Efficacy of Bhramari pranayama and Om chanting on asthma control, quality of life, and airway inflammation in asthmatic children: an open-label randomized controlled trial.

OBJECTIVES: To explore the efficacy of combination of Bhramari pranayama and om chanting as an adjunct to standard pharmacological treatment on asthma control, quality of life, pulmonary function, and airway inflammation in asthmatic children. METHODS: Children (n = 110; 8-15 years) with uncontrolled or partly controlled asthma were recruited from the Pediatric Chest Clinic of All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi. Eligible participants were randomized to either home-based online Bhramari pranayama and om chanting plus standard treatment (YI + ST) group, or standard treatment (ST) alone group. Primary outcome measures were 12-week change in level of asthma symptom control; asthma control questionnaire (ACQ) score, spirometry indices, impulse oscillometry parameters, and pediatric asthma quality of life questionnaire (PAQLQ) score. Secondary outcome was a change in fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO) levels at 12 weeks. Beginning from the enrollment, every participant was evaluated at 0, 2, 6, and 12 weeks. RESULTS: After 12 weeks of intervention, higher proportion (68.2%) of children were found to have controlled asthma symptoms in the YI + ST group as compared to ST group (38.5%) according to per protocol analysis (p = 0.03). When compared to ST group, children in YI + ST group showed significantly lower ACQ score, higher PAQLQ score and reduced FeNO levels. No significant changes were observed for the lung function parameters. CONCLUSION: Children practicing Bhramari pranayama and om chanting for 12 weeks have better asthma symptom control, quality of life, and reduced airway inflammation than those taking standard pharmacotherapy alone.

Clinical presentations and outcomes of children with cancer and COVID-19: A systematic review.

Information regarding the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in pediatric oncology is limited. We conducted a systematic review of the available published literature on children with cancer affected by COVID-19. The last date of the study search was October 20, 2020, and 33 studies comprising 226 children were included for the final analysis. Data were extracted in a predefined data collection form, and the variables were extracted and analyzed. Patients with hematological malignancies were more in number. Males and children on intensive treatment were more frequently affected. Fever was the commonest symptom. The disease was asymptomatic/mild in 48% and severe in 9.6%. Consolidation, peribronchial cuffing, and consolidation with ground glass opacities were the common imaging findings. Hydroxychloroquine was the most frequently used drug for COVID-19. About 10% of children required intensive care, and about 32% had oxygen requirements. The percentage of children who died due to COVID-19 was 4.9%. The severity, morbidity, and mortality of COVID-19 in pediatric oncology were more compared to the general pediatric population. This information can help in risk stratification for the management of COVID-19.

Hypersensitivity Myocarditis Due to Antitubercular Drugs in Children.

BACKGROUND: Drug-related hypersensitivity myocarditis is a rare acute hypersensitivity reaction to therapeutic agents. Reports of antitubercular drugs causing hypersensitivity myocarditis are not described in literature. METHODS: Retrospective chart review of children admitted between January 1, 2016, and March 31, 2019, was conducted to identify children receiving antitubercular drugs who were diagnosed with hypersensitivity myocarditis. RESULTS: Three children (2 girls), who had hypersensitivity myocarditis due to antitubercular therapy, were identified. Cases 1 and 2 developed hypersensitivity myocarditis due to rifampicin, and isoniazid-rifampicin combination, respectively, on reintroduction of drugs, while case 3 developed hypersensitivity to streptomycin on first exposure. All children developed symptoms within minutes to hours of starting the offending drugs. Severe myocardial dysfunction leading to shock and pulmonary edema was seen in cases 1 and 3, while case 2 presented with wide QRS complex ventricular rhythm with bradycardia and hypotensive shock. Cases 1 and 2 were treated with steroids. Cases 1 and 3 received intravenous immunoglobulin therapy. First 2 children survived while third died of refractory shock. Total serum IgE levels were elevated in all children (range: 161-3053 kU/L). CONCLUSION: Hypersensitivity myocarditis is a rare but life-threatening adverse effect of antitubercular drugs. Prompt diagnosis of hypersensitivity myocarditis and timely steroid therapy can be lifesaving.

Etiology of Acute Respiratory Infections in Infants: A Prospective Birth Cohort Study.

BACKGROUND: There is paucity of studies on etiology of acute respiratory infections (ARI) in infants. The objective of this study is to document incidence and etiology of ARI in infants, their seasonal variability and association of clinical profile with etiology. METHODS: A birth cohort was followed for the first year of life; for each episode of ARI, nasopharyngeal aspirates were collected to identify the causative respiratory virus(es) using multiplex real-time polymerase chain reaction assay. For lower respiratory tract infections blood culture, serum procalcitonin, serum antibodies to Mycoplasma and Chlamydia and urinary Streptococcus pneumoniae antigen were also assayed. RESULTS: A total of 503 ARI episodes were documented in 310 infants for an incidence rate of 1.8 episodes per infant per year. Of these, samples were processed in 395 episodes (upper respiratory tract infection: 377; lower respiratory tract infection: 18). One or more viruses were detected in 250 (63.3%) episodes and viral coinfections in 72 (18.2%) episodes. Rhinovirus was the most common virus [105 (42%)] followed by respiratory syncytial virus [50 (20%)], parainfluenza virus [42 (16.8%)] and coronavirus [44 (17.6%)]. In lower respiratory tract infections, viral infections were detected in 12 (66.7%) episodes, bacterial infections in 17 (94.4%) episodes and mixed bacterial-viral infections in 8 (44.4%) episodes. Peak incidence of viruses was observed during February-March and September-November. There was no significant difference in symptom duration with virus types. CONCLUSION: In this cohort of infants, ARI incidence was 1.8 episodes per year per infant; 95% were upper respiratory tract infections. Viruses were identified in 63.3% episodes, and the most common viruses detected were rhinovirus, respiratory syncytial virus and parainfluenza virus.