scholarly journals Impact of Spirulina corn soy blend on Iron deficient children aged 6–23 months in Ndhiwa Sub-County Kenya: a randomized controlled trial

BMC Nutrition ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Dorothy Apondi Othoo ◽  
Sophie Ochola ◽  
Elizabeth Kuria ◽  
Judith Kimiywe

Abstract Background Iron deficiency anemia (IDA) remains high in Kenya despite interventions. Twenty-seven percent of children aged 6 months-14 years are anemic, with low iron intake (7%) among children aged 6–23 months. Standard food interventions involve a corn soy blend (CSB), which is limited in micronutrients, and fortifiers are not accessible locally. Moreover, the use of spirulina as a strategy for mitigating IDA has not been adequately documented. This study compared the impact of a spirulina corn soy blend (SCSB) on IDA among children aged 6–23 months. Methods A total of 240 children with IDA were randomly assigned to study groups at a ratio of 1:1:1 through lotteries, and caregivers and research assistants were blinded to group assignment. Dry-take-home SCSB, CSB and placebo flour (1.7 kg) was given to caregivers to prepare porridges using a flour water ratio of 1:4, producing 600 ml–700 ml of porridge to feed children 200 ml of porridge three times a day for 6 months. Impact was assessed as plasma hematocrit at baseline and after the study. Blood drawing, preparation and analysis were performed in accordance with approved procedures by the EthicsResearchCommittee. Monthly follow-up and data collection on dietary intake, anthropometry, morbidity and infant feeding practices were performed using questionnaires. Relative risk, magnitude of change and log-rank tests were used to compare the impact of the intervention, and significant differences were determined at P < 0.05. Results The survival probabilities for children consuming SCSB were significantly higher than those consuming CSB (log-rank-X2 = 0.978; CI: 0.954–1.033, P = 0.001) and the placebo (log-rankX2 = 0.971; CI: 0.943–0.984, P = 0.0001). Children consuming SCSB had a mean recovery time of 8 days (CI: 7–12 days) compared to those consuming CSB (19 days; CI: 20–23 days) and placebo (33 days; CI: 3 1–35 days). The recovery rate was 15.4 per 100 persons per day for children who consumed SCSB as opposed to 4.6 and 1.8 per 100 persons per day for those who consumed CSB and the placebo, respectively. Conclusion Management of IDA with SCSB compared to CSB and the placebo led to faster reversal and large numbers of recoveries from IDA. The recovery rates were above the World Health Organizations (WHO) minimums standards for food interventions. Efforts to realize high and faster recoveries from IDA should be heightened by fortifying CSB with spirulina powder.

2017 ◽  
Vol 147 (12) ◽  
pp. 2297-2308 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael J Wenger ◽  
Laura E Murray-Kolb ◽  
Julie EH Nevins ◽  
Sudha Venkatramanan ◽  
Gregory A Reinhart ◽  
...  

Abstract Background: Iron deficiency and iron deficiency anemia have been shown to have negative effects on aspects of perception, attention, and memory. Objective: The purpose of this investigation was to assess the extent to which increases in dietary iron consumption are related to improvements in behavioral measures of perceptual, attentional, and mnemonic function. Methods: Women were selected from a randomized, double-blind, controlled food-fortification trial involving ad libitum consumption of either a double-fortified salt (DFS) containing 47 mg potassium iodate/kg and 3.3 mg microencapsulated ferrous fumarate/g (1.1 mg elemental Fe/g) or a control iodized salt. Participants' blood iron status (primary outcomes) and cognitive functioning (secondary outcomes) were assessed at baseline and after 10 mo at endline. The study was performed on a tea plantation in the Darjeeling district of India. Participants (n = 126; 66% iron deficient and 49% anemic at baseline) were otherwise healthy women of reproductive age, 18–55 y. Results: Significant improvements were documented for iron status and for perceptual, attentional, and mnemonic function in the DFS group (percentage of variance accounted for: 16.5%) compared with the control group. In addition, the amount of change in perceptual and cognitive performance was significantly (P < 0.05) related to the amount of change in blood iron markers (mean percentage of variance accounted for: 16.0%) and baseline concentrations of blood iron markers (mean percentage of variance accounted for: 25.0%). Overall, there was evidence that the strongest effects of change in iron status were obtained for perceptual and low-level attentional function. Conclusion: DFS produced measurable and significant improvements in the perceptual, attentional, and mnemonic performance of Indian female tea pickers of reproductive age. This trial was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT01032005.


2011 ◽  
Vol 2011 ◽  
pp. 1-6 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nicolaas P. Pronk ◽  
A. Lauren Crain ◽  
Jeffrey J. VanWormer ◽  
Brian C. Martinson ◽  
Jackie L. Boucher ◽  
...  

Objective.To determine the accuracy of self-reported body weight prior to and following a weight loss intervention including daily self-weighing among obese employees.Methods.As part of a 6-month randomized controlled trial including a no-treatment control group, an intervention group received a series of coaching calls, daily self-weighing, and interactive telemonitoring. The primary outcome variable was the absolute discrepancy between self-reported and measured body weight at baseline and at 6 months. We used general linear mixed model regression to estimate changes and differences between study groups over time.Results.At baseline, study participants underreported their weight by an average of 2.06 (se=0.33) lbs. The intervention group self-reported a smaller absolute body weight discrepancy at followup than the control group.Conclusions.The discrepancy between self-reported and measured body weight appears to be relatively small, may be improved through daily self-monitoring using immediate-feedback telehealth technology, and negligibly impacts change in body weight.


Nutrients ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (5) ◽  
pp. 1279
Author(s):  
Ulrika Axling ◽  
Gunilla Önning ◽  
Maile A. Combs ◽  
Alemtsehay Bogale ◽  
Magnus Högström ◽  
...  

Iron is an essential micronutrient for oxygen transport and mitochondrial metabolism and is critical for physical performance. Compromised iron stores are more commonly found among athletes, and females are especially at risk. Iron deficiency is generally treated using oral iron supplements. However, only a small proportion of ingested iron is absorbed, necessitating higher intakes, which may result in adverse side effects, reduced compliance, and inefficient repletion of iron stores. The probiotic strain Lactobacillus plantarum 299v (Lp299v) significantly increases intestinal iron absorption in meal studies. The present study was conducted to explore the effects of 20 mg of iron with or without Lp299v on iron status, mood state, and physical performance. Fifty-three healthy non-anemic female athletes with low iron stores (ferritin < 30 μg/L) were randomized, and 39 completed the study. Intake of Lp299v with iron for four weeks increased ferritin levels more than iron alone (13.6 vs. 8.2 µg/L), but the difference between the groups was not significant (p = 0.056). The mean reticulocyte hemoglobin content increased after intake of Lp299v compared to control (1.5 vs. 0.82 pg) after 12 weeks, but the difference between the group was not significant (p = 0.083). The Profile of Mood States (POMS) questionnaire showed increased vigor with Lp299v vs. iron alone after 12 weeks (3.5 vs. 0.1, p = 0.015). No conclusive effects on physical performance were observed. In conclusion, Lp299v, together with 20 mg of iron, could result in a more substantial and rapid improvement in iron status and improved vigor compared to 20 mg of iron alone. A larger clinical trial is needed to further explore these findings as well as the impact of Lp299v on physical performance.


2019 ◽  
Vol 18 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Kobié H. Toé ◽  
Frank Mechan ◽  
Julie-Anne A. Tangena ◽  
Marion Morris ◽  
Joanna Solino ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Long-lasting insecticidal nets (LLINs) treated with pyrethroids are the foundation of malaria control in sub-Saharan Africa. Rising pyrethroid resistance in vectors, however, has driven the development of alternative net formulations. Here the durability of polyethylene nets with a novel combination of a pyrethroid, permethrin, and the insect juvenile hormone mimic, pyriproxyfen (PPF), compared to a standard permethrin LLIN, was assessed in rural Burkina Faso. Methods A compound-randomized controlled trial was completed in two villages. In one village 326 of the PPF-permethrin nets (Olyset Duo) and 327 standard LLINs (Olyset) were distributed to assess bioefficacy. In a second village, 170 PPF-permethrin nets and 376 LLINs were distributed to assess survivorship. Nets were followed at 6-monthly intervals for 3 years. Bioefficacy was assessed by exposing permethrin-susceptible and resistant Anopheles gambiae sensu lato mosquito strains to standard World Health Organization (WHO) cone and tunnel tests with impacts on fertility measured in the resistant strain. Insecticide content was measured using high-performance liquid chromatography. LLIN survivorship was recorded with a questionnaire and assessed by comparing the physical integrity using the proportionate hole index (pHI). Results The PPF-permethrin net met WHO bioefficacy criteria (≥ 80% mortality or ≥ 95% knockdown) for the first 18 months, compared to 6 months for the standard LLIN. Mean mosquito mortality for PPF-permethrin nets, across all time points, was 8.6% (CI 2.6–14.6%) higher than the standard LLIN. Fertility rates were reduced after PPF-permethrin net exposure at 1-month post distribution, but not later. Permethrin content of both types of nets remained within the target range of 20 g/kg ± 25% for 242/248 nets tested. The pyriproxyfen content of PPF-permethrin nets declined by 54%, from 10.4 g/kg (CI 10.2–10.6) to 4.7 g/kg (CI 3.5–6.0, p < 0.001) over 36 months. Net survivorship was poor, with only 13% of PPF-permethrin nets and 12% of LLINs still present in the original household after 36 months. There was no difference in the fabric integrity or survivorship between the two net types. Conclusion The PPF-permethrin net, Olyset Duo, met or exceeded the performance of the WHO-recommended standard LLIN (Olyset) in the current study but both net types failed the 3-year WHO bioefficacy criteria.


2019 ◽  
Vol 4 ◽  
pp. 130
Author(s):  
Tamsyn Derrick ◽  
Esmael Habtamu ◽  
Zerihun Tadesse ◽  
E. Kelly Callahan ◽  
Abebaw Worku ◽  
...  

Background: Surgery to correct trichiasis is a key component of the World Health Organisation trachoma control strategy, however unfavourable outcomes such as eyelid contour abnormalities (ECA) following surgery are relatively common. This study aimed to understand the transcriptional changes associated with the early development of ECA and the impact of doxycycline, which has anti-inflammatory and anti-fibrotic properties, upon these transcription patterns. Methods: One thousand Ethiopians undergoing trichiasis surgery were enrolled in a randomised controlled trial following informed consent. Equal groups of randomly assigned individuals were orally administered with 100mg/day of doxycycline (n=499) or placebo (n=501) for 28 days. Conjunctival swabs were collected immediately prior to surgery and at one- and six-months post-surgery. 3’ mRNA sequencing was performed on paired baseline and one-month samples from 48 individuals; 12 in each treatment/ECA outcome group. qPCR validation was then performed for 46 genes of interest in 145 individuals who developed ECA at one month and 145 matched controls, using samples from baseline, one and six months. Results: All treatment/outcome groups upregulated genes associated with wound healing pathways at one month relative to baseline, however no individual differences were detected between groups. The summed expression of a highly coexpressed cluster of pro-fibrotic genes was higher in patients that developed ECA in the placebo group relative to controls. qPCR validation revealed that all genes in this cluster and a number of other pro-inflammatory genes were strongly associated with ECA, however these associations were not modulated by trial arm. Conclusions: The development of post-operative ECA is associated with overexpression of pro-inflammatory and pro-fibrotic genes including growth factors, matrix metalloproteinases, collagens and extracellular matrix proteins. There was no evidence that doxycycline modulated the association between gene expression and ECA.


The Novel Corona virus is emerging as a Global public health threat. The outbreak initially emerged in Wuhan, China, large numbers of patients were getting sick because of Pneumonia and later it was found that they were nfected with the Novel Corona virus this emphasizes the importance of analyzing the data of this virus and predicting their risks of infecting people all around the globe. In this study, we present an effort to compile and analyze the outbreak information on COVID19 based on the open datasets on 2019 nCoV provided by the Johns Hopkins University, World Health Organization. An exploratory data analysis with visualizations has been made to understand the number of different cases reported (confirmed, death, and re-covered) in the World. Overall, at the outset of an outbreak like this, it is highly important to readily provide information to begin the evaluation necessary to understand the risks and begin containment activities.


Author(s):  
Goryachev A.B. ◽  
Kabakova T.I. ◽  
Khachatryan M.M.

According to the World Health Organization, iron deficiency anemia affects more than 30% of the world's population. In the Russian Federation, anemia is diagnosed in 35,6% of pregnant women, and the prevalence rate among children in the first year of life is about 83,8 ‰. In the Stavropol Territory, more than 10 thousand cases of anemia are registered annually, of which half are the first. More than 20% of these cases are diagnosed in children and adolescents. In this regard, there is a steady dynamics in the consumption of a specific nomenclature of antianemic drugs at various levels of the drug supply system: federal, regional and municipal. The purpose of the work was to analyze the availability of antianemic drugs used in the treatment of patients living in the city of Pyatigorsk, Stavropol Territory. In the course of work, we used methods of content analysis, analytical, direct observation, grouping and comparison. The studies were carried out from november 2019 to february 2020 on the basis of 11 pharmacy of various legal forms included in the pharmacy chains «Vita +», «Gorzdrav», and the «Pharmacy Warehouse» located in Pyatigorsk. When studying the pharmaceutical range of antianemic drugs, it was found that at the municipal level it includes 12 trade names of drugs based on Fe2+ and Fe3+ ions. Analysis of the liquidity of the prices of antianemic drugs in the pharmacies of Pyatigorsk and the solvency of the population showed the economic affordability of most of the studied range of drugs for patients. An analysis of the width and depth of the range of antianemic drugs for the treatment of iron deficiency anemia revealed the presence of reserves for increasing the range of products for patients. It is concluded that it is necessary to consolidate the efforts of medical and pharmaceutical workers to expand the range of antianemic drugs used by patients, which will increase the quality of medical care.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Manoosh Mehrabi ◽  
Shoale Zarei ◽  
Leila Bazrafkan ◽  
Ali Reza Safarpour

Abstract Background Increasing breastfeeding rates around the world is one of the most important goals of the World Health Organization. Self-efficacy is a modifying and predictive factor for initiation and continuation of breastfeeding. This study was conducted to investigate the impact of mobile-based education and regular delivery of designed messages on breastfeeding self-efficacy in primiparous mothers. Methods This study was a double blind pilot randomized controlled trial, in which a hundred and twenty primiparous breastfeeding mothers were randomly allocated into two groups using permuted block randomization. The standard method conseling arm received routine counseling interventions and the intervention arm received a mobile instant messaging program in addition to the usual counseling. The main objective of this study was to compare self-efficacy in face-to-face counseling group and mobile instant messaging group. Self-efficacy levels were compared in the two groups before and after the study procedures. Results In this study, 60 mothers were studied in each group, and then the collected data were analyzed. The mean post-test scores in the intervention group (60.40 ± 4.92) and the control group (50.10 ± 7.60) were compared in the main analysis. The results indicated a statistically significant difference (p <0.001). Given the amount of effect size ( d= 0.99; 95% CI=1.19-2.02 ) it appears that there is a high level correlation between the applied intervention and level of self-efficacy among the study participants, especially those with higher levels of education. Secondary findings of the study involved evaluating the effects of education, occupation, family income, lactation duration and spouse support for breastfeeding self-efficacy. Except for the maternal education level, which had a significant relationship with the level of breastfeeding self-efficacy (p= 0.02), the other factors did not show any correlation with self-efficacy in breastfeeding. Conclusion The pilot study provided valuable information for feasibility assessment of randomized controlled trials in future studies with larger sample sizes and more participant diversity.


Author(s):  
Wedyan Salem Basaif ◽  
Faisal Abdulaziz Almukhlifi ◽  
Abdulhadi Turki Alsubaie ◽  
Ali Mohammed Alzarqa ◽  
Ahmed Abdulsalam Alsaedi ◽  
...  

Many investigations have reported the impact of resident involvement in urological surgeries. We aimed to conduct this systematic review to create enough evidence regarding this impact based on the outcomes obtained from the relevant studies. We have performed both manual and electronic search through many databases like Google Scholar, Web of science, PubMed, Scopus, Cochrane library, the international standard randomised controlled trial number registry, and the world health organization virtual health library to obtain all the relevant citations. Our intended outcomes included the risk of developing complications, operative time, and rate of reoperations. We have included 17 studies that reported the impact of residents’ involvement in urological surgical operations. while some studies reported some complications, the risk of developing complications was not significantly associated with residents' involvement according to most studies. Only one study reported that complications were significantly associated with residents’ involvement. The rate of reoperation and readmission after the primary surgery was also non-significant. On the other hand, most of the included studies showed that residents’ involvement was significantly associated with increased hospital stay and prolonged operative time. Our results indicate the residents’ involvement does not impact the overall safety of the urological procedures and that this practice should be encouraged with adequate supervision. 


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