The Medical journal of Malaysia
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A dietary survey was carried out in 216 children (109 males, 107 females) aged 1-7 years, living in rural villages in Selangor, Malaysia to assess their nutrient intake and to determine the association between nutrient consumption and socio-economic background. All the children studied had inadequate intakes of energy, iron and niacin according to Recommended Daily Intake (RDI). Children aged of 4-9 years showed inadequate intake of calcium, thiamine and riboflavin. ⋯ The mean percentage requirements of protein, iron and niacin were significantly higher in children from small families compared with children from large families. However the employment status of mothers had a significantly effect on the mean percentage requirements of niacin. The results indicate that education level of the mothers, is strongly associated with the mean percentage nutrient requirements of children and we strongly feel that this is a strategy to be adopted for improvement in nutrition of children.
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Continuous spinal anaesthesia using the incremental technique was used in nineteen high risk patients with multiple medical problems, seventeen of whom were elderly, for lower limb orthopaedic and pelvic surgery. An intrathecal catheter (18G/28G) was inserted under local anaesthesia via the lumbar interspinous space. Spinal anaesthesia was induced with small incremental doses of 0.5% bupivacaine hydrochloride through the intrathecal catheter to achieve the level of analgesia required for surgery. ⋯ A and Australia following four case reports of cauda equina syndrome with this technique. Current opinion, however, is that the reported cauda equina syndrome was due to the neurotoxic effects of lignocaine 5% that was used and not due to the microcatheter per se. Continuous spinal anaesthesia is now used widely in Europe when cardiovascular stability is desired in poor risk patients undergoing lower limb and lower abdominal surgery.