Zinc deficiency is a major public health problem in some resource-limited countries. This study assesses the zinc status of 90 pre-school-age children, aged 12 to 59 months, resident in the National Capital District (NCD), Papua New Guinea. Children attending the Children's Outpatient Clinic at Port Moresby General Hospital participated in this cross-sectional study. Informed consent was obtained from parents before using blood samples from their children. Flame atomic absorption spectrometry was used to measure the serum zinc concentration. C-reactive protein (CRP) in serum was measured by enzyme immunoassay and used to interpret the serum zinc data. The median serum zinc concentration for all the children was 83.6 μg/dl and the interquartile range was 64.6-103.7 μg/dl. The prevalence of serum zinc deficiency (Zn <65.0 μg/dl) among all the children was 26%; and 42% had elevated serum CRP level. Serum zinc deficiency was present among 31% and 20% of the children in the 12 to 24 months and over 24 months age groups respectively. The prevalence of serum zinc deficiency among the male and female children was 28% and 25% respectively. The high prevalence of zinc deficiency among the children may be caused by the high rate of subclinical infection and low bioavailability of absorbable zinc in the popular foodstuffs that they are consuming. The prevalence of zinc deficiency among the children with and without elevated serum CRP strongly suggests the need for continuous monitoring of the zinc status of pre-school-age children in the NCD
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OBJECTIVE: This study is designed to determine the correlation between a voiding cystourethrogram in children and a single and isolated recurrent urinary tract infection, as well as the most frequent presenting symptom in children yielding a positive resultMATERIALS AND METHODS: One hundred ninety seven (197) children, ages 0-6 years old, diagnosed to have a urinary tract infection based on history, physical examination, urinalysis and urine culture. Group I included those with single and isolated urinary tract infection: Group II, those with recurrent urinary tract infection. All patients in both groups underwent a voiding cystourethrogramRESULTS: Of one hundred ninety-seven (197), sixty-seven (67) of them were assigned to Group I, while one hundred thirty (130) were assigned to Group II. Sixteen (16) out of sixty-seven (67) in Group I (23 percent) and forty-four (44) out of one hundred thirty (130) in Group 2 had a positive VCUG. High grade fever was the most common presenting symptomCONCLUSION: The frequency of a urinary tract infection did not significantly affect positivity with voiding cystourethrogram. However, the presence of high grade fever correlated better with a (+) VCUG. (Author)
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The incidence of rheumatoid disease is presented which either shows the rarity of the disease in the Philippines or proves the possibility or likelihood of its being underdiagnosed. The symptomatology was briefly described as well as the new concept of the different types of rheumatoid disease. In this article rheumatoid disease is accepted as its proper designation since systemic symptoms are important clinical features and Stills criteria for diagnosis of juvenile rheumatoid arthritis are but a component part of the disease. Five cases from the Free Clinics of the Santo Tomas University Hospital and three from the North General Hospital were reported with arthritis as the prominent symptom and were grouped according to the types proposed by Kelley. (Summary)
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A survey of enterobiasis among 237 children in the Central Philippine University School, Iloilo, is reported. The overall incidence wasf 59.9 percentThe prevalence of approximately 60 percent in this and other studies indicates that pinworms are not rare in the tropicsThe similarity of the frequencies from the several grades (I-VII) indicates that age was not a factor in the distributionA frequency of approximately 60 percent in school boys in Chile, and as high as 60 percent for Caucasians in the United States and Canada, indicates that race is probably not a factorThe overall incidence of infestation among males is higher than among females. Since these findings are opposed to those of Akagi (1952) and Cabrera, et al. (1961), and agree with those of Cram (1943), it is suggested that sex is not a factor in the distributionIt is suggested that socio-economic stratification is probably the predominant cause of variations in the results of pinworm surveys. (Summary)
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1. During an 18-month period (1960-62) in the out-patient service of the Childrens Memorial Hospital, 55 cases were collected with a history of epistaxis, either as chief complaint or as an incidental symptom2. It was found that this symptom was more predominant in males (60%) than in females (40%) notwithstanding their almost equal proportion in the census. The age incidence was found to be highest in children between five and ten years3. These children with epistaxis showed a high incidence of tonsillitis and recurrent respiratory infections. Only one child had rheumatic infection4. Coagulation studies were done but no abnormality was noted. Only one showed a very slightly abnormal prothrombin consumption test5. A follow-up after 6 to 12 months of 15 children showed recurrent epistaxis in four. Undoubtedly this is a short follow-up period in a small group but it is hoped to do this more extensively in the future. (Summary)
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A typical case of pheochromocytoma in a 10 yr. old boy was presented. The tumor was on the right adrenal gland and was removed successfully. The operative expediency of a posterior and bilateral adrenal exposure was used because multicentric foci were considered. Pharmacologic diagnostic tests like benodaine and urine catecholamine determination (by no means pathognomonic) contributed to the diagnosis. Perirenal insufflation of air was resorted to before exploratory operation was done, which revealed radio-opaque densities at the region of the right adrenalPrimary aldosteronism, adenoma of cortical portion was entertained in this case because of eosinophilia and alkaline urine (in several instances) but was eliminated due to lack of significant findings as paresthesia, paresis, of extremeties and tetanyThe diagnosis of pheochromocytoma is difficult because there are many conditions which may simulate the disease. Signs and symptoms may be the best guides in the differential diagnosis which includes anxiety or hysteric states, often with hyperventilation; vascular headache; CVA; epilepsy, chronic nervous fatigue, agitated depression, intake of drugs with norepinephrine and renal diseases.(Comments and Summary)
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Malignant ovarian teratoma is a rare condition in pre-adolescence. A case in a nine year old girl is presented. The tumor was completely removed and the patient had an uneventful convalescence. She is doing fine up to the present time after almost three years of its surgical removal. (Summary)
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This, therefore is a preliminary statement of the results in a small series of cases. On the basis of a study of 112 patients with urinary stones attended at the 4 OB-hospitals here in Laos, the following conclusions have been made. Of the 112 cases, 102 were cystolithiasis, 9 urethrolitihasis and 1 nephrolithiasis. The age group with the highest number of cases is from 2-5 years old, 63 out of 112 cases. The average age in this group is 4 years old. There were 18 cases with ages 6-12 years old. Total pediatric patients therefore are 81 from the total 112 cases, 74 boys and 7 girls. (10:1) Several probable causes of urinary stone formation are considered: namely, diet, water, infection, disturbance of calcium metabolism and hereditary tendencies. It is anticipated that this present study which is in a sense very broad, may serve as a stepping stone to much more detalied investigations of the incidence of urinary stone formation not only here in this part of Laos but also throughout this war-striken tiny Kingdom. (Summary and concluisons)
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A 9 1/2 years old girl with the signs and symptoms of cretinism since birth is presented. The diagnosis was not made till late childhood though she received non-specific treatment for her stunted growth earlier. With institution of hormonal treatment in the form of proloid, she improved in functional state but not mentally. Early diagnosis and immediate institution of thyroid hormone is urged if the future deleterious effects of thyroid deficiency are to be avoided. (Summary)
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