Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
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Query: UMLS:C0029713 (immaturity)
 4,335 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

To focus attention on the problem of infant mortality in Lebanon, data were compiled on infant mortality from 1978 to 1986 at the American University of Beirut Medical Center. Causes of death are analyzed for 602 males and 398 females. 54.9% deaths occurred at 1 month of age and 77.4% died within the 1st year. Autopsies were performed on .7%. 37.7% of all neonatal deaths were due to neonatal diseases such as hyaline membrane disease, asphyxia neonatorum, immaturity, necrotizing enterocolitis, hemorrhage, hemolysis, meconium aspiration, and kernicterus. Better prenatal care would reduce this group, or the administration of corticosteroids to the mother 24-48 hours prior to delivery, as well as rapid resuscitation at birth and prevention of the 5 curses: hypoxemia, hypoglycemia, hypothermia, hypotension, and acidosis. Although unavailable in Lebanon, administration of surfactants through an endotracheal tube would also help. Infections constitute 25.1% of deaths; many are preventable through adequate public health measures and strict personal hygiene, i.e., diseases such as sepsis, pneumonia, meningitis, gastroenteritis, hepatitis, encephalitis, and 1-2 cases of the following: diphtheria, measles, peritonitis, tetanus, tuberculosis, cytomegalis inclusion, herpes, parathyphoid, pertussis, poliomyelitis, and shigellosis. Congenital diseases were 21.6%. In utero diagnosis could prevent some diseases and in utero treatment is possible for hydrocephalus and hydronephrosis. Screening programs postnatally could lead to treatment. 5.9% were malignancies such as leukemia, lymphoma, brain tumors, histocytosis, Wilm's tumor, Ewing sarcoma, and Hodgkin's disease. Early diagnosis is critical if mortality is to be reduced in this group, but medical advances are still needed. 2.9% are miscellaneous diseases such as poisoning, rheumatic diseases, marasmus, Reye's syndrome, nephrosis, rickets, and epilepsy. Most of these diseases are preventable, except for rheumatic inflammation of the heart. Recommended necessary steps to reduce infant mortality are: prenatal care, diagnosis and screening, intrauterine surgery; resuscitation and intensive care centers with modern equipment and trained personnel; national vaccination and screening programs; adequate public health measures and hygiene; parental education; and well-equipped hospitals to serve all regardless of income level.
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PMID:Pediatric mortality: an avoidable tragedy. 251 28