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Biomedical subjects

R K Chin

Publications and source records attributed to R K Chin.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1991

Relationship between newborn and maternal iron status and haematological indices.

The haemoglobin, mean corpuscular volume, mean corpuscular haemoglobin, haematocrit, serum iron and total iron binding capacity, and serum ferritin concentrations in umbilical cord blood samples taken from 96 appropriate-for-gestational age infants delivered at term were measured and compared to the respective maternal values measured at 36 weeks' gestation. All the values were higher in cord blood. Only maternal mean corpuscular volume and mean corpuscular haemoglobin were correlated with cord serum iron. Cord blood haematological indices were not correlated with either gestation at delivery or birth weight. However, newborn serum ferritin was positively correlated with gestation at delivery, while the maternal:newborn ferritin ratio was inversely correlated with gestation and birth weight. The results suggest that maternal haematological and iron indices are not predictive of the haemoglobin or iron status of the newborn, and that the fetus continues to take up iron from the mother until delivery.

Adult↗
PubMed1991

Second-trimester thyroid function and pregnancy outcome in mothers with hyperthyroidism. Birth weight related to mid-trimester triiodothyronine and RBC zinc.

Thyroid function at 24-28 weeks gestation was compared between 26 mothers with hyperthyroidism (16 on antithyroid treatment and 10 in remission without treatment) and 15 normal pregnant controls. There was no difference in the total and free thyroxine (TT4 and FT4) or in the total and free triiodothyronine (TT3 and FT3) concentrations, but the erythrocyte zinc (RBC Zn) concentration was significantly lower in the study group (187.3 +/- 46.6 mumol/l RBC versus 223.6 +/- 3.7 mumol/l RBC, p less than 0.01). In the study group, both birth weight and gestation at delivery were significantly correlated with TT3 (r = -0.500, p less than 0.02 and r = -0.460, p less than 0.05, respectively) as well as with RBC Zn (r = 0.473, p less than 0.02 and r = 0.573, p less than 0.01, respectively). The results suggest that plasma concentration of TT3 and of RBC Zn at 24-28 weeks gestation may be helpful prognostic factors in the management of pregnant patients with hyperthyroidism.

Adult↗
PubMed1990

Plasma and erythrocyte zinc and birth weight in pre-eclamptic pregnancies.

Plasma and erythrocyte zinc concentrations in 45 proteinuric pre-eclamptic Chinese women were measured. There was no difference in either the plasma or erythrocyte zinc concentration between pre-eclamptic patients with and without intrauterine growth retardation. There was no correlation between either plasma or erythrocyte zinc concentration with the gestation at delivery, birth weight, mean arterial pressure and plasma albumin concentration. On the other hand, both plasma albumin concentration and mean arterial pressure were significantly correlated to birth weight, and the mean arterial pressure was also significantly higher in patients with intrauterine growth retardation. Plasma and erythrocyte zinc are not useful as indices of severity in pre-eclampsia.

Adult↗
PubMed1990

The role of transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation in management of labour in obstetric patients.

The study evaluated the effect of transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) in the management of labour. It comprised of 125 subjects with 93 primiparae and 32 multiparae. They were divided into 3 groups. The first group received electrical stimulation from the TENS unit (TENS); the second group (placebo group) had the TENS machine connected but with no current from the TENS unit (TPL); whereas the third group had no machine application (control group). Analgesic requirements, pain assessment, labour duration, Obstetric outcome, and the comments from mother and midwife were analysed. No negative effects on the mothers and babies were reported. Neither was there any objective clinical significant differences demonstrated among the 3 groups.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1990

Maternal thyroid hormones and outcome of pre-eclamptic pregnancies.

Plasma concentrations of total and free thyroxine (TT4 and FT4), total and free triiodothyronine (TT3 and FT3), thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), plasma albumin and urate were measured in 39 proteinuric pre-eclamptic patients presenting before labour. Pre-eclamptic patients had significantly lower FT4 and higher TSH concentrations compared with values in third trimester normotensive pregnancies. There was a significantly higher frequency of lower TT4, TT3 and high TSH levels in the subgroup of pre-eclamptic patients who had low-birthweight babies. Thyroid hormone concentrations were not correlated with gestation at delivery or birthweight but, with the exception of FT4, were correlated with plasma albumin and urate concentrations. Plasma TSH correlated with birthweight and with plasma urate. The results suggest that mild biochemical hypothyroidism may be found in proteinuric pre-eclampsia, and the concentrations of TT4, TT3, FT3 and TSH may reflect the severity of pre-eclampsia.

Birth Weight↗
PubMed1990

A longitudinal study of changes in erythrocyte zinc concentration in hyperemesis gravidarum.

Erythrocyte zinc concentration and plasma thyroid hormones were measured in 32 patients admitted to hospital because of hyperemesis gravidarum. At presentation, 8 patients had elevated total and free thyroxine concentrations. The initial erythrocyte zinc concentration in these 8 patients was not different from the others, but in 5 of them, a transient drop in the erythrocyte zinc concentration was observed 2-12 weeks later, and which returned to normal towards the end of pregnancy. The lowest erythrocyte zinc concentration in the hyperthyroxinaemic group (171.0 +/- 31.7 mumol/l of RBC) was significantly lower than that of the normothyroxinaemic group (214.2 +/- 33.9 mumol/l of RBC) (p less than 0.01). This indicates that hyperthyroxinaemia in patients with hyperemesis gravidarum represents true hyperthyroidism, but is different from classical thyrotoxicosis in that the elevation of thyroid hormones is transient.

Carbonic Anhydrases↗
PubMed1990

Pregnancy outcome in women with labor-onset hypertension. Similar outcome between labor-onset hypertension and preeclampsia.

Labor-onset hypertension is a poorly documented category, and there is scanty information concerning the outcome of pregnancy in this condition. A retrospective study was performed to compare the pregnancy outcome of 36 patients with labor-onset hypertension (group A) with 36 patients with classical preeclampsia diagnosed before labor (group B) who were matched for parity and age. There was no difference in age, past history of hypertensive pregnancies or family history of hypertension between the two groups. The need for intrapartum hypertensive and anticonvulsant treatment as well as the outcome of pregnancy were similar in both groups. The only significant difference was that group A patients had lower maximum and booking systolic and diastolic pressures. The results indicate that labor-onset hypertension represents a late manifestation of the preeclampsia process, because these patients had lower blood pressure in pregnancy and would not be identified until intrapartum elevation of blood pressure satisfied the diagnostic criteria of preeclampsia.

Apgar Score↗
PubMed1990

Zinc and birth weight in uncomplicated pregnancies.

The relationship between zinc status and birth weight in uncomplicated pregnancies was studied in 59 nulliparous and 27 multiparous Chinese women with singleton pregnancies, delivered at term. Maternal and umbilical cord blood, maternal pubic hair and a segment of the umbilical cord were collected at delivery for analysis. The zinc concentration was significantly higher (p less than 0.0001) in the plasma of newborn infants (13.9 +/- 2.8 mumol/l) than in maternal plasma (9.3 +/- 2.2 mumol/l), while the converse was found in tissue (60.8 +/- 17.0 vs 208.1 +/- 96.2 micrograms/g, p less than 0.0001). There was no significant correlation between birth weight and either maternal or newborn plasma or tissue zinc concentrations. Parity had no significant effect on maternal or newborn zinc concentrations in tissue and plasma.

Birth Weight↗
PubMed1989

Plasma and erythrocyte zinc concentrations in pre-eclampsia.

Plasma and erythrocyte zinc concentrations were measured in 28 Chinese pre-eclamptic women and 28 controls matched for parity, race and gestation. There were no differences in either the plasma or erythrocyte zinc concentrations between pre-eclamptic and control groups, although the mean birth weight (p less than 0.001) and period of gestation (p less than 0.001) at delivery in the control group were significantly higher. In the pre-eclamptic patients, those delivering before 37 weeks or those who gave birth to low birth weight (less than 2500 g), babies had a significantly higher plasma urate concentration (p less than 0.02) compared to the pre-eclamptic patients with better fetal outcome. However, the plasma and erythrocyte zinc concentrations between these subgroups were not significantly different. Our results suggest that zinc deficiency is unlikely to play a significant role in pre-eclampsia in our patients, and that measurement of plasma and erythrocyte zinc concentrations is of doubtful clinical value in the management of pre-eclampsia.

Birth Weight↗
PubMed1989

Antenatal complications and perinatal outcome in patients with nausea and vomiting-complicated pregnancy.

The incidence of nausea and vomiting-complicated pregnancy was determined in a district hospital in Hong Kong. Nausea was present in 11.4% and vomiting in 63.5% of pregnant women. Patients with vomiting complicating early pregnancy have a statistically significant higher incidence of antepartum haemorrhage of indeterminate origin. The incidences of medical diseases complicating pregnancy, other major antenatal complications, and the neonatal outcome were not different between vomiting and non-vomiting patients.

Adult↗
PubMed1989

Single dose prophylactic antibiotics in caesarean sections.

A prospective, double-blind randomized trial was carried out at the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, the Chinese University of Hong Kong, involving 4 groups of patients receiving a single intravenous dose of placebo, ampicillin, ampicillin and metronidazole, and ampicillin and sulbactam before operation. No difference in postoperative morbidity was present between the 4 groups of patients.

Adult↗
PubMed1989

Birth weight and thyroxine-binding globulin in pre-eclampsia.

Plasma concentrations of thyroxine (T4) and thyroxine-binding globulin (TBG) as well as triiodothyronine uptake (T3U) were measured in 32 proteinuric pre-eclamptic patients and 24 normotensive pregnant women at similar gestations in the third trimester. The pre-eclamptic patients had slightly lower TBG, and significantly lower T4, concentrations, which were significantly correlated. They also had significantly lower infant birth weight which was correlated to the TBG and T3U values. There was no correlation between T4 and TBG or between birth weight and TBG or T3U in the normotensive women. It is likely that the correlation between TBG and birth weight in the pre-eclamptic patients reflects the severity of proteinuria in pre-eclampsia.

Alpha-Globulins↗