Indian journal of pediatrics
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Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative Study Clinical Trial
Dexamethasone as an adjunctive treatment of bacterial meningitis.
This study was conducted on 77 Libyan infants and children aged month to 10 years with acute bacterial meningitis. Upon admission, the patients were divided randomly in two groups. Group I (38 patients) received ceftriaxone plus dexamethasone i.v. ⋯ Both groups showed prompt clinical response and similar occurrence of acute complications, fatality rate and permanent neurological sequelae. However, group I manifested shorter duration of fever (P < 0.05). Dexamethasone improved the inflammatory reaction in acute bacterial meningitis and shortened the duration of fever but it did not have any significant effect on the fatality and the occurrence of neurological sequelae of this disease.
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Accidental iron ingestion is not uncommon in children and has become a leading cause of unintentional pharmaceutical ingestion fatality. Difficulty in obtaining urgent serum iron levels in majority of hospitals in India, lack of objective indices for starting and stopping the chelation therapy and the cost of chelation therapy, all pose a significant challenge for a clinician in managing an acutely intoxicated patient. This review emphasizes the need for early recognition and correct intervention of a child with acute iron overdose to avoid undue morbidity and mortality.
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Poisoning is a well known cause of morbidity and mortality in children. In Taiwan, little information has been published regarding the status of pediatric poisoning exposures. To provide more information on pediatric poisoning exposures for the purpose of poison prevention, a retrospective study was designed and conducted to analyse the data of National Poison Centre (NPC), Taiwan. ⋯ Accidental poisoning exposures from household products and drugs remain a significant problem for those younger than 6 years of age. Further education of parents and care takers and the employment of child-resistant containers are needed to prevent cases of pediatric poisoning. Reduction of amphetamine abuse in adolescents is also of major concern and deserves more attention.