Neighbourhood socioeconomic circumstances, adiposity and cardiometabolic risk measures in children with severe obesity.

Background: It has recently been shown that neighbourhood socioeconomic disadvantage in childhood is associated with obesity, hypertension, fatty liver, and type 2 diabetes in adulthood. However, it is largely unknown whether neighbourhood socioeconomic circumstances are important predictors of adiposity and associated measures in children, especially in those with severe obesity. Therefore, we evaluated the associations between neighbourhood socioeconomic factors with the severity of obesity, and related cardiometabolic risk factors in a cohort of obese children.

Combination conventional DMARDs compared to biologicals: what is the evidence?

Purpose Of Review: Dramatic improvement seen in the prognosis of rheumatoid arthritis has been driven by higher expectations, led by newer drugs and more intensive use of the older drugs. Although methotrexate has retained its place as the first-line agent, there has been great interest in comparing biologicals to conventional Disease Modifying Anti Rheumatic Drugs (DMARDs) over the past few years with the updated guidelines from both the American College of Rheumatology and European League Against Rheumatism. We have tried to critically summarize the findings of some landmark trials that compare these two approaches.

Diagnosis of ventilator-associated pneumonia in children in resource-limited setting: a comparative study of bronchoscopic and nonbronchoscopic methods.

Objectives: To compare the available methods for the diagnosis of ventilator-associated pneumonia in intubated pediatric patients and to suggest less costly diagnostic method for developing countries.

Design: Prospective study.

Setting: Pediatric intensive care unit of a tertiary care, multidisciplinary teaching hospital located in northern India.