An efficacy study on alleviating micronutrient deficiencies through a multiple micronutrient fortified salt in children in South India.

Background: Multiple micronutrient deficiencies are prevalent in India.

Objective: The study aims to establish the efficacy of multi-micronutrient fortified salt in addressing multiple micronutrient deficiencies among children compared to nutrition education and no intervention in Tamilnadu.

Methods: The study employed a community based randomized controlled trial designed to study the impact of multiple micronutrient salt (micronutrient group) in comparison with nutrition education (education group) and no intervention (control group) on haemoglobin, serum ferritin, soluble transferrin receptor, body iron stores, serum retinol and urinary iodine outcomes over a period of 8 months.

Pneumococcal carriage at age 2 months is associated with growth deficits at age 6 months among infants in South India.

Nasopharyngeal colonization is the first step in the pathway to Streptococcus pneumoniae (Spn) infection, a leading cause of childhood morbidity and mortality. We investigated the effect of Spn colonization at ages 2 and 4 mo on growth at age 6 mo among 389 infants living in rural South India by using data from an Spn carriage study nested within a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled community trial designed to evaluate the impact of newborn vitamin A supplementation on Spn carriage in the first 6 mo of life. Primary outcomes were weight, length, and anthropometric indices of nutritional status.

Breast-feeding initiation time and neonatal mortality risk among newborns in South India.

Objective: To examine the association between breast-feeding initiation time and neonatal mortality in India, where breast-feeding initiation varies widely from region to region.

Study Design: Data were collected as part of a community-based, randomized, placebo-controlled trial of the impact of vitamin A supplementation in rural villages of Tamil Nadu, India. Multivariate binomial regression analysis was used to estimate the association between neonatal mortality and breast-feeding initiation time (<12 h, 12 to 24 h, >24 h) among infants surviving a minimum of 48 h.

Exposure to indoor biomass fuel and tobacco smoke and risk of adverse reproductive outcomes, mortality, respiratory morbidity and growth among newborn infants in south India.

Background: Exposure to indoor air pollution due to open burning of biomass fuel is common in low- and middle-income countries. Previous studies linked this exposure to an increased risk of respiratory illness, low birth weight (LBW) and other disorders. We assessed the association between exposure to biomass fuel sources and second-hand tobacco smoke (SHTS) in the home and adverse health outcomes in early infancy in a population in rural south India.

Risk factors for maternal night blindness in rural South India.

Purpose: This study aimed to identify risk factors associated with maternal night blindness in rural South India.

Methods: At delivery, women enrolled in a population-based trial of newborn vitamin A supplementation were asked whether they were night blind at any time during the pregnancy. Multivariate logistic regression was used to identify socioeconomic, demographic, and pregnancy-related factors associated with maternal night blindness.

Maternal night blindness during pregnancy is associated with low birthweight, morbidity, and poor growth in South India.

Maternal night blindness is common during pregnancy in many developing countries. Previous studies have demonstrated important consequences of maternal night blindness during pregnancy on the health of the mother and newborn infant. We compared birthweight, 6-mo infant mortality, morbidity, and growth among infants of women who did and did not report a history of night blindness from a community-based, randomized trial of newborn vitamin A supplementation in south India.

Newborn vitamin A dosing reduces the case fatality but not incidence of common childhood morbidities in South India.

Vitamin A supplementation reduces mortality in young children in areas of endemic vitamin A deficiency. However, it has no impact on the incidence of common morbidities. This discrepancy has been explained by an impact on case fatality, although with the exception of hospitalized measles cases, there is little direct evidence to support this hypothesis.

Evaluation of non-specific effects of infant immunizations on early infant mortality in a southern Indian population.

Objective: The aim of this study was to assess the relationship between receipt of routine childhood immunizations and infant mortality before 6 months of age.

Methods: This was an observational study of 10,274 infants, in a randomized trial of vitamin A supplementation, who received the study dose and survived to at least 1 week of age. The primary outcome was mortality before 6 months of age, analysed in Cox regression models as a function of vaccine receipt and gender.

The impact of visual impairment on functional vision of children in rural South India: the Kariapatti Pediatric Eye Evaluation Project.

Purpose: To determine the impact of visual impairment on functional vision of children in a rural population of south India.

Methods: A visual function questionnaire (LVP-VFQ) was administered to 1194 children aged 7 to 15 years identified through a systematic random sampling technique from 144 hamlets of Kariapatti in rural south India as part of a larger population-based project. Visual acuity estimations and clinical examinations for morbidity were performed in these 1194 children.

Perceptions of eye diseases and eye care needs of children among parents in rural south India: the Kariapatti Pediatric Eye Evaluation Project (KEEP).

We conducted 24 focus group discussions for parents and grandparents as part of a population-based survey of ocular morbidity to determine awareness and perceptions of eye diseases in children among parents and guardians of children in a rural south Indian population. Focus group discussions were conducted separately for mothers, fathers and grandparents. They were audiotaped and subsequently transcribed to the local language and English.

The Kariapatti pediatric eye evaluation project: baseline ophthalmic data of children aged 15 years or younger in Southern India.

Purpose: To estimate the prevalence of ocular morbidity among children of rural southern India before developing a service delivery model for community-based pediatric eye care.

Design: Population-based cross sectional study.

Methods: Trained field-workers performed door-to-door enumeration in 74 randomly selected villages of the Kariapatti block in southern India to identify children aged 15 years or younger and performed visual acuity measurements using Cambridge crowded cards and external eye examination with torchlight.

Impact of supplementing newborn infants with vitamin A on early infant mortality: community based randomised trial in southern India.

Objective: To assess the impact of supplementing newborn infants with vitamin A on mortality at age 6 months.

Design: Community based, randomised, double blind, placebo controlled trial.

Setting: Two rural districts of Tamil Nadu, southern India.

Nasopharyngeal carriage of resistant pneumococci in young South Indian infants.

Streptococcus pneumoniae is the leading bacterial cause of life-threatening infections in infants. Although antibiotic resistance affects management of pneumococcal infections, few data on patterns of resistance are available for India. We examined nasopharyngeal carriage of antibiotic-resistant pneumococci in 464 South Indian infants between 2 and 6 months.

Pneumococcal nasopharyngeal colonization in young South Indian infants.

Background: Streptococcus pneumoniae is the most frequent bacterial cause of morbidity and mortality in young children. Bacteria carried in the nasopharynx of healthy children reflect the prevalent strains circulating in the community.

Methods: We recruited 464 newborns from a rural area in South India with endemic vitamin A deficiency.

Vitamin A supplementation at birth delays pneumococcal colonization in South Indian infants.

Nasopharyngeal colonization is a risk factor for pneumococcal disease, a leading cause of complications and death in infants. We assessed the impact of vitamin A supplementation in reducing pneumococcal colonization in infants from an area with endemic vitamin A deficiency. We recruited 464 2-mo-old infants from a rural area in South India.

Aetiology of severe vitamin A deficiency in children.

Background: Severe forms of vitamin A deficiency or keratomalacia are common in young children. Keratomalacia is thought to be associated with malnutrition due to poor weaning practices and manifests at 3 to 4 years of age. As survival rates for infants have increased, keratomalacia is being seen in children less than 6 months of age.

Pupillary threshold as an index of population vitamin A status among children in India.

Two hundred seven vitamin A-deficient southern Indian children aged 1-7 y (mean age: 56.9 mo) underwent testing of dark-adapted visual and pupillary thresholds in their village setting according to a previously reported protocol. One hundred thirty (62.

Prevalence of childhood disability in a southern Indian city: independent effect of small differences in social status.

A random sample of mothers living in two neighbourhoods of a southern Indian city were interviewed in order to determine the prevalence of serious disability in children 2-9 years old. These areas were selected because residents constitute either the lowest class or the next higher socioeconomic class (next-to-lowest class), with monthly incomes of US$ 10-15 and 32-42 respectively. A previously validated screening instrument was used with documented sensitivity of 100% and specificity of 95% when applied under similar conditions.

Diarrhea, respiratory infections, and growth are not affected by a weekly low-dose vitamin A supplement: a masked, controlled field trial in children in southern India.

Incidence, duration, and severity of diarrhea and respiratory symptoms were monitored weekly for 1 y in 15,419 children 6-60 mo of age in a randomized, placebo-controlled, masked clinical trial conducted in southern India. Half the children received weekly doses of 8.7 mumol (2500 microgram) vitamin A and 46 mumol (20 mg) vitamin E (treated) and the other half, 46 mumol vitamin E (control).

Reduced mortality among children in southern India receiving a small weekly dose of vitamin A.

Background: Clinical vitamin A deficiency affects millions of children worldwide, and subclinical deficiency is even more common. Supplemental vitamin A has been reported to reduce mortality among these children, but the results have been questioned.

Methods: We conducted a randomized, controlled, masked clinical trial for one year in southern India involving 15,419 preschool-age children who received either 8.