Assessment of serum 25(OH)D level in infants with bronchiolitis

Background: Bronchiolitis is one of the most common diseases of the lower respiratory tract in infants. Vitamin D has been shown to be protective against lower respiratory infections; however, there are limited and contradictory results in relation to serum vitamin D level and the incidence of bronchiolitis in children. The aim of this study was to compare serum levels of this vitamin in healthy infants and infants with acute bronchiolitis. Methods: This case-control study conducted at Abuzar hospital in Ahvaz city, during October to March of 2014. Three groups of 45 eligible infants including control, low and high intensity of bronchiolitis enrolled to study. The severity of bronchiolitis classified according to scores derived from the respiratory distress assessment index. One to eight scores considered as low intensity and 9 to 17 scores considered as high intensity of bronchiolitis. Subsequently, 3 ml of venous blood sample were taken from them and the serum levels of 25(OH)D were measured by using an enzymatic kit. Results: 60 (44.4%) infants were girls. The mean age of the control, low and high intensity of bronchiolitis groups were 11.2±5.2, 10±5.8 and 9.8±4.7 months, respectively (P=0.1). The mean of 25(OH)D concentrations in the control, low and high intensity bronchiolitis groups were 28.3±19.4, 17.7±11.7 and 13.6±5.7 nm/l, respectively. There was a significant difference in levels of 25(OH)D between the control-low intensity bronchiolitis groups (P=0.001) and the control-high intensity bronchiolitis groups (P=0.002), this difference was not significant between the two groups of bronchiolitis. There was a direct and significant correlation between serum level of 25(OH)D and age (r=0.2, P=0.005), breast milk consumption (r=0.3, P=0.001), and vitamin D supplementation (r=0.6, P=0.000). Conclusion: In the present study, levels of 25(OH)D were significantly lower in infants with bronchiolitis than control group. In addition, 25(OH)D levels did not affect the severity of bronchiolitis

Association of procalcitonin with acute pyelonephritis and renal scars in pediatric UTI.

Procalcitonin was a more robust predictor compared with C-reactive protein or white blood cell count for selectively identifying children who had APN during the early stages of UTI, as well as those with late scarring

Mapping routine measles vaccination in low- and middle-income countries

The safe, highly effective measles vaccine has been recommended globally since 1974, yet in 2017 there were more than 17 million cases of measles and 83,400 deaths in children under 5 years old, and more than 99% of both occurred in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs)1–4. Globally comparable, annual, local estimates of routine first-dose measles-containing vaccine (MCV1) coverage are critical for understanding geographically precise immunity patterns, progress towards the targets of the Global Vaccine Action Plan (GVAP), and high-risk areas amid disruptions to vaccination programmes caused by coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)5–8. Here we generated annual estimates of routine childhood MCV1 coverage at 5 × 5-km2 pixel and second administrative levels from 2000 to 2019 in 101 LMICs, quantified geographical inequality and assessed vaccination status by geographical remoteness. After widespread MCV1 gains from 2000 to 2010, coverage regressed in more than half of the districts between 2010 and 2019, leaving many LMICs far from the GVAP goal of 80% coverage in all districts by 2019. MCV1 coverage was lower in rural than in urban locations, although a larger proportion of unvaccinated children overall lived in urban locations; strategies to provide essential vaccination services should address both geographical contexts. These results provide a tool for decision-makers to strengthen routine MCV1 immunization programmes and provide equitable disease protection for all children