The Long-Term Consequences of Early Life Exposure to Tsunami and Conflict on Adolescents in Sri Lanka

The consequences for adolescent health due to early life exposure to natural disasters combined with war are not known. We collected data from adolescents aged 12-13 years in Sri Lanka whose mothers were pregnant during the Indian Ocean tsunami in 2004 in a tsunami-affected region (n = 22), conflict-affected region (n = 35), conflict-plus-tsunami-affected region (n = 29), or controls in areas unaffected by either (n = 24). Adjusted BMI-for-age z-scores were 1.3 (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.4, 2.2), 1.0 (95% CI 0.2, 1.9), and 2.0 (95% CI 1.1, 2.9) for conflict, tsunami, and conflict-plus-tsunami, respectively, compared with the control group. Greater skinfold thickness and higher diastolic blood pressure were found in adolescents born in the conflict zone but no differences were found in height, head circumference, and waist circumference, or blood results, with the exception of serum insulin. Being born after a natural disaster or during conflict was associated with increased adolescent BMI and body fat, which are associated with longer-term risk of noncommunicable disease

Cross-sectional examination of 24-hour movement behaviours among 3-and 4-year-old children in urban and rural settings in low-income, middle-income and high-income countries : the SUNRISE study protocol

Introduction 24-hour movement behaviours (physical activity, sedentary behaviour and sleep) during the early years are associated with health and developmental outcomes, prompting the WHO to develop Global guidelines for physical activity, sedentary behaviour and sleep for children under 5 years of age. Prevalence data on 24-hour movement behaviours is lacking, particularly in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs). This paper describes the development of the SUNRISE International Study of Movement Behaviours in the Early Years protocol, designed to address this gap. Methods and analysis SUNRISE is the first international cross-sectional study that aims to determine the proportion of 3- and 4-year-old children who meet the WHO Global guidelines. The study will assess if proportions differ by gender, urban/rural location and/or socioeconomic status. Executive function, motor skills and adiposity will be assessed and potential correlates of 24-hour movement behaviours examined. Pilot research from 24 countries (14 LMICs) informed the study design and protocol. Data are collected locally by research staff from partnering institutions who are trained throughout the research process. Piloting of all measures to determine protocol acceptability and feasibility was interrupted by COVID-19 but is nearing completion. At the time of publication 41 countries are participating in the SUNRISE study. Ethics and dissemination The SUNRISE protocol has received ethics approved from the University of Wollongong, Australia, and in each country by the applicable ethics committees. Approval is also sought from any relevant government departments or organisations. The results will inform global efforts to prevent childhood obesity and ensure young children reach their health and developmental potential. Findings on the correlates of movement behaviours can guide future interventions to improve the movement behaviours in culturally specific ways. Study findings will be disseminated via publications, conference presentations and may contribute to the development of local guidelines and public health interventions.Peer reviewe

admitted to the Professorial Paediatric Unit at Lady

Objective To study in detail deaths of patient

Development of a New Equation for the Prediction of Resting Metabolic Rate in Sri Lankan Adults

Resting metabolic rate (RMR) is the key determinant of the energy requirement of an individual. Measurement of RMR by indirect calorimetry is not feasible in field settings and therefore equation-based calculations are used. Since a valid equation is not available for Sri Lankans, it is important to develop a new population-specific equation for field use. The study objective was to develop a new equation for the prediction of RMR in healthy Sri Lankans using a reference method, indirect calorimetry. RMR data were collected from fifty-seven (male 27) adults aged 19 to 60 years. They were randomly assigned to validation (n = 28) and cross-validation (n = 19) groups using the statistical package R (version 3.6.3). Height, weight, and RMR were measured. Multivariable fractional polynomials (MFP) were used to determine explanatory variables and their functional forms for the model. A variable shrinkage method was used to find the best fit predictor coefficients of the equation. The developed equation was cross-validated on an independent group. Weight and sex code (male = 1; female = 0) were identified as reliable independent variables. The new equation developed was RMR (kcal/day) = 284.5 + (13.2 x weight) + (133.0 x sex code). Independent variables of the prediction equation were able to predict 88.5% of the variance. Root mean square error (RMSE) of the prediction equation in validation and cross-validation was 88.11 kcal/day and 79.03 kcal/day, respectively. The equation developed in this study is suitable for predicting RMR in Sri Lankan adults

Evaluation of biochemical and haematological changes in dengue fever and dengue hemorrhagic fever in Sri Lankan children: a prospective follow up study

Abstract Background Series of biochemical and haematological changes occur during the course of dengue infection, which vary depending on the clinical disease. The patterns of change are not well documented and identifying these patterns in children with dengue infection would help to anticipate the progression to different clinical stages thus enabling effective management. Methods A prospective follow up study was conducted during the period of July 2013 – April 2014 at Professorial Pediatric unit, Lady Ridgeway Hospital for Children, Colombo, Sri Lanka. Children (5–12 years) admitted within the first 84 h of fever, with a clinical diagnosis of dengue infection were recruited. Children who became positive for dengue IgM were included in the final analysis. Blood was collected on admission for complete blood count, Alanine aminotransferase, Aspartate aminotransferase, albumin, cholesterol and corrected calcium. These tests were repeated at 12 hourly intervals during the hospital stay. Results Data of 130-subjects were analyzed (Dengue fever /Dengue hemorrhagic fever: 100/30). There was a significant difference in the pattern of white cell counts, platelets and haematocrit in the two clinical groups. Both transaminase rose initially in both dengue fever and dengue hemorrhagic fever and a steep rise were seen between 8th and 9th days in hemorrhagic fever. Both albumin and cholesterol decreased significantly at the time of entering into the critical phase. According to Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis, albumin level crossing 37.5g/L (sensitivity 86.7%, specificity 77.8%) and a 0.38 mmol/L reduction in cholesterol level (sensitivity 77.3%, specificity 71.9%) between day 3 and 4 were the best predictors of entering into critical phase. Calcium levels did not show any distinct pattern. Conclusions There is a clear difference in the pattern of change of both hematological and biochemical parameters in dengue fever and dengue hemorrhagic fever. Reduction in albumin and cholesterol levels seen between the completion of day 3 and day 4 were highly valid predictors of entering into critical phase in dengue hemorrhagic fever

Effect of Prior Symptomatic Dengue Infection on Dengue Haemorrhagic Fever (DHF) in Children

Pathogenesis of dengue haemorrhagic fever is not fully understood, but it is thought that there is antibody enhancement during the secondary infection, which causes severe dengue haemorrhagic fever (DHF). Therefore, patients who have DHF should have a documented history of symptomatic dengue infection in the past. A retrospective descriptive-analytical study was conducted at the University Paediatric Unit at Lady Ridgeway Hospital for Children, Colombo, Sri Lanka. All children who had fulfilled the criteria for DHF admitted to the unit from April 2018 to September 2018 were recruited into the study. Relevant data were collected from bed head tickets. One hundred and eighty-four children were included in the final analysis. Thirty-three (17.9%) had a past history of documented symptomatic dengue infection, while 82.1% did not have a documented dengue infection. Twelve patients had dengue shock syndrome, and none of them had previously documented symptomatic dengue fever. Dextran was used in 96 patients in the critical phase. Twelve (42%) patients with past documented symptomatic dengue fever needed dextran while 84 (54.9%) patients without a documented past history of dengue fever needed dextran. In our clinical observation, we noticed that children with DHF mostly did not have a documented symptomatic prior dengue infection, while those with a documented symptomatic prior infection had a milder subsequent illness. In fact, the majority (82.1%) of patients with DHF did not have documented previous symptomatic dengue infection. It was also observed that the clinical course of subsequent dengue infection was less severe in patients with previously documented symptomatic dengue fever. This finding should be further evaluated in a larger scale study minimizing the all-confounding factors. This fact is more important in selecting recipients for vaccines against the dengue virus, which are supposed to produce immunity against the virus without causing the severe disease