Clinical Profile and Outcome of Severe Acute Respiratory Illness (SARI) in Children Amidst the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Background And Objectives:  Beginning in December 2019, COVID-19 rapidly emerged as a global pandemic. Though its severity in children was reported to be less than that in adults, data on its epidemiology in relation to severe acute respiratory illness (SARI) caused by other microbes needed to be generated. This study compares the clinical profile and outcome of children hospitalized with COVID-19-positive and negative SARI.

The new Xpert Mycobacterium tuberculosis/rifampicin (MTB/Rif) Ultra assay in comparison to Xpert MTB/Rif assay for diagnosis of tuberculosis in children and adolescents.

Background: Microbiological diagnosis of pediatric tuberculosis (TB) using conventional microbiological techniques has been challenging due to paucibacillary nature of the disease. Molecular methods using cartridge-based tests like Xpert, have immensely improved diagnosis. A novel next-generation cartridge test, Xpert Ultra, incorporates two additional molecular targets and claims to have much lower detection limit.

Acute disseminated encephalomyelitis due to a zoonotic co-infection.

Acute disseminated encephalomyelitis (ADEM) is a post-infectious, autoimmune, demyelinating neurological illness, usually attributed to infection with viruses. We describe a case of ADEM occurring in a child with Leptospira-Brucella co-infection. The 12-year-old girl developed a biphasic febrile illness with encephalopathy.

A 16-Year-Old-Girl With Asthma, Palpable Purpura, and Hypereosinophilia.

A 16-year-old girl presented to the ED with complaints of loose stools, abdominal pain, and rash over her legs for the last 7 days. There was no history of fever, vomiting, oral ulcers, or mucosal bleeds. In the past, she had received a diagnosis of asthma.

Bacterial Colonization of Home Nebulizers Used by Children With Recurrent Wheeze.

Objective: To look for bacterial colonization of parts of home nebulizers used for children with recurrent wheeze and asthma.

Methods: Children aged 1 mo-12 y, using home nebulizers for recurrent cough and wheeze were enrolled from May to October, 2019. Caregivers were administered a structured questionnaire by a single researcher, during their hospital visit, to elicit information on their nebulizer cleaning practices.

Early diagnosis of kidney injury in a paediatric population: a prospective cohort study (E-DRIP STUDY).

Background: Renal Angina Index (RAI) is a bedside tool for risk stratification of patients to predict acute kidney injury (AKI). Kidney biomarkers are better indicators of real-time injury and give us lead time for diagnosing impending AKI.

Methods: We enrolled consecutive children aged 2 months-14 years admitted to a tertiary hospital in northern India over 2 years.

Peripheral Perfusion Index as a Marker of Sepsis in Preterm Neonates.

Background: Neonatal sepsis is a major contributor to neonatal mortality in India. Blood culture, the gold standard for the diagnosis of sepsis takes 48-72 h while the serological markers have suboptimal diagnostic test characteristics. Perfusion index (PI) is a real time, non-invasive marker that can detect microcirculatory changes before other clinical manifestation of sepsis.

Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Subacute Sclerosing Panencephalitis: Two Case Reports and Review of Literature.

Subacute sclerosing panencephalitis (SSPE) is a slowly progressive neurodegenerative disease caused by the measles virus. This study investigated the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings in SSPE by retrospective review of two cases diagnosed by typical periodic electroencephalographic (EEG) features, clinical symptoms and elevated measles antibody titre in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). MRI revealed lesions of high signal intensity on T2-weighted images involving the periventricular or subcortical white matter in both the patients.

Once-Daily vs. Twice-Daily Administration of Inhaled Budesonide for Mild and Moderate Well-Controlled Childhood Asthma: A Randomized, Controlled Trial.

Objectives: To compare median change in morning peak expiratory flow rate (PEFR) and clinical asthma control in children receiving total daily dosage of inhaled budesonide administered either as once-daily or divided twice-daily dose.

Methods: It was a randomized, parallel group, open label, noninferiority trial on 80 children aged 5-12 y with mild or moderate well-controlled asthma. Baseline parameters were recorded and subjects received inhaled budesonide either as once-daily or divided twice-daily dose.

Clinical Spectrum and Outcome of Acute Encephalitis Syndrome in Children with Scrub Typhus: A Series of Eight Cases from India.

Scrub typhus has reemerged with a different geographical distribution and varied clinical presentation like acute encephalitis syndrome (AES), which is a less known entity in scrub typhus. In this case series, we studied the clinical profile and outcome of eight patients who presented with AES and a positive scrub serology without any other identifiable cause of encephalopathy. All these patients had fever, altered sensorium, and nuchal rigidity, while seizures were present in six (75%) patients and papilledema in two (25%) patients.

Epidemiology of Coronavirus Infection in Children and Their Impact on Lung Health: Finding From a Birth Cohort Study.

In this birth cohort, coronavirus acute respiratory infection was detected in 6.5% of the episodes; the commonest strain was OC43, followed by NL63, HKU1, and 229E. Children with coronavirus acute respiratory infection during infancy had significantly decreased forced expiratory volume in 0.

Allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis without asthma or cystic fibrosis.

Allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis (ABPA) is an immunological disease complicating asthma or cystic fibrosis. An 8-year-old girl with no previous respiratory morbidity was diagnosed with ABPA on the basis of a raised eosinophil count and total and specific serum IgE levels combined with a positive skin-prick test for aspergillus and typical CT images of finger-in-glove hilar opacities and hyperattenuating mucous. She responded to treatment with itraconazole and corticosteroids and remains well.

Wheezing in Preschool Children and Total IgE Levels: A Birth Cohort Study.

Objectives: To evaluate association between total IgE levels and wheezing in preschool children from India.

Methods: Data were collected in a prospective birth cohort study related to wheezing till three years of age. Total IgE was measured at enrolment, at one year and two years of age and correlated with wheezing episodes.

Effect of acute respiratory infections in infancy on pulmonary function test at 3 years of age: a prospective birth cohort study.

Introduction: Acute respiratory infections (ARIs) in infancy may have a long-term impact on the developing respiratory system. We planned a prospective cohort study to determine the impact of ARI during infancy on the pulmonary function test indices at 3 years of age.

Methods: A cohort of normal, full-term newborns were followed up 6 monthly and during ARI episodes.

Normative Data of Infant Pulmonary Function Testing: A Prospective Birth Cohort Study from India.

Objective: To develop a normal reference range of Infant pulmonary function test (IPFT) indices for Indian children.

Study Design: Prospective birth cohort study.

Setting: Division of Pediatric Pulmonology of a tertiary-care institute in India from August 2012 to March 2017.

Correction to: Vitamin D Supplementation in Childhood - A Review of Guidelines.

There was mistake on the published online version. A reader has brought to our notice a typographical error in an article entitled "Vitamin D Supplementation in Childhood - A Review of Guidelines" published in Indian J Pediatr. March 2018;85(3):194-201.

Vitamin D Supplementation in Childhood - A Review of Guidelines.

Vitamin D, a unique vitamin with endocrine function is required in the human body primarily for calcium homeostasis and possibly several other functions. Deficiency of the vitamin is extremely frequent world-wide. Studies on Indian population place the prevalence of deficiency at 70 to 100% in healthy individuals.

Tropical pulmonary eosinophilia masquerading as asthma in a 5-year-old girl.

Tropical pulmonary eosinophilia (TPE) is an exaggerated immunological response to filarial antigens mainly seen in adults in endemic areas and is uncommonly reported in children. The diagnosis is frequently delayed as it mimics asthma clinically, while the chest radiograph might show miliary mottling which is often confused with that in pulmonary tuberculosis. A 5-year-old girl presented with episodes of nocturnal cough, wheeze, low grade fever and breathlessness for the previous 4 months and was being treated for asthma.