Recurrent gastro-intestinal symptoms in children with bronchial asthma

To determine the possible relations between bronchial asthma and gastrointestinal tract, we initiated this study to find out the prevalence of recurrent gastrointestinal symptoms in asthmatic children 50 children with bronchial asthma [mean age 6.3 years] were recruited with a control group of another 50 age and sex matched healthy children. Each child was screened for recurrent gastrointestinal symptoms. Patients with asthma underwent skin-prick tests for the common food and aeroallergens details of their past and family histories were assessed. Recurrent gastrointestinal symptoms were comparable, with insignificant differences between the two groups and there was no association between the presence of recurrent gastrointestinal symptoms, in asthmatic children, and severity of asthma, family history of atopy, or skin-prick test results. However, in a subgroup of asthmatic children, those having other atopic symptoms significant association with the presence of recurrent gastrointestinal symptoms was elicited. This association was more consistent with the presence of eczema in particular. A subclinical atopic gastroenteropathy that could be manifest in presence of other atopic symptoms was suggested

Echocardiography in children with vitamin D deficiency rickets

Vitamin D deficiency rickets is a common problem in developing countries. Hypocalcemia as a biochemical finding in this illness may affect cardiac function. The purpose of this study was to assess prospectively left ventricular function in a group of 30 infants with vitamin D deficiency rickets. A group of 10 healthy infants was used as a control. According to biochemical staging patients were divided into two groups. In group I, apart from the increased alkaline phosphatase, hypophosphatemia was the only significant abnormality, and in group II both hypocalcemia and hypophosphatemia were present. The study has demonstrated echocardiographic evidence of left ventricular dysfunction in children with rickets, which was not sufficiently severe to be associated with clinical signs of heart failure. Significant increase in the ratio of interventricular septal thickness to left ventricular posterior wall thickness was found in pretreatment stage in group II, which returned to near normal after treatment of rickets

Intraconal [Retrobulbar] anesthesia: evaluation of two different techniques

Two types of needles either straight or curved were used for retrobulbar block during eye surgery the study included 1000 patients classified into 2 groups [group I: 480 patients] we used straight needle for retrobulbar block, [group II: 520 patients] we used curved needle for their retrobulbar block. No major complications occurred in both groups. Side effects in group I [straight needle] were chemosis 30.21%, subconjuntival hemorrhage 4.17%, lid hemorrhage 2.08%, Side effects in group II [curved needle] were chemosis 48.08%, subconjuntival hemorrhage 5.77% and lid hemorrhage 3.85%. We concluded that retrobullbar route using straight or curved needle was a safe and a successful technique