Tropical medicine & international health : TM & IH
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Trop. Med. Int. Health · May 1997
Meta AnalysisRoad traffic injuries in developing countries: a comprehensive review of epidemiological studies.
Motor vehicle accidents are the leading cause of death in adolescents and young adults worldwide. Nearly three-quarters of road deaths occur in developing countries and men comprise a mean 80% of casualties. This review summarizes studies on the epidemiology of motor vehicle accidents in developing countries and examines the evidence for association with alcohol.
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Trop. Med. Int. Health · Mar 1997
Clinical TrialEvaluation of neonates with risk for infection/suspected sepsis: is routine lumbar puncture necessary in the first 72 hours of life?
To determine whether lumbar puncture is necessary in the evaluation of neonates with risk for infection or suspected sepsis in the first 72 hours of life, we reviewed the laboratory and medical records of 506 infants who had lumbar punctures between January 1988 and December 1990. Neonates < 72 hours of age accounted for 52% of all lumbar punctures, but no case of meningitis. ⋯ Three times fewer procedures were performed in neonates < 72 hours, and there was no diagnosed or missed case of meningitis. Given that meningitis is rare within the first 72 hours of life and the yield of lumbar puncture virtually zero, we recommend that lumbar punctures be reserved for selected infants.
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Trop. Med. Int. Health · Jan 1997
Changes in the pattern of infant and childhood mortality in upper river division, The Gambia, from 1989 to 1993.
A surveillance system was used to detect births and deaths in children in a large, rural, West African population from 1989 to 1993. Cause of death was investigated using post-mortem questionnaires. Overall infant (age 0-11 months) and child (age 1-4 years) mortality rates of 80.1 and 18.8 per 1000 per year were recorded. ⋯ There were also no differences between male and female mortality rates beyond one year of age. Despite the introduction of a number of health interventions, there has been no major change in the overall pattern of mortality in children in a rural area of The Gambia. Malaria and ARI remain the main causes of death.
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Trop. Med. Int. Health · Dec 1996
Comparative StudyAssessment of mouth-to-mask ventilation in resuscitation of asphyxic newborn babies. A pilot study.
The aim of the study was to compare the effectiveness of mouth-to-mask ventilation (MM) in neonatal asphyxia with bag-and-mask ventilation (BM). A new mouth-to-mask infant resuscitation system was constructed. The study was performed in two university clinics with different resources. ⋯ This result indicates that further studies will be needed before such slow respiratory frequencies are used. We conclude that, if adequate training is provided and the respiratory frequency is kept within the normal range, MM ventilation is an alternative to assisted ventilation when no bag and mask is available. However, further studies are necessary, since this method has proved to be tiring and uncomfortable for the resuscitating health personnel.