Serum immunoglobulin E in early childhood wheezing.

OBJECTIVE: To study the serum Ig E levels in patients presenting with wheezing under the age of 24 months. METHODS: The study was conducted on 38 cases and 35 controls. The children presenting with first attack of wheezing were clinically considered as bronchiolitis and those with recurrent attacks with positive history of atopy in the patient or in their first degree relatives were considered as bronchial asthma. The Ig E estimation was done by immune assay method. RESULTS: The mean serum Ig E was significantly higher in asthma patients (p < 0.001). It was also higher in bronchiolitis patients but the difference was not statistically significant. However, 26 per cent of these patients had values above 1 SD of the control mean. These patients were considered as potential cases of asthma. CONCLUSION: The determination of serum Ig E may be of value in identifying those children presenting with first wheezing attack, who may develop asthma in future. Only a long-term follow-up of these patients can give an answer to the postulation that raised Ig E level at the time of first viral lower respiratory tract infection is a potential marker for the development of recurrent wheezing in later life.

Pattern of paediatric solid malignant tumours in southern Orissa.

Twenty-nine cases of solid malignant tumours in paediatric age group were studied. The incidence of different tumours in order of frequency were lymphomas (37.9%), Wilms' tumour (24.1%), neuroblastoma (17.2%), soft tissue sarcoma (10.4%) and rare tumours (10.4%). Maximum number of tumours occurred in 1-5 years' age group. Male predominance was noted (male:female as 2.2:1). Among the lymphomas, non-Hodgkin's lymphoma outnumbered Hodgkin's lymphoma. Left kidney affection was seen more than the right kidney among cases of Wilms' tumours. Neuroblastomas presented commonly as abdominal masses. All the 3 cases of soft tissue sarcomas were embryonal rhabdomysoarcomas. Rare tumours encountered in the study were ovarian tumours (arrhenoblastoma), endodermal sinus tumours and hepatoblastoma.

A comparison of ventilatory pulmonary functions between the National Cadet Corps (N.C.C.) of hilly and plain areas.

National Cadet Corps (N.C.C.) were tested for assessing their physical efficiency level with special reference to respiratory performances. The height and weight of the cadets from hilly and plain areas were noted to be similar indicating alike attainment of growth. The mean values of all pulmonary function tests (FVC, IC, ERV+TV, FEV1, MEFR) except MVV were observed to be similar in both the group of subjects. The mean value of MVV was significantly higher in subjects from hilly area than that in those from plain area.

Respiratory performance and grip strength tests on the basketball players of inter-university competition.

The participants of Basketball in the Inter-University competition were tested for assessing the physical efficiency level with special reference to respiratory and strength performances. The simple anthropometric measurements like height and weight of these subjects were noted to be higher than those of average healthy nonathlete populations of India. The socio-economic status of these subjects was assessed by standard questionnaire method and they were from families having income range between Rs. 85/-165/ per capita per month. The respiratory performances viz. FVC, FEV1, MVV, MEFR, PEFR were all noted to be high in these sportsmen in comparison to those of age-matched healthy Indians. The grip strength test values were similar to those of hockey and soccer players. This study, therefore, indicated more efficiency in basketball players than in the age-matched average non-athlete healthy Indians.