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Biomedical subjects

M Mathai

Publications and source records attributed to M Mathai.

33 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1992

Influence of exposure to tobacco smoke on serum alpha fetoprotein levels of women in midtrimester pregnancy.

The influence of exposure to tobacco smoke on maternal serum alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) levels at 16 wk gestation was examined. Urinary cotinine levels were used to quantify exposure to tobacco smoke. Significantly higher levels of maternal serum AFP were found in 101 women who had more than 1.0 microgram cotinine/mg urinary creatinine compared with 180 women whose urinary cotinine levels were below this level [(mean +/- SD) 1.23 +/- 0.64 and 1.06 +/- 0.54 respectively; 95 per cent CI of difference of means 0.01-0.31; P < 0.05]. There was a mild albeit statistically significant correlation between urinary cotinine levels and maternal serum AFB (r 0.099; P < 0.05). However, the difference in maternal serum AFP levels between the two groups was not found to be significant, when adjustments for maternal body mass index were made.

Body Mass Index↗
PubMed1991

Candida antibodies in amniotic fluid.

Amniotic fluid samples were tested for specific immunoglobulins against Candida albicans by indirect immunofluorescence. Nineteen of the 23 samples tested contained specific IgA while specific IgG antibodies were detected in only seven samples (P less than 0.01). None of the samples contained specific anticandidal IgM (P less than 0.001). These 23 samples and a further 30 amniotic fluid samples were tested for Candida mannan antigen by latex agglutination. Mannan was not detected in any of the samples tested. It is concluded that anticandidal IgA in amniotic fluid is naturally occurring.

Amniotic Fluid↗
PubMed1990

Elongated styloid process: an overview.

Stylalgia is a condition that causes a dull, nagging pain in the oropharynx, often referred to the ear and the mastoid region. The clinical diagnosis is certain if the elongated styloid process is palpated through the tonsillar area. Radiological investigations, such as orthopantomograms, give information about the medial angulation. The treatment of choice is surgical shortening of the process. Trans-tonsillar fossa excision is a simple technique and does not involve greater morbidity than a routine tonsillectomy.

Adult↗
PubMed1990

Maternal smoking, urinary cotinine levels and birth-weight.

The smoking habits of 300 consecutive pregnant women and of other members of their household were obtained by interview at 16 and 32 weeks' gestation and after delivery. Urine samples for estimation of cotinine were collected at the same times during pregnancy and on admission in labour. Both self-reports of active maternal smoking and urinary cotinine levels were significantly associated with lighter babies but urinary cotinine correlated the better. Active maternal smoking was associated with a decrease in birth-weight of 12 g for every cigarette smoked in a day while there was a decrease of 25 g in birth-weight for every microgram of cotinine/mg of urinary creatinine. Passive maternal smoking was associated with a decrease of 66 g in mean birth-weight but this decrease was not statistically significant. Self-reports of active and passive smoking accounted for 43% of the variation in urinary cotinine levels suggesting that urinary cotinine assays can be used to assess and monitor exposure to tobacco smoke in pregnancy.

Birth Weight↗
PubMed1989

Centrally mediated increased sympathetic activity is not important in the genesis of ACTH-induced hypertension in sheep.

1. Adrenocorticotrophin (ACTH) administration to sheep produces a rapid adrenally dependent hypertension which is maximal after 3 days and associated with increased cardiac output (CO) and heart rate (HR), while calculated total peripheral resistance remains unchanged. 2. This study investigated the proposal that a centrally mediated increase in sympathetic activity is important in the development of ACTH-induced hypertension. 3. Concomitant intravenous infusions of either clonidine (60 micrograms/kg per day) or methyldopa (60 mg/kg per day) with ACTH (5 micrograms/kg per day) failed to inhibit the increase in mean arterial pressure (MAP) observed with ACTH. 4. In a separate experiment clonidine abolished the increase in CO and HR but not the pressor response associated with ACTH administration. 5. These results do not support a role for centrally mediated increase in sympathetic activity in the genesis of ACTH-induced hypertension.

Adrenocorticotropic Hormone↗
PubMed1987

Screening for light-for-gestational age infants: a comparison of three simple measurements.

Fundal height, abdominal girth and abdominal length were measured during routine examination in our antenatal clinic. Standard graphs of fundal height, abdominal girth and the ratio of fundal height to abdominal length were drawn using data from 250 consecutive women with uncomplicated pregnancies. These graphs were used to predict low-birthweight-for-gestation (LGA) in 150 high-risk and 208 low-risk pregnancies. Fundal height measurements had high sensitivity (78-84%) and specificity (84-88%) and were therefore most reliable in screening for LGA babies.

Abdomen↗
PubMed1984

Antimicrobial activity of amniotic fluid in South Indian women.

Samples of amniotic fluid obtained from 48 South Indian women in the third trimester of pregnancy were studied for antimicrobial activity. The growth of Staphylococcus albus, Candida albicans and Clostridium perfringens was inhibited by nearly all samples studied while the growth of Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli and Bacteroides fragilis was inhibited by 50%, 42% and 18% of samples respectively. The growth of Streptococcus faecalis was not inhibited. Using radial immunodiffusion, IgG was measurable in all 10 samples studied (mean 23 mg/dl), whereas IgA was measurable in only three of these samples (mean 1.32 mg/dl). However, while specific IgA against C. albicans was detected by indirect immunofluorescence in 93% of samples, specific IgG against C. albicans was detected in only 26% of samples (P less than 0.001). Amniotic fluid obtained from parous women had greater inhibitory activity against E. coli (P less than 0.05) than did the amniotic fluid obtained from nulliparae.

Amniotic Fluid↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Amniocentesis.

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Amniocentesis↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Pre-eclampsia.

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Female↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Colposcopy in women with a normal Papanicolaou smear.

BACKGROUND: Colposcopy is usually done when the Papanicolaou smear is abnormal so that the necessity for cone biopsy is reduced. However, there is often a strong clinical suspicion of cervical neoplasia even though the smear is normal and this problem of the false negative Papanicolaou smear has not, we feel, been adequately addressed. We, therefore, examined the usefulness of colposcopy in detecting cervical neoplasia in women in whom the Papanicolaou smear was normal. METHODS: A cross-sectional design was used which included 80 patients in whom cervical neoplasia was suspected and who had undergone colposcopy in one gynaecology unit at the Christian Medical College Hospital, Vellore. The Papanicolaou smear result of these patients was then related to their diagnosis on colposcopy. RESULTS: The Papanicolaou smears were normal in 56 patients and abnormal in 24. In the normal Papanicolaou smear group there were 18 women with grade I cervical intra-epithelial neoplasia and 3 with grade II lesions. In the abnormal smear group there were 8 women with grade I cervical intra-epithelial neoplasia, 9 with grade II cervical intra-epithelial neoplasia and 1 had microinvasive carcinoma. Patients with abnormal Papanicolaou smears had a relative risk of 7.8 (95% CI 2.4 to 25.8) of having a lesion more advanced than grade I cervical intra-epithelial neoplasia compared with those in whom cervical neoplasia was only suspected clinically. CONCLUSION: When the clinician suspects cervical neoplasia but the Papanicolaou smear is negative, colposcopy reveals at least grade II cervical intra-epithelial neoplasia in 5% of patients. Such patients, therefore, need to be followed up closely or else have a colposcopy and directed biopsy.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Random plasma glucose and the glucose challenge test in pregnancy.

BACKGROUND: The oral glucose tolerance test for detecting women with gestational diabetes is too complicated and prolonged for routine use. Similar and less time consuming screening tests have been proposed including random plasma glucose estimation and the glucose challenge test (blood glucose estimation one hour after a 50 g glucose load). However, in practice, correct timing of the blood sample, which is of critical importance in the interpretation of the results of these tests, is difficult to ensure. This study was designed to evaluate these two screening tests in identifying women with abnormal glucose tolerance in pregnancy. METHODS: One hundred and eleven consecutive pregnant women at risk for gestational diabetes and 121 consecutive pregnant women with no risk factors had random plasma glucose estimation followed by the 50 g glucose challenge test at 26 to 30 weeks of gestation. A 100 g 3 hour oral glucose tolerance test was done within two weeks of the screening tests. The sensitivity and specificity of screening tests in predicting abnormal glucose tolerance were calculated. RESULTS: Seven (6.3%) women in the high risk group and four (3.3%) in the low risk group had gestational diabetes, while 11 (9.9%) and 8 (6.6%) had impaired glucose tolerance. Random plasma glucose level of 90 mg/dl or greater had a sensitivity of 63% and specificity of 66% in predicting abnormal glucose tolerance, while a threshold level of 115 mg/dl for the glucose challenge test yielded a sensitivity of 63% and a specificity of 55%. CONCLUSIONS: Neither random plasma glucose estimation nor the glucose challenge test is a useful screening procedure for abnormal glucose tolerance in pregnancy.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Prenatal diagnosis of beta-thalassaemia mutations using the reverse dot blot technique.

BACKGROUND: Beta-thalassaemia is the most common genetic disorder among Indians and a number of mutations causing this disease have been reported. Since effective treatment of thalassaemia major is complicated and very expensive, prenatal diagnosis has become an important option for those at risk of having an affected foetus. We report the use of a rapid hybridization method called 'reverse dot blot' for detection of specific mutations of the beta-globin gene. METHODS: DNA was obtained from a 12-week-old foetus by chorionic villus sampling and was amplified using specific primers by the polymerase chain reaction and analysed by the reverse dot blot test. Results were available within 36 hours after sampling. RESULT: The father and mother were found to be heterozygous for codon 15 (G-A) mutation of the beta-globin gene. The foetus was normal. CONCLUSION: Reverse dot blot is a rapid and reliable technique for mutation detection in the beta-globin gene and can be useful for antenatal diagnosis.

Adult↗