Comparison of the Effects of Beclomethasone Dipropionate and Budesonide in the Treatment of Children with Mild, Persistent Asthma.

Objective To compare the mean change in peak expiratory flow values in children receiving inhaled beclomethasone dipropionate versus inhaled budesonide in the treatment of mild persistent asthma. Method The medical records of 60 patients from the outpatient department (OPD)/emergency room (ER), National Institute of Child Health, Karachi, who received beclomethasone dipropionate (BDP) 200 µg one puff and budesonide (BUD) 200 µg one puff twice a day for treatment of mild persistent asthma from March 10, 2020, to August 10, 2020, were explored. Results The mean age of children was 10.56 ± 3.01 years in the BUD group and 10.05 ± 3.54 years in the BDP group. The mean change in peak expiratory flow % in the BUD group was 15.69 ± 3.59%, and in the BDP group, it was 13.59 ± 4.26% (P-value=0.04) Conclusion BDP and budesonide (BUD) were both found to be effective for the treatment of mild persistent asthma in children. However, we found that BUD had better efficacy compared to BDP.

Frequency of Various Foreign Bodies Retrieved from the Airway During Bronchoscopy in Children: A Pediatric Tertiary Care Center Experience.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the frequency of various foreign bodies (FBs) retrieved from the airway during bronchoscopy in children at the National Institute of Child Health (NICH), Karachi, Pakistan. STUDY DESIGN:  Cross-sectional descriptive study. PLACE AND DURATION:  Department of Pediatrics Surgery, NICH, Karachi, Pakistan from June 1, 2017 to November 30, 2017. METHODOLOGY:  Patients referred from the ER and Pediatrics Medicine Department, NICH, Karachi with a suspicion of tracheobronchial foreign body aspiration (FBA) was included in the study. RESULTS:  A total of 96 children were studied. There were 71 males (74%) and 25 females (26%). Eighty-seven (90.6%) were below five years and nine (9.4%) were more than five years of age. Mean time interval between FBA and presentation at hospital was 15 h. FB was located primarily in the right main bronchus (54%), followed by left bronchus (40%) and trachea (6%). Betel nut was the most common FB retrieved in 87.5%. Other FBs were whistle 3.1%, peanut 3.1%, seed 1%, and miscellaneous 5.2%. CONCLUSIONS:  FBA is more common in male children, mostly below five years of age. During bronchoscopy, it was found that the FB was mostly located in the right main bronchus. Betel nut was found to be the most common FB aspirated.

Malarial Hepatopathy in Children Visiting a Tertiary Healthcare Hospital in Karachi.

Objective To determine the frequency of malarial hepatopathy in children that are visiting Lyari General Hospital in Karachi, Pakistan. Study design Cross sectional descriptive study. Material and methods Patients with age between two months and 15 years, who had positive blood film for Plasmodium falciparum or P. vivax, were included in the study. All patients were monitored for malarial hepatopathy. Result A total of 241 cases were included in the study. Mean age at admission was 4.1 ± 1.3 years and male to female ratio was 1.2:1. There were 133 (55.2%) cases of P. vivax, while 108 (44.8%) were of P. falciparum. Malarial hepatopathy was observed in 37 patients (15.4%). Malaria hepatopathy was present in 24.1% and 8.3% children having P. falciparum and P. vivax, respectively. Malaria hepatopathy was present in 24%, 18% and 6% in age groups two months to five years, >5 years to 10 years and >10 years, respectively. Conclusion Malarial hepatopathy was observed in about one-sixth of study population and it was more common between two months and five years age group.