JPMA. The Journal of the Pakistan Medical Association
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Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative Study Clinical Trial
The safety of epidural analgesia in labour and its effect on delivery--a case control study in Pakistani women.
To assess the safety and effect of epidural analgesia on the course of labour and delivery in Pakistani women, a retrospective case control study was conducted from November, 1986 to November, 1991 (5 years) at the Aga Khan University Medical Centre, Karachi. All patients (n = 64) who received epidural analgesia for labour (cases) were compared with randomly selected patients (n = 18) who did not receive epidural analgesia during labour (controls). ⋯ The incidence of malposition of foetal vertex at delivery and that of instrumental (forceps) deliveries was significantly higher (P < 0.05 and < 0.01 respectively) in the epidural group as compared to controls. The incidence of complications was low and the acceptance and tolerance of epidural analgesia was good in our patients.
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A preliminary baseline survey was conducted to estimate the prevalence of anaemia in a group of 391 children aged 6-60 months, randomly selected from three urban slums of Karachi. Haemoglobin and the red cell indices including haematocrit, MCV, MCH, MCHC, RBC and red cell distribution width (RDW) were estimated for each of the selected children. Ferritin estimation was done on 354 (91%) children to assess the iron storage status. ⋯ Of the 354 ferritin estimations, 225 (64%) children had ferritin levels lower than normal (less than 11 ng/ml) and 128 (36%) had ferritin levels within normal limit (11-120 ng/ml). From this group, a total of 61% (214/354) children were classified as microcytic hypochromic (MIH) and 11% (39/354) of which had normal ferritin levels suggesting the presence of thalassemia minor trait. The overall results obtained indicate that iron deficiency anaemia is highly prevalent among these children.