were enrolled for the study. Plasma levels of vitamin E, vitamin C, albumin, bilirubin, uric acid, glucose, urea, creatinine, aspartate amino transferase (AST), alanine amino transferase (ALT) were measured by standard methods. Serum malondialdehyde (MDA) levels were estimated as a measure of lipid peroxidation. RESULTS In the pan masala tobacco users, as compared to the controls, the level of vitamin C (68.5±5.9 vs 97.9±9.03 μmol/L, p≤0.05) vitamin E (18.4±5.3 vs 97.9±9.03 μmol/L, p≤0.001), albumin (37.5±7.01 vs 44.3±9.99 g/L, p≤0.001), and malondialdehyde (10.8±1.29 vs 1.72±1.15 nmol/ml, p≤0.001 ) were found to be significantly altered. Malondialdehyde was significantly correlated with vitamin E (r=1.00, p<0.001) and vitamin C (r =1.00, p<0.001) in pan masala tobacco users. Serum levels of AST (31.0±16.77 IU) and ALT (36.7±31.3 IU) in the pan masala tobacco users were significantly raised as compared to the controls (AST, 25.2±9.51 IU, p=0.038; ALT, 26.2±17.9 IU, p=0.038). CONCLUSION These findings suggest that pan masala tobacco users are in a state of oxidative stress promoting cellular damage. Non-enzymatic antioxidants are depleted in pan masala tobacco users with subsequent alteration in the biochemical parameters. Supplementation of antioxidants may prevent oxidative damage in pan masala tobacco users.

Plasma zinc levels, anthropometric and socio-demographic characteristics of school children in eastern Nepal

BackgroundZinc deficiency is a major public health problem in many developing countries including Nepal. The present study was designed to assess the prevalence of zinc deficiency and to study the association of zinc deficiency with anthropometric and socio-demographic variables, in school children of eastern Nepal.MethodsThis cross-sectional study included total 125 school children of age group 6–12 years from Sunsari and Dhankuta districts of eastern Nepal. Plasma zinc level was estimated by Flame Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy.ResultsThe Median interquartile range (IQR) values of zinc in the two districts Sunsari and Dhankuta were 5.9 (4.4, 7.9) μmol/L and 5.8 (4.3, 8.4) μmol/L respectively. A total of 55 children (87.3%) in Sunsari and 52 (83.9%) in Dhankuta had zinc deficiency, no significant difference was observed in the Median (IQR) plasma zinc levels (p = 0.9) and zinc deficiency patterns (p = 0.3) of the two districts. Significant differences were observed in the plasma zinc levels (p = 0.02) and zinc deficiency patterns (p = 0.001), of the school children having age groups 6–8 years than in 9–10 and 11–12 years of age, and zinc deficiency patterns between male and female school children (p = 0.04) respectively.ConclusionsThe present study showed higher prevalence of zinc deficiency among school children in eastern Nepal. In our study, zinc deficiency was associated with both sex and age. The findings from the present study will help to populate data for policy implementation regarding consumption and supplementation of zinc.

Serum adenosine deaminase activity in thyroid disorders

Context: It has been widely reported that thyroid gland is very much prone to autoimmune disorder. Adenosine deaminase (ADA), an enzyme distributed in the human tissues, is considered as nonspecific marker of cell-mediated immunity. Also it is suggested to be an important enzyme for modulating the bioactivity of thyroid hormones, but its clinical significance in thyroid disorders is not yet characterized. Therefore this study aims to see association between serum ADA and different thyroid disorders if any. Research Design and Methods: This was a hospital based cross sectional study conducted in Immunoassay laboratory of Department of Biochemistry, BPKIHS. A total of 122 subjects were selected and divided into five groups: Group 1 (Euthyroid), Group 2 (Overt Hyperthyroid), Group 3 (Subclinical Hyperthyroid), Group 4 (Overt Hypothyroid) and Group 5 (Subclinical Hypothyroid) based on the thyroid function status. Samples were stored at − 20 o till the assay of parameters. Thyroid hormones; thyroxine (fT4), triiodothyronine (fT3) and thyroid stimulating hormones (TSH) were assayed by Enzyme Linked Immunoflouresent Assay (ELFA) technique. Serum ADA activity was estimated by spectrophotometric methods of Giusti and Galanti. Data are presented as mean ± SD. Statistical analysis done by Chi-square test and one way ANOVA. P <0.05 considered as significant. Result: Out of 122 subjects 91 were female and 31 were male, showing the female preponderance of thyroid disorders. There was significant difference in ADA activity in different thyroid disorders (P < 0.001). Conclusion: The females were more prone to thyroid disorders and there was significant difference in ADA activity in different thyroid disorders. Our findings suggest that ADA may play a role in the pathophysiology of thyroid disorders, however a large scale study is required to predict the relationship.