The anthropometric determinants of peak expiratory flow rate among children in Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania.

BACKGROUND: Peak expiratory flow rate (PEFR) is an important tool for assessing lung function, which can be affected by environmental and physical factors such as altitude, nutrition, genetics, age, height, and weight. Conducting a study to assess the correlation between peak expiratory flow rate and anthropometric measurements in Tanzanian schoolchildren is crucial to derive a population-specific prediction formula and further simplify respiratory health assessment. METHODS: This cross-sectional study was conducted in a single center private primary and secondary school in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania using data from an asthma screening camp. Variables of interest were height, weight, Body Mass Index (BMI) and PEFR. Independent t-test was performed to identify any differences in mean flow rate values between different ethnicities and genders. Correlation coefficients (r) were used to observe the relationship between PEFR and anthropometric measurements. A prediction equation by gender was generated using linear regression analysis. Statistical significance was set at the 5% level. All statistical data was analyzed using SPSS version 25.0. RESULTS: The study involved 260 participants with a mean age of 9.5 years. Males were 51.2% and 65% of participants were of Asian ethnicity. PEFR was not observed to differ across the different ethnic groups and genders. Height was found to have the strongest correlation coefficient of 0.745, while BMI had the weakest correlation coefficient of 0.366. The strongest correlation was found with height for females (r = 0.787), while the weakest was with body mass index for boys (r = 0.203). The derived prediction equation for males was PEFR = 279.169 (Height of Student in meters) -134.12, while the predictive equation for females was PEFR = 318.32 (Height of Student in meters) -195.69. CONCLUSION: This study found a strong correlation between PEFR and anthropometric characteristics in school children from Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. A prediction equation by gender for PEFR was developed based on anthropometric characteristics. This equation may be applied in population-based studies or situations where peak flow meters are not readily available. Further research is needed to explore how well this prediction formula performs in other Tanzanian settings and to determine other factors that may affect lung function in this population.

Factor VII deficiency: a rare genetic bleeding disorder in a 7-year-old child: a case report.

BACKGROUND: Factor VII deficiency is a rare inherited bleeding disorder that has similar clinical presentation to hemophilia. CASE REPORT: A 7-year-old male child of African origin experienced recurrent nasal bleeding since 3 years of age and recurrent swelling of the joints that was remarkable at the age of 5-6 years. He received multiple blood transfusions and has been managed as a patient with hemophilia until he presented to our facility. Reviewed evaluation of the patient revealed abnormal prothrombin and normal activated partial thromboplastin time, FVII analysis showed activity level of less than 1%, and the diagnosis of FVII deficiency was made. The patient was treated with fresh frozen plasma, vitamin K injection, and tranexamic tablets. CONCLUSION: Even though factor VII deficiency is an extremely rare bleeding disorder, it does occur in our setting. This case highlights the need for clinicians to consider this condition when faced with challenging patients presenting with bleeding disorders.

Kawasaki disease presenting after intussusception: a case report.

INTRODUCTION: Kawasaki disease is a common vasculitis of unknown etiology that occurs mainly in preschool children. It manifests as a self-limited acute febrile illness with other features including extremity changes, cervical lymphadenopathy, oropharyngeal changes, truncal rash, and conjunctivitis. Intestinal involvement is not uncommon, with abdominal pain and vomiting being the most frequently reported symptoms. Intussusception has been described as a manifestation or complication of this disease, but few reports exist in literature. CASE PRESENTATION: A 7-month-old boy of Asian origin who presented with vomiting and passage of bloody mucoid stool was diagnosed with intussusception that was successfully reduced during emergency laparotomy. The baby was discharged home post-surgery following clinical improvement. He was readmitted on the fourth postoperative day with fever, irritability, and diarrhea. He was investigated and treated for presumed intraabdominal sepsis with multiple antibiotics with no improvement. He gradually developed the mucocutaneous features of Kawasaki disease and was treated with intravenous immunoglobulin and aspirin with good outcome. CONCLUSION: Intussusception and Kawasaki disease both commonly occur in children less than 2 years old. It is important to include Kawasaki disease as a differential diagnosis in children of this age who present with an acute febrile illness and gastrointestinal symptoms. A common underlying pathologic process could be contributing to both conditions.

Rosai Dorfman Disease -A rare case of cervical lymphadenopathy.

Rosai Dorfman disease is a rare cause of sinus histiocytosis with massive lymphadenopathy. In developing countries, it often mimics some infectious diseases and malignancies and is often mismanaged. A high index of suspicion is necessary for its diagnosis. It is seldom life threatening therefore observation is currently the best advocated approach for its management.