Comparison of Growth Curve Estimates of Infants in São Tomé Island, Africa, with the WHO Growth Standards: A Birth Cohort Study.

This birth cohort study compared the infant growth curve estimates in São Tomé Island to the WHO growth standards. Despite this island belonging to a lower-middle-income country, there were several factors favorable for growth that were present. Four-hundred and seventy-five full-term singleton appropriate for-gestational-age infants were enrolled and followed-up to 24 months of age. Weight-for-age, length-for-age, weight-for-length, body mass index-for-age, head circumference-for-age, weight velocity, and length velocity curves were estimated and compared to the WHO standards. In the first 6 months of age, the weight gain was adequate in the presence of a high prevalence of exclusive breastfeeding. Thereafter, weight trajectories tracked close to the WHO standards, except for a progressive decline in the infants growing in higher percentiles, especially in girls. Median length at birth was below the median WHO standards, followed by an early postnatal velocity spurt, which probably reflected the transition from an unfavorable to a more favorable postnatal environment. Thereafter, linear growth faltering was observed without relevant deterioration up to 24 months of age, which was probably due to the presence of protective factors. These results may be useful to implement strategies to further approximate infant growth in São Tomé Island to the WHO standards.

Subclinical Enteric Parasitic Infections and Growth Faltering in Infants in São Tomé, Africa: A Birth Cohort Study.

The associations between enteric pathogenic parasites and growth in infants in São Tomé were explored using a refined anthropometric approach to recognize early growth faltering. A birth cohort study was conducted with follow-up to 24 months of age. Microscopic examination for protozoa and soil-transmitted helminths was performed. Anthropometric assessments included: z-scores for weight-for-length (WLZ), length-for-age (LAZ), weight (WAVZ) and length velocities (LAVZ), length-for-age difference (LAD), and wasting and stunting risk (≤-1 SD). Generalized additive mixed effects regression models were used to explore the associations between anthropometric parameters and enteric parasitic infections and cofactors. A total of 475 infants were enrolled, and 282 completed the study. The great majority of infants were asymptomatic. Giardia lamblia was detected in 35.1% of infants in at least one stool sample, helminths in 30.4%, and Cryptosporidium spp. in 14.7%. Giardia lamblia and helminth infections were significantly associated with mean decreases of 0.10 in LAZ and 0.32 in LAD, and of 0.16 in LAZ and 0.48 in LAD, respectively. Cryptosporidium spp. infection was significantly associated with a mean decrease of 0.43 in WAVZ and 0.55 in LAVZ. The underestimated association between subclinical parasitic enteric infections and mild growth faltering in infants should be addressed in public health policies.

Association of enteric parasitic infections with intestinal inflammation and permeability in asymptomatic infants of São Tomé Island.

The cumulative effect of repeated asymptomatic enteric infections on intestinal barrier is not fully understood in infants. We aimed to evaluate the association between previous enteric parasitic infections and intestinal inflammation and permeability at 24-months of age, in asymptomatic infants of São Tomé Island. A subset of infants from a birth cohort, with intestinal parasite evaluations in at least four points of assessment, was eligible. Intestinal inflammatory response and permeability were assessed using fecal S100A12 and alpha-1-antitrypsin (A1AT), respectively. The cutoff <-1SD for weight-for-length and length-for-age was used to define wasting and stunting. Multivariable linear regression analysis explored if cumulative enteric parasitic infections explained variability of fecal biomarkers, after adjusting for potential confounders. Eighty infants were included. Giardia duodenalis and soil-transmitted helminths (STH) were the most frequent parasites. The median (interquartile range) levels were 2.87 µg/g (2.41-3.92) for S100A12 and 165.1 µg/g (66.0-275.6) for A1AT. Weak evidence of association was found between S100A12 levels and G. duodenalis (p = 0.080) and STH infections (p = 0.089), and between A1AT levels and parasitic infection of any etiology (p = 0.089), at 24-months of age. Significant associations between A1AT levels and wasting (p = 0.006) and stunting (p = 0.044) were found. Previous parasitic infections were not associated with fecal biomarkers at 24 months of age. To summarize, previous asymptomatic parasitic infections showed no association with intestinal barrier dysfunction. Notwithstanding, a tendency toward increased levels of the inflammatory biomarker was observed for current G. duodenalis and STH infections, and increased levels of the permeability biomarker were significantly associated with stunting and wasting.

Síndrome de disfunción multi-orgánica por virus dengue 3 en niños de Neiva, Huila Colombia / Multi-organic dysfunction syndrome caused by dengue 3 in Children of Neiva, Huila Colombia

Antecedentes. El dengue es la principal enfermedad viral transmitida por vectores en el mundo, con un número creciente de casos en Neiva. La presentación clínica del choque por fiebre dengue hemorrágica (FDH) está demostrando un compromiso de órganos diferentes al endotelio, con una mayor complejidad y gravedad de la enfermedad, probablemente asociado al serotipo circulante. Objetivo. Alertar sobre la aparición de la disfunción orgánica múltiple en niños afectados por dengue.Resultados. Se describe el diagnóstico de disfunción orgánica múltiple en tres niñas; dos niñas de siete meses y una de tres años. Con una evolución de cuatro días de fiebre, ingresaron en estado de choque resistente a la reanimación con cristaloides y coloides, con taquicardia, arritmias ventriculares, CPK MB de 524 UI/L, AST de 2157 UI/L y ALT de 226 UI/L, coagulopatía de consumo con prolongación de TTP y TP sin trombocitopenia severa y alteración metabólica caracterizada por acidemia e hipoglucemia en las tres niñas. Se aplica el puntaje para disfunción orgánica multiple con promedio de 23 y evidencia de mayor compromiso cardíaco, hepático y hematológico. En los tres casos se demostró la presencia de dengue 3 mediante RT-PCR.Discusión. Se compara con reportes similares encontrados en la literatura y se hace una correlación fisiopatológica breve.Conclusión. Se debe empezar a pensar en la presentación de formas de la fiebre dengue hemorrágica que comprometen otros órganos, ampliando la definición de severidad por dengue como en los casos descritos, que faciliten un enfoque e intervención oportuna.

Mortalidad de dengue hemorrágico en niños en Colombia: más allá del choque / Dengue hemorrhagic fever fever mortality in children: beyond shock

En el dengue hemorrágico las manifestaciones inusuales como hepatitis, encefalitis y miocarditis están asociadas a la formas graves y muerte. Objetivo. Discribir las causas de mortalidad por dengue hemorrágico en niños menores de 13 años en el Hospital Universitario de Neiva. Diseño. Estudio descriptivo, con recolección retrospectiva de la información. Lugar. Neiva, Huila. Población. niños menores de 13 años. Mediciones. Se registraron todos los pacientes fallecidos con dignóstico de dengue hemorrágico entre los años 2000 y 2006, para un análisis de variables, clínicas y de laboratorio, por grupos de edad, mediante pruebas no paramétricas. Resultados. De 1448 niños con dengue hemorrágico, 338 ingresaron a la unidad de cuidados intensivos pediátrica y hubo 15 casos fatales (letalidad 1,03 por ciento); el 40 por ciento ingreso en el estadio III y el 60 por ciento en el estadio IV. Los síntomas gastrointestinales y signos de fuga vascular estuvieron presentes en el 100 por ciento de los casos. Hubo una mayor tendencia a la hipotensión, menor número de plaquetas y mayor elevación de transaminasas, en el grupo de niños de 1 a 5 años; no hubo diferencias significativas en las variables analizada entre los grupos. Nueve pacientes fallecieron de miocarditis aguda (60 por ciento) con alteraciones del ritmo, de los cuales, dos presentaron elevación de trasaminasas, tres niños por hepatitis aguda (20 por ciento) y tres con coagulación intravascular diseminada (20 por ciento). Conclusión. La mortalidad por dengue hemorrágico no sólo tiene como causa el choque hipovolémico y, en la actualidad debe considerarse el compromiso de órganos como el higado y el miocardio, que contribuye a la evolución fatal.

[Clinical and epidemiological characterisation of dengue haemorrhagic fever in Neiva, Colombia, 2004]. / Caracterización Clínica y Epidemiológica de Dengue Hemorrágico en Neiva, Colombia, 2004.

OBJECTIVE: Neiva (a southern Colombia city) is endemic for dengue fever and dengue haemorrhagic fever. Neiva has suffered outbreaks of dengue, that in 2004 being the latest one. This study was designed to characterise epidemiological and clinical data from that outbreak of dengue. MATERIAL AND METHODS: This was a descriptive, retrospective study of children aged less than 13 years who were admitted to the University Hospital and fulfilled the WHO's clinical and laboratory criteria for dengue or dengue haemorrhagic fever. Demographic, clinical and paraclinical data were recorded and analysed using Chi square (chi(2)) bivariate tabular test. RESULTS: 105 children were diagnosed as suffering from either dengue haemorrhagic fever (87.6%) or dengue fever (12.4%); 67% of them were aged less than 5 years. Girls were more frequently affected by severe clinical manifestations. 83% of the children were admitted during the first six days of the disease; dengue shock syndrome was diagnosed in 20% and 76% presented clinical complications (chi(2) 29.53, gl 6, p=0.0000). Aminotransferases were 3 to 5 times above normal levels. There was a statistical correlation between low platelet count (less than 20 000 per mm(3)) and shock during admission (chi(2) 20.65, gl 4, p=0.0004). Complications arose during clinical evolution in 32% of the cases (13% myocarditis, 19% hepatitis or encephalitis and 2% sepsis). CONCLUSION: The clinical and epidemiological characteristics observed in this cohort evidenced differences in age, gender and organs affected compared to data described in the literature; there was a high incidence of myocarditis.

Caracterización Clínica y Epidemiológica de Dengue Hemorrágico en Neiva, Colombia, 2004 / Clinical and epidemiological characterisation of dengue haemorrhagic fever in Neiva, Colombia, 2004

Objetivo Neiva es considerada endémica para fiebre dengue y fiebre dengue hemorrágico en Colombia. Durante el 2004 se presentó un brote epidémico, siendo necesario caracterizar el comportamiento epidemiológico y clínico durante esta epidemia. Materiales y Métodos Estudio retrospectivo descriptivo de niños menores de 13 años que ingresaron al Hospital Universitario en este periodo, con criterios de Fiebre dengue y Fiebre dengue hemorrágico según la OMS. Se registraron los datos demográficos, clínicos y paraclínicos de ingreso. El análisis fue descriptivo y bivariado exploratorio utilizando la prueba de chi². Resultados De 105 niños el 87,6 por ciento ingresó con diagnóstico de fiebre dengue hemorrágico y el 12,4 por ciento con fiebre dengue. Un 67 por ciento correspondió a menores de 5 años, con mayor frecuencia y severidad en niñas. El 83 por ciento ingresó en los primeros seis días de enfermedad. Hubo datos de choque en el 20 por ciento de los pacientes, de estos el 76 por ciento presentó complicaciones (chi² 29.53, gl 6, p=0.0000). Entre los datos paraclínicos, las aminotransferasas se encontraron 3 a 5 veces el valor normal y hubo correlación entre recuento plaquetario inferior a 20 000 por mm³ y choque al ingreso (chi² 20,65, gl 4, p= 0.0004). La evolución fue favorable; sin embargo, hubo complicaciones en el 32 por ciento de los casos (13 por ciento miocarditis, 19 por ciento hepatitis o encefalitis y 2 por ciento sepsis). Conclusión Las características epidemiológicas y clínicas observadas en esta cohorte de pacientes mostraron una variación en género, edad y órgano blanco, con una incidencia alta de compromiso miocárdico.

Objective Neiva (a southern Colombia city) is endemic for dengue fever and dengue haemorrhagic fever. Neiva has suffered outbreaks of dengue, that in 2004 being the latest one. This study was designed to characterise epidemiological and clinical data from that outbreak of dengue. Material and Methods This was a descriptive, retrospective study of children aged less than 13 years who were admitted to the University Hospital and fulfilled the WHO's clinical and laboratory criteria for dengue or dengue haemorrhagic fever. Demographic, clinical and paraclinical data were recorded and analysed using Chi square (chi²) bivariate tabular test. Results 105 children were diagnosed as suffering from either dengue haemorrhagic fever (87.6 percent) or dengue fever (12.4 percent); 67 percent of them were aged less than 5 years. Girls were more frequently affected by severe clinical manifestations. 83 percent of the children were admitted during the first six days of the disease; dengue shock syndrome was diagnosed in 20 percent and 76 percent presented clinical complications (chi² 29.53, gl 6, p=0.0000). Aminotransferases were 3 to 5 times above normal levels. There was a statistical correlation between low platelet count (less than 20 000 per mm³) and shock during admission (chi² 20.65, gl 4, p=0.0004). Complications arose during clinical evolution in 32 percent of the cases (13 percent myocarditis, 19 percent hepatitis or encephalitis and 2 percent sepsis). Conclusion The clinical and epidemiological characteristics observed in this cohort evidenced differences in age, gender and organs affected compared to data described in the literature; there was a high incidence of myocarditis.