Parental non-compliance to childhood safety practices: A cross-sectional study.

Background & objectives To assess the pattern of non-compliance to childhood safety practices among parents of children between one and five yr of age and to determine the reasons behind the same. Methods A descriptive, cross-sectional study was conducted on 120 children between one and five yr of age through a questionnaire-based interview of the primary carer. Poor compliance was defined as compliance to <85 per cent of the recommended practices. Results Of the total 48 injuries, 32 were serious (66.6%). Falls and burns/scalds were the two common types of injuries. Nearly three-fourths (72.5%) of families showed overall poor compliance. Poorest compliance was observed towards four safety practices namely, helmet wearing, restricting number of pillion riders to two on a two-wheeler, seatbelt wearing in a car and avoiding food items with a high risk of choking in children <3 yr. Parental perception of 'unnecessary' and 'lack of knowledge' were the main reasons behind non-compliance. Interpretation & conclusions Low compliance among families occurred with respect to safety on motor vehicles and avoidance of choking hazards. Change of parental perception and improved awareness is necessary for the prevention of unintentional childhood injuries.

Intussusception after Rotavirus Vaccine Introduction in India.

BACKGROUND: A three-dose, oral rotavirus vaccine (Rotavac) was introduced in the universal immunization program in India in 2016. A prelicensure trial involving 6799 infants was not large enough to detect a small increased risk of intussusception. Postmarketing surveillance data would be useful in assessing whether the risk of intussusception would be similar to the risk seen with different rotavirus vaccines used in other countries. METHODS: We conducted a multicenter, hospital-based, active surveillance study at 27 hospitals in India. Infants meeting the Brighton level 1 criteria of radiologic or surgical confirmation of intussusception were enrolled, and rotavirus vaccination was ascertained by means of vaccination records. The relative incidence (incidence during the risk window vs. all other times) of intussusception among infants 28 to 365 days of age within risk windows of 1 to 7 days, 8 to 21 days, and 1 to 21 days after vaccination was evaluated by means of a self-controlled case-series analysis. For a subgroup of patients, a matched case-control analysis was performed, with matching for age, sex, and location. RESULTS: From April 2016 through June 2019, a total of 970 infants with intussusception were enrolled, and 589 infants who were 28 to 365 days of age were included in the self-controlled case-series analysis. The relative incidence of intussusception after the first dose was 0.83 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.00 to 3.00) in the 1-to-7-day risk window and 0.35 (95% CI, 0.00 to 1.09) in the 8-to-21-day risk window. Similar results were observed after the second dose (relative incidence, 0.86 [95% CI, 0.20 to 2.15] and 1.23 [95% CI, 0.60 to 2.10] in the respective risk windows) and after the third dose (relative incidence, 1.65 [95% CI, 0.82 to 2.64] and 1.08 [95% CI, 0.69 to 1.73], respectively). No increase in intussusception risk was found in the case-control analysis. CONCLUSIONS: The rotavirus vaccine produced in India that we evaluated was not associated with intussusception in Indian infants. (Funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and others.).

Infectious etiology of intussusception in Indian children less than 2 years old: a matched case-control analysis.

BACKGROUND: Enteric infections are hypothesized to be associated with intussusception in children. A small increase in intussusception following rotavirus vaccination has been seen in some settings. We conducted post-marketing surveillance for intussusception following rotavirus vaccine, Rotavac introduction in India and evaluated association of intussusception with enteric pathogens. METHODS: In a case-control study nested within a large sentinel hospital-based surveillance program in India, stool samples from 272 children aged less than 2 years admitted for intussusception and 272 age-, gender- and location-matched controls were evaluated with Taqman array card based molecular assays to detect enteric viruses, bacterial enteropathogens and parasites. Matched case-control analysis with conditional logistic regression evaluated association of enteropathogens with intussusception. Population attributable fractions (PAF) were calculated for enteropathogens significantly associated with intussusception. RESULTS: The most prevalent enteropathogens in cases and controls were enteroaggregative Escherichia coli, adenovirus 40/41, adenovirus C serotypes and enteroviruses. Children with intussusception were more likely to harbor adenovirus C serotypes (adjusted odds-ratio (aOR) = 1.74; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.06-2.87) and enteroviruses (aOR = 1.77; 95% CI 1.05-2.97) than controls. Rotavirus was not associated with increased intussusception risk. Adenovirus C (PAF = 16.9%; 95% CI 4.7% - 27.6%) and enteroviruses (PAF = 14.7%; 95% CI 4.2% - 24.1%) had the highest population attributable fraction for intussusception. CONCLUSION: Adenovirus C serotypes and enteroviruses were significantly associated with intussusception in Indian children. Rotavirus was not associated with risk of intussusception.

Pediatric Adrenocortical Oncocytoma presenting as Cushing's Syndrome and Peripheral Precocious Puberty: A Case Report and Review of Literature.

Oncocytic adrenocortical tumours (OATs) or oncocytomas are extremely rare and are usually benign and nonfunctional. We report the case of a 4-year-old male with a right-sided, functional oncocytic adrenocortical adenoma, who presented with precocious puberty and Cushing's syndrome. After work-up, the patient underwent laparoscopic adrenalectomy. The excised adrenal mass weighed 21 g and measured 3.5 cm in maximum dimension. Histological examination demonstrated no features suggestive of aggressive biological behaviour. The patient had no features of recurrent or metastatic disease and had prepubertal testosterone levels with suppressed hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis twelve months after the surgery. A discussion of this case and a review of the literature on functional OATs in the pediatric population are presented.

Clinico-Biochemical Profile of Children with Congenital Anomalies of the Kidney and Urinary Tract: A Cross-Sectional Study.

BACKGROUND: Congenital anomalies of the kidney and urinary tract (CAKUT) are a group of disorders responsible for the majority of pediatric end-stage renal disease cases. There are only a few studies on CAKUT. OBJECTIVES: A study was conducted to determine the clinical and biochemical profile of children with CAKUT and to estimate the prevalence and the factors associated with hypertension in CAKUT. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted in a tertiary center for 18 months from March 2014 to August 2015. Demographic data were recorded, and clinical examination including blood pressure measurement was performed. Various biochemical parameters including plasma renin activity (PRA), urinary beta-2-microglobulin (B2M), and microalbuminuria were evaluated. RESULTS: A total of 81 patients with CAKUT were studied. Twenty-two (27%) patients were underweight, 4 (5%) patients were stunted, and 26 (32%) were both underweight and stunted. Children with bilateral disease had a higher incidence of underweight (21/44 vs. 8/37; p = 0.04; 95% CI; Fisher exact test), and both underweight and stunted (25/44 vs. 10/37; p = 0.006; 95% CI; Fisher exact test) compared to children with unilateral disease. Hypertension was found in 27% cases. No association was found between hypertension and PRA, BM2, or microalbuminuria in our study. PRA was inversely proportional to the estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) (Pearson test; 95% CI; p = 0.006). CONCLUSIONS: Bilateral disease in CAKUT was significantly associated with poor somatic growth. PRA was inversely proportional to eGFR. The prevalence of hypertension was higher in children with CAKUT than in normal children and is possibly multifactorial as it was not associated with elevated PRA, B2M, or microalbuminuria.