Morbidity pattern of children with asthma: a prospective study.

OBJECTIVES: To determine the morbidity pattern of asthma in children attending the paediatric asthma follow-up clinic. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Longitudinal prospective follow up of hundred and four patients, diagnosed as asthma, over a period of 2 years was done. Regular follow up by the same person during each visit and proper supervision of standard treatment along with parental education regarding the asthma, was done. RESULTS: The mean age of children presenting with asthma was 6.7 years. Majority of children 49 (47.5%) were graded as mild persistent asthma. Fifty nine (56.7%) children were missing school more than 7 days per month. Family history was present in forty one percent of the children. Fifty seven (54.8%) children were taking significant amount of junk food and were undernourished. Significant reduction in school-missing days and Emergency Room visits was noted in these children during the follow up period. CONCLUSION: Awareness of disease is an important aspect of asthma management. Proper treatment and follow up with emotional support and education of the care taker, about the asthma, can reduce the morbidity pattern of asthma in children.

One year follow up study of term babies born at Kathmandu medical college teaching hospital.

OBJECTIVE: To study the mean, standard deviation and centiles for anthropometry and haemoglobin in healthy term infants followed up to 12 months of age. DESIGN: Cohort study. SETTINGS: Kathmandu Medical College Teaching Hospital (KMCTH) in Kathmandu. SUBJECT: Consecutive healthy term newborns Method: 100 consecutive healthy term newborns were enrolled at birth.19 babies were lost in follow up. So, 81(45 male, 36 female) healthy, full term infants were followed up from birth to 12 months of age. Anthropometry (weight, length, and head circumference) and haemoglobin were measured at birth, 6 weeks, 6 months, 9 months and 12 months of age. Haemoglobin was estimated by Hemocue microcuvette method. The data so obtained was subjected to statistical analysis by using SPSS computer package. MAIN OUTCOMES: Mean, centile and standard deviation score values for weight (Kgs), infant length (cms), head circumference (cms) and haemoglobin (gm/dl) at birth, 6 weeks, 6 months, 9 months and 12 months of age. RESULTS: Out of 100 babies enrolled, data presented here is for the remaining 81 babies. Among 81 babies, 76 were appropriate for gestational age (AGA) and 3 were small for gestation (SFD). The mean, standard deviation and percentile values are presented for anthropometry (weight, length and head circumference) and haemoglobin at birth, 6 weeks, 6 months, 9 months and 12 months of age. The mean birth weight was 3.05 kg (SD 0.41). The mean infant length and head circumference at birth were 49 cm (2.28) and 33.8 cm (SD1.4) respectively. The mean haemoglobin at birth was 15.7 gm/dl (SD 2.29). At 12 months of age mean weight, length, head circumference and haemoglobin were 9 kg (SD 0.81), 73.5 cm (SD 2.9), 45 cm (SD 1.2 ) and 11.1 gm/dl (SD 1.41) respectively. Almost 50% of the babies at 6 weeks, 9 months and 12 months of age were found to be anaemic (Hb < 11 gm/dl). Among the babies, 49% were exclusively breast fed for 6 months of age. Other feeding practices seen were, mothers breast feed with water supplementation (25%), mothers breast feeding with formula feed (16%) and formula feeding only (5%). National and international comparisons of anthropometry and haemoglobin data are shown in table.

Prevalence of hepatitis B virus infection amongst healthy Nepalese males.

Sera from 478 healthy Nepalese males, inhabiting various districts of five development regions of Nepal were collected from October 1996 to March 1997 and examined for the presence of HBsAg by third generation ELISA and latex agglutination test in the laboratory of Central Department of Microbiology, Tribhuvan University, Kirtipur. The surface antigen was detected by ELISA in 4% (19/478) of subjects studied. However, different results were obtained in Latex agglutination test. The correlation between the results obtained from these two different tests is statistically significant (X2 = 85.11, P < 0.05). The results obtained from ELISA showed the probability of Nepal to fall in WHO category of intermediate endemicity zone for hepatitis B infection. The percent positivity of HBsAg was found to increase steadily from Eastern (2%) to Far Western (6%) development regions. None of the samples represented from Kathmandu valley were positive for HBsAg. Hepatitis B infection was present in the age groups of 16-20 years and 36-40 years. The levels of ALT were assayed in all samples recorded positive for HBsAg from ELISA. Sixteen percent (3/19) of the infected subjects had raised ALT levels while 84% (16/19) had normal levels.