ABSTRACT
This retrospective observational study was aimed at defining the demographic and clinical characteristics as well as severity profile of COVID-19 disease in children admitted to dedicated COVID-19 tertiary care hospital in Mumbai, India, during the second wave. COVID-19 infection detected in children (1 month-12 years) by the rapid antigen test or reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction or TRUENAT from March 1 to July 31, 2021 on throat/nasopharyngeal samples were enrolled and their clinical features and outcomes were studied. During the study period, 77 children with COVID-19 infection were admitted, of whom two-third (59.7%) were <5 yr old. The common presenting symptom was fever (77%), followed by respiratory distress. Comorbidities were noted in 34 (44.2%) children. Most of the patients belonged to the mild severity category (41.55%). While 25.97 per cent of patients presented in severe category and 19.48 per cent were asymptomatic. Admission to intensive care was needed in 20 (25.9%) patients, with 13 patients needing invasive ventilation. Nine patients succumbed while 68 were discharged. The results might help understand the course, severity profile and outcomes of the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in the paediatric population.
ABSTRACT
Background: This study was carried out to evaluate cases of unhealthy cervix by using Pap (Papanicolaou) smear, colposcopy and cervical biopsy and to arrive at a definitive diagnosis. It correlated the findings of Pap smear, colposcopy and histopathology. It is important to strictly implement the screening program and spread awareness of the disease symptoms and its management to reduce the overall incidence of morbidity and mortality reported due to cervical cancer.Methods: A total 120 patients satisfying the inclusion/exclusion criteria were recruited for the study and informed consent was taken from all the participants. Pap smear was taken for all the cases. Then cases were subjected to colposcopy followed by biopsy. All the findings were correlated and analyzed. The findings of Pap smear and colposcopy were correlated with the gold standard of histopathology.Results: The sensitivity and specificity of Pap smear and colposcopy with respect to cervical biopsy were 53.1% and 98.7%, 87.87% and 72.72% respectively. Colposcopy had higher sensitivity and lower specificity than Pap smear for screening of cancer cervix.Conclusions: Cervical cancer is one of the preventable and highly curable conditions when diagnosed in the precancerous stage. The incidence of deaths resulting from cervical cancer can be brought down with adequate cervical cancer screening. Colposcopy and colposcopy directed biopsy should be done along with Pap smear in screening for early detection of cervical cancer since the accuracy of detection of cervical abnormalities is higher when these two methods are used complementarily.