Proteinuric kidney disease in children at Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital, Malawi

Background: There is a paucity of data on paediatric kidney disease in developing countries such as Malawi. Descriptive research on kidney disease is essential to improving patient outcomes. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study at a tertiary hospital in Malawi from 2012 to 2013. Children under 14 years with proteinuric kidney disease were enrolled from paediatric wards and outpatient clinics at Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital (QECH). Demographic, clinical and laboratory data were collected from patients at enrolment and at 3 months review at which point clinical status and disease outcome were ascertained. Results: Thirty-four (22 male) patients were studied, mean age 8.54 (SD = 3.62 years). Glomerular disease (n = 25, 68%) was the most common presumed renal lesion at presentation. Nephritic syndrome (10) was characterised by a lower baseline complement C3 than nephrotic syndrome (p = 0.0027). Seven (47%) cases of nephrotic syndrome achieved complete remission. Eight (80%) cases of nephritic syndrome improved with supportive therapy. Nineteen (56%) patients presented with clinically significant renal damage with eGFR< 60 ml/min/1.73m2 . Six patients presented in chronic kidney disease (CKD) stage 5 of unclear aetiology, five (83%) died. Three (9%) patients had impaired kidney function and obstructive uropathy demonstrated on ultrasound, two recovered after surgery and one died. Eight (24%) patients had acute kidney injury (AKI) due to primary kidney disease, three of these patients progressed to CKD stage G3a. Seven (21%) patients were lost to follow up. Conclusion: Kidney disease is a significant cause of mortality and morbidity in children at QECH. Less than half of Nephrotic syndrome cases achieved complete remission. Mortality is highest in children with CKD of unclear cause. Some patients with AKI secondary to primary renal disease progressed to CKD. Understanding the aetiology of paediatric kidney disease and improving patient outcomes by developing enhanced diagnostic and clinical services are priorities at QECH and within Malawi

Research Article (PLOS ONE) Efficacy of a low-cost bubble CPAP system in treatment of respiratory distress in a neonatal ward in Malawi

Background: Respiratory failure is a leading cause of neonatal mortality in the developing world. Bubble continuous positive airway pressure (bCPAP) is a safe, effective intervention for infants with respiratory distress and is widely used in developed countries. Because of its high cost, bCPAP is not widely utilized in low-resource settings. We evaluated the performance of a new bCPAP system to treat severe respiratory distress in a low resource setting, comparing it to nasal oxygen therapy, the current standard of care.Methods: We conducted a non-randomized convenience sample study to test the efficacy of a low-cost bCPAP system treating newborns with severe respiratory distress in the neonatal ward of Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital, in Blantyre, Malawi. Neonates weighing &gt;1,000 g and presenting with severe respiratory distress who fulfilled inclusion criteria received nasal bCPAP if a device was available; if not, they received standard care. Clinical assessments were made during treatment and outcomes compared for the two groups. Findings 87 neonates (62 bCPAP, 25 controls) were recruited. Survival rate for neonates receiving bCPAP was 71.0% (44/62) compared with 44.0% (11/25) for controls. 65.5% (19/29) of very low birth weight neonates receiving bCPAP survived to discharge compared to15.4% (1/13) of controls. 64.6% (31/48) of neonates with respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) receiving bCPAP survived to discharge, compared to 23.5% (4/17) of controls. 61.5% (16/26) of neonates with sepsis receiving bCPAP survived to discharge, while none of the seven neonates with sepsis in the control group survived.Interpretation: Use of a low-cost bCPAP system to treat neonatal respiratory distress resulted in 27% absolute improvement in survival. The beneficial effect was greater for neonates with very low birth weight, RDS, or sepsis. Implementing appropriate bCPAP devices could reduce neonatal mortality in developing countries

A High-Value, Low-Cost Bubble Continuous Positive Airway Pressure System for Low-Resource Settings: Technical Assessment and Initial Case Reports

Acute respiratory infections are the leading cause of global child mortality. In the developing world, nasal oxygen therapy is often the only treatment option for babies who are suffering from respiratory distress. Without the added pressure of bubble Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (bCPAP) which helps maintain alveoli open, babies struggle to breathe and can suffer serious complications, and frequently death. A stand-alone bCPAP device can cost $6,000, too expensive for most developing world hospitals. Here, we describe the design and technical evaluation of a new, rugged bCPAP system that can be made in small volume for a cost-of-goods of approximately$350. Moreover, because of its simple designﾗconsumergrade pumps, medical tubing, and regulators—it requires only the simple replacement of a ,$1 diaphragm approximately every 2 years for maintenance. The low-cost bCPAP device delivers pressure and flow equivalent to those of a reference bCPAP system used in the developed world. We describe the initial clinical cases of a child with bronchiolitis and a neonate with respiratory distress who were treated successfully with the new bCPAP device

Efficacy of a Low-Cost Bubble CPAP System in Treatment of Respiratory Distress in a Neonatal Ward in Malawi

Respiratory failure is a leading cause of neonatal mortality in the developing world. Bubble continuous positive airway pressure (bCPAP) is a safe, effective intervention for infants with respiratory distress and is widely used in developed countries. Because of its high cost, bCPAP is not widely utilized in low-resource settings. We evaluated the performance of a new bCPAP system to treat severe respiratory distress in a low resource setting, comparing it to nasal oxygen therapy, the current standard of care. We conducted a non-randomized convenience sample study to test the efficacy of a low-cost bCPAP system treating newborns with severe respiratory distress in the neonatal ward of Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital, in Blantyre,Malawi. Neonates weighing .1,000 g and presenting with severe respiratory distress who fulfilled inclusion criteria received nasal bCPAP if a device was available; if not, they received standard care. Clinical assessments were made during treatment and outcomes compared for the two groups. 87 neonates (62 bCPAP, 25 controls) were recruited. Survival rate for neonates receiving bCPAP was 71.0% (44/62)compared with 44.0% (11/25) for controls. 65.5% (19/29) of very low birth weight neonates receiving bCPAP survived to discharge compared to 15.4% (1/13) of controls. 64.6% (31/48) of neonates with respiratory distress syndrome (RDS)receiving bCPAP survived to discharge, compared to 23.5% (4/17) of controls. 61.5% (16/26) of neonates with sepsis receiving bCPAP survived to discharge, while none of the seven neonates with sepsis in the control group survived. Use of a low-cost bCPAP system to treat neonatal respiratory distress resulted in 27% absolute improvement in survival. The beneficial effect was greater for neonates with very low birth weight, RDS, or sepsis. Implementing appropriate bCPAP devices could reduce neonatal mortality in developing countries

Average duration of treatment and hospital stay (+/− standard deviation) for eligible subjects and survivors versus treatment group.

<p>Average duration of treatment and hospital stay (+/− standard deviation) for eligible subjects and survivors versus treatment group.</p

Survival of participants with RDS and sepsis receiving nasal oxygen vs. bCPAP.

<p>(Left) Fraction of eligible study subjects with a primary diagnosis of respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) who survived to discharge and received nasal oxygen or bCPAP. (Right) Fraction of eligible study subjects with a co-morbidity of sepsis who survived to discharge and received nasal oxygen or bCPAP.</p

Flow chart summarizing study procedure and outcome groups.

<p>Flow chart summarizing study procedure and outcome groups.</p

Number of study participants and demographic data for subjects meeting eligibility criteria.

*<p>Difference in group receiving nasal oxygen and bCPAP significantly different (p = 0.015).</p

bCPAP device operating specifications.

<p>bCPAP device operating specifications.</p

Overall survival of eligible study participants receiving nasal oxygen vs. bCPAP.

<p>(Left) Fraction of eligible study participants who survived to discharge and received nasal oxygen or bCPAP. When treated with bCPAP, the survival rate of infants with severe respiratory distress is significantly higher than for those treated with nasal oxygen (p = 0.018). Without adjustment, bCPAP is associated with a 3.1-fold increase in odds of survival (confidence interval 1.2–8.1, significance = 0.02). (Right) Kaplan-Meier survival curves showing cumulative survival vs. days since treatment initiation for infants with severe respiratory distress treated with bCPAP (n = 62) and those treated with nasal oxygen (n = 25).</p