ABSTRACT
Background: Cerebral palsy is the most common aetiology for motor dysfunction among children worldwide. It is associated with range of co-morbid conditions that affects the quality of life. Cerebral palsy has been studied extensively in western countries and there are only few articles available on epidemiological information in developing countries and low resource settings. This study focuses on the aetiology, risk factors, types and co-morbidities in cerebral palsy.Methods: Cerebral palsy children attending tertiary care hospital were prospectively recruited into the study. The study was conducted during January 2017 to July 2018. The cross-sectional study included complete prenatal, natal and postnatal history of the participants, BERA and Ophthalmological examinations were done.Results: One hundred and fifty children with cerebral palsy were enrolled. The mean age of participants were 36'30 months.' Male to female ratio was 2.19:1. The most common maternal risk factor among study participants was consanguinity in marriage (23.33%). 16% had prolonged labour and 10% had toxaemia during pregnancy. 47% of the children were born by institutional normal vaginal delivery. The most common neonatal risk factor was Birth Asphyxia (23%), low birth weight (20%) and neonatal sepsis (21%). 122 had spastic type of cerebral palsy. The most common morbidity associated with cerebral palsy was Gastro intestinal disturbances in 61% of the participants.Conclusions: History of prolonged labour and birth asphyxia were risk factors for cerebral palsy. Spastic CP is the most common type. Malnutrition, Gross Motor delay, Seizures, Mental retardation were the most common morbidities associated with CP.
ABSTRACT
Background: Pneumonia is one of the leading causes of under 5 mortality among children in developing countries. Zinc deficiency is postulated as cause of severe pneumonia, but evidences shows conflicting results on whether serum zinc levels predicts the severity of pneumonia. So prospective study was undertaken to study the relationship between serum zinc levels and severity of pneumonia in children with community acquired pneumonia.Methods: Fifty cases of pneumonia (group 1) and 50 cases of severe pneumonia (group 2) according to WHO classification were enrolled into the study. Demography, anthropometry and immunization status were recorded. A single zinc measurement was performed for all the patients within 24 hours of admission. The severity, clinical course including recovery to discharge was compared between two groups with respect to their serum zinc levels.Results: Mean ('SD) age group of the study population was 22 months'16.05 and 21.88 months'15.97 months in boys and girls respectively. Pneumonia was high in girls (59%) and children between 2 to <12 months had higher (36%) infection rate. Mean zinc level in pneumonia and severe pneumonia group were 68.69'g/dl'28.77 and 68.08'g/dl'27.55 respectively. There was no difference in the nutritional status (weight for height and height for age) of the study group. Serum Zn level was low in 56 % and 52% of pneumonia and severe pneumonia group respectively. Comparison of serum zinc levels between the ARTI groups did not achieve statistical significance (p=0.430). However, the duration of recovery is earlier than 1 week in pneumonia cases when compared to severe pneumonia patients (p<0.001, OR 1.375).Conclusions: Normal zinc levels was associated with early recovery in simple pneumonia patient, so study of serum zinc levels in severe pneumonia patients has prognostic value.
ABSTRACT
This study assessed the utility of serum alkaline phosphatase as a screening test to identify vitamin D deficiency and documented that it was not a useful screening tool.