Time Required to Document Temperature by Electronic Skin Thermometer in a Healthy Neonate.

We studied the actual time taken to document temperature in a stable neonate by an electronic digital skin thermometer with automatic time beeper. We studied 100 neonates after initial stabilization. The mean time required for documenting the temperature by a electronic thermometer in axilla was 56.34±1.54 secs for term neonates (>2500g) and 54.87±1.23 secs for low birth weight (<2500g). The skin temperature measured simultaneously by the ordinary mercury thermometer kept for traditional 3 minutes supported the electronic measurement (P< 0.01).

Efficacy and safety of montelukast as monotherapy in children with mild persistent asthma.

OBJECTIVE: To study the efficacy and tolerability of montelukast as monotherapy in the treatment of mild persistent bronchial asthma. DESIGN: Open, non-comparative, prospective, 12-month study. SETTING: Asthma clinic in urban multi-speciality trust hospital. METHODS: Children (age 3-11 yrs) with mild persistent asthma, not on any prophylactic drugs were enrolled consecutively (from January to December 2003) and started on 4 mg (2-4 yrs) or 5mg (<4 yrs) montelukast for a period of 12 weeks. Efficacy was assessed by improvements in clinical score, peak expiratory flow rates (PEFR), spirometry measurements and reduction in reliever drug requirement after 4 and 12 weeks of therapy. Side effects were also judged after 12 weeks of therapy. RESULTS: 50 children (mean age 5.41 +/-2.11 years) completed the study. There was association with positive family history (92%), allergic rhinitis (64%), exercise induced asthma (40%), cough variant asthma (24%), seasonal asthma (80%) and high IgE (12%) levels. Clinical scores, viz, activity, wheeze and cough, improved effectively from (1.64 +/-0.5253) at baseline to (0.7 +/-0.7071) and (1.72 +/-0.701) to (0.92 +/-0.6952) and (1.5 +/-0.6145) to (0.88 +/-0.8241) respectively after 12 weeks of therapy. Significant clinical improvement (p >0.001) was also noted after 4 weeks of therapy. Peak expiratory flow rates (done in 19 cases) documented improvement from (120.21 +/-12.23) at baseline to (135.41 +/-23.34) after 12 weeks. FEV1 / FVC (done in 11 cases) improved from (71.44 +/-1.35%) to (87.10 +/-8.34%) after 12 weeks. Mean improvement in all the parameters demonstrated P value less than >.001. A total of 19 of 50 cases showed mild side-effects as anorexia (16%), elevated liver function tests (18%) and headache (10%). CONCLUSION: The clinical outcome showed significant improvement (p < 0.01) after 4 and 12 weeks.

Umbilical cord blood TSH levels in term neonates: a screening tool for congenital hypothyroidism.

This study was conducted to find normative values for thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) in 1200 cord blood samples of term babies whose mothers were not on any thyroid medications. TSH was estimated within 24 hrs by enzyme immunoassay. A full thyroid profile, viz, T3, T4, TSH, fT3 and fT4 was done at 7-10 days of age in all babies with cord TSH >20 mIU/L. The mean, median and standard deviation for the TSH values for the cohort were 6.13 mIU/L, 5.8 mIU/L and 4.523 respectively. 22 babies with TSH values >20 mIU/L were given repeat tests. Hypothyroidism was confirmed in two of these babies. We conclude that a cut off value of TSH >20 mIU/L is adequate for neonatal thyroid screening in Indian settings.

Montelukast - evaluation in 6 to 14 years old children with persistent asthma - pediatric montelukast study group.

OBJECTIVE: The suffering of children with asthma as a persistent illness is present in approximately 10% of the total population. The prevalent treatment regimens available has been the inhaled coticosteroids and short acting bronchodialators. Though the therapies are rational and well accepted but at the cost of side effects on chronic use. The changing definitions and guidelines with regard to asthma have given a classified slot to newer treatments like leukotriene receptor antagonists (LTRAs). The aim of the present study was to study the efficacy and tolerability of montelukast in the treatment of Indian pediatric patients aged 6 to 14 years with chronic asthma. METHODS: It was a prospective, open, non-comparative multicentric study. 881 Children (Mean age 11.83+/- 3.12 years) were included. Patients fulfilling the inclusion criteria were given one mouth dissolving 5 mg montelukast tablet daily in the evening for 30 days. RESULTS: There was an overall improvement in all the efficacy parameters. The daytime total asthma score decreased from 9.55 +/- 1.52 to 3.59 +/- 2.10. The average number of asthma attacks over the last 4 weeks decreased from 1.14+/- 1.19 to 0.28+/-0.57. The number of nocturnal awakenings fell from 1.54+/-0.78 to 0.43+/-0.54. FEV1 (L) [Predicted] improved by 21.18%). PEFR (L/min.) improved by 34.69%). Approximately 45% physicians rated the treatment as excellent, 30% as very good, 18% as good, 7% as fair and none as poor. CONCLUSION: Montelukast administered once daily improved efficacy end-points and was well tolerated in pediatric patients with chronic persistent asthma establishing itself as a valuable treatment option to current asthma therapies in 6 to 14 years old patients.