Background: Deficiency of 25 hydroxyvitamin D has been linked with predisposition to autoimmune disorders. Also, vitamin D has been found to be a causal factor in many autoimmune diseases. Objective of the study was to investigate vitamin D status in children with autoimmune thyroiditis attending endocrinology OPD at a tertiary centre in southern India.Methods: It is a case control study done in which 75 children (70 female, 5 male) with age and sex matched healthy controls were chosen. Free thyroxine, TSH, anti TPOAb, anti TGAb, 25 hydroxyvitamin D, serum calcium, phosphorus, alkaline phosphatase levels were estimated in both cases and control subjects. Children with anti TPO or anti TG positivity were divided into four groups based on their level of antibody titers.Results: The mean age in cases was 9.8±0.34 years. 25(OH)D levels were significantly lower in cases (15.07±1.14 ng/ml) compared to controls (17.82±1.13 ng/ml) (p<0.0006). Mean serum calcium levels in cases (9.35±0.16 mg/dl) were significantly lower when compared to controls (9.73±0.14 mg/dl) (p<0.0005). Similarly mean serum alkaline phosphatase level in cases (184.97±11.10 IU/L) were significantly elevated when compared with controls (122.37±6.82 IU/L) (p<0.0001). However, there was no significant difference in serum phosphorus levels between cases (4.42±0.10 mg/dl) and controls (4.43±0.14 mg/dl) (p=0.83). There was no significant difference in vitamin D level among the groups in both anti TPO (p< 0.283) and anti TG (p<0.148).Conclusions: The significant decrease in vitamin D levels in cases signifies that 25(OH)D may be an independent causal factor related to the autoimmunity in thyroid diseases.

Background: Fever of unknown origin is one of the leading etiologies for morbidity and mortality among children worldwide and their spectrum keeps changing constantly from time to time. The objective of this study was to study the clinical profile and etiological spectrum of fever beyond 2 weeks duration in children aged 2 months to 12 years admitted in a tertiary care hospital. Methods: A prospective observational study, done in tertiary care centre over six month period (May 2016 to October 2016). Children aged 2 months to 12 years presenting with fever beyond 2 weeks duration fulfilling the inclusion criteria were included in the study and evaluated further. Initial investigations include complete blood count including peripheral smear for MP/malignancy, urine routine, chest X-ray, mantoux, CRP, blood and urine cultures were done followed by specific serology tests and further relevant investigations. The etiological outcomes were mainly analysed. Results: The etiological outcomes of the study were classified into 5 groups as infections, malignancies, connective tissue disorder, miscellaneous and undiagnosed. Among the study population, infection emerged as the major etiological outcome constituting 69.1% followed by malignancies (16.7%), connective tissue disorder (5%), miscellaneous (5.8%) and undiagnosed (3.4%). Conclusions: Infections, especially enteric fever still remains the leading etiology of fever beyond 2 weeks duration or FUO in children aged 2months to 12 years. Irrational usage of antibiotics has been highlighted in general practice which needs to be amended by periodic discussions and epidemiological surveys to prevent the emergence of drug resistance.

Background: The study was conducted to assess the effectiveness of bedtime Levothyroxine administration as compared to morning Levothyroxine administration in thyroid profile, renal and lipid parameters, anthropometric and vital parameters in children attending endocrinology OPD at a tertiary care center in Southern India.Methods: It is an open label randomized control study. 154 children who were diagnosed to have hypothyroidism, on levothyroxine supplementation and in euthyroid state at the start of study were included. Children were randomly allocated into two groups. One group received levothyroxine in early morning (1hr before food) and another group received levothyroxine in bedtime (2hrs after food) up to 3 months. At baseline, 6 weeks and 12weeks, thyroid profile, renal and lipid parameters and vital parameters were measured during follow up. Anthropometric parameters were measured at baseline and 12 weeks.Results: In 6th week analysis, mean TSH level of morning group (2.35±0.38 mIU/L) and bedtime group (2.42±0.40 mIU/L) did not show any statistical difference (p=0.8). In 12th week analysis mean TSH level of morning group (2.18±0.34 mIU/L) and bedtime group (1.90±0.33 mIU/L) did not show any statistical difference (p=0.24). At 6th week analysis, mean free T4 level of bedtime group (1.45±0.08 ng/dl) is higher than morning group (1.33±0.2 ng/dl). This difference is statistically significant (p= 0.03). At 12 th week analysis, mean free T4 level of bedtime group (1.65±0.04 ng/dl) is higher than morning group (1.31±0.06 ng/dl). This difference is statistically significant (p<0.00001). A 12weeks, the difference in mean serum cholesterol of morning group (152.79±4.59 mg/dl) and bedtime group (143.58±3.059 mg/dl) is statistically significant (p=0.001). At 6 and12 weeks, other parameters like serum triglycerides, HDL cholesterol, renal parameters, anthropometry, vital parameters of morning group and bedtime group did not show any statistical significant difference.Conclusions: There is a significant improvement in free T4 level when levothyroxine was taken at bedtime. The efficacy of bedtime regimen of levothyroxine is quite comparable to the efficacy of morning regimen. There is considerable decrease in serum cholesterol level when levothyroxine was taken at bedtime. Bedtime regimen may result in good compliance in school going children. Parents should be allowed to choose either morning or bedtime regimen depending on their convenience.

Background: Enuresis is a common problem in children and its incidence is multifactorial in nature. The aim of this study is to assess the etiological risk-factors in enuresis in the study population and also to compare the risk factors in enuresis subgroups.Methods: A total of 51 patients with enuresis presenting to the department of paediatrics, Institute of Social Paediatrics, Govt. Stanley Hospital, Chennai were included in the study. All children were sub classified as primary/secondary and the primary enuretics were sub classified into monosymptomatic/non monosymptomatic depending on the symptoms. The data was analyzed and the results presented.Results: Enuresis was common in boys. Statistically significant difference in the incidence of disorder between primary and secondary enuretic children was seen in relation to presence of storage symptoms (p=0.04), cystitis (p=0.013) sleep disordered breathing (p=0.0001) and low-income status (p=0.04). No statistically significant difference between into monosymptomatic nocturnal enuresis (MNE) and non-monosymptomatic nocturnal enuresis (NMNE) children was observed in terms of gender, difficulty in arousal, specific gravity, spina bifida, low bladder capacity and family history (p>0.05).Conclusions: The findings of the study reported that risk factors related to the incidence is similar in both primary and secondary enuresis. MNE and NMNE have no differences in the presentation and probably represent the spectrum of a same disorder.