OBJECTIVE:To study the incidence of congenital anomalies and the associated risk factors in Department of Pediatrics at Mahatma Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences, Sevagram, Wardha, a rural medical college hospital in central Maharashtra.MATERIALS AND METHODS:All the intramural deliveries between 1 January 2005 and 31 July 2007 comprised 9386 births and their 9324 mothers (62 mothers gave birth to twin babies). The newborns were examined and assessed systematically for the presence of congenital anomalies, system wise distribution of anomalies and risk factors attributable.RESULTS:Out of the total 9386 deliveries, 9194 were live births and 192 were stillbirths. The total number of babies with congenital malformations was 179 (1.91%). Out of the 9262 singleton births, 177 (1.05%) were malformed, whereas 2 of the 62 pairs of twins had birth defects. Nine of the 179 malformed babies (5.02%) were still born. Prematurity, increased maternal age, increasing birth order and low birth weight were found to have a higher risk of congenital anomalies. Cardiovascular malformations were most common in live births, followed by musculoskeletal and genitourinary anomalies.CONCLUSION:Congenital anomalies are a major cause of stillbirths and infant mortality. Evaluation of cardiovascular system to rule out congenital heart disease in high-risk mothers’ babies is the important factor to be considered.

Objectives:To study the blood pressure of school going children in a rural area and its relationship with the anthropometric indices.Methods:A prospective, cross-sectional study was carried out from November 2006 to December 2007 in the school going children between the ages of 6–17 years from eight different schools in the rural areas of Wardha district. The height, weight, systolic blood pressure (SBP), and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) were recorded in both sexes followed by complete clinical examination with special emphasis on cardiovascular system. Hypertension (HT) was defined as SBP or DBP exceeding the 95th percentile for age, gender, and height on at least three separate occasions, 1–3 weeks apart. SPSS software was used to analyze the data. Coefficient correlation tests were employed to assess the relation between BP and anthropometric variables.Results:Of 2643 school children, 1227 were boys and 1416 girls with a male to female ratio of 1:1.16. In boys, SBP and DBP increased with age except a marginal decline in SBP at the age of 17 years (−0.09) and decrease in the DBP (−1.29) at 16 years of age. In girls, SBP and DBP also increased with age except at 11 years, wherein there was a mild decrease in SBP (−0.09) as well as the DBP (−0.24). Correlation coefficient analysis showed highly significant positive correlation of height with SBP and DBP. There was a significant correlation of SBP and DBP with the weight, and body mass index (BMI). The prevalence of HT was 5.75% (i.e., 3.25% for systolic HT and 2.49% for diastolic HT).Conclusion:We recommend that there is a need for checking BP to detect HT in children, so that remedial measures can be initiated as early as possible.

Pyomyositis is a term used to denote primary pyogenic infection of the skeletal muscle. Striped muscle tissue is normally resistant to bacterial infection; pyomyositis is very rare. Primary pyomyositis is a purulent infection of striated muscle that is thought to be caused by seeding from a transient bacteremia. Pyomyositis should be considered in the differential diagnosis of septic-appearing children as well as children complaining of joint pain or muscle aches. The diagnosis can be aided by either a computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging scan. If the patient does not respond quickly to antibiotics and surgical intervention, there is either a recurrence of the previously debrided abscess or an unrecognized secondary abscess. Here, we present a case of primary pyomyositis of the iliacus muscle that might be due to severe pneumonia in a five-year-old child.

A rare congenital defect in fusion of the anterior chest wall resulting in an extrathoracic location of the heart. Cantrell's pentalogy is a congenital anomaly resulting from embryologic development defect and consists of the following: A deficiency of the anterior diaphragm, a midline supraumbilical abdominal wall defect, a defect in the diaphragmatic pericardium, congenital intracardiac abnormalities, and a defect of the lower sternum. Here we report a rare case of ectopic cordis with omphalocele.

The outcome measures appear to be reliable indices of term neonates responses to painful stimulation. NIPS are suitable instruments for neonatal pain evaluation.