Ikhlas Ahmad

Neonatal mechanical ventilation: Indications and outcome

Background and Aims: Decreasing mortality in sick and ventilated neonates is an endeavor of all neonatologists. To reduce the high mortality in this group of neonates, identification of risk factors is important. This study was undertaken to find out the indications of ventilation and complications in ventilated neonates and also study possible predictors of outcome. Subjects: Age <1-month; mechanically ventilated; not having suspected metabolic disorders or congenital anomalies; excluding postoperative patients. Methods: Neonates consecutively put on mechanical ventilation during the study period (October 2011 to November 2013) enrolled. Primary disease of the neonates along with complications present listed. Clinical and laboratory parameters analyzed to find the predictors of mortality. Results: Total 300 neonates were ventilated. 52% were male. Mean age, weight, and gestational age were 21 ± 62 h, 2320 ± 846.2 g, and 35.2 ± 4.9 weeks, respectively. 130 (43%) neonates died. Respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) (31.1%), sepsis (22.7%), and birth asphyxia (18%) were the most common indications for ventilation. Mortality in ventilated patients with sepsis, pneumonia, RDS or birth asphyxia was 64.7%, 60%, 44.6%, and 33.3%, respectively. Weight <2500 g, gestation <34 weeks, initial pH <7.1, presence of sepsis, apnea, shock, pulmonary hemorrhage, hypoglycemia, neutropenia, and thrombocytopenia were significantly associated with mortality (P < 0.05). Resuscitation at birth, seizures, intra ventricular hemorrhage, pneumothorax, ventilator-associated pneumonia, PO2, or PCO2 did not have a significant association with mortality. On logistic regression, gestation <34 weeks, initial pH <7.1, pulmonary hemorrhage, or shock were independently significant predictors of mortality. Conclusions: Weight <2500 g, gestation <34 weeks, initial arterial pH <7.1, shock, pulmonary hemorrhage, apnea, hypoglycemia, neutropenia, and thrombocytopenia were significant predictors of mortality in ventilated neonates.

Strong Geodesic α-Preinvexity and Invariant α-Monotonicity on Riemannian Manifolds

In this article, we introduce and study a new class of generalized convex functions on Riemannian manifold, called strongly α-invex and strongly geodesic α-preinvex functions. Several kinds of invariant α-monotonicities on Riemannian manifold are introduced. We establish the relationships among the strong α-invexity, strong geodesic α-preinvexity and invariant α-monotonicities under suitable conditions. Various types of α-invexities for functions on Riemannian manifolds are introduced and relations among them are established.

Hereditary folate malabsorption with extensive intracranial calcification

BackgroundAnemia is a common accompaniment of cerebral palsy, mental retardation and neurodegenerative disorders.Clinical CharacteristicsA 4-year-old boy with chronic megaloblastic anemia, global developmental delay, seizures, intracranial calcification and new onset neuro-regression.ObservationA diagnosis of hereditary folate malabsorption was made, and he was put on oral and injectable folinic acid.OutcomeMarked improvement at 6 month follow up.MessageHereditary folate malabsorption should be suspected in any child having megaloblastic anemia and neuro degeneration disorder.

Complications due to breastfeeding associated hypernatremic dehydration

Objective: The aim was to assess the incidence, presenting features, and complications of breastfeeding associated hypernatremic dehydration among hospitalized neonates. Materials and Methods: A retrospective study over a period of 18 months to identify term and near term (≥35 weeks of gestation) breastfed neonates, who were admitted with serum sodium concentration of ≥150 mEq/l and no apparent explanation for their hypernatremia other than inadequate breastmilk intake. Results: The incidence of breastfeeding associated hypernatremic dehydration among 2100 term and near term neonates was 1.38%. The median serum sodium at presentation was 164 mEq/l (range: 151-191 mEq/l). The mean weight loss in these patients was 10.16% ±6.6%. The reasons for seeking medical attention were refusal of feeds (72.41%), lethargy (68.96%), decreased urine output (44.82%), jaundice (27.58%) and fever (24.13%). Five patients (17.24%) had seizures and three (10.34%) had coagulopathy. Other complications included hypoglycemia, hypocalcemia, acute kidney injury (AKI) (37.93%) and intraventricular hemorrhage. The mean serum creatinine was 1.82 ± 2.5 mg/dl (range: 0.19-9.6). A statistically significant association was seen between serum sodium concentration at presentation and AKI. It was also found that those patients who had AKI had a higher weight loss and had presented later to the hospital than those without AKI. One patient died within 12 h of admission. This child had disseminated intravascular coagulopathy, AKI, and hypoglycemia. Conclusions: Breastfeeding associated hypernatremic dehydration is a serious condition with many serious complications and even results in death if detected late. Health care providers have increasing responsibilities of promoting proper breastfeeding techniques and taking measures for early diagnosis and treatment of this problem.

The Diagnostic Dilemma of Traumatic Lumbar Puncture: Current Standing of Cerebrospinal Fluid Leukocyte Corrections and Our Experience With Cerebrospinal Fluid Biomarkers:

Objective: To assess the diagnostic efficiency of cerebrospinal fluid markers of procalcitonin, lactate, and cerebrospinal fluid/serum lactate ratio for detecting bacterial meningitis during traumatic lumbar puncture, and to compare these markers with routinely used uncorrected and corrected leukocyte measurements. Methods: Infants aged ≤90 days with traumatic lumbar puncture were prospectively studied. The diagnostic characteristics of cerebrospinal fluid assays of uncorrected and corrected leukocyte count, procalcitonin, lactate, and lactate ratio were described and compared. Results: Considering the area under the curve (95% CI) analysis and standard cutoff values, the lactate-ratio (0.985 [0.964-0.989] at cutoff 1.2) had the best test indexes for identifying meningitis, followed by lactate (0.964 [0.945-0.984] at cutoff 2.2 mmol/L) and procalcitonin (0.939 [0.891-0.986] at cutoff 0.33 ng/mL) measurement, whereas the corrected total leukocyte count assay (0.906 [0.850-0.962] at cutoff 350 cells/mm3) had diagnostic properties moderately superior to uncorrected total leukocyte count measurement (0.870 [0.798-0.943] at cutoff 430 cells/mm3). Conclusion: Cerebrospinal fluid levels of procalcitonin, lactate, and lactate-ratio are reliable markers to diagnose bacterial meningitis in blood-contaminated cerebrospinal fluid.

Fanconi Bickel Syndrome: A Rare Entity

Fanconi-Bickel syndrome (FBS) is a rare inherited glycogen storage disease (GSD) caused by defects in facilitative Glucose Transporter (GLUT2) gene that codes for the glucose transporter protein 2 expressed in hepatocytes, pancreatic beta cells, enterocytes, and renal tubular cells. The clinical picture is characterized by glycogen accumulation in liver and kidney resulting in hepatomegaly and nephromegaly, impaired utilization of glucose and galactose, proximal renal tubular acidosis, hypophosphatemia rickets, and short stature. This is an autosomal recessive disorder discovered in 1949 and the pathogenic mutation of GLUT 2 gene of hepatocytes, beta cells of pancreas and renal tubules were discovered in 1997.

Efficacy of different types of phototherapy devices: A 3-year prospective study from Northern India

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy of light-emitting diode (LED) over conventional phototherapy in near-term and term Rh-compatible otherwise healthy neonates in resource-constrained settings. Design: This was a 3-year prospective observational study. Setting: The study was conducted in the neonatal unit of a teaching hospital. Patients: Near-term and term (≥35 weeks of gestation) Rh-compatible, otherwise healthy, newborns were included in the study. Interventions: Single surface LED or conventional phototherapy was performed. Main Outcome Measures: The primary outcome variable was the duration of phototherapy, and the secondary outcome variables were a rate of fall in the total serum bilirubin (TSB) and need for exchange transfusion. Results: A total of 406 patients constituted the study population. Two hundred and thirty patients received LED phototherapy, and 176 patients received conventional phototherapy. The birth weight, gestational age, gender, mean TSB, and other baseline laboratory parameters were similar in both groups. The median duration of phototherapy in the LED group (22.0 h [95% confidence interval: 20.47, 23.53]) was significantly less than that in the conventional phototherapy group (32.0 h [95% confidence interval: 29.8, 34.1]). Similarly, the rate of fall of TSB at 6, 12, and 18 h was significantly higher in LED group than in the conventional group. Fifteen patients (6.5%) received double volume exchange transfusion in LED group and twenty patients (11.4%) in the conventional group. Conclusions: LED phototherapy was found more efficacious than conventional phototherapy in resource-constrained settings, where the majority of jaundiced patients are managed with latter one and because of limited resources irradiance is never checked or checked inappropriately, which can be a source of serious error.