Adherence to Home Treatment Guidelines Among Pediatric Home Treated Covid-19 Patients in Puducherry.

We studied the adherence to Government of India guidelines for home treatment of asymptomatic/mild covid-positive children, whereby a family member is designated as caretaker for the patient. Proportion of caretakers adhering to guidelines was 68%. Persistence in adherence was 6 (1.4) days. 14 children (16.5%) developed symptoms while in home isolation. The most reported commonly barrier was it was that time consuming.

Non-Contact Infrared Thermometry in Febrile Infants.

This cross-sectional study was done to find the agreement between non-contact infrared thermometry and mercury-in-glass thermometer. Two hundred and fifty febrile infants were recruited over a period of two months and axillary temperature was measured by both techniques. The mean (SD) temperature recordings of infrared and mercury thermometer were 37.6 (0.91)°C and 37.6 (2.49)°C, respectively; mean difference - 0.016 (96% CI - 0.32, 0.29). There was moderate agreement between both methods (kappa=0.602). Non-contact infrared thermometry can be used with good accuracy in febrile infants for temperature measurements.

Clinically Profiling Pediatric Patients with Dengue.

OBJECTIVE: To study the clinical profile and outcome of dengue fever in children at a tertiary care hospital in Puducherry. MATERIALS AND METHODS: All children (0-12 years of age) diagnosed and confirmed as dengue fever from August 2012 to January 2015 were reviewed retrospectively from hospital case records as per the revised World Health Organization guidelines for dengue fever. The diagnosis was confirmed by NS1 antigen-based ELISA test or dengue serology for IgM and IgG antibodies, and the data were analyzed using SPSS 16.0 statistical software. After collecting the data, all the variables were summarized by descriptive statistics. RESULTS: Among the 261 confirmed cases of dengue fever non-severe and severe dengue infection was seen in 60.9% and 39.1%, respectively. The mean age (standard deviation) of the presentation was 6.9 + 3.3 years and male: female ratio was 1.2:1. The most common clinical manifestations were fever (94.6%), conjunctival congestion (89.6%), myalgia (81.9%), coryza (79.7%), headache (75.1%), palmar erythema (62.8%), and retro-orbital pain (51.3%). The common early warning signs at the time of admission were persistent vomiting (75.1%), liver enlargement (59.8%), cold and clammy extremities (45.2%), pain abdomen (31.0%), hypotension (29.5%), restlessness (26.4%), giddiness (23.0%), bleeding (19.9%), and oliguria (18.4%). The common manifestation of severe dengue infection was shock (39.1%), bleeding (19.9%), and multi-organ dysfunction (2.3%). The most common complications were liver dysfunction, acute respiratory distress syndrome, encephalopathy, pleural effusion, ascites, myocarditis, myositis, acute kidney injury, and disseminated intravascular coagulopathy. Platelet count did not always correlate well with the severity of bleeding. There were six deaths (2.3%) and out of them four presented with impaired consciousness (66.6%). The common causes for poor outcome were multiorgan failure, encephalopathy, and fluid refractory shock. CONCLUSION: There has been a resurgence of dengue fever with a change in the pattern of presentation during the recent epidemics. Clinical vigilance and awareness regarding the changing epidemic pattern and timely detection of cases are vital to reduce mortality and morbidity due to severe dengue infection.

Is Reactive Dengue NS1Antigen Test a Warning Call for Hospital Admissions?

INTRODUCTION: Dengue fever is a major public health problem worldwide. The 2011 revised World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines have emphasized on early diagnosis and intervention to reduce the case fatality rate due to dengue fever. Rapid diagnostic tests like NS1 antigen assays have improved the detection of cases in early clinical phase of illness but its role as a predictor of severe dengue infection is not very clear. AIM: To evaluate the utility of NS1 Ag assay as an early diagnostic marker and predictor of severe dengue infection. MATERIALS AND METHODS: All children (0-12 years of age) diagnosed and confirmed with dengue fever at a tertiary care hospital in Puducherry between 01(st) August 2012 and 31(st) July 2015 were reviewed retrospectively from hospital case records as per the revised WHO guidelines for dengue fever. The diagnosis was confirmed by NS1antigen-based ELISA test or dengue serology for IgM and IgG antibodies and the data were analysed using SPSS 16.0 statistical software. After collecting all the data, all the variables were summarised by descriptive statistics. Categorical variables were expressed as frequencies and percentages, and then analysed by the χ(2) test or fishers exact test, where appropriate. Significance was taken at p-value< 0.05. RESULTS: Among the 261 confirmed cases of dengue fever non-severe dengue and severe dengue infection was seen in 60.9% and 39.1% respectively. The mean age of presentation was 6.9 years and M:F ratio was 1.2:1. NS1 Ag was positive in 217 cases (83.1%) and among them non-severe dengue and severe dengue was seen in 65.9% and 34.1% cases respectively. A total of 44 cases (16.9%) were negative for NS1 Ag assay and positive for IgM MAC ELISA and among them 16 children (36.4%) had non-severe dengue infection where as 28 children (63.6%) had severe dengue infection. Secondary infection with (MAC-ELISA IgG) was seen in 17 cases (6.5%). NS1Ag assay was predominantly positive in acute phase sera, where as IgM/IgG MAC ELISA was predominantly positive in convalescent phase sera. There were six deaths (2.3%) and the common causes of poor outcome were multiorgan failure, encephalopathy and refractory shock. CONCLUSION: NS1 Ag assay is a useful early diagnostic marker for dengue fever but cannot be used as an early predictor of severe dengue infection. The criteria for admission in hospitals of cases of dengue fever should be based on clinical warning signs rather than positive NS1 Antigen test.

Is Ultrasound a Useful Tool to Predict Severe Dengue Infection?

OBJECTIVES: To study the role of ultrasound in children with dengue fever and determine its role in predicting the severity of the disease. METHODS: This was a retrospective hospital based study conducted from 1(st) August 2012 to January 31(st) 2015 at a tertiary care hospital in Puducherry. RESULTS: Two hundred and fifty four children were admitted with dengue fever and among them non-severe dengue and severe dengue were seen in 62.6 % and 37.4 % respectively. Mean age of presentation was 7.0 (3.3) years. M: F ratio was 1.2:1 Ultrasound was performed on all children with dengue fever during the critical period of illness as an early sign of plasma leakage and at the time of discharge. The diagnosis was confirmed by NS1 antigen and dengue serology. Ultrasonography showed positive findings in 156 cases (61.4 %) during the critical period of illness. Ultrasound findings were analyzed using logistic regression among severe and non-severe dengue and P value of <0.05 was taken as significant. The common ultrasound findings that were significantly associated with severe dengue infection on univariate analysis were gall bladder wall thickening, ascites, pleural effusion, pericardial effusion, pericholecystic fluid, hepatomegaly, splenomegaly and mesenteric adenopathy. On multivariate analysis, gall bladder thickening and hepatomegaly were significantly associated with severe dengue infection. Gall bladder wall thickening (GBWT) with honeycombing pattern was the most specific finding in severe dengue infection in the study and significantly associated with severe thrombocytopenia (Platelet count <50,000/mm(3)). The clinical improvement coincided with resolving of the ultrasound findings at the time of discharge. CONCLUSIONS: Ultrasound can be used as an early predictor as well as an important prognostic sign for severe dengue infection especially during an epidemic.

Clinical Profile of Atypical Manifestations of Dengue Fever.

OBJECTIVES: To study the clinical profile and outcome of the atypical manifestations of dengue fever in children. METHODS: All children (0-12 y of age) diagnosed and confirmed as dengue fever at a tertiary care hospital at Puducherry, between the 1st of August 2012 and January 31st 2015 were reviewed retrospectively from hospital case records as per the revised World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines 2011 for dengue fever. The diagnosis was confirmed by NS1 antigen-based ELISA test or dengue serology for IgM and IgG antibodies and the data was analyzed using SPSS 16.0 statistical software. RESULTS: Out of 254 children admitted with dengue fever, non-severe dengue and severe dengue were seen in 62.6 % and 37.4 % respectively. Atypical manifestations were seen in 106 cases (41.7 %). Mean age of presentation was 6.9(3.3) y. M: F ratio was 1.2:1. The common manifestations of severe dengue infection were shock (37.4 %), bleeding (20.1 %) and multi-organ dysfunction (2.4 %). The most common atypical manifestations of dengue fever were lymphadenopathy (41.7 %), splenomegaly (21.2 %), biphasic fever (18.1 %), hepatitis (11.4 %), febrile diarrhea (6.3 %), refractory shock (2.4 %) and impaired consciousness (1.9 %). The other atypical manifestations present were portal hypertension, acalculous cholecystitis, appendicitis, acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), myocarditis, pericardial effusion, paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia (PSVT), myositis, acute kidney injury (AKI), hemophagocytic syndrome and disseminated intravascular coagulopathy (DIC). Platelet count did not always correlate well with the severity of bleeding. There were six deaths (2.4 %) and out of them four presented with impaired consciousness (66.6 %). The common causes for poor outcome were multiorgan failure, encephalopathy and refractory shock. CONCLUSIONS: The atypical manifestations of dengue fever are no more a rare entity. Clinicians should have a high index of suspicion and vigilance for atypical manifestations of dengue fever as lack of timely detection and management could be fatal. Impaired consciousness was the most ominous atypical manifestation of severe dengue infection.

Role of platelet transfusion in children with bleeding in dengue fever.

BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVES: The indications for platelet transfusion in dengue fever are clearly defined in World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines (2011) for dengue fever, but physicians face practical difficulty in its implementation in an epidemic setting. On one hand there is an intense social pressure created by the panic-struck parents to transfuse platelets in presence of bleeding and on the other hand there is a need for its judicious use as the requirement is more than its availability. The study was aimed to assess the clinico-hematological parameters, and the requirement and need for platelet transfusion in children with dengue fever. MATERIAL & METHODS: All children (0-12 yr of age) diagnosed and confirmed with dengue fever at a tertiary care hospital in Puducherry between 1 August 2012 and 31 January 2015 were reviewed retrospectively from hospital case records as per the revised WHO guidelines for dengue fever. The diagnosis was confirmed by NS1 antigen- based ELISA test or dengue serology for IgM and IgG antibodies and the data were analyzed using SPSS 16.0 statistical software. RESULTS: Out of 261 cases of dengue fever, hemorrhagic manifestations were observed in 52 children (19.9%), which mainly included petechiae (38.5%), gum bleeding (34.6%) and melena (26.9%). Thrombocytopenia was seen in 211 (80.8%) cases. Bleeding manifestations were present in 20(39.2%), 8(15.7%), 13(25.5%) and 11(21.6%) cases with platelet count <50,000/mm3, 50,000-100,000/mm3, 1-1.50,000/mm3, and >1.50,000/mm3 respectively. Bleeding manifestations did not always correlate with platelet count in non-severe dengue infection in comparison to severe dengue infection. The most common mode of presentation of severe dengue infection was shock with 102(39.1%) cases and among them only 22 children (21.6%) had bleeding. About 17 children (6.5%) with severe dengue infection required platelet transfusion and out of them, 12 children (70.6%) had a platelet count <20,000/ mm3 whereas five children (29.4%) had platelet count in the range of 20,000-50,000/mm3. INTERPRETATION & CONCLUSION: Platelet transfusion was required in children with severe dengue infection in the form of significant spontaneous bleed, shock and severe thrombocytopenia. Bleeding should not be considered only indicator to transfuse platelets as it occurred in children even with normal platelet counts. The community and treating physicians should be educated regarding the judicious transfusion of platelets. Unnecessary and empirical use of platelets should be completely avoided especially during an epidemic when there is scarcity in its availability.

Risk factors for shock in children with dengue fever.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate and analyze the clinical and laboratory parameters that were predictive of the development of shock in children with dengue fever. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Retrospective study carried out from August 2012 to July 2014 at a tertiary care hospital in Puducherry. RESULTS: Two hundred and fifty-four children were admitted with dengue fever and among them dengue fever without shock was present in 159 children (62.5%) and dengue fever with shock was present in 95 cases (37.4%). Various clinical and laboratory parameters were analyzed using univariate and multivariate logistic regression between the two groups and a P value of <0.05 was taken as significant. The most common risk factors for shock on univariate analysis were headache, retro-orbital pain, palmar erythema, joint pain, facial flush, splenomegaly, lymphadenopathy, bleeding, giddiness, persistent vomiting, pleural effusion, ascites, hematocrit >20% with concomitant platelet count <50,000/mm(3) on admission, deranged liver function tests, and gallbladder wall edema. On multivariate analysis, it was seen that in age >6 years, hepatomegaly, pain in the abdomen, and oliguria were the most common risk factors associated with shock in children with dengue fever. There were six deaths (2.4%) and out of them four presented with impaired consciousness (66.6%) at the time of admission. CONCLUSION: Age >6 years, hepatomegaly, abdomen pain, and oliguria were the most common risk factors for shock in children with dengue fever. Impaired consciousness at admission was the most ominous sign for mortality in dengue fever. Hence, these features should be identified early, monitored closely, and managed timely.