Efficacy of fixed-dose phenylephrine bolus for treating post-spinal hypotension: Comparison between pre-eclamptics and normotensives.

Background and Aims: Pre-eclamptic parturients may have an exaggerated response to vasopressors. This study compares the efficacy of a 50 µg fixed bolus of phenylephrine for treatment of post-spinal hypotension in pre-eclamptic versus normotensive parturients. Material and Methods: After written informed consent and ethics committee approval, 30 normotensive and 30 pre-eclamptic parturients between 18 and 40 years with singleton term pregnancy about to undergo cesarean section (CS) under spinal anesthesia were included. Post-spinal hypotension was treated with a 50 µg fixed bolus of phenylephrine. The cumulative dose of phenylephrine, the number of boluses, and the median dose required to treat the first hypotensive episode, total number of hypotensive episodes, maternal side effects, neonatal appearance, pulse, grimace, activity, and respiration (APGAR) scores, and umbilical arterial cord blood pH were noted. Statistical analysis was done using Student's t-test, Mann-Whitney U-test, Chi-square test/Fisher's exact test as appropriate. A P <0.05 was considered significant. Results: The cumulative dose and number of boluses of phenylephrine required to treat post-spinal hypotension were comparable. The median dose required to treat the first episode of post-spinal hypotension was also similar (p = 0.792). The time to develop the first hypotensive episode was significantly earlier for group N (p = 0.002). The efficacy of a single fixed bolus of 50 µg phenylephrine was similar in both groups (p = 1.000). Neonatal median APGAR scores at 1 min after birth were significantly higher for group N (p = 0.016). Conclusion: A fixed-dose bolus of 50 µg phenylephrine is safe and effective in treating post-spinal hypotension in pre-eclampsia. The efficacy of phenylephrine is comparable in pre-eclamptic and normotensive parturients.

Utility of Cerebrospinal Fluid and Serum Procalcitonin for the Diagnosis of Neonatal Meningitis.

OBJECTIVE: Positive CSF culture is the gold standard for the diagnosis of meningitis but it carries poor sensitivity. CSF procalcitonin (PCT) is shown to have some utility for the diagnosis of meningitis though there are limited studies in neonatal age group. We planned this study to compare CSF, serum, and CSF to serum PCT levels in neonates with confirmed, probable, and nonmeningitis groups to determine its optimal cut-off in CSF and serum for diagnosing meningitis. STUDY DESIGN: Sixty-seven neonates who qualified for lumbar puncture were enrolled in the study. Neonates were categorized into confirmed meningitis, i.e., CSF cytochemistry and culture positive (N = 17), probable meningitis, i.e., CSF cytochemistry positive but culture negative (N = 25) and nonmeningitis, i.e., both cytochemistry and culture negative (N = 25). CSF and serum samples were stored at -80°C for PCT assay. RESULTS: Significant difference was seen in mean of CSF PCT in neonates with confirmed (0.31 ng/mL), probable (0.22 ng/mL), and nonmeningitis (0.11 ng/mL) groups. Similarly, significant difference was observed in serum PCT levels also, though the ratio of serum to CSF PCT was comparable. At cut-off of 0.2 ng/mL, CSF PCT had sensitivity of 95.2% and specificity of 96% in the diagnosis of meningitis. CONCLUSION: CSF PCT is more specific marker for the diagnosis of neonatal meningitis as compared with serum PCT and CSF to serum PCT ratio. KEY POINTS: · CSF procalcitonin is a better marker than serum procalcitonin for diagnosing neonatal meningitis.. · It is better than serum procalcitonin and CSF to serum procalcitonin ratio.. · At cut-off of >0.2 ng/mL CSF procalcitonin can diagnose neonatal meningitis with 96% specificity..

Changing epidemiology of poisoning in children: A retrospective study from a tertiary care center in New Delhi, India.

Poisoning is the fourth leading cause of unintentional injuries in children. With continuously changing environment, the epidemiology of poisoning keeps on changing. The present study was undertaken to describe the clinical and epidemiological profile of childhood poisoning in a tertiary care center of New Delhi, India. All children <12 years of age admitted to pediatric ward with a history of ingestion of poison or envenomation between January 2019 and June 2020 were identified, and their medical records were obtained from medical records department. A total of 203 patients were enrolled in the study. Drugs and medications were the most common agents (19.2% cases), followed by prallethrin (13.7% cases). Majority of the cases were asymptomatic. Vomiting (25%) was the most common symptom. Drugs and medications were the leading cause of poisoning, followed by liquid mosquito repellant. This study highlights the change in characteristics of acute poisoning in Indian children.

Prevalence and predictors of hypocalcaemia in severe acute malnutrition.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the prevalence and predictors of hypocalcaemia in under-five children (1-59 months) hospitalised with severe acute malnutrition (SAM). DESIGN: A cross-sectional study was designed to determine the prevalence of hypocalcaemia among children hospitalised with SAM. Serum Ca and 25-hydroxycholecalciferol (25-(OH)D) were estimated. Hypocalcaemia was defined as serum Ca (albumin-adjusted) <2·12 mmol/l. To identify the clinical predictors of hypocalcaemia, a logistic regression model was constructed taking hypocalcaemia as a dependent variable, and sociodemographic and clinical variables as independent variables. SETTING: A tertiary care hospital in Delhi, between November 2017 and April 2019. PARTICIPANTS: One-hundred and fifty children (1-59 months) hospitalised with SAM were enrolled. RESULTS: Hypocalcaemia was documented in thirty-nine (26 %) children hospitalised with SAM, the prevalence being comparable between children aged <6 months (11/41, 26·8 %) and those between 6 and 59 months (28/109, 25·7 %) (P = 0·887). Vitamin D deficiency (serum 25-(OH)D <30 nmol/l) and clinical rickets were observed in ninety-eight (65·3 %) and sixty-three (42 %) children, respectively. Hypocalcaemia occurred more frequently in severely malnourished children with clinical rickets (OR 6·6, 95 % CI 2·54, 17·15, P < 0·001), abdominal distension (OR 4·5, 95 % CI 1·39, 14·54, P = 0·012) and sepsis (OR 2·6, 95 % CI 1·00, 6·57, P = 0·050). CONCLUSION: Rickets and hypocalcaemia are common in children with SAM. Routine supplementation of vitamin D should be considered for severely malnourished children. Ca may be empirically prescribed to severely malnourished children with clinical rickets, abdominal distension and/or sepsis.

PaO2/FiO2 Ratio as Predictor of Mortality in Neonates with Meconium Aspiration Syndrome.

OBJECTIVES: Partial arterial pressure of oxygen/fraction of oxygen in inspired air (PaO2/FiO2) ratio has been used as a predictor of outcome in some neonatal conditions, but has not been used in meconium aspiration syndrome (MAS). This study was conducted with the objective to study if the PaO2/FiO2 ratio of < 200 at 6, 12, and 24 hours of life can predict mortality in neonates with MAS. STUDY DESIGN: Two hundred neonates with MAS were included in the study. PaO2/FiO2 ratio was calculated at 6, 12, and 24 hours of life. Sensitivity, specificity, predictive values, and likelihood ratio at cut-off < 200 to predict mortality was calculated. RESULTS: PaO2/FiO2 ratio at cut-off of < 200 was found to predict mortality in neonates with MAS with 94.1% sensitivity and 96.6% specificity. It was also able to predict development of severe MAS. CONCLUSION: PaO2/FiO2 at < 200 can predict all-cause mortality in neonates with MAS. It can be used as vital tool in identifying newborns at high risk, thus helping in focused care.

Procalcitonin as Predictor of Bacterial Infection in Meconium Aspiration Syndrome.

BACKGROUND: There is a lack of definite consensus on indications for initiating antibiotics in neonates with meconium aspiration syndrome (MAS), instigating researchers to search for a biomarker that can help differentiate MAS from MAS with bacterial infection. OBJECTIVE: Our primary objective was to compare serum procalcitonin (PCT) levels in full-term vigorous neonates having MAS with or without bacterial infection. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Seventy term vigorous neonates with diagnosis of MAS were enrolled. Blood samples were taken for sepsis screen, C-reactive protein (CRP), PCT, and blood culture at 6 ± 2 hours of respiratory distress. Neonates were categorized into group 1 (MAS without bacterial infection) and group 2 (MAS with bacterial infection) based on blood culture. The duration of our study was 18 months. RESULTS: Mean ± standard deviation PCT level was 2.52 ± 3.99 in group 1 and 2.71 ± 4.22 in group 2, which was comparable. At cutoff of 0.1 ng/mL, PCT had a sensitivity of 90% and specificity of 8% in detecting bacterial infection. Mean total leukocyte count, absolute neutrophil count, immature to total leucocyte ratio, microerythrocyte sedimentation rate, and CRP were comparable. CONCLUSION: Though PCT is an early and reliable marker of neonatal infection, the levels were increased in neonates with MAS irrespective of the presence of bacterial infection.

Seven versus 10 days antibiotic therapy for culture-proven neonatal sepsis: A randomised controlled trial.

AIM: Optimal duration of parenteral antibiotics for treating neonatal sepsis ranges from 7-14 days. We compared the efficacy of 7 versus 10 days duration of intravenous antibiotics for neonatal septicaemia. METHODS: We randomised blood culture-proven septic neonates (≥32 weeks and birth weight ≥1.5 kg) to receive either 7 or 10 days duration of intravenous antibiotics. We followed up neonates upto 28 days after stopping antibiotics for treatment failure defined by reappearance of clinical sepsis with a blood culture growing the same organism as cultured earlier, or in the absence of a positive culture, the presence of C-reactive protein and as adjudicated by an expert committee. RESULTS: A total of 132 neonates were randomised to receive either 7 (n = 66) or 10 (n = 66) days duration of antibiotic therapy. Out of 128 neonates (64 per group) followed up, two (one per group) were regarded as 'treatment failure', and two were labelled as fresh episodes of sepsis (both in 10-day group). The risk (95% confidence interval) for treatment failure in the 7-day group was (1.0 (0.064-15.644) was not significantly higher. Neonates in both groups had comparable need for oxygen, inotropic support and blood products, duration of oxygen therapy and time to attainment of full feeds. The duration of hospitalisation was significantly longer in the 10-day group. CONCLUSION: A 7-day course of intravenous antibiotics may be sufficient to treat neonatal sepsis with the advantage of shorter hospital stay, but a larger meta-analysis would be required to state this with a degree of certainty.

Oral Ondansetron in Management of Dehydrating Diarrhea with Vomiting in Children Aged 3 Months to 5 Years: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the role of oral ondansetron in facilitating successful rehydration of under-5-year-old children suffering from acute diarrhea with vomiting and some dehydration. STUDY DESIGN: Children (n = 170) aged 3 months to 5 years with acute diarrhea with vomiting and some dehydration were enrolled in this double blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial. The participants were randomized to receive either single dose of oral ondansetron (n = 85) or placebo (n = 85) in addition to standard management of dehydration according to World Health Organization guidelines. Failure of oral rehydration therapy (ORT), administration of unscheduled intravenous fluids, and amount of oral rehydration solution intake in 4 hours were the primary outcomes. Secondary outcome measures included duration of dehydration correction, number of vomiting episodes, adverse effects, and caregiver satisfaction. RESULTS: Failure of ORT was significantly less in children receiving ondansetron compared with those receiving placebo (31% vs 62%; P < .001; relative risk 0.50, 95% CI 0.35-0.72). Almost one-half of the children in the ondansetron group received intravenous fluids compared with those in the placebo group, but it was not statistically significant (P = .074; relative risk 0.56, 95% CI 0.30-1.07). The oral rehydration solution consumption was significantly more in the ondansetron group (645 mL vs 554 mL; mean difference 91 mL; 95% CI: 35-148 mL). Patients in the ondansetron group also showed faster rehydration, lesser number of vomiting episodes, and better caregiver satisfaction. CONCLUSION: A single oral dose of ondansetron, given before starting ORT to children <5 years of age with acute diarrhea and vomiting results in better oral rehydration. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Clinical Trial Registry of India: CTRI-2011/07/001916.

Oral dextrose for analgesia in neonates during nasogastric tube insertion: a randomised controlled trial.

AIM: This study aims to determine if oral dextrose solution can mitigate the pain response to nasogastric tube (NGT) insertion in neonates. METHODS: The study was a double-blinded, placebo-controlled, randomised controlled trial. One hundred and fifty consecutive neonates were randomised into three groups to receive 25% dextrose (D25), or 10% dextrose (D10) or placebo (distilled water). An NGT was inserted after giving 2 mL of one of the solutions orally. Pain response was assessed using the Premature Infant Pain Profile (PIPP), and the duration of cry was noted within 60 s of the intervention. Total PIPP score, duration of cry, change in heart rate and oxygen saturation (SpO2 ) were compared among the three groups. RESULTS: Neonates who received D25 had significantly lesser pain response to NGT insertion in terms of lower PIPP score (P < 0.05) and duration of cry (P = 0.001) compared to D10. There was a significantly smaller increase in heart rate and decrease in SpO2 (P < 0.05). In comparison with placebo, D10 significantly decreased duration of cry (P < 0.05) but not PIPP score. CONCLUSION: Oral D25 was effective in reducing the pain response during NGT insertion in neonates when compared with oral D10 and placebo. Oral D10 was not found to have a potent analgesic effect for the same.

Assessment of quality of life during treatment of pediatric oncology patients.

BACKGROUND: The objective of this study was to assess health-related quality of life (HRQOL) of pediatric cancer patients and their parents in North India. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Seventy-five cancer children were assessed for HRQOL, using Lansky play performance scale and health utility index-2 (HUI-2). Fifty-seven patients were followed-up after 4 months after therapy and reassessed. Their parents were also assessed using World Health Organisation (WHO) QOL BREF. Seventy five controls were also assessed and compared. RESULTS: Lansky and HUI-2 scores of patients, as well as WHO QOL BREF of parents were significantly poor in cancer patients when compared to controls. There was significant improvement after therapy in patients with lymphomas and miscellaneous tumors. Pain and self-care were found to be maximally affected domains on HUI-2. CONCLUSIONS: Large prospective multicenter studies may be undertaken and hence that need based interventions can be planned.

SpO2/FiO2 and PaO2/FiO2 for Predicting Intensive Care Admission in Wheezy Children: An Observational Study.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the sensitivity of cut-off of SpO2/FiO2 (SF ratio) < 300 at hospital admission for predicting the need for admission in the pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) in wheezy children. Secondary objectives were to determine the sensitivity of cut-off of SF ratio < 300 for predicting in-hospital mortality and that of PaO2/FiO2 (PF ratio) < 200 for predicting intensive care admission and in-hospital mortality. We also ascertained the correlation between SF ratio and PF ratio in the above population. METHODS: This prospective observational study was conducted on 315 wheezy children aged 6 months to 12 years requiring admission in the pediatric emergency department. Oxygen saturation (SpO2) and fraction of oxygen in inspired air (FiO2) were recorded at admission while the partial pressure of oxygen (PaO2) was measured using arterial blood gas analysis performed within half an hour of admission. All children were managed as per protocol and followed up during hospital stay. Outcome was defined as the need for admission in the pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) or in-hospital mortality. RESULTS: Cut -offs of SF ratio < 300 and PF ratio < 200 were able to determine the need PICU admission with a sensitivity of 97.30% and 62.16% respectively. The best cut-off of SF ratio for predicting PICU admission was < 178.79 [AUC (95% CI) 0.841 (0.767, 0.914)], while that for PF ratio was < 201.81 [AUC (95% CI) of 0.849 (0.775, 0.924)]. Cut-offs of < 300 for SF ratio and < 200 of PF ratio, were able to predict in-hospital mortality with sensitivity of 100%, but specificity of only 3.33% and 46.67%, respectively. There was only a moderate correlation between SF ratio and PF ratio (r = 0.44, P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: SpO2/FiO2 cut-off of < 300 had a good sensitivity in determining need for PICU admission. SF ratio has only a moderate correlation with PF ratio.

Hematological Indices for Identifying Adverse Outcomes in Children Admitted to Pediatric ICUs.

BACKGROUND: The pediatric ICU (PICU) is a specialized area where critically sick children are managed. The mortality rates in PICUs are higher in developing countries as compared to developed nations. Many of these deaths could be prevented if very sick children were identified soon after they arrived at the health facility. Hematological indices like platelet lymphocyte ratio (PLR) and neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) have been frequently used in adults as indicators of mortality. However, their use in the pediatric population is limited due to a lack of validated reference intervals. OBJECTIVE: The objective of the study is to assess the role of hematological indices in identifying adverse outcomes in terms of mortality in children admitted to the PICU. MATERIALS AND METHODS: It is a prospective, observational study done at a tertiary care hospital. All children aged one year to 12 years admitted to the PICU were enrolled in the study. A sample for complete blood count was taken within one hour of admission to the PICU. Children who had received blood products in the last two months, those on chronic medications (>two weeks) that can affect bone marrow cellularity, and known cases of hematological disorders such as megaloblastic anemia, hematological malignancies, immune thrombocytopenia, and aplastic anemia were excluded from the study. PLR, NLR, and platelets to mean platelet volume ratio (PLT/MPV) were determined and compared among the survivors and non-survivors. RESULTS:  Out of 275 enrolled patients, 119 (43.3%) patients expired during the study period. While PLR had high sensitivity and NLR had high specificity (85.71% and 92.31%, respectively) for predicting mortality, none of these parameters had a good area under the curve (AUC) in our study. PLT/MPV of ≥32 had a sensitivity of 39.5% and a specificity of 56.41% for predicting mortality. CONCLUSIONS: Hematological parameters have been used across the world to predict ICU mortality. PLR and NLR are simple hematological biomarkers, easy to calculate, and cost-effective, and ratios are better than individual parameters. More studies and stratified samples are required to evaluate the role of hematological markers in identifying the risk of mortality in children admitted to PICUs.

Comparison of rectal, axillary, tympanic, and temporal artery thermometry in the pediatric emergency room.

BACKGROUND: Accurate measurement of temperature in the emergency room is important for diagnosis as well as investigating a patient. Various noninvasive methods thermometry are available today, but there is no consensus on the most accurate method of thermometry. STUDY OBJECTIVE: The present study was conducted to compare different methods of temperature measurement available in the emergency room, that is, rectal, axillary, and temporal artery and tympanic membrane. DESIGN: This was a cross-sectional observational study PATIENTS: Fifty febrile and 50 afebrile children aged 2 to 12 years attending the pediatric emergency room of a tertiary care hospital were included. Temperatures were measured using rectal, axillary, tympanic (right and left), and temporal artery thermometers and were compared. RESULTS: All the temperatures correlated well with rectal temperature, with temporal artery temperature showing the best correlation (correlation coefficients, 0.99 in the febrile and 0.91 in the afebrile group). CONCLUSIONS: Temporal artery thermometry has the potential to replace rectal thermometry in a busy emergency room setting.

Electrical injuries in urban children in New Delhi.

AIM: The objective of this study was to analyze the epidemiology, presentation, management, and complications of electrical burn injuries in urban children. METHODS: Data from records and clinical data were collected retrospectively and prospectively during 2008 to 2010. RESULTS: Of 41 children enrolled, the mean age of children enrolled was 8.1 ± 4.5 years. Low-voltage injury was seen in 28 (68.2%), and 13 (31.8%) had high-voltage injuries. Low-voltage injuries were most commonly (52.45%) secondary to direct contact with live wire, whereas high-voltage injuries in 70% were due to direct contact with broken wires lying in fields/rooftops. Fourteen children of the 41 enrolled had associated injuries. Low-voltage injuries were associated with minor burns, seizures, tibial fracture, eyelid burn, scalp hematoma, and speech and visual impairment, whereas high-voltage injuries were associated with cardiac arrest, extradural hematoma, visceral burns, pulmonary hemorrhage and hypoxic encephalopathy, and postelectrocution acute respiratory distress syndrome. Surgical interventions done included split-thickness skin grafting, fasciotomy, and amputation procedures. The mean duration of hospital stay of all the children enrolled was 9.02 days with 35 children discharged, 71.4% of them having low-voltage injuries. Four children died, 75% of them having high-voltage injury, whereas 2 children left without medical advice, both having low-voltage injuries. CONCLUSIONS: Children are a major group susceptible to electrical injuries in our country. Most of the mechanisms leading to them are easily preventable, but occur because of lack or awareness among the children and their guardians. Burn prevention program should be implemented incorporating these epidemiological data.

Rusty pipe syndrome: counselling a key intervention.

Presence of blood in the breastmilk renders a rusty or brownish colour to it; this entity is known as "rusty pipe syndrome". Although this is a self-limiting condition, it can be particularly intimidating for mothers and may act as a psychological barrier to successful breastfeeding. We describe this entity in two mothers who had spontaneous blood-stained breastmilk from both breasts in the early post-partum period and were worried about feeding their infants. Subsequent to proper counselling with the use of skills like active listening, accepting their concerns, building confidence by providing relevant information in simple language and by giving suggestions and avoiding commands, both mothers were able to successfully breastfeed their offspring.

A Quality Improvement Study to Improve Oxygen Prescription in the PICU of a Tertiary Care Centre in Delhi, India.

Introduction Oxygen has been gravely misused since its inception as a therapeutic agent. There is a deficit of audits and baseline data for the Indian population, especially in the pediatric age group, which doesn't allow for standardization of protocols and guidelines. Objective Our study aimed at increasing valid prescription rates to 90% by implementation of quality improvement interventions, and assessing knowledge and perception of healthcare workers towards oxygen therapy. Methodology It followed a before-and-after prospective observational study model where baseline audit data was compared with data observed after the implementation of quality improvement strategies. The data was collected through an audit of the medical records of all pediatric patients receiving oxygen therapy in the PICU. Knowledge and perception of healthcare workers about oxygen therapy were assessed via a self-designed questionnaire. The study was undertaken in three phases, including Quality Improvement (QI) team formation and data collection, root cause analysis, and implementation of Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) cycles. Observations and results In the baseline audit, 1.4% of the prescriptions were complete and valid. Subsequently, over the course of four PDSA cycles, valid prescription rates increased; 62.07% in the first, 79.51% in the second, 81.81% in the third, and 91.42% in the fourth cycle respectively. After applying the chi-square test to compare PDSA4 and baseline data, the p-values for written prescriptions and target saturation were found to be statistically significant. In the healthcare worker survey, we found that 100% of them were aware of indications of oxygen prescription, FiO2, and side effects of excessive usage of oxygen therapy, 95% were aware of conditions affecting pulse-oximetry in the pediatric age group, and 75% knew about target saturation and its significance and the procedure to change alarm settings on the monitor. Conclusion Currently, there exists a lack of effective oxygen prescription audits, especially in India, which can be attributed to a lack of awareness and partly, a lack of initiative. Quality improvement initiatives are effective in improving the valid oxygen prescription rate. However, sustained goals can be achieved through regular audits only.

Comparison of Emergency Severity Index Version 4 and Modified Pediatric Early Warning Score as Triage Models in the Pediatric Emergency of a Tertiary Care Public Sector Hospital.

OBJECTIVE: To identify the sensitivity of emergency severity index (ESI) version 4 and modified pediatric early warning score (PEWS) in identifying high urgency patients. METHODS: This cross-sectional study was conducted between November, 2019 and October, 2021 in the pediatric emergency department of tertiary hospital in Delhi. 250 patients aged 0-12 years coming to pediatric emergency on pre-decided days for health-related complaints were enrolled. These were assessed with both triage systems within 30 minutes of their arrival by a single researcher. 'High urgency' patients were defined as the ones who either required admission in pediatric ICU or died or had critical value of vital parameters as per institution protocol. RESULTS: ESI version 4 had a sensitivity of 95.5%, specificity of 80.3%, with AUC of 0.879 (95%CI 0.834-0.925) in identifying high urgency patients at levels 1 and 2. Modified PEWS had comparatively lower sensitivity of 79.1%, specificity of 97.8%, with AUC of 0.885 (95%CI 0.825-0.994) in identifying high urgency patients at score of ≥3. The ESI version 4 was found to be a better predictor of admission than the modified PEWS, with a sensitivity of 98.2%. Both the scores were able to identify patients at risk of mortality with a sensitivity of 100%. CONCLUSION: ESI version 4 is a better triage tool than modified PEWS in pediatric population in a tertiary care public hospital setting in this region.

Iron Profile in Term Small for Gestational Age Infants at 10 Weeks of Age and Correlation With Maternal Iron Profile : A Prospective Cohort Study.

BACKGROUND: Term small for gestational age (SGA) babies are at risk for developing iron deficiency anemia. The association between maternal and infant iron stores is not clear. OBJECTIVE: To assess proportion of term SGA neonates developing iron deficiency anemia by 10 weeks of age, and measure correlation between iron profile and hepcidin of babies at birth and at 10 weeks of age with maternal iron profile. DESIGN: Prospective cohort study conducted from November, 2018 to April, 2020. PARTICIPANTS: 120 term SGA babies and their mothers. INTERVENTION: Hemogram, iron profile and serum hepcidin (every fourth case) estimated in mother, cord blood and baby at 10 weeks. Babies developing anemia at 6 weeks detected by hemogram and ferritin were started on iron supplementation and excluded from the study. OUTCOME: Proportion of babies developing iron deficiency anemia at 10 weeks of age. RESULTS: 35 (29.2%) of 120 term SGA babies developed anemia (hemoglobin <9 g/dL) at 6 weeks. Proportion of infants who developed iron deficiency anemia (hemoglobin <9 g/dL and serum ferritin <40 µ/dL) at 6 and 10 weeks of age was 14.2% and 23.3%, respectively. No significant correlation was found bet-ween hemoglobin, iron and hepcidin of the baby in cord blood and at 10 weeks of age with that of mothers. Serum hepcidin in babies at birth (137.5 ng/mL) were higher than maternal values (128 ng/mL). CONCLUSION: A significant proportion of term SGA infants deve-loped anemia during early infancy, irrespective of maternal iron status.

Efficacy of Oral vs. Intravenous Calcium Supplementation for Continuation Therapy in Hypocalcemic Seizures: A Randomized, Controlled Trial.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate efficacy of oral vs. intravenous calcium supplementation for continuation therapy in hypocalcemic seizures. METHODS: Sixty children between 1 mo and 5 y presenting with hypocalcemic seizures without any other underlying febrile, chronic systemic disease, or acute neurological illness were included. Participants were randomized to receive either intravenous (IV) 10% calcium gluconate (n = 30) or oral elemental calcium (n = 30) for 48 h following initial seizure control with intravenous calcium. RESULTS: Seizures recurred in 3 (10%) children in IV group as compared to 4 (13.3%) in oral calcium group (p = 0.278) within 48 h. Serum calcium levels achieved in the two treatment groups at 24 h [7.96 (1.32) vs. 8.23 (1.58) mg/dL; p = 0.476] and 48 h [8.5 (1.01) vs. 8.63 (1.39) mg/dL; p = 0.681] were comparable. CONCLUSION: Oral calcium may be as efficacious as intravenous calcium during continuation phase of treating hypocalcemic seizures; however, further studies are needed for definite recommendations. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Trial Registration number: CTRI/2017/12/011042.