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Biomedical subjects

V Kalra

Publications and source records attributed to V Kalra.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Incidental spina bifida occulta in functional enuresis observed during laser reflexo therapy.

The etiology of persistent functional enuresis in children is ill understood. A wide range of therapeutic modalities have been tried. During investigations preceding a trial of laser reflexo therapy in functional enuretic children aged 7 to 10 years spina bifida occulta was observed in 86.6% of subjects. The lesions were predominantly at the L5-6 level. There were no cutaneous stigmata in the form of lipoma, tufts of hair, or dermal sinus at the back. Neurologic examination was unremarkable and there were no associated skeletal malformations. This strong association of spina bifida occulta with functional enuresis is higher than the reported incidence of 16.5% to 34% in normal children. This strong association hitherto unreported, raises an interesting issue in the search for the etiopathogenesis of functional enuresis.

Adolescent

Analysis of childhood epileptic encephalopathies with regard to etiological and prognostic factors.

To analyse the clinical characteristics of patients with childhood epileptic encephalopathies, a retrospective study was carried out on paediatric neurology clinic records of a tertiary hospital. Forty-five children with childhood epileptic encephalopathies were identified. Patients were classified according to the international classification of epilepsies and epileptic syndromes, data were collected regarding age at onset, perinatal problems, presence of psychomotor retardation, radiological findings, etiology and response to therapy. Characteristics of responders versus non-responders were compared. The majority had West syndrome (29/45 or 64.4%). Of the total, 37/45 or 82.2% were symptomatic. The etiologic factors identified included perinatal problems in 24/45 or 53.3%, one patient with tuberous sclerosis and one with Aicardi's syndrome. Psychomotor retardation was seen in 95.5%. Cranial CT scan was normal in 11/26 or 42.3%. Abnormalities included infarcts (4/26), generalised atrophy and hydrocephalus (3/26), porencephalic cysts (2/26) and agenesis of corpus callosum, tuberous sclerosis, gliosis and subdural effusion (one each). Mean follow-up was 18 months and 71.4% responded to ACTH. There was no significant difference between responders and non-responders.

Adrenocorticotropic Hormone

Vitamin E deficiency and associated neurological deficits in children with protein-energy malnutrition.

Vitamin E is important in maintaining normal neurological structure and function. In this study, 100 children with protein-energy malnutrition (PEM) were studied and compared to a suitably age-matched control group. Posterior column deficits, cerebellar deficits, and problems with fine motor coordination were present to a significant degree in the PEM subjects. The presence of neurological signs was correlated with various parameters of vitamin E deficiency, including low serum alpha-tocopherol levels and a low tocopherol/total lipid ratio which was present in 92 per cent of subjects. There was good concordance between vitamin E levels and vitamin E to serum lipid ratio in assessing vitamin E deficiency. We conclude that vitamin E deficiency is prevalent, to a hitherto unsuspected degree, in children with PEM and that these malnourished children have significant neurological deficits attributable to low vitamin E levels. This observation is of clinical significance as the neurological deficits are potentially reversible with vitamin E supplementation.

Case-Control Studies

Changes in soft tissue profile of African-Americans following extraction treatment.

The purpose of this investigation was to determine changes in soft tissue profile of African-Americans following orthodontic treatment involving extraction of four premolars. The sample consisted of pretreatment and postreatment lateral cephalometric radiographs of 30 males and 30 females of African-American descent exhibiting bimaxillary protrusion. The age of the patients ranged between 10 years 4 months and 17 years 6 months at the start of treatment. Average time between pretreatment and postreatment radiographs was 2 years 11 months in the male group and 3 years 3 months in the female group. Changes in the dentofacial complex and facial soft tissue as a result of treatment and growth were evaluated with cephalometric analysis. Student's t-tests were performed to compare differences. Nasolabial angle increased 9.1 degrees in males and 7.1 degrees in females. Upper lip procumbency relative to SnPg' decreased 1.5 mm in males and 1.7 mm in females. Lower lip retraction relative to SnPg' was 2.7 mm in males and 2.5 mm in females.

Adolescent

Changes in soft tissue profile following treatment with the bionator.

The purpose of this study was to determine the changes in the soft tissue profile in patients treated in the mixed dentition with a bionator. Two groups of 30 individuals, between 9 and 12 years old and with Class II, Division 1, malocclusion were matched for age, sex, observation time, and dentofacial characteristics. Patients in the first group were treated with a bionator for an average of 18.7 months, resulting in a Class I molar relationship and reduction of overjet. The second group acted as a control and individuals did not receive any form of orthodontic treatment. Pretreatment and posttreatment cephalograms were analyzed and paired t-tests were used to compare the significance of changes between the two groups. Compared with the control group, the treated group demonstrated 1.97 degrees decrease in ANB, a 3.35 mm increase in anterior facial height, 2.22 degrees decrease in soft tissue profile convexity, and 17.4 degrees increase in mentolabial angle.

Activator Appliances

Growth patterns of Labrador Inuit youth: II. Skeletal age.

Few studies have been conducted on skeletal maturity of circumpolar populations despite its importance as background knowledge to orthopedic and orthodontic procedures or for other medical problems involving endocrine disturbances. The purpose of this study was to compare skeletal age with chronological age of Labrador Inuit youth aged between 5-18 years and to compare these results with data from a national survey of United States youth. The sample included 32% (n = 100) of the Inuit youth living in Nain, Labrador, Canada (Male = 41, female = 59). Hand wrist radiographs, collected during a field study in 1991, were used to estimate bone age using the Greulich and Pyle bone specific method. The mean relative Inuit skeletal ages increased almost consistently with chronological age but showed considerable individual variation as shown by the 95% confidence intervals. The pattern of growth of skeletal vs chronological age was similar to the National Center for Health Statistics data but the tempo was slower. The Z-scores for mean male relative bone ages ranged from -0.7 to -1.9 and for females from -0.6 to -1.4. The results indicated that Inuit males started to reach adult skeletal maturity levels by the chronological age of 17 years 9 months, and Inuit females by 15 years 8 months. Generally, Inuit skeletal ages were delayed by 10-24 months behind the reference atlas skeletal ages and 9-22 months behind the Inuit chronological ages.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adolescent

Rett syndrome.

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Child

Growth patterns of Labrador Inuit youth: I. Height and weight.

The purpose of this study was to describe standing height and body weight recorded in 1991 from 32% (n = 100) of the Labrador Inuit youth aged between 5-18 years living in Nain. The results demonstrated that females are taller than males until the age of 13 years. Growth in height seemed to level off at 15 years in females and 16 years in males. The greatest increase in height was between the ages of 11-13 years for females and 13-15 years for males. The largest increase in weight was between 12-16 years for both sexes. The data was compared with National Center for Health Statistics Growth Curves of United States youth. For this sample, height of the Labrador Inuit lies between the 10th and 50th percentiles, and weight lies between the 50th and 75th percentiles, while weight for height lies between the 75th and 95th percentiles. These results were similar to other studies of Inuit youth from Alaska, Canada and Greenland. In fact, the growth pattern of high weight for height demonstrated in Labrador seems to be typical of the Inuit population. Comparison of this data with that of stature recorded for Labrador Inuit between 1880-1928, although derived from small samples, suggests that a secular trend of increase in height with time for both sexes has occurred.

Adolescent

Childhood neurocysticercosis--epidemiology, diagnosis and course.

Neurocysticercosis was diagnosed in 0.89% of children enrolled in our Child Neurology Clinic in the years 1979 to 1990. The commonest presenting symptom was seizures (90%) followed by raised intracranial pressure (44%). CT scans revealed a variety of lesions including low and high attenuation cysts, periventricular edema, hydrocephalus and calcification. ELISA was useful in substantiating the diagnosis in almost 70% of cases. Only 18 patients who had active disease merited treatment with praziquantel. The clinical and CT response was good. Follow-up revealed spontaneous quiescence in many patients with inactive disease.

Adolescent

Dengue haemorrhagic fever in children in Delhi.

An epidemic of dengue haemorrhagic fever occurred in Delhi during 1988. A total of 21 paediatric patients with dengue haemorrhagic fever/dengue shock syndrome were evaluated from September to November 1988. All the patients had fever, restlessness, ecchymotic spots and ascites. Pleural effusion occurred in 19 patients (90%), and 18 (86%) exhibited each of the following: vomiting, thrombocytopenia, and haemoconcentration. Hepatomegaly was observed in 15 patients (71%) and splenomegaly in three (14%). Titres of haemagglutination inhibition (HI) antibodies against dengue virus type 2 were raised in all the 15 cases from whom sera were collected during the acute stage. Convalescent sera from five patients had increased titres of HI antibodies to dengue virus type 2. The remaining 10 cases exhibited raised IgM antibody levels against dengue virus type 2. The fatality rate for serologically proven cases was 13% (2 of 15 patients), while for all patients (including those diagnosed clinically (6) and serologically (15)) it was 33.3% (7 of 21). Patients who survived had no sequelae, except one who had transient hypertension that lasted for two weeks.

Antibodies, Viral