Vitamin deficiency prevalence in primary school children in Punjab, India

Background: Vitamin deficiencies are the conditions which are prevalent in the society and parents are unaware of them due to their asymptomatic nature. Overcoming this deficiency is integral in achieving the second Sustainable Development Goal charted out by the United Nations. Treatable and preventable nature of these conditions needs to be emphasized. Aims and objectives of the study were to study the prevalence of clinical features of vitamin deficiencies in primary school children.Methods: This single point cross sectional study was conducted in primary school children in Faridkot and comprised of students in the age group of 5-11 years. A total of 849 students were clinically examined. The clinical features of vitamin deficiencies were recorded. Descriptive analysis was used for interpretation.Results: Overall incidence of vitamin deficiency features was 18.96%. The features of vitamin A, B complex, C, and D deficiency were seen in 7.18%, 18.02%, 3.06% and 8.48% respectively. Some children have more than one deficiency features.Conclusions: The primary school children do suffer from vitamin deficiencies and there should be timely evaluation for these diseases. Larger studies substantiated with blood levels would provide more insight into these conditions

Patterns and practice of self-medication among children presenting with acute respiratory tract infection or diarrhoea

Background: Self-medication is quite prevalent in many parts of the world and has led to wastage of precious manpower and time due to many adverse consequences. As a result there is great burden on a country both financially as well as health point of view. The purpose of this study was to identify the pattern and practice of self-medication among children presenting with Acute Respiratory Tract Infection or Diarrhoea in a tertiary care hospital of northern India.Methods: A single point cross sectional study was conducted in 500 parents accompanying the children in the Paediatrics out Patient Department (OPD) of a Medical College in Northern India. The tool used for the study was a predesigned questionnaire. The data was evaluated using descriptive statistical analysis.Results: Out of 500 subjects 486 were found eligible for enrolment. Out of these eligible subjects, 308 (63.3%) parents reported history of self-medication. 143 (51.3%) male children were administered self-medication. This number was proportionately higher in females (79.7%). The drug most commonly administered were non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (64.3%) followed by antibiotics and cough and cold preparations. The most common source of drug procurement was the left over drugs from previous treatment (75.2%) followed by purchase from a medical store. Most common reason for self-medication was previous experience with the prescribed drugs (76.6%).Conclusions: The problem of self-medication of prescription only drugs is quite prevalent in this part of the country. As self-medication has its complications and adversities proper orientation and awareness of the population about self-medication is of utmost importance for proper utilization of resources and manpower. Further the government agencies should ensure proper implementation and supervision of laws related to sale of ‘Prescription only drugs’

Knowledge and practices in community regarding antibiotic usage

Background: One of the major causes of concern in medical world is rapid development of antibiotic resistance. World Health Organisation started an initiative in 2011 with a policy designed to curb this danger of antibiotic resistance. This study was designed to know the knowledge, attitude and belief of community regarding antibiotic use so that data can be generated in this region for the proper designing and implementation of awareness campaigns for the community.Methods: A single point cross sectional study was conducted in 1500 adults attending the Out Patient Department of a tertiary care hospital in Northern India. The tool used for the study was a predesigned questionnaire. The data was evaluated using descriptive statistical analysis.Results: In our study 92.8% participants admitted of having used an antibiotic at any time in their lifetime. The most common reason for use of antibiotics was common cold (36.2%). The most common antibiotic used by the participants was amoxycillin. The most common source of information regarding antibiotics and their use (63.2%) was physicians. 78.6% of the participants believed that they have awareness about rational use of antibiotics. 68.6% respondents were of the view that antibiotics are effective against both viral and bacterial infections. 52.3% of the participants believed antibiotics are not safe to use.Conclusions: The existence of a significant gap between practice of antibiotic usage and knowledge about their usage was found prevalently in the community. After noting the results of this study it is believed that there is a dire necessity to take steps to curb the menace of rapid development of resistance to antibiotics.

Visual evoked potentials in children with type 1 diabetes mellitus

Background: Insulin-dependent (type 1) diabetes mellitus is associated with different degrees of neuropathies affecting peripheral as well as central neural pathways. The subclinical neurological involvement in diabetic children can be assessed by changes appearing in the electrophysiological parameters like Visual Evoked Potentials (VEPs). The objective of the study was to assess the effect of type I diabetes melitus on the visual evoked potentials in children.Methods: This cross-sectional case-control study was done on 30 children with type 1 diabetes mellitus of minimum two years duration as cases and 30 age and gender matched euglycemic children with normal HbA1c taken as controls. Visual Evoked Potentials (VEPs) were done on both the groups of children and the latencies (ms) of waves -N75, P100, N145 and amplitude (μV) of wave P100 were recorded. The data was compiled in the pre-designed proforma and statistically analysed using student t-test.Results: The increase in the mean latencies of waveforms of VEPs N75, P100 and amplitude P100 were found to be highly significant statistically (p<0.001) in both the eyes among the children with type 1 diabetes mellitus. The mean latency of waveform N145 was found to be statistically insignificant in the two groups (p>0.05).Conclusions: The type 1 diabetes does affect the visual pathways in children. Visual Evoked Potentials are helpful in the detection of early changes in the conduction across the neural pathways in the sub-clinical diseases

Vitamin deficiency prevalence in primary school children in Punjab, India

Background: Vitamin deficiencies are the conditions which are prevalent in the society and parents are unaware of them due to their asymptomatic nature. Overcoming this deficiency is integral in achieving the second Sustainable Development Goal charted out by the United Nations. Treatable and preventable nature of these conditions needs to be emphasized. Aims and objectives of the study were to study the prevalence of clinical features of vitamin deficiencies in primary school children.Methods: This single point cross sectional study was conducted in primary school children in Faridkot and comprised of students in the age group of 5-11 years. A total of 849 students were clinically examined. The clinical features of vitamin deficiencies were recorded. Descriptive analysis was used for interpretation.Results: Overall incidence of vitamin deficiency features was 18.96%. The features of vitamin A, B complex, C, and D deficiency were seen in 7.18%, 18.02%, 3.06% and 8.48% respectively. Some children have more than one deficiency features.Conclusions: The primary school children do suffer from vitamin deficiencies and there should be timely evaluation for these diseases. Larger studies substantiated with blood levels would provide more insight into these conditions

Knowledge and practices in community regarding antibiotic usage

Background: One of the major causes of concern in medical world is rapid development of antibiotic resistance. World Health Organisation started an initiative in 2011 with a policy designed to curb this danger of antibiotic resistance. This study was designed to know the knowledge, attitude and belief of community regarding antibiotic use so that data can be generated in this region for the proper designing and implementation of awareness campaigns for the community.Methods: A single point cross sectional study was conducted in 1500 adults attending the Out Patient Department of a tertiary care hospital in Northern India. The tool used for the study was a predesigned questionnaire. The data was evaluated using descriptive statistical analysis.Results: In our study 92.8% participants admitted of having used an antibiotic at any time in their lifetime. The most common reason for use of antibiotics was common cold (36.2%). The most common antibiotic used by the participants was amoxycillin. The most common source of information regarding antibiotics and their use (63.2%) was physicians. 78.6% of the participants believed that they have awareness about rational use of antibiotics. 68.6% respondents were of the view that antibiotics are effective against both viral and bacterial infections. 52.3% of the participants believed antibiotics are not safe to use.Conclusions: The existence of a significant gap between practice of antibiotic usage and knowledge about their usage was found prevalently in the community. After noting the results of this study it is believed that there is a dire necessity to take steps to curb the menace of rapid development of resistance to antibiotics.

Visual evoked potentials in children with type 1 diabetes mellitus

Background: Insulin-dependent (type 1) diabetes mellitus is associated with different degrees of neuropathies affecting peripheral as well as central neural pathways. The subclinical neurological involvement in diabetic children can be assessed by changes appearing in the electrophysiological parameters like Visual Evoked Potentials (VEPs). The objective of the study was to assess the effect of type I diabetes melitus on the visual evoked potentials in children.Methods: This cross-sectional case-control study was done on 30 children with type 1 diabetes mellitus of minimum two years duration as cases and 30 age and gender matched euglycemic children with normal HbA1c taken as controls. Visual Evoked Potentials (VEPs) were done on both the groups of children and the latencies (ms) of waves -N75, P100, N145 and amplitude (μV) of wave P100 were recorded. The data was compiled in the pre-designed proforma and statistically analysed using student t-test.Results: The increase in the mean latencies of waveforms of VEPs N75, P100 and amplitude P100 were found to be highly significant statistically (p<0.001) in both the eyes among the children with type 1 diabetes mellitus. The mean latency of waveform N145 was found to be statistically insignificant in the two groups (p>0.05).Conclusions: The type 1 diabetes does affect the visual pathways in children. Visual Evoked Potentials are helpful in the detection of early changes in the conduction across the neural pathways in the sub-clinical diseases