Medicine
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This repository contains the published and unpublished research of the Faculty of Medicine by the staff members of the faculty
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Item High serum total IgE in children in geohelminthic endemic setting(Sri Lanka Medical Association, 2008) Amarasekera, N.D.D.M.; Gunawardena, N.K.; de Silva, N.R.; Weerasinghe, A.BACKGROUND: Elevated levels of total IgE (tlgE) in serum are characteristic of atopic diseases. However, the usefulness of tlgE in diagnosing atopic diseases in children living in areas endemic for helminth infections is not well established. OBJECTIVE: To assess the effect of geohelminth infections on serum tlgE levels in children with atopic diseases. DESIGN, SETTING AND METHODS: A total of 640 children in grade 5 were recruited from 17 schools in the Western Province. Data regarding atopic diseases were collected by a standard questionnaire. Screening for helminth infections was done by examining their stool samples by modified Kato-Katz technique. Serum tlgE was measured by fluoroenzymeimmunoassay. RESULTS: The mean age in the study population was 10 years (SD±0.3). The prevalence of geohelminth infection was 15.5%. Trichuris trichiura (14.3%) was the most common, followed by Ascaris lumbricoides (4.2%) and hookworm (0.2%). Mixed infection was detected in 20.3% of infected children. The cumulative prevalence of atopic diseases was 33.7%. Prevalence of asthma, rhinitis and eczema was 17%, 21.4% and 5% respectively. Geometric mean (GM) for tlgE for the geohelminth infected group (1039.9kU/L) was significantly higher than that of the non-infected group (575.4kU/L) (p=0.004). It was also higher in the allergic group (933.3kU/L) than in the non-allergic group (639.7kU/L) but the difference was not statistically significant (p=0.068). CONCLUSION: In the presence of geohelminth infections, raised IgE may be due to geohelminth infection or atopic diseases or both. Therefore, serum tlgE may not be a useful marker for allergic diseases in children living in areas endemic for geohelminth infections.Item A Clinical guide for dengue detection, appropriate timing of investigations and hospital admissions(Sri Lanka Medical Association, 2005) Premaratna, R.; Pathmeswaran, A.; Amarasekera, N.D.D.M.; Motha, M.B.C.; Perera, K.V.H.H.K.; de Silva, H.J.Abstract Available.Item Prevalence of atopic diseases among school children in Western Province(University of Kelaniya, 2007) Amarasekera, N.D.D.M.; Gunawardena, N.K.; de Silva, N.R.; Weerasinghe, A.Background : Atopic diseases such as asthma, rhinitis and eczema in children are major public health problems in developed, industrialized countries as well as in some developing countries. Our objective was to assess the prevalence of atopic diseases in schoolchildren in grade 5 in the Western Province of Sri Lanka. Method : Schoolchildren in grade 5 were selected by stratified - random sampling frbm 17 schools in the Western Province. Internationally validated ISAAC (International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood) questionnaire, filled by the parent or guardian was used to collect details regarding atopic diseases. Results : A total of 640 schoolchildren were recruited. Five hundred ~nd eleven (79.8%) returned the completed questionnaire. The mean age was I 0 years (SD ± 0.3) and 55.9% of the study population was boys. Prevalence of asthma, rhinitis and eczema was 17%, 21.4% and 5% respectively, while 33.7% had one or more diseases, Thirty three (21.4%) of the children with an atopic disease was on long term treatment. Only the prevalence of allergic rhinitis showed a statistically significant difference between the two sexes, being more common in boys. Less than 30% of affected children's parents recognized that their child had either asthma or rhinitis, whereas a higher number of parents (54.2%) recognized that their child had eczema. Among children with asthma, 44.4% had rhinitis and wheezing was severe enough to disturb their sleep in 52.4% of children. Conclusion: One in 3 children in grade 5 had either asthma or rhinitis or eczema, but parental recognition of these conditions was poor. Atopic diseases are a significant health problem among schoolchildren in the Western Province.