Normative values of oxygen saturation by pulse oximetry (SpO2) in apparently healthy children from Eastern India - A cross-sectional study.

OBJECTIVES: The primary objective was to determine normative values of oxygen saturation (SpO2) by pulse oximetry in apparently healthy children, aged 1 month to 14 years. The secondary objective was to explore any variation in oxygen saturation levels by age and gender. MATERIALS AND METHODS: It was a cross-sectional study conducted at a tertiary care centre and schools in Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India, from January 2021 to December 2022. Apparently healthy children were enrolled. Using a standardized pulse oximeter and appropriately sized probes, SpO2 was recorded after stabilization of plethysmograph waves. Three consecutive readings were taken, and an average was noted. The 2.5th centile SpO2 value was taken as the lower limit of normal. RESULTS: The median (IQR) saturation of the sample population was 99.7% (99-100). The 2.5th, 5th, 25th, and 75th percentiles were 97.7%, 98%, 99%, and 100%, respectively. Median SpO2 and its percentiles were estimated for each age group. The 2.5th centile SpO2 for infantile age group was 96.4%. No significant age and gender-wise variations of SpO2 were noted. CONCLUSIONS: The present study established normal reference range oxygen SpO2 levels in apparently healthy children from an eastern India region that is situated at 62 m (204 ft) above the sea level.

Pathogenic Role of Human Rhinovirus Mono-Infection in Pediatric Lower Respiratory Tract Infection.

Background and objective Human rhinovirus (HRV) is one of the leading causes of pediatric respiratory tract infection with a prevalence rate of 30-50%, mostly affecting children below five years of age and causing a substantial amount of economic loss. In children, it can alone or as a co-infection, cause a wide range of symptoms from mild to life-threatening ones. With the above background, the current study was carried out to emphasize the role of HRV mono-infection in pediatric acute respiratory tract infections by correlating clinical and molecular laboratory findings. Methods This study was carried out in a tertiary care teaching hospital over a duration of four years (March 2019-October 2023). Children up to 14 years of age visiting the outpatient department or admitted to the ward with diagnoses of acute respiratory tract infections (ARTIs) were included. The clinical and laboratory data were retrieved and analyzed. A nasopharyngeal swab (NPS) or throat swab (TS) was collected and sent to the Microbiology laboratory maintaining the cold chain. Nucleic acid was extracted and subjected to multiplex real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Result Of the 245 samples tested for the respiratory viral pathogen, 52 samples tested positive for HRV, of which 27 had HRV mono-infection. The clinico-demographic details of these 27 patients were studied in detail. The majority of the cases (24/27; 88.8%) were less than five years of age. Fever and shortness of breath were the most consistent symptoms in all. Nineteen (19/27; 62.9%) HRV mono-infection cases had underlying co-morbidities, all requiring respiratory support. The HRV mono-infection cases either developed bronchiolitis, lower respiratory tract infection, or pneumonia. All mono-infection cases had cycle threshold value (Ct) < 25, while the Ct value of HRV was > 30 in co-infection with other viruses. Conclusion Mono-infection of HRV in under-five children with underlying comorbidities and a lesser Ct value indicates severe disease manifestation and should be dealt with more cautiously.

Interventions to Improve Medication Adherence in Children With Epilepsy: A Systematic Review.

Low medication adherence remains a major challenge in the treatment of epilepsy, particularly in children. In recent years, several approaches and interventions have been employed to promote medication adherence in children with epilepsy (CWE). In this study, we aimed to summarize the evidence on these interventions. In this systematic review, major medical electronic databases were searched for relevant literature from January 2005 till July 2023, including PsycINFO, Medline (via PubMed), Google Scholar, Taylor & Francis databases, and CENTRAL by the Cochrane Library. We planned to include observational studies (with a control arm) and clinical trials involving children/adolescents (<19 years) with epilepsy and/or their caregivers/families who underwent any intervention to improve adherence to anti-seizure medications. Out of 536 articles searched, eight (six randomized trials and two non-randomized intervention studies) were included in the systematic review. A total of 2,685 children/adolescents along with their caregivers participated in these studies. Six studies used educational and two used behavioral interventions to improve adherence to anti-seizure medications. Four studies showed variable levels of adherence improvement, ranging from 2-20% up to 73.9% post-intervention. To conclude, the findings suggest the potential for educational interventions to promote medication adherence in CWE. The class of evidence was II to III among the included studies, as per American Academy of Neurology guidelines.

Expert group recommendation on inhaled mucoactive drugs in pediatric respiratory diseases: an Indian perspective.

Background: Currently, there are no guidelines or consensus statements about the usage of inhaled mucoactive drugs in pediatric respiratory disease conditions from an Indian perspective. Objective: To develop a practical consensus document to help pediatricians in clinical decision-making when choosing an appropriate mucoactive drug for the management of specific respiratory disease conditions. Methods: A committee of nine experts with significant experience in pediatric respiratory disease conditions and a microbiological expert constituted the panel. An electronic search of the PubMed/MEDLINE, Cochrane Library, Scopus, and Embase databases was undertaken to identify relevant articles. Various combinations of keywords such as inhaled, nebulized, mucoactive, mucolytic, mucokinetic, expectorants, mucoregulators, mucociliary clearance, respiratory disorders, pediatric, cystic fibrosis (CF), non-CF bronchiectasis, acute wheezing, asthma, primary ciliary dyskinesia (PCD), critically ill, mechanical ventilation, tracheomalacia, tracheobronchomalacia, esophageal atresia (EA), tracheoesophageal fistula (TEF), acute bronchiolitis, sputum induction, guideline, and management were used. Twelve questions were drafted for discussion. A roundtable meeting of experts was conducted to arrive at a consensus. The level of evidence and class of recommendation were weighed and graded. Conclusions: Inhaled mucoactive drugs (hypertonic saline, dry powder mannitol, and dornase alfa) can enhance mucociliary clearance in children with CF. Experts opined that hypertonic saline could be beneficial in non-CF bronchiectasis, acute bronchiolitis, and PCD. The current state of evidence is inadequate to support the use of inhaled mucoactive drugs in asthma, acute wheezing, tracheomalacia, tracheobronchomalacia, and EA with TEF.

Clinical, laboratory profile and outcomes in children with snakebite from Eastern India.

Background: Snakebite remains a significant public health problem worldwide, particularly in rural areas with unexpected morbidity and mortality. This study evaluated the clinical, laboratory profile and outcomes in children with snake bites from Eastern India. Methods: This was a retrospective case record-based study between January 2017 and December 2021. The clinical features, complications, laboratory profiles and outcomes were analysed. Results: Thirty children with snake bites were admitted during this study period. There was a male predominance with a ratio of 2.3:1. The mean age of presentation was 10.4 years. About 60% of bites occurred during the rainy season between July and September. Most bites (96%) were on lower limbs, predominantly showing vasculotoxic features followed by neurotoxic and a combined presentation. In this study, around 53% received anti-snake venom (ASV) before reaching our centre; the median time to reach our centre was 13 h. Complications such as acute kidney injury (AKI), cellulitis, shock and coagulation abnormalities were common in those who arrived early (before 6 h) than in those who reached late (after 6 h). Similarly, the mean duration of hospital stay was less for those seeking medical attention early as compared to those reaching late for treatment (4.7 days vs. 7.2 days). Twenty-six out of 30 (86.7%) were discharged without any sequelae, 3 (10%) children were left against medical advice and one died. Conclusions: Snakebite remains a major health problem in children causing significant morbidity and mortality. Children, in general, especially males, are particularly vulnerable because of their playful and explorative nature and considerable time spent in outdoor activities. Preventive measures, education about avoiding traditional first aid methods and early administration of ASV reduce complications, duration of hospital stay and avoid the use of antibiotics.

Vitamin D as an adjunct to antibiotics for the treatment of acute childhood pneumonia.

BACKGROUND: Children with acute pneumonia may be vitamin D deficient. Clinical trials have found that prophylactic vitamin D supplementation decreases children's risk of developing pneumonia. Data on the therapeutic effects of vitamin D in acute childhood pneumonia are limited. This is an update of a Cochrane Review first published in 2018. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of vitamin D supplementation as an adjunct to antibiotics for the treatment of acute childhood pneumonia. SEARCH METHODS: We searched CENTRAL, MEDLINE, Embase, and two trial registries on 28 December 2021. We applied no language restrictions. SELECTION CRITERIA: We included randomised controlled trials (RCTs) that compared vitamin D supplementation with placebo in children (aged one month to five years) hospitalised with acute community-acquired pneumonia, as defined by the World Health Organization (WHO) acute respiratory infection guidelines. For this update, we reappraised eligible trials according to research integrity criteria, excluding RCTs published from April 2018 that were not prospectively registered in a trials registry according to WHO or Clinical Trials Registry - India (CTRI) guidelines (it was not mandatory to register clinical trials in India before April 2018). DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS: Two review authors independently assessed trials for inclusion and extracted data. For dichotomous data, we extracted the number of participants experiencing the outcome and the total number of participants in each treatment group. For continuous data, we used the arithmetic mean and standard deviation (SD) for each treatment group together with number of participants in each group. We used standard methodological procedures expected by Cochrane. MAIN RESULTS: In this update, we included three new trials involving 468 children, bringing the total number of trials to seven, with 1601 children (631 with pneumonia and 970 with severe or very severe pneumonia). We categorised three previously included studies and three new studies as 'awaiting classification' based on the research integrity screen. Five trials used a single bolus dose of vitamin D (300,000 IU in one trial and 100,000 IU in four trials) at the onset of illness or within 24 hours of hospital admission; one used a daily dose of oral vitamin D (1000 IU for children aged up to one year and 2000 IU for children aged over one year) for five days; and one used variable doses (on day 1, 20,000 IU in children younger than six months, 50,000 IU in children aged six to 12 months, and 100,000 IU in children aged 13 to 59 months; followed by 10,000 IU/day for four days or until discharge). Three trials performed microbiological diagnosis of pneumonia, radiological diagnosis of pneumonia, or both. Vitamin D probably has little or no effect on the time to resolution of acute illness (mean difference (MD) -1.28 hours, 95% confidence interval (CI) -5.47 to 2.91; 5 trials, 1188 children; moderate-certainty evidence). We do not know if vitamin D has an effect on the duration of hospitalisation (MD 4.96 hours, 95% CI -8.28 to 18.21; 5 trials, 1023 children; very low-certainty evidence). We do not know if vitamin D has an effect on mortality rate (risk ratio (RR) 0.69, 95% CI 0.44 to 1.07; 3 trials, 584 children; low-certainty evidence). The trials reported no major adverse events. According to GRADE criteria, the evidence was of very low-to-moderate certainty for all outcomes, owing to serious trial limitations, inconsistency, indirectness, and imprecision. Three trials received funding: one from the New Zealand Aid Corporation, one from an institutional grant, and one from multigovernment organisations (Bangladesh, Sweden, and UK). The remaining four trials were unfunded. AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS: Based on the available evidence, we are uncertain whether vitamin D supplementation has important effects on outcomes of acute pneumonia when used as an adjunct to antibiotics. The trials reported no major adverse events. Uncertainty in the evidence is due to imprecision, risk of bias, inconsistency, and indirectness.

A self-reported survey on the implementation of infection prevention and control elements in Indian hospitals, part of a HAI surveillance network: Results from 23 hospitals conducting a standardized IPC assessment.

BACKGROUND: Healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) are one of the most common adverse events in patient care that account for substantial morbidity and mortality. We evaluate the existing Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) practices in hospitals participating in the nationally representative HAI Surveillance network. METHODS: This cross-sectional survey was conducted in 23 hospitals across 22 states of India from October-2015 to September-2018 in the HAI surveillance network. The World Health Organization (WHO) IPC core components assessment tool for health-care facility level (IPCAT-H) was adapted from IPC assessment tool developed by US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (US CDC) under the Epidemiology and Laboratory Capacity (ELC) Infection Control Assessment and Response (ICAR) Program. Mann-Whitney U test was used to calculate the significant difference between scores (P < .05). RESULTS: Amongst the participating hospitals, 7 were private sectors and 16 were public health care facilities. Infection IPCAT-H average score per multimodal strategy was less than 50% for programmed IPC activities (45.7); implementation of health care workers (HCWs) immunization programme (43.5%); monitoring and evaluation component (38.30%). CONCLUSIONS: There is potential for improvement in Human Resources, Surveillance of HAIs as well as Monitoring and Evaluation components.

Effect of body mass index (BMI) on pulmonary functions in children of 6-14 years of age: A cross-sectional study.

Background: Over-weight/obesity is a new global pandemic affecting children with prevalence up to 36%. It is responsible for metabolic syndrome and its future complications in children; however, its effect on lung functions in children is not well studied. Aim: To compare lung function tests [forced expiratory volume in the first second (FEV1), FEV1/forced vital capacity (FVC), FVC, and % predicted] of children with over-weight/obesity to that of normal children. Method: it is a hospital-based cross-sectional study. Children of 6-14 years of age with over-weight [body mass index (BMI) >85th centile] and obesity (BMI >95th centile) attending the pediatrics outpatient department (OPD) were included. Age-matched children attending the OPD during the study period were selected as controls. Demographic and anthropometric details were collected, and pulmonary function tests were carried out in included children. Results: A total of 103 children were included (over-weight/obese = 56, control = 47). The percent predicted (%) FEV1 (86.23 ± 12.84 vs 91.77 ± 8.68) and FVC (81.93 ± 12.12 vs 88.62 ± 10.87) were significantly lower in the obese/over-weight group as compared to control group. A signification negative correlation was found between FEV1 (%) and FVC (%) and that of BMI and waist-hip ratio (WHR). Conclusions: Pulmonary functions (FEV1, FVC) are found to be negatively correlated with BMI and WHR.

Role of procalcitonin in diagnosis of community acquired pneumonia in Children.

BACKGROUND: The role of serum Procalcitonin (PCT) in adults in diagnosis of Community acquired pneumonia (CAP) is well established, however, role in pediatric CAP remains controversial. OBJECTIVES: The objective of this study was to investigate the utility of serum procalcitonin in differentiating bacterial community-acquired lower respiratory tract infection from non-bacterial respiratory infection in children; radiologically confirmed pneumonia was used as the reference. In addition, we assessed the utility of adding the PCT assay to the clinical criteria for diagnosis of pneumonia. STUDY DESIGN: Subanalysis of a larger prospective,multicentriccohort study. PARTICIPANTS: Children, 2 months to 59 months of age, attending paediatric OPD of 5 urban tertiary care hospitals, suffering from acute respiratory infection (ARI). INTERVENTION: Detailed clinical history and examination findings of enrolled children were recorded on predesigned case record form. Samples for PCT were obtained at admission and were measured centrally at the end of the study except for one site using VIDAS® B.R.A.H.M.S PCT kit (Biomerieux SA, France). OUTCOMES: Sensitivity and specificity of procalcitonin for diagnosis of radiologically confirmed pneumonia. RESULTS: Serum Procalcitonin was measured in 370 patients; median (IQR) age of these children being 12 (7, 22) months, 235 (63.5%) were boys. The median (IQR) serum procalcitonin concentration was 0.1(0.05, 0.4) ng/mL.Sensitivity and specificity of raised PCT (> 0.5 ng/mL) for pneumonia as per any CXR abnormalities were 29.7% and87.5%,(P < 0.001) respectively. Raised PCT was also significantly associated with consolidation (34.5%,79.2%,P < 0.02)and pleural effusion(54.6%,79%,P < 001). Adding PCT to the existing clinical criteria of WHO did not improve the sensitivity for diagnosis of pneumonia. PCT was significantly higher in children with severe pneumonia. CONCLUSION: Positive PCT (> 0.5 ng/mL) is significantly associated with radiographic pneumonia but not with pneumonia based on WHO criteria.However, it can act as a surrogate marker for severe pneumonia.

Risk of Hospitalization in Under-five Children With Community-Acquired Pneumonia: A Multicentric Prospective Cohort Study.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate factors associated with risk of hospitalization in children with community-acquired pneumonia (CAP). DESIGN: Prospective cohort study. SETTING: Multi-site hospital based study. INTERVENTION: A separate acute respiratory tract infection (ARI) treatment unit (ATU) was established. The revised WHO case definition for ARI was used across all the study sites to ensure uniformity in management of ARI patients (2-59 months). Clinical history, examination findings and investigations of enrolled patients were recorded on a predesigned case record form. Children were followed up at 1 week (± 1 day). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: Risk factors for hospitalization among pneumonia patients. RESULTS: A total of 7026 children with the diagnosis of ARI were enrolled. Pneumonia was diagnosed in 938 (13.4%) patients (median (IQR) age: 15 (8, 25) months; 63.5% boys). Hospitalization was needed in 56.8% of pneumonia patients. On multi-variate analysis, factors associated with risk of hospitalization were: Oxygen saturation on pulse oximetry (SpO2) <92% in room air (OR 7.04; 95% CI 1.6, 30.8, P=0.01), procalcitonin level >0.5 ng/mL (OR: 7.5, 95% CI: 1.0, 57.7, P=0.05), and lower weight for height z-score (OR 0.8; 95% CI: 0.6, 0.9, P=0.02). CONCLUSION: Present study found SpO2 <92% at room air, serum procalcitonin level >0.5 ng/mL and lower weight for height z-score to be predictors for risk of hospitalization in under-five children presenting with community acquired pneumonia. These factors can be utilized to assess a child with CAP regarding the need of hospitalization.

Bed sharing versus no bed sharing for healthy term neonates.

BACKGROUND: There is great global variation in the sleeping arrangements for healthy newborn infants. Bed sharing is a type of sleeping practice in which the sleeping surface (e.g. bed, couch or armchair, or some other sleeping surface) is shared between the infant and another person. The possible physiological benefits include better oxygen and cardiopulmonary stability, fewer crying episodes, less risk of hypothermia, and a longer duration of breastfeeding. On the other hand, the most important harmful effect of bed sharing is that it may increase the risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). Studies have found conflicting evidence regarding the safety and efficacy of bed sharing during infancy. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of bed sharing, started during the neonatal period, on breastfeeding status (exclusive and total duration of breastfeeding), incidence of SIDS, rates of hypothermia, neonatal and infant mortality, and long-term neurodevelopmental outcomes. SEARCH METHODS: We used the standard search strategy of Cochrane Neonatal to search the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL 2020, Issue 7) in the Cochrane Library; MEDLINE via PubMed (1966 to 23 July 2020), CINAHL (1982 to 23 July 2020), and LILACS (1980 to 23 July 2020). We also searched clinical trials databases, and the reference lists of retrieved articles, for randomised controlled trials (RCTs) and quasi-RCTS. SELECTION CRITERIA: We planned to include RCTs or quasi-RCTs (including cluster-randomised trials) that included term neonates initiated on bed sharing within 24 hours of birth (and continuing to bed share with the mother in the first four weeks of life, followed by a variable time period thereafter), and compared them to a 'no bed sharing' group. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS: We used standard methodological procedures as recommended by Cochrane. We planned to use the GRADE approach to assess the certainty of evidence. MAIN RESULTS: Our search strategy yielded 6231 records. After removal of duplicate records, we screened 2745 records by title and abstract. We excluded 2739 records that did not match our inclusion criteria. We obtained six full-text studies for assessment. These six studies did not meet the eligibility criteria and were excluded. AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS: We did not find any studies that met our inclusion criteria. There is a need for RCTs on bed sharing in healthy term neonates that directly assess efficacy (i.e. studies in a controlled setting, like hospital) or effectiveness (i.e. studies conducted in community or home settings) and safety. Future studies should assess outcomes such as breastfeeding status and risk of SIDS. They should also include neonates from high-income countries and low- and middle-income countries, especially those countries where bed sharing is more prevalent because of cultural practices (e.g. Asian countries).

Comparison of performances of loop-mediated isothermal amplification, XPERT MTB/RIF and BACTEC MGIT in the diagnosis of childhood tuberculosis.

AIM: Key to the successful management of paediatric pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) lies in the early detection and proper treatment. We evaluated the performances of modern diagnostic tests: loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP-IS6110), Xpert MTB/RIF (Cepheid) and mycobacteria growth indicator tube (BACTEC MGIT 960 culture) against a modified version of international consensus diagnostic definition (i.e. composite reference standard (CRS)). METHODS: A cross-sectional analytical study was conducted in a tertiary care hospital in North India from July 2016 to December 2017 involving 100 children <14 years with suspected PTB. Respiratory specimens (sputum, gastric lavage and/or bronchoalveolar lavage) were collected and subjected to LAMP-IS6110, Xpert MTB/RIF and BACTEC MGIT 960 culture assay. RESULTS: Fifty-five children had confirmed and probable TB according to the CRS (prevalence = 58.5%). The sensitivity of BACTEC MGIT 960 culture, Xpert MTB/RIF and LAMP-IS6110 assay was 14%, 9.1% and 10.91%, respectively, when compared against the predefined CRS. The specificity for all these tests was 100%. When compared with BACTEC MGIT 960 culture as the gold standard, the LAMP-IS6110 assay and Xpert MTB/RIF assay had the sensitivity of 85.71% (95% CI: 42.13-99.64%) and 71.43% (95% CI: 29.04-96.33%), respectively. The specificity of both assays was 100%. CONCLUSIONS: We noted that LAMP-IS6110 performed better than Xpert MTB/RIF (Cepheid) in terms of sensitivity when compared against BACTEC MGIT 960 culture as reference standard, though specificity of both the tests was comparable. The diagnostic performance of BACTEC MGIT 960 culture was better than LAMP-IS6110 and Xpert MTB/RIF in paediatric PTB, when compared against CRS.

Clinicopathological Profile and Outcome of Childhood Urticaria Vasculitis: An Observational Study.

Background Urticaria is a type III hypersensitivity reaction usually triggered by an infection, medication, or food item. It usually subsides within 24 hours without any residual lesion and does not have any systemic manifestation. Urticaria vasculitis (UV) is a clinicopathological condition defined by the presence of an urticarial lesion lasting for >24 hours or recurrent episodes of urticaria associated with histopathological features of leukocytoclastic vasculitis. Methods This retrospective study was conducted in a tertiary care teaching institute in Eastern India over a period of 2 and ½ years. Children presenting with urticaria lesions for a duration of > 24 hours that did not subside either spontaneously or with anti-histamines were admitted for further workup and management. Results During the study period (July 2015 to December 2017), a total of 20 children with urticaria needed admission for symptom control and further workup. There were 16 boys and 4 girls. The mean (SD) age of presentation was 6.5 years (±2.4). Besides urticaria in all, pain abdomen was present in 13 (65%) and fever in 6 (30%) children. Only one had arthritis. Skin biopsy performed in these children was suggestive of leukocytoclastic vasculitis. One child was ANA (anti-nuclear antibody) positive with low C3. All except three children required systemic steroid for symptom control along with other medications (anti-histamines). None had suffered any complication or relapse.  Conclusions Urticaria vasculitis (most common cause being idiopathic) remains underdiagnosed because of the need of confirmation by biopsy, which might not always be attempted in every case. Though anti-histamines remain the main stay of treatment, adding short course oral steroid shortens the course once infection is ruled out.

Corticosteroid as an Adjunct in the Treatment of Endobronchial Tuberculosis: A Systematic Review & Meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Corticosteroid exerts anti-inflammatory action and can prevent tissue damage resulting from various causes. Studies have shown that corticosteroids may prevent the damaging effect of tuberculosis (TB) in various organs, but there is no published meta-analysis specifically looking for the effect of corticosteroid in endobronchial TB. OBJECTIVE: To synthesize the evidence regarding the usefulness of corticosteroid in endo-bronchial TB. METHODS: A comprehensive search was performed of the major electronic databases till 30th November 2018. Randomized trials comparing treatment with corticosteroid as an adjunct to antitubercular drugs (ATT) versus placebo/no treatment in endobronchial TB were included. Three authors independently applied eligibility criteria, assessed the studies for methodological quality, and extracted data. The review is registered at PROSPERO database [CRD42016047063]. RESULTS: Out of 525 search results, 4 trials including 205 patients (151 children) were eligible for inclusion. Oral prednisolone was used in various dose schedules. Rifampicin containing ATT regimen was used in 3 trials. The bronchoscopy findings showed no significant improvement at 1 month (effect size could not be calculated due to 0 event in the intervention group, p = 0.05), 2 months (RR 1.26, 95% CI 0.89 to 1.8), and at completion of ATT (RR 0.63, 95% CI 0.1 to 4.14) in steroid-treated group compared to the control group. The need for repeat bronchoscopy was significantly decreased in the steroid group (RR 0.13, 95% CI 0.02 to 0.9). Among the adverse events, the infection rate was significantly lesser in the steroid group (RR 0.53, 95% CI 0.29 to 0.97); but other adverse events (mortality, hypertension, and abdominal distension) showed no significant difference between the two groups. The GRADE evidence generated was of very low quality. CONCLUSION: The present meta-analysis showed that oral steroid does not help patients with endobronchial tuberculosis. However, the quality of evidence was very low. Future trials with robust design and a larger sample size would be required to provide any firm recommendation regarding the use of oral prednisolone in endobronchial tuberculosis.

Vitamin D as an adjunct to antibiotics for the treatment of acute childhood pneumonia.

BACKGROUND: Children with acute pneumonia may be vitamin D deficient. Clinical trials have found that prophylactic vitamin D supplementation decreases the risk of developing pneumonia in children. Data on the therapeutic effects of vitamin D in acute childhood pneumonia are limited. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of vitamin D supplementation as an adjunct to antibiotics for the treatment of acute childhood pneumonia. SEARCH METHODS: We searched CENTRAL (2017, Issue 7), which includes the Cochrane Acute Respiratory Infections Group's Specialised Register; Ovid MEDLINE Epub Ahead of Print; In-Process & Other Non-Indexed Citations; Ovid MEDLINE Daily and Ovid MEDLINE (1946 to July Week 4, 2017); and Embase (2010 to 28 July 2017). We also searched ClinicalTrials.gov and the World Health Organization (WHO) International Clinical Trials Registry Platform (ICTRP) on 28 July 2017. There were no language restrictions. SELECTION CRITERIA: Randomised controlled trials (RCTs) including children (aged over one month and up to five years) hospitalised with acute community-acquired pneumonia, as defined by the WHO acute respiratory infection guidelines, that compared vitamin D supplementation with control. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS: Two review authors independently assessed studies for inclusion and extracted data. For dichotomous data, we extracted the number of participants experiencing the outcome and the total number of participants in each treatment group. For continuous data, we used the arithmetic mean and standard deviation (SD) for each treatment group together with numbers of participants in each group. We used standard methodological procedures expected by Cochrane. MAIN RESULTS: We included seven RCTs conducted in low-income countries that involved 1529 children (780 with pneumonia and 749 with severe or very severe pneumonia). Four studies used a single 100,000 IU dose of vitamin D3 at the onset of illness or within 24 hours of hospital admission; two used a daily dose of oral vitamin D3 (1000 IU for children aged up to one year and 2000 IU for children aged over one year) for five days; and one used a daily dose of oral vitamin D3 (50,000 IU) for two days. One study reported microbiological and radiological diagnosis of pneumonia.The effects of vitamin D on outcomes were inconclusive when compared with control: time to resolution of acute illness (hours) (mean difference (MD) -0.95, 95% confidence interval (CI) -6.14 to 4.24; 3 studies; 935 children; low-quality evidence) mortality rate (risk ratio (RR) 0.97, 95% CI 0.06 to 15.28; 1 study; 193 children; very low-quality evidence); duration of hospitalisation (MD 0.49, 95% CI -8.41 to 9.4; 4 studies; 835 children; very low-quality evidence) and time to resolution of fever (MD 1.66, 95% CI -2.44 to 5.76; 4 studies; 584 children; very low-quality evidence).No major adverse events were reported.The GRADE assessment found very low-quality evidence (due to serious study limitations, inconsistencies, indirectness, and imprecision) for all outcomes except time to resolution of acute illness.One study was funded by the New Zealand Aid Corporation; one study was funded by an institutional grant; and five studies were unfunded. AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS: We are uncertain as to whether vitamin D has an important effect on outcomes because the results were imprecise. No major adverse events were reported. We assessed the quality of the evidence as very low to low. Several trials are ongoing and may provide additional information.

Assessment of Efficacy and Safety of Arterolane Maleate-Piperaquine Phosphate Dispersible Tablets in Comparison With Artemether-Lumefantrine Dispersible Tablets in Pediatric Patients With Acute Uncomplicated Plasmodium falciparum Malaria: A Phase 3, Randomized, Multicenter Trial in India and Africa.

BACKGROUND: Administration of artemisinin-based combination therapy (ACT) to infant and young children can be challenging. A formulation with accurate dose and ease of administration will improve adherence and compliance in children. The fixed-dose combination dispersible tablet of arterolane maleate (AM) 37.5 mg and piperaquine phosphate (PQP) 187.5 mg can make dosing convenient in children. METHODS: This multicenter (India and Africa), comparative, parallel-group trial enrolled 859 patients aged 6 months to 12 years with Plasmodium falciparum malaria. Patients were randomized in a ratio of 2:1 to AM-PQP (571 patients) once daily and artemether-lumefantrine (AL) (288 patients) twice daily for 3 days and followed for 42 days. RESULTS: The cure rate (ie, polymerase chain reaction-corrected adequate clinical and parasitological response) in the per-protocol population at day 28 was 100.0% and 98.5% (difference, 1.48% [95% confidence interval {CI}, .04%-2.91%]) in the AM-PQP and AL arms, respectively, and 96.0% and 95.8% (difference, 0.14% [95% CI, -2.68% to 2.95%]) in the intention-to-treat (ITT) population. The cure rate was comparable at day 42 in the ITT population (AM-PQP, 94.4% vs AL, 93.1%). The median parasite clearance time was 24 hours in both the arms. The median fever clearance time was 6 hours in AM-PQP and 12 hours in the AL arm. Both the treatments were found to be safe and well tolerated. Overall, safety profile of both the treatments was similar. CONCLUSIONS: The efficacy and safety of fixed-dose combination of AM and PQP was comparable to AL for the treatment of uncomplicated P. falciparum malaria in pediatric patients. CLINICAL TRIALS REGISTRATION: CTRI/2014/07/004764.

Non-transfusion Dependent Thalassemias: A Developing Country Perspective.

Non-transfusion-dependent thalassemias (NTDT) encompass a group of hereditary chronic hemolytic anemia, which, as the name indicates, not require regular blood transfusion for survival. These include ß-thalassemia intermedia, hemoglobin E/ß-thalassemia, and Hemoglobin H disease (α- thalassemia intermedia). Individuals with structural variant of hemoglobin especially Hemoglobin S and Hemoglobin C associated with "α" or "ß" thalassemia in heterozygous condition may also present with similar features of NTDT. NTDT patients are not immune to the development of transfusion unrelated complications in the long run. These hereditary chronic hemolytic anemias are still under-recognized in developing countries like India, where the disease burden might be high causing significant morbidity. The pathophysiologic hallmark that characterizes this group of disorders (ineffective erythropoiesis, hemolysis, chronic anemia) leads to a number of serious complications, similar to transfusion dependent thalassemia. So, timely diagnosis and institution of appropriate preventive/remedial measures as well as education of patient population can help decrease the morbidity to a significant extent. In the present review, focus will be on the pathophysiological mechanisms and available management options of NTDT from a developing country perspective like India.

Neonatal hyperbilirubinemia and childhood allergic diseases: a systematic review.

Studies have found a link between neonatal hyperbilirubinemia (NNH) and/or neonatal phototherapy (NPT) and childhood allergic diseases. The present systematic review was conducted to provide updated evidence and to provide direction regarding future research. A systematic search of the published literature was carried out. Observational studies including children up to 12 yr of age were included. Data extraction was carried out using a standardized data extraction form that was designed and pilot tested a priori. The analysis was carried out with the statistical software RevMan (version 5.2) [Protocol is registered at PROSPERO: CRD42014009943]. Of 79 citations retrieved, a total of 7 good quality studies (n = 101,499) were included in the final analysis. There was a significant increase in the odds of asthma and allergic rhinitis (AR) after NNH [asthma, OR 4.26 (95% CI 4.04-4.5); AR, OR 5.37 (95% CI 4.16-6.92)] and after NPT [asthma, OR 3.81 (95% CI 3.53-4.11); AR, OR 3.04(95% CI 2.13-4.32)]. A similar increase in the trend was noted for late onset of asthma after NNH [OR 4.1 (95% CI 2.82-5.94)], and hospitalization due to asthma after NPT [OR 3.56 (95% CI 2.93-4.33)]. The GRADE evidence generated was of 'low quality'. The current evidence finds a significant increase in the odds of childhood allergic diseases after NNH and/or NPT. As observational studies were included, the evidence generated was of 'low quality'. Future studies should try to elucidate the pathophysiologic link between NNH and/or NPT and childhood allergic diseases.