Management of periorbital cellulitis at the Pediatric Emergency Department: A ten years study.

Periorbital cellulitis is a diagnostic and therapeutic emergency, jeopardizing the prognosis for vision and survival. PURPOSE: The goal of this study was to analyze the epidemiological and therapeutic features and outcomes of periorbital cellulitis cases treated in the pediatric emergency department. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A retrospective study including all the children aged between 1 month and 15 years treated for periorbital cellulitis in the Pediatric Emergency Department of the Mohamed VI University Teaching Hospital in Marrakech over a period of 10 years (January 1, 2010-December 31, 2019). RESULTS: In all, 168 cases of periorbital cellulitis were recorded, with an increasing of the number of cases, from 2 in 2010 to 39 in 2019. The most affected age bracket was the group under 5 years of age (62.5%). The most frequent mode of entry was sinusitis (22%). Preseptal cellulitis was most common (76.7%). The main clinical signs found in orbital cellulitis were proptosis (64%) and chemosis (35.8%), versus conjunctival hyperemia (78%) in preseptal cellulitis. Ophthalmoplegia was present in two cases of orbital cellulitis. The right side was most affected (44%). An orbital CT scan was performed in all cases in our study, showing preseptal cellulitis in 129 patients (76.7%), orbital cellulitis in 14 cases (8.3%), subperiosteal abscess in 20 cases (12%) and orbital abscess in 5 cases (3%). Prior treatment with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medication was noted in 6%. The most commonly used antibiotic was amoxicillin-clavulanic acid. Steroid treatment was prescribed in 6% of cases. Surgical treatment was indicated in 12 patients (7.1%). The mean hospital length of stay was 3 days for the preseptal cases and 8 days for the orbital cases. All patients had good outcomes with medical and/or surgical treatment. With follow-up of over one year, no complications were noted. CONCLUSION: The majority of our cases had positive outcomes, highlighting the advantage of early diagnosis, adapted antibiotic treatment and multidisciplinary care, rendering surgery rarely necessary.

Superiority of 3 over 2 doses of intermittent preventive treatment with sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine for the prevention of malaria during pregnancy in mali: a randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: In 2003, Mali introduced intermittent preventive therapy in pregnancy (ITPp) with sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine (SP) for the control of malaria in pregnancy, consisting of 2 doses of SP given in the 2nd and 3rd trimester. This widely used regimen, although very effective, leaves many women unprotected from malaria during the last 4-to-8 weeks of gestation, which is a pivotal period for fetal weight gain. The aim of the study was to compare the efficacy and safety of 3-dose versus 2-dose IPTp-SP for the prevention of placental malaria and associated low birth weight (LBW). METHODS: We conducted a parallel-group, open-label, individually randomized controlled superiority trial involving 814 women of all gravidity, enrolled from April 2006 through March 2008. All women were seen at least 3 times and received either 2 (n = 401) or 3 (n = 413) doses of IPTp-SP. The primary endpoint measured was placental malaria, LBW, preterm births, and maternal anemia were secondary endpoints, and severe maternal skin reactions and neonatal jaundice were safety endpoints. RESULTS: Among the 96% of study subjects who were followed up until delivery, the prevalence of placental malaria was 2-fold lower in the 3-dose group (8.0%) than in the 2-dose group (16.7%); the adjusted prevalence ratio (APR) was 0.48 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.32-0.71). LBW and preterm births were also reduced; the prevalence of LBW was 6.6% in the 3-dose group versus 13.3% in the 2-dose group (APR, 0.50; 95% CI, 0.32-0.79), and the prevalence of preterm births was 3.2% versus 8.9% (APR, 0.37; 95% CI, 0.19-0.71). No significant reductions in maternal anemia or differences in safety endpoints were observed. CONCLUSIONS: Adding a third dose of ITPp-SP halved the risk of placental malaria, LBW, and preterm births in all gravidae, compared with the standard 2-dose regimen, in this area of highly seasonal transmission with low levels of SP resistance. CLINICAL TRIALS REGISTRATION: ISRCTN 74189211.