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.

Open-labeled Randomized Controlled Trial on Efficacy of Azithromycin Versus Doxycycline in Pediatric Scrub Typhus.

Background: Doxycycline (DX) is the first-line therapeutic agent for scrub typhus. Macrolides, especially azithromycin (AZ), have been found to be equally efficacious as DX for treating scrub typhus in adults. We conducted this study to compare the efficacy of AZ versus DX in pediatric scrub typhus.

Neuroimaging Findings in Vitamin B-Deficient Infants With Neurologic Features.

Vitamin B deficiency causes serious neurologic problems among infants However, its neuroradiologic correlate is still largely obscure. This prospective study was conducted on patients aged 6 months to 2 years. All children with proven vitamin B deficiency were planned to undergo magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and magnetic resonance spectroscopy of the brain.

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.

Disability and Mortality in Convulsive Status Epilepticus in Children at 3 Months' Follow-Up: A Prospective Study from India.

 Convulsive status epilepticus (CSE) is a common neurological emergency with high mortality, morbidity, and poor quality of life. There is a paucity of follow-up studies from developing nations in pediatric age group.  This article looks for clinico-etiological profile of CSE and estimates the immediate and short-term mortality in children with CSE and its predictive factors.

Psychopathological Aspects in Children with Epilepsy and Its Contributing Factors: A Cross-Sectional Study from India.

 Children with epilepsy (CWE) are at high risk of psychopathological problems because of neurobiological, social, and treatment factors.  This study was conducted to estimate the prevalence of psychopathological problems in CWE and their contributing factors.  This cross-sectional study was done in pediatric neurology clinic and outpatient department of a government medical college in Northern India.

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.

Spectrum of Multiorgan Dysfunction in Scrub Typhus Infection.

Objectives: We planned this study to determine the clinical spectrum and compare incidence of multiorgan dysfunction in children hospitalized with scrub typhus with other etiologies of tropical fever.

Design: Prospective cohort study.

Setting: Pediatric emergency and PICU services of a university teaching hospital situated in the sub-Himalayan region.

Role of cerebrospinal fluid tau protein levels as a biomarker of brain injury in pediatric status epilepticus.

Background: Various biomarkers have been studied for predicting etiology and outcome in status epilepticus (SE); cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) total tau (t-tau) protein levels is foremost among them. Only handful of studies are available regarding role of t-tau in childhood SE.

Methodology: This prospective study was conducted in a tertiary care center of Northern India in children 6 months -12 years of age.

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.

Changing Clinicoradiologic Spectrum of Intracranial Neurotuberculosis in Children: A Cross-sectional Study.

Background: Neurotuberculosis is among the most severe type of tuberculosis with high mortality and morbidity in all age groups. Various sociodemographic and disease-/treatment-related factors have emerged over the years that can affect clinical and radiologic features of neurotuberculosis.

Objective: To investigate various clinical and neuroradiologic presentations of neurotuberculosis.

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.

Infantile Tremor Syndrome Followed by West Syndrome: Effect or Continuation of Spectrum?

Background: Infantile tremor syndrome (ITS) is a nutritional deficiency syndrome, frequently reported from the Indian subcontinent caused by vitamin B12 deficiency. The West syndrome (WS), on the other hand, is a type of epileptic encephalopathy with variable etiology.

Case Series: We present a series of five children who presented with symptoms consistent with ITS and received standard intramuscular vitamin B12 therapy to which good response was observed.

Vitamin B status and neurodevelopmental delay in Indian infants: a hospital-based cross-sectional study.

: Vitamin B deficiency owing to a vegetarian diet is common in India and is associated with neurodevelopmental disorders.: To investigate the prevalence of vitamin B deficiency in infants aged 1-12 months and to correlate the results with neurodevelopment.: A cross-sectional study of 200 infants aged 1-12 months presenting to the emergency department or ward and requiring blood sampling or intravenous cannulation was undertaken in a tertiary-care centre of Northern India.