Vitamin deficiency prevalence in primary school children in Punjab, India

Background: Vitamin deficiencies are the conditions which are prevalent in the society and parents are unaware of them due to their asymptomatic nature. Overcoming this deficiency is integral in achieving the second Sustainable Development Goal charted out by the United Nations. Treatable and preventable nature of these conditions needs to be emphasized. Aims and objectives of the study were to study the prevalence of clinical features of vitamin deficiencies in primary school children.Methods: This single point cross sectional study was conducted in primary school children in Faridkot and comprised of students in the age group of 5-11 years. A total of 849 students were clinically examined. The clinical features of vitamin deficiencies were recorded. Descriptive analysis was used for interpretation.Results: Overall incidence of vitamin deficiency features was 18.96%. The features of vitamin A, B complex, C, and D deficiency were seen in 7.18%, 18.02%, 3.06% and 8.48% respectively. Some children have more than one deficiency features.Conclusions: The primary school children do suffer from vitamin deficiencies and there should be timely evaluation for these diseases. Larger studies substantiated with blood levels would provide more insight into these conditions

Visual evoked potentials in children with type 1 diabetes mellitus

Background: Insulin-dependent (type 1) diabetes mellitus is associated with different degrees of neuropathies affecting peripheral as well as central neural pathways. The subclinical neurological involvement in diabetic children can be assessed by changes appearing in the electrophysiological parameters like Visual Evoked Potentials (VEPs). The objective of the study was to assess the effect of type I diabetes melitus on the visual evoked potentials in children.Methods: This cross-sectional case-control study was done on 30 children with type 1 diabetes mellitus of minimum two years duration as cases and 30 age and gender matched euglycemic children with normal HbA1c taken as controls. Visual Evoked Potentials (VEPs) were done on both the groups of children and the latencies (ms) of waves -N75, P100, N145 and amplitude (μV) of wave P100 were recorded. The data was compiled in the pre-designed proforma and statistically analysed using student t-test.Results: The increase in the mean latencies of waveforms of VEPs N75, P100 and amplitude P100 were found to be highly significant statistically (p<0.001) in both the eyes among the children with type 1 diabetes mellitus. The mean latency of waveform N145 was found to be statistically insignificant in the two groups (p>0.05).Conclusions: The type 1 diabetes does affect the visual pathways in children. Visual Evoked Potentials are helpful in the detection of early changes in the conduction across the neural pathways in the sub-clinical diseases

Vitamin deficiency prevalence in primary school children in Punjab, India

Background: Vitamin deficiencies are the conditions which are prevalent in the society and parents are unaware of them due to their asymptomatic nature. Overcoming this deficiency is integral in achieving the second Sustainable Development Goal charted out by the United Nations. Treatable and preventable nature of these conditions needs to be emphasized. Aims and objectives of the study were to study the prevalence of clinical features of vitamin deficiencies in primary school children.Methods: This single point cross sectional study was conducted in primary school children in Faridkot and comprised of students in the age group of 5-11 years. A total of 849 students were clinically examined. The clinical features of vitamin deficiencies were recorded. Descriptive analysis was used for interpretation.Results: Overall incidence of vitamin deficiency features was 18.96%. The features of vitamin A, B complex, C, and D deficiency were seen in 7.18%, 18.02%, 3.06% and 8.48% respectively. Some children have more than one deficiency features.Conclusions: The primary school children do suffer from vitamin deficiencies and there should be timely evaluation for these diseases. Larger studies substantiated with blood levels would provide more insight into these conditions

Quitting smoking replenishes body antioxidant status

The effects of smoking on human health are destructive and widespread. Cigarette smoke contains large amounts of free radicals which lead to increased oxidative stress in smokers than in non-smokers. The present study was done to evaluate the extent of oxidative damage caused by smoking. For this purpose 75 subjects were included in the study and divided into three groups: Group A consisted of 25 subjects who were non-smokers and served as controls, Group B (25 subjects) consisted of smokers and in Group C, 25 subjects were included who were smokers earlier but had quitted smoking. Levels of glutathione peroxidase (GPx), catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and malondialdehyde (MDA) were measured in blood of all the groups and compared. It was observed that the antioxidant enzymes (GPx, CAT and SOD) were decreased (p<0.001) while lipid peroxidation products (MDA) were increased (p<0.001) in smokers as compared to non-smokers. Further it was observed that extent of oxidative damage increased proportionately with increase in amount and duration of smoking but oxidative stress decreased significantly in the subjects who had quitted smoking as compared to smokers

Visual evoked potentials in children with type 1 diabetes mellitus

Background: Insulin-dependent (type 1) diabetes mellitus is associated with different degrees of neuropathies affecting peripheral as well as central neural pathways. The subclinical neurological involvement in diabetic children can be assessed by changes appearing in the electrophysiological parameters like Visual Evoked Potentials (VEPs). The objective of the study was to assess the effect of type I diabetes melitus on the visual evoked potentials in children.Methods: This cross-sectional case-control study was done on 30 children with type 1 diabetes mellitus of minimum two years duration as cases and 30 age and gender matched euglycemic children with normal HbA1c taken as controls. Visual Evoked Potentials (VEPs) were done on both the groups of children and the latencies (ms) of waves -N75, P100, N145 and amplitude (μV) of wave P100 were recorded. The data was compiled in the pre-designed proforma and statistically analysed using student t-test.Results: The increase in the mean latencies of waveforms of VEPs N75, P100 and amplitude P100 were found to be highly significant statistically (p&lt;0.001) in both the eyes among the children with type 1 diabetes mellitus. The mean latency of waveform N145 was found to be statistically insignificant in the two groups (p&gt;0.05).Conclusions: The type 1 diabetes does affect the visual pathways in children. Visual Evoked Potentials are helpful in the detection of early changes in the conduction across the neural pathways in the sub-clinical diseases