The epidemiology and service implications of congenital and constitutional anomalies in ethnic minorities in the United Kingdom.

The literature on the incidence in the UK of congenital and constitutional anomalies in populations deriving from Africa, the Caribbean, the Far East, the Indian subcontinent and the Mediterranean is reviewed. These groups represent an increasing proportion of the whole child population. Comparison with the white population and between groups reveals that the burden of impairment varies with country of origin. Some of the reasons implicated include different gene frequencies and mating patterns, age/parity distribution and uptake of preventive services. Comparisons with prevalence at birth in the countries of origin are made where possible. In general, populations with high rates in their country of origin retain their high rates (e.g. central nervous system anomalies among births to parents deriving from the Indian subcontinent). There is a general lack of data on the prevalence of handicapping conditions such as cerebral palsy, as well as the associated health needs and service utilisation amongst ethnic minorities.

The epidemiology and service implications of congenital and constitutional anomalies in ethnic minorities in the United Kingdom

The literature on the incidence in the UK of congenital and constitutional anomalies in populations deriving from Africa, the Caribbean, the Far East, the Indian subcontinent and the Mediterranean is reviewed. These groups represent an increasing proportion of the whole child population. Comparison with the white population and between groups reveals that the burden of impairment varies with country of origin. Some of the reasons implicated include different gene frequencies and mating patterns, age/parity distribution and uptake of preventive services. Comparisons with prevalence at birth in the countries of origin are made where possible. In general, populations with high rates in their country of origin retain their high rates (e.g. central nervous system anomalies among births to parents deriving from the Indian subcontinent). There is a general lack of data on the prevalence of handicapping conditions such as cerebral palsy, as well as the associated health needs and service utilisation amongst ethnic minorities. (AU)

Isolated tuberculous hepatic abscess.

Tuberculous hepatic abscess occurs rarely, most of these being associated with tuberculosis at other sites. Only 11 reports of isolated tuberculous hepatic abscess have been made in the English literature. A further case of isolated tuberculous hepatic abscess is reported with particular emphasis on the difficulty that may be encountered in reaching the correct diagnosis.

Intestinal absorption of bile salts: immature development in the neonate.

The intestinal absorption of sodium taurocholate was studied in fetuses, neonates, infants, children, and adults. Absorption rates were measured in vitro in everted rings of jejunum and ileum. Mucosal accumulation of 3H-taurocholate against a concentration gradient was consistently demonstrated in rings of ileum from adults, children, and infants older than 8 months, whereas fetal and neonatal ileal mucosal concentrations were not significantly above those in the incubation medium after exposure of the mucosa to 0.003, 0.03, and 0.3 mM taurocholate. There were no significant differences in mucosal uptake of taurocholate by perinatal jejunal and ileal rings. Incubations of mucosa from older infants, children, and adults in 0.3 mM taurocholate exhibited saturation phenomena. It is concluded that the ileal mechanism for active transport of taurocholate is undeveloped in the fetus and newborn infant. It is probable that the enterohepatic circulation of bile salt during the perinatal period is limited to that fraction of bile salt absorbed passively. The results suggest that losses of bile salt from the immature intestine may contribute to the steatorrhea and so-called diarrhea of newborn infants.

Juvenile diabetes mellitus, optic atrophy, sensory nerve deafness, and diabetes insipidus--a syndrome.

Four patients with diabetes mellitus, optic atrophy, and high-frequency neurosensory hearing loss, two of whom also had diabetes insipidus, are described. The frequency of this syndrome among patients with juvenile diabetes appears to be between 1/148 and 1/175. Because of the progressive nature of the disabilities and the autosomal recessive mode of inheritance, careful monitoring of all juvenile diabetic patients for other signs of the syndrome is warranted.

Nerve grafting in leprosy

SIR, - Dr Crawford says that nerve grafting should not be doe in leprosy, because the sensory loss leading to burns, trophic ulcers, cellulitis, osteomyelitis, and bone resorption is due to a generalised peripheral neuropathy rather than a localised lesion of peripheral nerves.

Nerve grafting in leprosy / Nerve grafting in leprosy

The most serious disability from which patients with leprosy suffer is sensory

Fetal blood lead values in a rural area.

Lead levels were determined from neonatal samples of blood collected at a general-care hospital. The cord blood lead values of babies from urban maternal residences were significantly higher than those from rural environments. The over-all cord blood lead value was (mean +/- S.D.) 9.4 +/- 3.7 micrograms of lead per 100 ml. of whole blood. This level represented a considerably lower value than others previously reported and suggests a lower "normal" value for our population.