Apendicitis en menores de cinco años en el Hospital Provincial General Docente de Riobamba / Appendicitis in children under five years old of age in the Hospital Provincial General Docente de Riobamba

La apendicitis en menores de cinco años es rara y un reto diagnóstico. El diagnóstico de apendicitis se ve limitado por la anamnesis y la poca colaboración del examen físico en este grupo etario de pacientes. El objetivo del presente trabajo fue revisar la casuística de apendicitis en menores de cinco años en el Hospital Provincial General Docente de Riobamba (HPGDR) entre el 2012 y el 2016. Con este objetivo se realizó un estudio retrospectivo, de corte transversal en niños operados de apendicitis. En el total de los casos se analizaron los síntomas, signos, pruebas de laboratorio, exámenes histopatológicos y de imagen. El porcentaje de apendicitis en menores de 5 años fue de 11 casos (3 %) de un total de 412 casos de apendicitis operadas en menores de 15 años. En el 100% de los casos (n = 11) el dolor abdominal difuso fue el síntoma más frecuente; además se evidenció leucocitos en 10 casos (91 %). Nueve de los 11 casos (82 %) fueron apendicitis complicadas (grado III y IV) y dos (18 %) no complicadas. La mayor estancia hospitalaria fue de 13 días y en ninguno de los casos se requirió una nueva intervención. El diagnóstico y tratamiento oportuno de apendicitis en menores de cinco años sigue siendo un reto. Es importante mantener un alto grado de sospecha en el caso de de que el diagnóstico sea incierto.

Appendicitis in children younger than five years is old is a diagnostic challenge. Diagnosis of appendicitis is limited by the anamnesis and little cooperation during physical examination of pediatric patients. The objective of the present work was to check the casuistry of appendicitis among children younger than five years old in the Hospital Provincial General Docente de Riobamba (HPGDR) between 2012 to 2016. In this way, we carried out a cross­sectional, retrospective study in all children diagnosed with appendicitis (11 cases in total). In all cases we analyzed symptoms, signs, histopathological and imaging studies. The percentage of appendicitis in children under five years old corresponded to 3 % (n = 11) of a total of 412 cases of appendicitis that required surgery in children younger than 15 years old. In 100 % of the cases (n = 11) diffuse abdominal pain was the most frequent symptom; additionally leukocytosis was noted in 91 % of the cases (n = 10). Nine of the 11 cases (82 %) were complicated appendicitis (grade III and IV) and two (18 %) were not complicated. The longest patients stay lasted 13 days and none of the cases required a a new intervention. The diagnosis and opportune treatment of this pathology in children younger than five years old continues to be a challenge. It is important to maintain a high degree of suspicion in case of uncertain diagnosis.

Prevalence and determinants of acute diarrhea among children younger than five years old in Jabithennan District, Northwest Ethiopia, 2014.

BACKGROUND: Despite the global decline in death rates of children younger than five years old, the risk of a child dying before turning five years of age remains highest in the WHO African Region. The problem of child death in Ethiopia is worse, with an Ethiopian child being 30 times more likely to die by his/her fifth birthday than a child in Western Europe. Therefore, the aim of this study was to assess the prevalence and factors associated with diarrhea among children younger than five years old. METHODS: A community-based, cross-sectional study was conducted with mothers who had children younger than five years old from April to June 2014. A multistage sampling procedure was used to select eligible women. The data were coded, entered, cleaned and analyzed with the SPSS software package, version 16. RESULTS: he data of 775 mothers were included in the analysis, and 21.5% of the children had diarrhea in the two weeks before the survey. The main factors affecting the occurrence of diarrhea were residence (Odds ratio (AOR) = 11.29, 95% Confidence interval (CI): 3.49-36.52), sex (AOR = 2.52, 95% CI:1.28-4.93), methods of complementary feeding (AOR = 50.88, 95% CI: 23.85- 108.54), types of water storage equipment (AOR = 19.50, 95% CI: 8.11-46.90), and cleansing materials used to wash hands (AOR = 5.53, 95% CI: 2.19-13.99). CONCLUSION: Approximately one-fifth of the children included in the study reported diarrheal disease. Residence, sex of the child, type of water storage container, methods of complementary feeding, and cleansing materials to wash the hands were the most important variables that affected the occurrence of diarrhea in children. Therefore, families, the government and nongovernmental organizations working in the area must cooperate in interventions and prevention to minimize the risk of disease.