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Purpose of Review A multisystem inflammatory condition occurring in children and adolescents with COVID-19 has become increasingly recognized and widely studied globally. This review aims to investigate and synthesize evolving evidence on its clinical characteristics, management, and outcomes in pediatric patients. Recent Findings We retrieved data from PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, WHO COVID-19 Database, Google Scholar, and preprint databases, covering a timeline from December 1, 2019, to July 31, 2021. A total of 123 eligible studies were included in the final descriptive and risk factor analyses. We comprehensively reviewed reported multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C) cases from published and preprint studies of various designs to provide an updated evidence on epidemiology, clinical, laboratory and imaging findings, management, and short-term outcomes. Latest evidence suggests that African black and non-Hispanic white are the two most common ethnic groups, constituting 24.89% (95% CI 23.30–26.48%) and 25.18% (95% CI 23.51–26.85%) of the MIS-C population, respectively. Typical symptoms of MIS-C include fever (90.85%, 95% CI 89.86–91.84%), not-specified gastrointestinal symptoms (51.98%, 95% CI 50.13–53.83%), rash (49.63%, 95% CI 47.80–51.47%), abdominal pain (48.97%, 95% CI 47.09–50.85%), conjunctivitis (46.93%, 95% CI 45.17–48.69%), vomiting (43.79%, 95% CI 41.90–45.68%), respiratory symptoms (41.75%, 95% CI 40.01–43.49%), and diarrhea (40.10%, 95% CI 38.23–41.97%). MIS-C patients are less likely to develop conjunctivitis (OR 0.27, 95% CI 0.11–0.67), cervical adenopathy (OR 0.21, 95% CI 0.07–0.68), and rash (OR 0.44, 95% CI 0.26–0.77), in comparison with Kawasaki disease patients. Our review revealed that the majority of MIS-C cases (95.21%) to be full recovered while only 2.41% died from this syndrome. We found significant disparity between low- and middle-income countries and high-income countries in terms of clinical outcomes. Summary MIS-C, which appears to be linked to COVID-19, may cause severe inflammation in organs and tissues. Although there is emerging new evidence about the characteristics of this syndrome, its risk factors, and clinical prognosis, much remains unknown about the causality, the optimal prevention and treatment interventions, and long-term outcomes of the MIS-C patients.

Background: Prematurity and low birth weight are major risk factors for neonatal sepsis. Zinc supplements have been previously shown to be beneficial in pregnancy and small for gestational age birth outcomes. There is sparse information, however, on the potential benefits of zinc supplementation to prevent or treat serious infections in this age group. Objective: The aim of this study was to assess the efficacy of preventive and therapeutic zinc supplementation in young infant (Methods: MEDLINE, Cochrane CENTRAL, and other databases were searched from inception until 18 June 2021. Studies assessing preventive and therapeutic zinc supplementation in young infants in relation to incidence and outcomes of suspected sepsis were included. Meta-analyses of pooled effects were calculated for sepsis-related outcomes. Results: Eleven randomized controlled trials involving 2,819 infants were included. Eight studies reported therapeutic efficacy, whereas 3 evaluated preventive benefits of zinc supplementation. Preventive studies suggest a protective effect of zinc supplementation on neonatal mortality rate (NMR) (risk ratio (RR) 0.28; 95% CI 0.12–0.67, LOW certainty), but with no effect on the incidence of sepsis, both in preterm neonates. Among young infants, therapeutic zinc was associated with significant reductions in infant mortality-rate (RR 0.61; 95% CI 0.41–0.93, LOW certainty) and treatment failure (RR 0.61; 95% CI 0.44–0.85; LOW certainty). Therapeutic zinc supplementation in neonates was associated with significant increase in serum zinc concentrations (mean difference 81.97; 95% CI 34.57–129.37; LOW certainty), but without an effect on hospital stay or NMR. Conclusion: Zinc supplementation could potentially reduce mortality and treatment failure in young infants but has no noteworthy influence on hospital stay and in the prevention of sepsis. Further studies with larger sample sizes are needed to confirm the direction and magnitude of effects if any.

Background: Neonatal diabetes mellitus is a rare disorder characterized by refractory hyperglycaemia which is further divided into two types, transient (TNDM) and permanent neonatal diabetes (PNDM), which is associated with genetic aberrations at the human chromosome 6q24 accompanied with pancreatic structural abnormalities or b-cell dysfunction requiring insulin treatment. This case report analyzes a rare correlation between a case of permanent neonatal diabetes mellitus with Trisomy 21. Methods: An infant presented with intrauterine growth retardation and very low birth weight showing signs of persistent hyperglycaemia where genetic analysis suggested presence of permanent neonatal diabetes mellitus accompanied with Trisomy 21. Chest X-ray examination alongside an echocardiogram revealed significant pericardial tamponade. By the 6th week of life, pericardial effusion spontaneously resolved supported by normal follow-up echocardiograms without any treatment plan. The patient became euglycemic by 3rd week of life and discharged. Conclusion: Neonates with diabetes mellitus usually present with clinical features such as low-birth weight, ketoacidosis, consistent insulin-requiring hyperglycaemia and preterm. This case report shows a correlation between neonatal diabetes and genetic syndromes. Treatment plans can be improved by conducting genetic studies between these two variables and understanding the long-term outcomes.

ObjectiveCompare paediatric COVID-19 disease characteristics, management and outcomes according to World Bank country income level and disease severity.DesignSystematic review and meta-analysis.SettingBetween 1 December 2019 and 8 January 2021, 3350 articles were identified. Two reviewers conducted study screening, data abstraction and quality assessment independently and in duplicate. Observational studies describing laboratory-confirmed paediatric (0–19 years old) COVID-19 were considered for inclusion.Main outcomes and measuresThe pooled proportions of clinical findings, treatment and outcomes were compared according to World Bank country income level and reported disease severity.Results129 studies were included from 31 countries comprising 10 251 children of which 57.4% were hospitalised. Mean age was 7.0 years (SD 3.6), and 27.1% had a comorbidity. Fever (63.3%) and cough (33.7%) were common. Of 3670 cases, 44.1% had radiographic abnormalities. The majority of cases recovered (88.9%); however, 96 hospitalised children died. Compared with high-income countries, in low-income and middle-income countries, a lower proportion of cases were admitted to intensive care units (ICUs) (9.9% vs 26.0%) yet pooled proportion of deaths among hospitalised children was higher (relative risk 2.14, 95% CI 1.43 to 3.20). Children with severe disease received antimicrobials, inotropes and anti-inflammatory agents more frequently than those with non-severe disease. Subgroup analyses showed that a higher proportion of children with multisystem inflammatory syndrome (MIS-C) were admitted to ICU (47.1% vs 22.9%) and a higher proportion of hospitalised children with MIS-C died (4.8% vs 3.6%) compared with the overall sample.ConclusionPaediatric COVID-19 has a favourable prognosis. Further severe disease characterisation in children is needed globally.

CONTEXT Previous reviews of mental health interventions have focused on adolescents (10–19 years), with a paucity of comprehensive evidence syntheses on preventive interventions for school-aged children (5–10 years). OBJECTIVE To summarize and synthesize the available evidence from systematic reviews of mental health and positive development interventions for children aged 5–14.9 years in both high-income (HIC) and low- and middle-income countries (LMIC), with a focus on preventive and promotive strategies. DATA SOURCES This overview includes all relevant reviews from OVID Medline, The Cochrane Library, and Campbell Systematic Reviews through December 2020. STUDY SELECTION We included systematic reviews that synthesized empirical studies using experimental or quasi-experimental designs to evaluate the effectiveness of interventions in children aged 5–14.9 years. DATA EXTRACTION Data extraction and quality assessment were completed independently and in duplicate by two review authors. The AMSTAR2 tool was used to assess methodological quality. RESULTS We included 162 reviews. The greatest evidence was found in support of school-based universal and anti-bullying interventions in predominantly HIC. Moderate evidence was found for the use of substance abuse prevention, and early learning and positive development interventions in mixed settings. In LMIC-only contexts, the most promising evidence was found for positive youth development programs. LIMITATIONS The review was primarily limited by paucity of high-quality research due to methodological issues and high heterogeneity. CONCLUSIONS This overview of reviews highlights the need for further research to consolidate findings and understand the specific criteria involved in creating positive mental health and development outcomes from the various interventions considered.

There remains scarcity of literature regarding the patient's health status post-COVID-19 infection. This study analyzes the prevalence of residual symptoms and quality of life (QoL) after COVID-19.An anonymous online survey was administrated in Pakistan from November 2020 to April 2021 in COVID-19 survivors. The questionnaire used the 12-Item Short Form Health Survey (SF-12) to assess mental and physical QoL. Multivariate linear regression was used to explore factors associated with mental and physical QoL scores.A total of 331 COVID-19 survivors participated in our survey. Around 42.0% of the cohort reported within 1-3 months of diagnosis of COVID-19. The common residual symptoms were body aches (39.9%), low mood (32.6%), and cough (30.2%). Better physical QoL was associated with being male (adjusted beta: 3.328) and having no residual symptoms (6.955). However, suffering from nausea/vomiting during initial COVID-19 infection (-4.026), being admitted to the ICU during COVID-19 infection (-9.164), and suffering from residual body aches (-5.209) and low mood (-2.959) was associated with poorer QoL. Better mental QoL was associated with being asymptomatic during initial COVID-19 infection (6.149) and post-COVID (6.685), while experiencing low mood post-COVID was associated with poorer mental QoL (-8.253 [-10.914, -5.592]).Despite presumed "recovery" from COVID-19, patients still face a wide range of residual symptoms months after initial infection, which contributes towards poorer QoL. Healthcare professionals must remain alert to the long-lasting effects of COVID-19 infection and aim to address them appropriately to improve patients' QoL.

This chapter focuses on the health status of children, particularly those less than 5 years of age. The global mortality burden among this group still remains unacceptably high and progress in reducing it remains unequal across countries and regions. Most children suffer and die from a small number of conditions—the main causes of morbidity are highly correlated with the major causes of death. Likewise, nutritional status, child growth, and development are intertwined. Strikingly, even in the poorest settings, a significant proportion of these outcomes could be prevented with a few interventions that are well known, feasible, deliverable without complex technology, and affordable. Strengthening the health system and integrating interventions into packages of care that can be delivered during pregnancy, childbirth, the neonatal period, and childhood at all levels—from home to hospital—will be key to increasing the coverage of health interventions and in further reducing child mortality.

BackgroundAs the COVID-19 pandemic rages on, reports on disparities in vaccine roll out alongside reinfection and reactivation from previously recovered cases have been emerging. With newer waves and variants of COVID-19, we conducted a systematic review to assess the determinants and disease spectrum of COVID-19 reinfection.MethodsA comprehensive search covering relevant databases was conducted for observational studies reporting Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) confirmed infection and reinfection cases. Quality assessment tool developed by the National Institute of Health (NIH) for assessment of case series was used. Meta-analyses were performed using RevMan 5.3 for pooled proportions of findings in first infection and reinfection with 95% confidence interval (CI).ResultsEighty-one studies reporting 577 cases were included from 22 countries. The mean age of patients was 46.2±18.9 years with males accounting for 45.8% of the study population while 179 (31.0%) cases of comorbidities were reported. The average time duration between first infection and reinfection was 63.6±48.9 days. During first infection and reinfection, fever was the most common symptom (41.4% and 36.4%, respectively) whilst anti-viral therapy was the most common treatment regimen administered (44.5% and 43.0%, respectively). Overall, comparable odds of symptomatic presentation and management were reported in the two infections. However, a higher Intensive Care Unit (ICU) admission rate was observed in reinfection compared to first infection (10 vs 3). Ten deaths were reported with 565 patients fully recovering. Respiratory failure was the most common cause of death (7/10 deaths). Seventy-two studies were determined to be of good quality whilst nine studies were of fair quality.ConclusionAs the first global-scale systematic review of its kind, our findings support immunization practices given increased ICU admissions and mortality in reinfections. Our cohort serves as a guide for clinicians and authorities for devising an optimal strategy for controlling the pandemic.

Background: There is uncertainty with respect to SARS-CoV-2 transmission in children (0-19 years) with controversy on effectiveness of school-closures in controlling the pandemic. It is of equal importance to evaluate the risk of transmission in children who are often asymptomatic or mildly symptomatic carriers that may incidentally transmit SARS-CoV-2 in different settings. We conducted this review to assess transmission and risks for SARS-CoV-2 in children (by age-groups or grades) in community and educational-settings compared to adults. Methods: Data for the review were retrieved from PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, WHO COVID-19 Database, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI) Database, WanFang Database, Latin American and Caribbean Health Sciences Literature (LILACS), Google Scholar, and preprints from medRixv and bioRixv) covering a timeline from December 1, 2019 to April 1, 2021. Population-screening, contact-tracing and cohort studies reporting prevalence and transmission of SARS-CoV-2 in children were included. Data were extracted according to PRISMA guidelines. Meta-analyses were performed using Review Manager 5.3. Results: Ninety studies were included. Compared to adults, children showed comparable national (risk ratio (RR) = 0.87, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.71-1.060 and subnational (RR = 0.81, 95% CI = 0.66-1.01) prevalence in population-screening studies, and lower odds of infection in community/household contact-tracing studies (odds ratio (OR) = 0.62, 95% CI = 0.46-0.84). On disaggregation, adolescents observed comparable risk (OR = 1.22, 95% CI = 0.74-2.04) with adults. In educational-settings, children attending daycare/preschools (OR = 0.53, 95% CI = 0.38-0.72) were observed to be at lower-risk when compared to adults, with odds of infection among primary (OR = 0.85, 95% CI = 0.55-1.31) and high-schoolers (OR = 1.30, 95% CI = 0.71-2.38) comparable to adults. Overall, children and adolescents had lower odds of infection in educational-settings compared to community and household clusters. Conclusions: Children (

Introduction The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccine is available across various countries worldwide, with public-private partnerships ensuring all individuals are vaccinated through a phased approach. Irrespective of the geographical spread, several myths pertaining to the COVID-19 vaccine have stemmed, ultimately limiting the national administration of vaccines and rollouts. This study assessed the acceptance of the COVID-19 vaccine among the general public in Pakistan. Methods A pre-validated questionnaire was administered from January 2(121 to February 2021 to assess the public attitude and acceptance of the COVID-19 vaccine. Logistic regression analyses were run to identify factors associated with the acceptance among the population. Results A total of 936 responses were elicited, where 15% perceived their risk of being infected at 20-30% with an overall 70% agreeing to be vaccinated if recommended. Multivariate analysis identified higher acceptance in the male gender, healthcare workers, and students. Of all, 66% respondents chose healthcare workers and public officials, whereas 15.6% chose scientific literature, and 12.9% chose social media as the most reliable source of COVID-19 information. Conclusion Given the relatively greater trust in healthcare providers for information regarding COVID-19, healthcare workers ought to be on the frontline for vaccine campaigns and public outreach efforts, with governmental efforts in addition to the promotion of scientific materials for population-level understanding.

COVID-19 has affected both adults and children with variable presentations and disease severity. Children can present with mild symptoms of fever, cough and shortness of breath, and rapidly progress to severe pneumonia, requiring mechanical ventilation. This population includes children who are younger than one year and older adolescents who have an underlying comorbidity-specifically immunosuppression or prior cardio-respiratory infections. In this review, we discuss the determinants of severe disease among the paediatric patients- primarily asthma, immune-status, obesity and multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C). Asthma and underlying lung pathologies can be a strong predictor (~20% prevalence) for development of severe COVID-19 infection, irrespective of age. However, as compared to asthma, a higher mortality rate was reported in immune-compromised patients. With a weakened immune system, immunosuppressed individuals were 1.55 times and immunocompromised patients 3.29 times more vulnerable to developing severer COVID-19 disease. Similarly, evidence suggests that a BMI of greater than 35 kg/m2 renders individuals more susceptible to developing COVID-19-related complications. This observation is based on the negative impacts obesity has on pulmonary functions and in downplaying the immune system. Furthermore, a possible association of COVID-19 and MIS-C has been reported by multiple studies across the globe but it needs further studies to strengthen its stance due to the scarcity of data when compared with the other determinants discussed in this article. Authors recommend researchers directing attention on synthesizing the evolving evidence to fill the knowledge void in the paediatric population, which will better enable paediatricians to make informed decisions.

Progress has been made globally in improving the coverage of key maternal, newborn, and early childhood interventions in low-income and middle-income countries, which has contributed to a decrease in child mortality and morbidity. However, inequities remain, and many children and adolescents are still not covered by life-saving and nurturing care interventions, despite their relatively low costs and high cost-effectiveness. This Series paper builds on a large body of work from the past two decades on evidence-based interventions and packages of care for survival, strategies for delivery, and platforms to reach the most vulnerable. We review the current evidence base on the effectiveness of a variety of essential and emerging interventions that can be delivered from before conception until age 20 years to help children and adolescents not only survive into adulthood, but also to grow and develop optimally, support their wellbeing, and help them reach their full developmental potential. Although scaling up evidence-based interventions in children younger than 5 years might have the greatest effect on reducing child mortality rates, we highlight interventions and evidence gaps for school-age children (5-9 years) and the transition from childhood to adolescence (10-19 years), including interventions to support mental health and positive development, and address unintentional injuries, neglected tropical diseases, and non-communicable diseases.

Summary As severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 continues to spread worldwide, there have been increasing reports from Europe, North America, Asia, and Latin America describing children and adolescents with COVID-19-associated multisystem inflammatory conditions. However, the association between multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children and COVID-19 is still unknown. We review the epidemiology, causes, clinical features, and current treatment protocols for multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children and adolescents associated with COVID-19. We also discuss the possible underlying pathophysiological mechanisms for COVID-19-induced inflammatory processes, which can lead to organ damage in paediatric patients who are severely ill. These insights provide evidence for the need to develop a clear case definition and treatment protocol for this new condition and also shed light on future therapeutic interventions and the potential for vaccine development. Translations For the French, Chinese, Arabic, Spanish and Russian translations of the abstract see Supplementary Materials section.

Background: The Novel Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) has created havoc globally as countries worldwide struggle to combat this pandemic. Since prevention and social isolation are known to be the only ways to prevent the spread of COVID-19, this has created challenges among the lower-middle income countries (LMIC) including Pakistan, as it battles between an under-resourced healthcare, an economic shutdown, and widespread myths and misconceptions. Therefore, we conducted a study to evaluate the knowledge, attitude and perceptions regarding COVID-19 as public understanding is vital to help facilitate the control of this outbreak. Methods: A pre-validated online questionnaire was distributed among the general population of Pakistan from 1st to 12th June 2020. Descriptive statistics were analyzed using SPSS v25. Adequate knowledge was assigned as a score of >4 (range: 0-8) and good perception as a score of >3 (range: 0-5). Chi‑square test was used to determine the significance of difference in knowledge and perception of COVID-19 among socio-demographics. Logistic regression analysis was run to identify factors associated with adequate knowledge and perception. P < 0.05 was considered as significant.Results: A total of 1200 respondents participated in this study with a wide range of age groups and education. Majority of the respondents had adequate knowledge (93.3%) with a mean score of 6.59 ± 1.35, and good perception (85.6%) with a mean score of 4.29 ± 0.82. Significant differences in knowledge and perception were observed among genders, age groups, education and between students and employees in the healthcare and non-healthcare department. A multivariable analysis revealed an advanced degree and a female gender to be significant predictors of adequate knowledge and perception. Conclusions: Albeit the surge of COVID-19 cases in Pakistan, the participants demonstrated an overall adequate knowledge and good perception towards COVID-19. Perhaps, a potential hint towards noncompliance practices in following preventive protocols requires further educational interventions that target safe health practices and complications of this infection.

Background Malnutrition is one of the most common causes of morbidity and mortality among children and adolescents and is now considered to be one of the largest risk factors responsible for the global burden of diseases along with poor diet. Objectives The objective of this review was to assess the impact of preventive nutrition interventions (including nutrition education and counselling; micronutrient supplementation/fortification and macronutrient supplementation) to improve the health and nutritional status of adolescents aged 10–19 years in low‐ and middle‐income countries (LMICs). The secondary objective of the review was to assess various contextual factors based on the World Health Organisation (WHO) health system building blocks framework that might potentially impact the effectiveness of these interventions for this age group. Search Methods The search was conducted on Cochrane Controlled Trials Register (CENTRAL), MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, PsycINFO, the WHO nutrition databases, CAB Global Health, Social Science Citation Index, Scopus, WHO Global Health Index, ADOLEC and EPPI until February 5, 2019. We searched Google Scholar along with key nutrition agencies database such as Nutrition International, the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition, the World Food Programme and HarvestPlus to search for nonindexed, grey literature to locate relevant programme evaluations and any additional trials. All searches were performed without any restrictions on publication date, language or publication status. Selection Criteria We included randomised controlled trials, quasiexperimental studies, controlled before‐after studies and interrupted time series evaluating the effectiveness of preventive nutrition interventions among adolescents between 10 and 19 years of age from LMICs. Data Collection and Analysis Two review authors independently assessed trials for inclusion, assessed risk of bias and extracted data from included studies. Meta‐analysis was conducted separately for each outcome and intervention. For dichotomous data, we reported risk ratios (RR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI). For continuous data, we reported the mean difference (MD) or standard mean difference (SMD) with 95% CI. Main Results This review summarises findings from a total of 10 studies from 15 papers including 10,802 participants. All the studies included in this review assessed the impact of micronutrient supplementation/fortification on health and nutritional status among adolescents in LMIC. We did not find any study assessing the impact of nutrition education and counselling or on macronutrient supplementation among adolescents. Micronutrient supplementation/fortification interventions included calcium/vitamin D supplementation/fortification, iron supplementation with or without folic acid, zinc supplementation and multiple micronutrient (MMN) fortification. The majority of the studies (eight out of 10 studies) included adolescent girls aged between 10 and 19 years of age. We did not find any large scale preventive nutrition intervention programmes targeting adolescents in LMICs. We are uncertain of the effect of iron supplementation with or without folic acid on anaemia (daily supplementation; RR: 1.04, 95% CI 0.88, 1.24; one study; 1,160 participants; low quality evidence. Weekly supplementation; RR: 1.07, 95% CI: 0.91, 1.26; one study; 1,247 participants; low quality evidence). We are uncertain of the effect of various micronutrient supplementation/fortification on body mass index (calcium/vitamin D supplementation; (MD: −0.01 kg/m2; 95% CI: −1.20, 1.17; two studies; 730 participants; I2 94%; very low quality evidence, iron supplementation with or without folic acid; MD: 0.29 kg/m2; 95% CI: −0.25, 0.83; two studies; 652 participants; I2 69%; very low quality evidence, zinc supplementation; MD: 0.35 kg/m2; 95% CI: −0.15, 0.85; one study; 382 participants; very low quality evidence) and MMN fortification; MD: 0.23 kg/m2, 95% CI: −0.11, 0.57; two studies; 943 participants; I2 22%; very low quality evidence). None of the included studies reported any other primary outcomes including morbidity or adverse effects. Iron supplementation with or without folic acid may improve haemoglobin concentrations (MD: 0.42 g/dL, 95% CI: 0.13, 0.71; four studies; 1,020 participants; I2 89%; low quality evidence). Calcium/vitamin D supplementation may improve serum 25(OH) D levels (standardised mean difference [SMD]: 2.85, 95% CI: 0.89, 4.82; two studies; 395 participants; I2 99%; low quality evidence). We are uncertain of the effect of calcium only supplementation (MD: 0.02 g/cm2, 95% CI: −0.00, 0.04; one study; 233 participants; low quality outcome) and calcium + vitamin D supplementation (MD: 0.02 g/cm2, 95% CI: −0.00, 0.04; one study; 235 participants; low quality evidence) on total bone mineral density (BMD). We are uncertain of the effect of MMN fortification on haemoglobin concentrations (MD: −0.10 g/dL, 95% CI: −0.88, 0.68; two studies; 1102 participants; I2 100%; very low quality evidence); calcium supplementation on total body bone mineral content (BMC); (MD: 30.20 g, 95% CI: −40.56, 100.96; one study; 233 participants; low quality evidence), calcium + vitamin D supplementation on total body BMC (MD: 21.60 g, 95% CI: −45.32, 88.52; one study; 235 participants; low quality evidence) and zinc supplementation on serum zinc levels (SMD: 6.94, 95% CI: −4.84, 18.71; two studies; 494 participants; very low quality evidence). One study reported the impact of iron supplementation with or without folic acid on cognition of adolescent girls suggesting improved cognition in most of the tests with daily or twice weekly supplementation compared to once weekly or no supplementation. None of the other secondary outcomes were reported including any other development outcomes and all‐cause mortality. These findings warrant caution while interpreting due to very few studies and high heterogeneity. Authors' Conclusions There is limited evidence of micronutrient supplementation/fortification among adolescents on health and nutritional status in LMICs, with lack of evidence on nutrition education and counselling and macronutrient supplementation. The findings are generaliseable for adolescent girls since all studies (except one) targeted female adolescents.

Bladder exstrophy-epispadias complex (EEC) is a rare congenital defect where the abdominal muscles and bones fail to close in the mid-pelvis. It is crucial to understand the health-related quality of life (QOL) of exstrophy patients who have undergone multiple correctional surgeries. We herein discuss a case of bladder EEC that was repaired through a series of procedures at a resource-limited hospital in Karachi, Pakistan. A 21-year-old male, who was born with EEC, underwent bladder augmentation, Mitrofanoff procedure, bladder neck reconstruction, ureter implantation and a right nephrectomy in a single one-stage procedure during late childhood for urinary incontinence. However, this required a further revision because the urinary incontinence persisted, with difficulty in catheterizing the Mitrofanoff channel. On follow-up after 10 years, our patient currently describes normal QOL with near-normal sexual function. Validated questionnaires for QOL, erectile dysfunction, incontinence and prostatic function were used to assess the patient's post-operative status in these domains. Through our report, we conclude that such patients can have a normal QOL by means of a holistic multidisciplinary management, which includes timely surgical corrections along with an additional focus on the psycho-social and sexual aspects of this condition.

Polycythaemia Vera (PV) is a myeloproliferative disorder in which bone marrow has increased production of red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets. The hallmarks of the disease are veno-occlusive events, secondary to increased blood viscosity. Polycythaemia Vera rarely presents with portal vein thrombosis below age of 55 years especially in absence of any chronic liver disease. We report a case of 30-years-old South Asian male presenting with abdominal pain, weight loss and vomiting for 3 months. On evaluation, he was found to have oesophageal varices. Furthermore, CT scan showed infiltration at porta-hepatis and portal venous thrombosis. Polycythaemia Vera was diagnosed with a positive JAK2 mutation and increased haemoglobin. Laparoscopy was done to perform biopsy of the porta-hepatis mass. Biopsy showed engorged vessels with no sign of malignancy. Patient underwent repeated sessions of upper GI endoscopy for band ligation and multiple sessions of venous phlebotomy which drastically improved his blood indices. He was started on lifelong aspirin and was advised regular follow-ups. With early recognition and prompt management patients can be prevented from potential complications which can prove to be detrimental.

Cancer is a prevalent disease with a rising incidence worldwide. The most common misdiagnosed type of cancers are brain tumors. Patients in early stages of brain tumors often present with vague symptoms. Due to the ambiguous nature of symptoms, diagnosis is difficult and the delay in diagnosis leads to a poor prognosis. In MRI images, brain tumors are hard to classify since they are embedded near normal tissues. This makes it hard for doctors to exactly extract tumors. Recognition of tumors in MRI images is tedious and time-consuming in most cases. To assist this process, several machine learning techniques have been developed. However, the techniques have limitations in practical diagnosis: Supervised techniques need a human operator to choose training data, while unsupervised techniques can only segment images without recognizing tumors. In this thesis research, we developed a hybrid technique for automatic brain MRI tumor recognition. This technique may overcome some limitations of the existing techniques as it does not require the involvement of a human operator and can effectively recognize tumors.

The objective of this review was to assess the impact of preventive nutrition interventions on health and nutritional status of adolescents aged 10−19 years in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). We searched the databases until 5 February 2019 without any restrictions on publication, date, language, or publication status. A total of 10 studies (15 papers) including 10,802 participants assessing the impact of micronutrient supplementation/fortification were included in this review. We did not find any study assessing the impact of nutrition education and counseling or macronutrient supplementation among adolescents. Among primary outcomes, we are uncertain of the effect of iron supplementation with or without folic acid on anemia (daily supplementation; relative risk (RR): 1.04, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.42, 2.57; one study; 1160 participants; low-quality evidence; weekly supplementation; RR: 1.07, 95% CI: 0.46, 2.52; one study; 1247 participants; low-quality evidence). We are also uncertain of the effect of various micronutrient supplementation/fortification on body mass index (BMI) (calcium/vitamin D supplementation; (MD: −0.01 kg/m2; 95% CI: −1.20, 1.17; two studies; 730 participants; I2 94%; very-low-quality evidence, iron supplementation with or without folic acid; MD: 0.47 kg/m2; 95% CI: −0.17, 1.11; two studies; 652 participants; I2 37%; very-low-quality evidence, zinc supplementation; MD: 0.35 kg/m2; 95% CI: −0.15, 0.85; one study; 382 participants; very-low-quality evidence) and multiple micronutrient (MMN) fortification; MD: 0.23 kg/m2, 95% CI: −0.11, 0.57; two studies; 943 participants; I2 22%; very-low-quality evidence). None of the included studies reported any other primary outcomes including morbidity or adverse effects. Among secondary outcomes, iron supplementation with or without folic acid may improve hemoglobin concentrations, and calcium/vitamin D supplementation may improve serum 25(OH)D levels, while calcium only supplementation and calcium and vitamin D supplementation may marginally improve total body bone mineral density (BMD). We are uncertain of the effect of MMN fortification on hemoglobin concentrations, calcium supplementation on total body bone mineral content (BMC), calcium + vitamin D supplementation on total body BMC, and zinc supplementation on zinc levels. There is limited evidence of micronutrient supplementation/fortification among adolescents, especially adolescent boys, on health and nutritional status in LMICs. These findings should be interpreted with caution due to the low quality and limited number of studies.

Objective The manufacturers of electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) are actively marketing their product through electronic and social media. Undergraduate medical students are expected to have better knowledge and awareness as they directly interact with patients in their training, The purpose of this study is therefore, to determine knowledge, use and perception regarding e-cigarettes among medical students from Sindh, Pakistan. Results A cross-sectional study was conducted between 1st July and 30th September 2016 at five different medical colleges situated in the second largest province of Sindh, Pakistan. The data was collected through a structured, self-administered questionnaire. Of the 500 students, the mean age was 21.5 ± 1.7 years and 58% were females. Over (65.6%) students were aware of e-cigarettes, 31 (6.2%) reported having used e-cigarettes, of whom 6 (1.2%) self-reported daily use. Users of conventional tobacco products were significantly more likely to have heard of e-cigarettes (87.6% vs 51.6%, p