Metabolic syndrome was prevalent in women compared with men among Mongolian adults. Preventive strategies aimed at men with a higher alcohol consumption and women with widowed status may help reduce metabolic syndrome, thereby improving cardiovascular health conditions in Mongolia.

BackgroundKawasaki disease (KD) has been reported in many countries. However, the incidence of KD in Mongolia is not known. This is the first report of incident cases of KD in Mongolia, which were identified using data from 2 nationwide surveys.MethodsTwo nationwide retrospective surveys were conducted: medical histories were collected from patients aged 0 to 16 years who were hospitalized countrywide between 1996 and 2008. Hospital records for these patients were also reviewed. Nationwide training seminars on KD were conducted before each survey.ResultsFor the nationwide surveys, the participation rates among all hospitals with pediatric wards were 97% and 94%. Inpatient medical histories from 1996 through 2008 were reviewed, and, among children younger than 16 years, 9 patients with KD were investigated. The age of KD patients ranged from 1.4 to 14 years; 7 of 9 patients were male. Six (67%) patients fulfilled all 6 clinical diagnostic criteria; the other 3 (33%) were defined as having KD based on the presence of 5 such criteria. Fever persisting 5 or more days, bilateral conjunctival congestion, and changes of the lips and oral cavity were the most common symptoms, and cervical lymphadenopathy was the least common symptom. Cardiac sequelae developed in 5 of the patients, 4 of whom were older than 10 years.ConclusionsThe results of these nationwide surveys reveal that KD cases do exist in Mongolia. However, knowledge of KD among Mongolian pediatricians is likely to be poor. Thus, there is a need to augment their understanding to improve management of KD patients. Further studies are crucial to clarify the epidemiologic characteristics of KD in Mongolia.

Many Mongolian people suffer from non-communicable chronic diseases. In order to plan preventive strategies against such diseases, we designed a community-based prospective cohort study of chronic diseases, called the Moncohort study, in Mongolia. This is the first nationwide large-scale cohort study of chronic diseases. This paper describes the study's rationale, design and methods with baseline data. Mongolian residents aged ⩾40years were selected nationwide from many geographic regions in 2009. Data were collected on demographics, socioeconomic status, lifestyle, and anthropometric and biochemical measurements. In total, 2280 Mongolian residents were registered in the survey. Socioeconomic, lifestyle, anthropometric and biochemical characteristics were differentiated by gender and geographical area in descriptive data. Aging, low social class, physical inactivity and infrequent fruits intake were positively associated with histories of chronic disease in men, while aging was positively associated with histories of chronic disease in women. Factors associated with chronic diseases reveal gender-oriented strategies might be needed for their prevention. Detailed prospective analyses will illustrate the impact of risk factors on chronic diseases and lead to evidence for designing programs aimed at preventing chronic diseases and related disorders in Mongolia.

Objective: To describe the demographics, nature of the injury and visual outcomes of pediatric patients presenting with traumatic cataract requiring surgery at the National Center for Maternal and Child Health in Mongolia and to compare the relevant literature on traumatic pediatric cataracts in other countries. Methods: The charts of individuals aged ≤ 18 years who underwent surgery for traumatic cataract over a two-year period at a pediatric hospital were reviewed. The data collected included: demographic information, mode and time of injury, intraocular lens type, surgeries pre-and post-operative best-corrected visual acuity, and surgical complications. Results: Over the 2-year study period, 27 children underwent cataract surgery for traumatic cataract. The mean age was 8.52 ± 4.7 years (range, 1-17 years). The type of primary insult was penetrating injury in over 80% of patients. The mean interval between injury and cataract surgery was 7 ± 6.5months. Pre-cataract surgery no patient had vision better than 20/40; after cataract surgery 36% had 20/50. Conclusion: A better understanding of the causes of eye injuries and the environments in which they occur can provide informed educated strategies for parents, caregivers, and teachers and can possibly reduce time to treatment.