Characteristics of Paediatric Death Cases at a Malaysian University Hospital

@#Introduction: Auditing of paediatric deaths has rarely been evaluated in hospitals especially in low and middle-income countries. The aim of the study is to describe the characteristics of paediatric death in hospitalised children and determine the predictors of death location in Hospital Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM). Method: Paediatric mortality cases for children aged between 29 days and 18 years old at the time of death were analyzed. These were documented cases between the year 2013 and 2020 at Hospital USM. Case notes were reviewed, and data were captured retrospectively. Multiple Logistic Regression was used to assess predictors of the location of death especially in the ward setting.Results: Out of 841 paediatric deaths identified during the period of the study, 544 cases were enrolled. The male gender has a higher proportion (1.4:1). The median age was 56 months, with infancy being the predominant age group. The median length of hospital stay was 10.5 days. More than half of the cases (58.3%) had underlying life-limiting illnesses. The majority of the patients had “Do Not Resuscitate” orders. A longer length of stay (prevalence odds ratio (POR 0.99, 95% CI 0.98, 0.99), being on ventilator (POR 3.42,95% CI 1.95, 6.01), being terminally ill (POR 0.40,95% CI 0.23, 0.70) and having underlying life limiting illness (POR 0.50, 95% CI 0.33, 0.75) were the significant predictors for the ward death. Conclusion: Understanding the characteristics of child death and the factors associated with death location is critical for improving paediatric care and treatment.

Increased behavioural problems associated with corticosteroid use in children with nephrotic syndrome: a Southeast Asian perspective

INTRODUCTION@#The study was performed to determine the psychological problems in children with idiopathic nephrotic syndrome (INS) while they were on steroid therapy, as compared to healthy children.@*METHODS@#This prospective cohort study was conducted in a paediatric clinic of a tertiary hospital. Parents of the participants in the INS group and control group (comprising children without chronic illness) completed questionnaires using the Child Behavioural Checklist (CBCL). The CBCL measures a range of age-specific emotional and psychological problems, including internalising and externalising domains. Analyses of the CBCL scores between groups were done using Mann-Whitney U test.@*RESULTS@#A total of 140 children were recruited with an equal number in the INS and control groups. There was a significant difference in the mean total CBCL scores between the INS group and the control group, specifically in the withdrawal, somatic, anxious and aggressiveness subdomains. Similar findings were demonstrated in correlation between total psychological problems and corticosteroid dosage. In the INS group, steroid dose and cushingoid features were found to have a significant positive association with internalising psychological problems.@*CONCLUSION@#Children with INS on corticosteroid treatment showed an increase in internalising and externalising scores, as compared to healthy children.

Prevalence of asthma-like symptoms and assessment of lung function in schoolchildren born with low birth weight.

INTRODUCTION: This study aimed to determine the prevalence of asthma-like symptoms among schoolchildren with low birth weight (LBW), and to compare the lung function of these children with that of children with normal birth weight. METHODS: This was a comparative cross-sectional study. We recruited children aged 8-11 years from eight primary schools in Kota Bharu, Kelantan, Malaysia. The children were divided into two groups: those with LBW (< 2,500 g) and those with normal birth weight (≥ 2,500 g). Parents of the enrolled children were asked to complete a translated version of the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood questionnaire. Lung function tests, done using a MicroLoop Spirometer, were performed for the children in both groups by a single investigator who was blinded to the children's birth weight. RESULTS: The prevalence of 'ever wheezed' among the children with LBW was 12.9%. This value was significantly higher than that of the children with normal birth weight (7.8%). Forced vital capacity (FVC), forced expiratory volume in one second, and forced expiratory flow when 50% and 75% of the FVC had been exhaled were significantly lower among the children with LBW as compared to the children with normal birth weight. CONCLUSION: LBW is associated with an increased prevalence of asthma-like symptoms and impaired lung function indices later in life. Children born with LBW may need additional follow-up so that future respiratory problems can be detected early.