Two-Dimensional and Doppler trans-thoracic echocardiographic patterns of suspected pediatric heart diseases at Tibebe--Ghion specialized Teaching Hospital and Adinas General Hospital, Bahir Dar, North-west Ethiopia:-An experience from an LMIC.

BACKGROUND: Transthoracic Echocardiography is the first-line, non-invasive, and accessible imaging modality to evaluate heart disease anatomy, physiology, and hemodynamics. We aim to describe the trans-thoracic echocardiography pattern of pediatric heart diseases and reasons for referral in children referred to Bahir Dar University Tibebe-Ghion Hospital and Adinas General Hospital. METHOD: A descriptive cross-sectional study of the archived Transthoracic, Two Dimensional, and Doppler Echocardiography assessments of children from birth to fifteen years of age performed between June 2019 to May 2023 was done. Data were collected retrospectively from February 01, 2023 -May 31, 2023. Categorical variables like gender, referral reasons for echocardiography, and patterns of pediatric heart lesions were analyzed in the form of proportions and presented in tables and figures. Discrete variables including age were summarized as means (SD) and medians(IQR). RESULTS: Out of 3,647 Children enrolled; 1,917 (52.6%) were males and 1,730 (47.4%) were females. The median (IQR) age of children enrolled was 24 months (5 to 96). Cardiac murmur (33%) was the most common reason for echocardiography followed by, Respiratory Distress (18%), Syndromic Child (15%), easy fatigability/ Diaphoresis (14.3%), congestive heart failure (14%), and rheumatic fever (13.2%). Congenital heart defect (CHD) accounts for 70% of all heart diseases, followed by rheumatic heart disease (21%). Isolated ventricular septal defect(VSD) was the most common CHD (21%) followed by isolated Patent ductus arteriosus (15%), isolated atrial septal defect (10%), Isolated atrioventricular septal defect (6%) and isolated pulmonary stenosis (5%). Cyanotic CHD accounts for 11.5% of all heart diseases. Tetralogy of Fallot (30%), d-TGA (20%), and double outlet right ventricle (19%) were the most common cyanotic CHDs. CONCLUSIONS: In our study, congenital heart lesions are the most common diagnosis and cardiac murmurs are the most common presenting reasons for echocardiography evaluation.

Food security is not the only solution to prevent under-nutrition among 6-59 months old children in Western Amhara region, Ethiopia.

BACKGROUND: In spite of surplus food production, in Amhara region, a significant number of children had under-nutrition. Investigating factors associated with under-nutrition in food secured households is crucial to design preventive measures. Therefore, the objective of this study was to assess under-nutrition and associated factors among 6-59 months old children in food secured households in Western Amhara Region, Ethiopia. METHODS: A community-based cross-sectional study was performed using interviewer-administered questionnaire on 6-59 months old children from Jun 01-30/ 2017. A multi-stage sampling strategy was used to select study participants. Prevalence of stunting, underweight, wasting and overweight/obesity were computed. Predictors were assessed using logistic regression analysis. RESULT: The prevalence of stunting, underweight, wasting and overweight/obesity were 40%, 19.8%, 11.6%, and 2.7%, respectively. Having mother who have no formal education (AOR] =2.21, 95% CI: [1.5, 3.2]), taking less diversified food (AOR =1.7, 95% CI: [1.1, 2.5]), having mother who did not wash her hands before food preparation (AOR =1.46, 95% CI: [1.1, 2.0]) and living in the households where solid wastes managed by scattering in the field (AOR =1.6, 95% CI: [1.1, 2.1]) were predictors of stunting. Whereas, wasting was associated with having illness in the prior two weeks of data collection day (AOR =2.7, 95% CI: [1.6, 4.7]), lack of getting antenatal care (AOR =2.0, 95% CI: [1.1, 3.4]) and taking food less than four times per day (AOR =2.00, 95% CI: [1.2, 3.2]). CONCLUSION: The prevalence of under-nutrition was very high. Therefore, health professionals and health extension workers should give nutrition counseling about the frequency and diversity of meal, environmental and personal hygiene by giving emphasis to mothers who have no formal education.

Dietary practice and associated factors among type 2 diabetic patients in Felege Hiwot Regional Referral Hospital, Bahir Dar, Ethiopia.

OBJECTIVE: Even if patient's dietary practice is a gold standard measure to manage type 2 diabetes, there is a limited study in the area. Therefore, the objective of this study was to assess dietary practice and associated factors among type 2 diabetic patients. RESULT: The study revealed that only 35.9% of the patients had good dietary practice. Attending above primary education [AOR = 1.9, 95% CI (1.1, 3.2)], having family support [AOR = 2.6, 95% CI (1.6, 4.2)], and receiving nutrition education [AOR = 2.5, 95% CI (1.5, 4.2)] were independent predictors for good dietary practice. Thus, the findings indicate the need to improve a method of nutrition education both for the patients and their families. Moreover, the government needs to improve literacy rate of citizens.