Pulmonary functions in normal school children in the age group of 6-15 years in North India

Lung function tests have become an integral part of assessment of pulmonary disease. As few studies on pulmonary function tests have been carried out in young children in India, the study was carried out in normal urban and rural school children in Ludhiana district of North India to determine pulmonary functions in the age group 6-15 years and to find its correlation with regards to age, sex, height and weight. The study group included 600 normal children between 6-15 years age from different urban and rural schools in the region. A preformed questionnaire was interviewed and detailed general physical and systemic examination was done. Pulmonary function tests were measured by using Micromedical Gold standard fully computerized portable auto spirometer [Superspiro Cat No. SU 6000]. The present study shows, all the three independent variables [age, weight and height] have linear positive correlation with lung function parameters, both for boys and girls. Lung function values in boys were significantly higher as compared to that of girls. Urban children had higher lung function parameters than rural children except IRV, FEF[25%]. Among all anthropometric parameters, height was the most independent variable with maximum coefficient of correlation. Equations derived from the present study for estimation of the expected values of lung function will help to interpret the observed lung function values in children of North India

Clinical profile and outcome in children of dengue hemorrhagic fever in north India

The number of dengue fever [DF]/dengue hemorrhagic fever [DHF] cases reported in India has risen in recent years. This study was undertaken to evaluate clinical profile and outcome of children admitted with DHF/dengue shock syndrome [DSS], in the 2006 DHF epidemic in Ludhiana, Punjab. Eighty one children with dengue hemorrhagic fever were hospitalized in the Pediatric Department of Dayanand Medical College and Hospital, Ludhiana, India. All patients were diagnosed, managed and monitored according to a standard protocol. Children between 10-15 years were most commonly afflicted [59%]. Infants were the least affected sub-group [3.7%]. Ninety two percent of all children were of DHF and 8% cases presented in DSS. The common symptoms seen were fever [91%], vomiting [41%], poor intake [21%], abdominal pain [16%] and significant bleeding [15%]. Hepatomegaly was present in 60% of cases. 85% of cases had petechiae alone, 15% had evidence of significant bleeding manifestation. Gastrointestinal bleeding was the commonest observed bleeding. The complications seen were liver dysfunction [14.8%], coagulopathy [3.7%], renal dysfunction [3.7%], and acute respiratory distress syndrome [2.4%] and disseminated intravascular coagulation [1.2%]. Mortality in the study was 3.7%. Refractory shock and coagulopathy were seen in all cases with poor outcome. Increased awareness, better transport facilities and case management according to the WHO guidelines, is needed to further reduce mortality of DHF/DSS cases