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Biomedical subjects

K Ramachandran

Publications and source records attributed to K Ramachandran.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources
PubMed1983

The place of antibiotics in preventing wound infection after clean operations in an Indian hospital: a prospective, randomised, controlled clinical trial.

Two hundred patients in a major Indian hospital who were undergoing clean operations participated in a prospective, randomised, controlled clinical trial of the effectiveness of systemic antibiotics in preventing wound infectious. Of the patients on antibiotics 12.6% developed wound infections and of those not on antibiotics 13.3% did--a difference of no significance. Other factors analysed which included age, duration of operation, place on the operating list and length of the incision did not appear to effect the incidence of infection. Wound infection delayed the discharge of the patient from hospital by seven days. Avoiding antibiotic prophylaxis in these operations would have saved our hospital 12,500 pounds a year. We suggest that prophylactic antibiotics are ineffective in preventing wound infection after clean operations in India. Their use is wasteful and should be discouraged.

Adult↗
PubMed1979

WHO sponsored collaborative studies on nutritional anaemia in India. The effects of ascorbic acid and protein supplementation on the response of pregnant women to iron, pteroylglutamic acid and cyanocobalamin therapy.

1. A study was conducted in two centres in southern and northern India of the effects of the addition of ascorbic acid and protein supplements to iron, pteroyglutamic acid and cyanocobalamin, in the prophylaxis and treatment of anaemia of pregnancy. 2. A dose of 500 mg ascorbic acid/d had no beneficial effect. Women who received 15 g calcium caseinate/d showed a superior haematological response. The reasons for this are unknown, but are more likely attributable to an increased absorption of the supplemental iron than to the correction of a protein deficiency.

Anemia, Hypochromic↗
PubMed1979

WHO sponsored collaborative studies on nutritional anaemia in India. The effect of parenteral iron administration in the control of anaemia of pregnancy.

1. The relative efficacy of oral and parenteral iron administration in the prophylaxis and treatment of Fe-deficiency anaemia of pregnancy has been studied. 2. Intravenous administration of Fe by total dose infusion of Fe dextran was not superior to oral Fe 120 mg/d, 6 d/week for 10-12 weeks. 3. Intramuscular Fe dextran, 100 mg twice per week for 10-12 weeks, produced a significantly greater rise in mean haemoglobin concentration than oral Fe therapy. 4. The superiority of intramuscular Fe as compared with intravenous Fe is probably related to the different handling of the Fe dextran by the reticulo-endothelial system. 5. In spite of the better response to intramuscular Fe dextran, it is not recommended for public health practice because of the risks associated with its use and the much higher cost of the preparation and its delivery.

Administration, Oral↗
PubMed1975

Vitamin A nutritional status of rural community of Khol block in Haryana, North India. A collaborative study.

A nutritional and diet survey was carried out in 2,192 persons belonging to all age groups in a rural community. Vitamin A consumption was less than the recommended daily allowance in persons of all age groups. Bitot's spots and night blindness were detected in 7.1% and 7.2% of the population, respectively. Ocular signs of vitamin A deficiency were more frequently observed in age groups above 5 years as compared to the preschool children. There was no association of vitamin A deficiency with different grades of protein-calorie malnutrition in preschool children. Kerătomalacia was extremely rare and was observed only in one child. The study suggests that the rural area studied was a high prevalence zone for vitamin A deficiency which did not have its serious consequences due to relatively adequate protein-calorie nutritional status of the population.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1975

W.H.O. sponsored collaborative studies on nutritional anaemia in India. 1. The effects of supplemental oral iron administration to pregnant women.

A W.H.O. sponsored collaborative study of the effects of iron supplementation to pregnant women was carried out in Delhi (northern India) and Vellore (southern India). Supplementation was given under supervision from the 26th to the 36th or 38th week of pregnancy. A control group received only placebo; one group received vitamin B12 and folic acid alone; four groups received vitamin B12, folate and a daily iron supplement ranging from 30 to 240 mg of elemental iron as ferrous fumerate, and one further group received 120 mg of iron without B12 or folate. Groups receiving no iron showed a fall in mean stet concentration. Those receiving iron showed a rise in haemoglobin, the best results being in the groups receiving 120 and 240 mg of iron together with vitamin B12 and folate. Even in these groups however there was still a high prevalence of anaemia and iron deficiency at the end of the trial period. Iron alone did not produce as good results as iron plus vitamin B12 and folate. The supplementation had no detectable effect on the birth weight of the children, nor on the haemoglobin concentration of the infants at three months of age. The daily absorption of iron in the pregnant women, as judged from the increase in haemoglobin mass, was not as satisfactory as expected. Possible reasons for this are discussed. It is concluded that to provide these women with adequate iron a daily oral supplementation of 120 mg of elemental iron or more is needed. This can only be achieved by medicinal means. Before supplementation can be recommended on a public health scale, further information regarding the cost and expected benefits of such measures must be obtained.

Administration, Oral↗
PubMed1975

Electrolyte changes at 3500 m in males with and without high-altitude pulmonary edema.

Ten normal healthy male subjects between 20-30 years of age were initially examined at Delhi (200 m) and thereafter air-lifted to an altitude of 3,500 m. Excretion of sodium, potassium and chloride in urine and their plasma level were determined at sea level (SL) and daily at high altitude (HA) for 4 d. At HA, four subjects developed high-altitude pulmonary edema (HAPE), four remained normal, and two suffered from acute mountain sickness. The results on normals and HAPE are presented. There was increased excretion of potassium at HA in both groups resulting in reduction of plasma level. The sodium and chloride excretion was also increased in normals at HA irrespective of urine volume. In HAPE cases, the sodium and chloride excretion was related to urine output. With the retention of fluid, the excretion of these ions in urine was diminished without a parallel change in plasma levels.

Adult↗