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Background: Pakistan is a resource limited country with one of the highest neonatal mortality rate (NMR) in the world. Kangaroo Mother Care (KMC) helps in reducing the mortality and improving the care of preterm babies. The objective of this study was to identify the benefits of KMC in hospitalized newborns in terms of better weight gain and early discharge from hospital. Subjects and methods: A retrospective case-control study was conducted in the Neonatal Department of Services Hospital from 01.02.2019 to 31.01.2020. A total of 144 case notes, who met inclusion criteria were included. Subjects were divided in 2 Groups of 77 each. Group 1 did not receive KMC and Group 2 received KMC (partial or complete). Admission weight, gestational age at birth, duration of hospital stay and the average weight gain was noted for subjects in both groups. SPSS version 23 was used to analyze data. Independent samples t-test was applied. A p-value of ˂0.05 is taken as significant. Results: Mean weight gain in Group 1 was 5.521 g/kg/day (±6.664), whereas in Group 2 was 15.635 g/kg/day (±9.268). Mean hospital stay in Group 1 was 12.558 days (±10.856) and in Group 2 it was 8.208 days (±6.473). Weight gain and duration of hospital stay was significantly better in KMC Group with a p-value ˂0.05. This benefit was observed both for partial and complete KMC. Conclusion: KMC (partial or complete) leads to better weight gain and reduces the duration of hospital stay.

Objective: To analyze children of congenital heart defect hospitalized with lower respiratory tract infections (LRTIs). Study Design: Cohort study. Setting: Department of Pediatrics, Rai Medical College Teaching Hospital, Sargodha Pakistan. Period: July 2021 to June 2022. Material & Methods: Echocardiography confirmed known CHD cases of both genders aged 1 month to 10 years and hospitalized with LRTI were included. Demographic and clinical data were noted while relevant radiological examination and bacterial culture / respiratory virus panel from nasopharayngeal swabs examined. Types of CHD (acyanotic or cyanotic), types of bacterial causative agents and outcomes in terms of duration of hospitalization (days) and mortality or discharged were noted. Results: In a total of 63 children, 34 (54.0%) were male. The mean age was 1.56±1.42 years while 46 (73.0%) children were aged below 1 year. Assessment of causative agents revealed that 9 (14.3%) had viral involvement, 8 (12.7%) bacterial agents. Majority of the children, 44 (69.8%) had acyanotic CHD while remaining 19 (30.2%) had cyanotic CHD. Need for pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) admission was noted in 22 (34.9%). Although, need for PICU stay was more among children with acyanotic CHD when compared to cyanotic CHD, but the difference did not reach statistical significance (40.9% vs. 21.1%, p=0.1292). Likewise, duration of hospitalization was relatively more among children with acyanotic CHD when compared to children with cyanotic CHD but the difference did not reach statistical significance (17.65±8.21 vs. 14.3±6.84, p=0.1243). Conclusion: Majority of the children with CHD hospitalized with LRTI were below 1 year of age. Acyanotic CHD was the most common CHD type. Mortality was relatively low and most of the children with CHD hospitalized with LRTI were treated and discharged successfully.

Objectives: Community acquired pneumonia (CAP) is frequent amongst pediatric population all over the world while hyponatremia is a common electrolyte abnormality in hospitalized patients that has been shown to be associated with considerable morbidity and mortality. We aimed to determine the frequency of hyponatremia in children with community acquired pneumonia (CAP). Study Design: Cross Sectional study. Setting: Pediatrics Department, Services Hospital, Lahore. Period: July 2018 to January 2019. Material & Methods: A total of 100 cases up to 2 years of age of either gender, diagnosed cases of CAP during the last 72 hours, were enrolled. Demographic profile, age and gender were recorded. Every child with CAP was evaluated for the presence of hyponatremia. Mean and standard deviation were calculated for age. Frequency and percentages were noted for categorical variable like gender and presence/absence of hyponatremia. Results: Out of 100 cases of CAP, 57 (57.0%) were male and 43(43.0%) female. There were 45 (45.0%) cases who were less than 1 year of age while 55 (55.0%) were between 1-2 years of age. Mean age was calculated as 1.55 years with standard deviation of 0.52 years. Frequency of hyponatremia in children with CAP was recorded in 24 (24.0%) whereas 76 (76.0%) had no findings of the morbidity. Conclusion: Frequency of hyponatremia was high (24.0%) among children with CAP. Every patient who present with CAP should be evaluated for hyponatremia.