The rare genetic disease research landscape in India

I am delighted to see this special issue on 'The Rare Genetic Disease Research Landscape in India'' by the Journal of Biosciences, published by the Indian Academy of Sciences in collaboration with Springer Nature. It is the first time that a mainstream biology journal has decided to publish a whole issue on rare genetic disorders. I congratulate the editorial board of the Journal of Biosciences for their timely support to encourage research in this area. I also believe that this issue will increase awareness about rare genetic diseases research and encourage many in India to enter the field.

Serum Trace Elements in Children with Well-Controlled and Drug Refractory Epilepsy Compared to Controls: An Observational Study

BACKGROUND

Trace elements have been implicated in pathogenesis of epilepsy. Studies till date have shown altered levels of serum trace elements in children with epilepsy.

OBJECTIVE

The objective of the current was to estimate serum levels of trace elements in children with well-controlled and drug refractory epilepsy and compare it with controls.

METHODOLOGY

In a tertiary care teaching hospital of North India, serum selenium, copper, zinc, and iron were estimated in well-controlled and drug refractory epileptic children aged 2-12 years and compared with age and gender matched controls.

RESULTS

A total of 106 children with epilepsy (55 drug refractory and 51 well controlled) and 52 age and gender matched controls were included in the study. Serum selenium and copper were significantly decreased in cases compared to controls. After classifying epilepsy into well-controlled and drug refractory cases, only in the latter the significant difference for serum selenium and copper levels remained compared to controls. Additionally, in the drug refractory cases, serum iron levels were significantly reduced compared to controls.

CONCLUSIONS

Serum trace elements are altered in children with epilepsy (more so in the drug refractory group) compared to controls. Monitoring of serum trace elements in children with epilepsy should be considered. Up to one-third of epilepsy is drug refractory of which only another third are amenable to surgery. It is worth investigating the therapeutic potential of altered micronutrient status in these patients.

Stepwise interventions for improving hand hygiene compliance in a level 3 academic neonatal intensive care unit in north India

OBJECTIVE

We evaluated effect of sequentially introducing four WHO-recommended interventions to promote hand-hygiene compliance in tertiary-care NICU.

STUDY DESIGN

Four dedicated research nurses directly observed doctors and nurses to record success in hand-hygiene opportunities at randomly selected NICU beds and randomly sampled time-slots in four phases (of 4-weeks each): I-Baseline, II-Self-directed learning; III-Participatory learning; IV-Closed-Circuit Television (CCTV); and V-CCTV-plus (with feedback).

FINDINGS

Hand-hygiene compliance changed from 61.8% (baseline) to 77% (end) with overall relative change: 24.6% (95% CI 18, 32; p value= 0.003); compared with preceding phase, relative changes of 21% (15, 28; <0.001), 4% (0, 8; 0.008), -10% (-13, -6; <0.001), and 10% (5, 15; <0.001) during phases II, III, IV, and V, respectively were observed. Rise in hand-hygiene compliance was higher for after-WHO-moments (12.7%; upto 2.5-folds for moment 5, <0.001) compared to before-WHO-moments (5.2%). Educational interventions, feedback and monitoring WHO moments can improve hand-hygiene compliance significantly among health-care providers in NICU.

Neurocognitive Outcomes and Their Diffusion Tensor Imaging Correlates in Children With Mild Traumatic Brain Injury

This study aimed to assess the neurocognitive outcomes and their diffusion tensor imaging correlates in children (aged 6-16 years) with mild traumatic brain injury. This prospective analysis included 74 children with mild traumatic brain injury (52 boys; mean age: 9.5 [±2.7] years). Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Indian adaptation (WISC-IV), Child Behavior Checklist, and Children's Sleep Habits Questionnaire were administered for 57 cases (at 3 months postinjury) and 51 controls of similar age. The findings of diffusion tensor imaging (done within 7 days of injury) were correlated with various WISC-IV indices. The presenting features at the time of injury were loss of consciousness (53%), confusion or disorientation (47%), and post-traumatic amnesia (10%). Other features in the acute phase included drowsiness (86%), headache (78%), balance problems (62%), nausea (47%), fatigue (45%), vomiting (35%), nasal or ear bleed (12%), sensitivity to sound and light (12%), etc. At 3 months postinjury, the children with mild traumatic brain injury performed poorly in terms of Intelligence Quotient, perceptual reasoning index, and processing speed index as compared to controls. Based on the Child Behavior Checklist, 17% of children with mild traumatic brain injury had internalizing behavioral problems in comparison with 4% of controls. Prevalence of poor sleepers in the mild traumatic brain injury cohort and controls was 12.3% and 2% respectively. Headache, reduced attention span, and fatigue were common postconcussion symptoms. There was a positive correlation between right uncinate fasciculus fractional anisotropy and verbal comprehension index (r = 0.32; P < .05).

Effect of home-based newborn care on neonatal and infant mortality: a cluster randomised trial in India

BACKGROUND

Home-based newborn care has been found to reduce neonatal mortality in rural areas. Study evaluated effectiveness of home-based care delivered by specially recruited newborn care workers- Shishu Rakshak (SR) and existing workers- anganwadi workers (AWW) in reducing neonatal and infant mortality rates.

METHODS

This three-arm, community-based, cluster randomised trial was conducted in five districts in India. Intervention package consisted of pregnancy surveillance, health education, care at birth, care of normal/low birthweight neonates, identification and treatment of sick neonates and young infants using oral and injectable antibiotics and community mobilisation. The package was similar in both intervention arms-SR and AWW; difference being healthcare provider. The control arm received routine health services from the existing health system. Primary outcomes were neonatal and young infant mortality rates at 'endline' period (2008-2009) assessed by an independent team from January to April 2010 in the study clusters.

FINDINGS

A total of 6623, 6852 and 5898 births occurred in the SR, AWW and control arms, respectively, during the endline period; the proportion of facility births were 69.0%, 64.4% and 70.6% in the three arms. Baseline mortality rates were comparable in three arms. During the endline period, the risk of neonatal mortality was 25% lower in the SR arm (adjusted OR 0.75, 95% CI 0.57 to 0.99); the risks of early neonatal mortality, young infant mortality and infant mortality were also lower by 32%, 27%, and 33%, respectively. The risks of neonatal, early neonatal, young infant, infant mortality in the AWW arm were not different from that of the control arm.

INTERPRETATION

Home-based care is effective in reducing neonatal and infant mortality rates, when delivered by a dedicated worker, even in settings with high rates of facility births.

TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER

The study was registered with Clinical Trial Registry of India (CTRI/2011/12/002181).

Effect of Umbilical Cord Milking vs Delayed Cord Clamping on Venous Hematocrit at 48 Hours in Late Preterm and Term Neonates: A Randomized Controlled Trial

OBJECTIVE

To compare the effect of intact umbilical cord milking (MUC) and delayed cord clamping (DCC) on venous hematocrit at 48 (±6) hours in late preterm and term neonates (350/7- 426/7 wk).

STUDY DESIGN

Randomized trial.

SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS

All late preterm and term neonates (350/7 - 426/7 wk) neonates born in the labor room and maternity operation theatre of tertiary care unit were included.

INTERVENTION

We randomly allocated enrolled neonates to MUC group (cord milked four times towards the baby while being attached to the placenta; n=72) or DCC group (cord clamped after 60 seconds; n=72).

OUTCOME

Primary outcome was venous hematocrit at 48 (±6) hours of life. Additional outcomes were venous hematocrit at 48 (±6) hours in newborns delivered through lower segment caesarean section (LSCS), incidence of polycythemia requiring partial exchange transfusion, incidence of hyperbilirubinemia requiring phototherapy, and venous hematocrit and serum ferritin levels at 6 (±1) weeks of age.

RESULTS

The mean (SD) hematocrit at 48 (±6) hours in the MUC group was higher than in DCC group [57.7 (4.3) vs. 55.9 (4.4); P=0.002]. Venous hematocrit at 6 (±1) weeks was higher in MUC than in DCC group [mean (SD), 37.7 (4.3) vs. 36 (3.4); mean difference 1.75 (95% CI 0.53 to 2.9); P=0.005]. Other parameters were similar in the two groups.

CONCLUSION

MUC leads to a higher venous hematocrit at 48 (±6) hours in late preterm and term neonates when compared with DCC.

Efficacy of Ketogenic Diet, Modified Atkins Diet, and Low Glycemic Index Therapy Diet Among Children With Drug-Resistant Epilepsy: A Randomized Clinical Trial

IMPORTANCE

The ketogenic diet (KD) has been used successfully to treat children with drug-resistant epilepsy. Data assessing the efficacy of the modified Atkins diet (MAD) and low glycemic index therapy (LGIT) diet compared with the KD are scarce.

OBJECTIVE

To determine whether the MAD and LGIT diet are noninferior to the KD among children with drug-resistant epilepsy.

DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS

One hundred seventy children aged between 1 and 15 years who had 4 or more seizures per month, had not responded to 2 or more antiseizure drugs, and had not been treated previously with the KD, MAD, or LGIT diet were enrolled between April 1, 2016, and August 20, 2017, at a tertiary care referral center in India.

EXPOSURES

Children were randomly assigned to receive the KD, MAD, or LGIT diet as additions to ongoing therapy with antiseizure drugs.

MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES

Primary outcome was percentage change in seizure frequency after 24 weeks of dietary therapy in the MAD cohort compared with the KD cohort and in the LGIT diet cohort compared with the KD cohort. The trial was powered to assess noninferiority of the MAD and LGIT diet compared with the KD with a predefined, noninferiority margin of -15 percentage points. Intention-to-treat analysis was used.

RESULTS

One hundred fifty-eight children completed the trial: KD (n = 52), MAD (n = 52), and LGIT diet (n = 54). Intention-to-treat analysis showed that, after 24 weeks of intervention, the median (interquartile range [IQR]) change in seizure frequency (KD: -66%; IQR, -85% to -38%; MAD: -45%; IQR, -91% to -7%; and LGIT diet: -54%; IQR, -92% to -19%) was similar among the 3 arms (P = .39). The median difference, per intention-to-treat analysis, in seizure reduction between the KD and MAD arms was -21 percentage points (95% CI, -29 to -3 percentage points) and between the KD and LGIT arms was -12 percentage points (95% CI, -21 to 7 percentage points), with both breaching the noninferiority margin of -15 percentage points. Treatment-related adverse events were similar between the KD (31 of 55 [56.4%]) and MAD (33 of 58 [56.9%]) arms but were significantly less in the LGIT diet arm (19 of 57 [33.3%]).

CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE

Neither the MAD nor the LGIT diet met the noninferiority criteria. However, the results of this study for the LGIT diet showed a balance between seizure reduction and relatively fewer adverse events compared with the KD and MAD. These potential benefits suggest that the risk-benefit decision with regard to the 3 diet interventions needs to be individualized.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02708030.

Delayed cord clamping in Rh-alloimmunised infants: a randomised controlled trial

Despite advancement in medical care, Rh alloimmunisation remains a major cause of neonatal hyperbilirubinaemia, neuro-morbidity, and late-onset anaemia. Delayed cord clamping (DCC), a standard care now-a-days, is yet not performed in Rh-alloimmunised infants due to paucity of evidence. Hence, we randomised these infants of 28- to 41-week gestation to delayed cord clamping (N = 36) or early cord clamping (N = 34) groups. The primary outcome variable was venous packed cell volume (PCV) at 2 h of birth. The secondary outcomes were incidence of double volume exchange transfusion (DVET) and partial exchange transfusion (PET), duration of phototherapy (PT), functional echocardiography (parameters measured: superior vena cava flow, M-mode fractional shortening, left ventricular output, myocardial perfusion index, and inferior vena cava collapsibility) during hospital stay, and blood transfusion (BT) until 14 weeks of life. Neonates were managed as per unit protocol. The baseline characteristics of enrolled infants were comparable between the groups. The median (IQR) gestation and mean (SD) birth weight of enrolled infants were 35 (33-37) weeks and 2440 (542) g, respectively. The DCC group had a higher mean PCV at 2 h of life (48.4 ± 9.2 vs. 43.5 ± 8.7, mean difference 4.9% (95% CI 0.6-9.1), p = 0.03). However, incidence of DVET and PET, duration of PT, echocardiography parameters, and BT until 14 weeks of postnatal age were similar between the groups.Conclusion: DCC in Rh-alloimmunised infants improved PCV at 2 h of age without significant adverse effects.Trial registration: Clinical Trial Registry of India (CTRI), Ref/2016/11/012572 http://ctri.nic.in/Clinicaltrials, date of trial registration 19.12.2016, date of first patient enrolment 1 January 2017.What is Known:•Delayed cord clamping improves haematocrit, results in better haemodynamic stability, and decreases the need of transfusion in early infancy.•However, due to lack of evidence, potential risk of hyperbilirubinaemia, and exacerbation of anaemia (following delayed cord clamping), early cord clamping is the usual norm in Rh-alloimmunised infantsinfants.What is New:•Delayed cord clamping in Rh-alloimmunised infants improves haematocrit at 2 h of life without any increase in incidence of serious adverse effects.

Outcome of extremely low birth weight (ELBW) infants from a birth cohort (2013-2018) in a tertiary care unit in North India

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate mortality and short-term morbidities in extremely low birth weight (ELBW) infants (<1000 g) in a birth cohort in North India.

METHODS

In-hospital data of 231 ELBW infants (Jan 2013 to Sept 2018) were collected from a prospectively maintained electronic database by using standard definitions.

RESULTS

The mean (SD) gestation and birth weight were 27.9 (2.2) weeks and 783 (133) g, respectively. Major morbidities included respiratory distress syndrome (n = 132, 57%), moderate-to-severe bronchopulmonary dysplasia (n = 62, 26.8%), hemodynamically significant patent ductus arteriosus (n = 65, 28%), intracranial hemorrhage ≥ grade II (n = 38, 16%), and culture-positive sepsis (n = 44, 19%). Median (IQR) duration of hospital stay (survivors) was 50 (17-79) days. The overall survival was 62%. On logistic regression, severe birth asphyxia, gestation ≤26 weeks, and respiratory distress syndrome were major predictors of mortality.

CONCLUSION

In the current ELBW cohort, nearly two-thirds survived until discharge, who had considerable morbidities needing prolonged hospital stay. This study can be utilized for counseling and planning of care of ELBW infants in similar settings.

The Development and Validation of DSM 5-Based AIIMS-Modified INDT ADHD Tool for Diagnosis of ADHD: A Diagnostic Test Evaluation Study

BACKGROUND

The current study was planned at a tertiary centre in northern India to develop and validate a Diagnostic and Statistical Manual-5 (DSM-5)-based diagnostic tool and design a severity score for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children aged 6-18 years. An existing DSM-IV-based tool, INDT (International Clinical Epidemiology Network [INCLEN] diagnostic tool) for ADHD has been modified and named All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS)-modified INDT ADHD tool.

METHOD

The first phase was development of the tool and the second phase was validation of the same against the gold standard of diagnosis by the DSM-5. A severity score was developed for ADHD in concordance with the Conners rating scale.

RESULTS

The tool was validated in 66 children with a sensitivity and specificity of 100 per cent and 90 per cent, respectively. A cut-off score of 12 was decided for labelling severity of ADHD, which corresponded to 63 in the Conners rating scale.

CONCLUSION

This diagnostic tool for ADHD based on DSM-5 has acceptable psychometric properties. The severity score will be useful for prognostication, monitoring treatment response, and designing intervention trials.

Ambiguous Genitalia Associated with an Extremely Rare Syndrome: A Case Report of XLAG Syndrome and Review of the Literature

X-linked lissencephaly, absent corpus callosum, and epilepsy of neonatal onset with ambiguous genitalia comprises the XLAG syndrome and only 15 cases have been reported in literature. Due to its rarity, the exact clinical course and outcome are not known. Exact associations of this disease are also elusive. Hereby we are reporting this extremely rare entity and we searched the English literature extensively to get consolidated knowledge regarding this entity that would help the readers. Pre-natal radiological work-up can detect these malformations, which should be followed by medical termination, counseling and karyotyping. Till date the longest survival noted was 4 years only.

Causes of death in preterm neonates (<33 weeks) born in tertiary care hospitals in India: analysis of three large prospective multicentric cohorts

OBJECTIVE

To estimate the direct causes of mortality among preterm neonates <33 weeks' gestation by examining three large multisite, hospital-based datasets in India.

METHOD

Three prospective hospital-based datasets: the National Neonatal Perinatal Database (NNPD) of India, the Delhi Neonatal Infection Study (DeNIS) cohort, and the Goat Lung Surfactant Extract (GLSE)-Plus cohort were analyzed to study the causes of death among preterm neonates of less than 33 weeks' gestation admitted to the participating tertiary care hospitals in India.

RESULTS

A total of 8024 preterm neonates were admitted in the three cohorts with 2691 deaths. Prematurity-related complications and sepsis contributed to 53.5% and 19.8% of deaths in the NNPD cohort, 51.0% and 25.0% in the DeNIS cohort, and 39.7% and 40.9% in GLSE-Plus cohort, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

Nearly a quarter (20-40%) of preterm neonates less than 33 weeks' gestation admitted to Indian NICUs died of sepsis. The study results have implications for health policies targeted to reduce the neonatal mortality rate in India.

Postnatal Maturation of Amplitude Integrated Electroencephalography (aEEG) in Preterm Small for Gestational Age Neonates

OBJECTIVE

The primary objective was to evaluate the postnatal maturation pattern on aEEG during first two weeks of life in clinically stable and neurologically normal preterm small for gestational age (PSGA) and gestation matched (1 week) preterm appropriate for gestational age (PAGA) neonates born between 300/7 and 346/7 weeks of gestation.

METHODS

Serial aEEG tracings were recorded on 3rd, 7th and 14th day of life. The primary outcome was total aEEG maturation score. Three blinded assessors assigned the scores.

RESULTS

We analyzed a total of 117 aEEG recordings in 40 (19 PSGA and 21 PAGA) neonates. The baseline characteristics were comparable except for birthweight [1186 (263) vs 1666(230) g]. There was no difference in the mean (SD) total scores on day 3 (9.0 (1.8) vs. 9.5 (1.1), P=0.32) and day 14 of life, but was lower in PSGA infants on day 7 (8.6 (2.4) vs. 10.1 (1.1), P=0.02). On multivariate analysis, maturation of PSGA neonates was found to be significantly delayed at any point of life from day 3 to day 14 (mean difference, -0.8, 95% CI: -1.6 to -0.02, P=0.04).

CONCLUSIONS

Lower aEEG maturation score on day 7 possibly indicates delayed maturation in PSGA neonates in the first week of life.

Target Oxygen Saturation Among Preterm Neonates on Supplemental Oxygen Therapy: A Quality Improvement Study

OBJECTIVE

To avoid excessive oxygen exposure and achieve target oxygen saturation (SpO2) within intended range of 88%-95% among preterm neonates on oxygen therapy.

METHODS

20 preterm neonates receiving supplemental oxygen in the first week of life were enrolled. The percentage of time per epoch (a consecutive time interval of 10 hours/day) spent by them within the target SpO2 range was measured in phase 1 followed by implementation of a unit policy on oxygen administration and targeting in phase 2. In phase 3, oxygen saturation histograms constructed from pulse-oximeter data were used as daily feedback to nurses and compliance with oxygen-targeting was measured again.

RESULTS

48 epochs in phase 1 and 69 in phase 3 were analyzed. The mean (SD) percent time spent within target SpO2 range increased from 65.9% (21.4) to 76.5% (12.6) (P=0.001).

CONCLUSION

Effective implementation of oxygen targeting policy and feedback using oxygen saturation histograms may improve compliance with oxygen targeting.

Assisted Physical Exercise and Stress in Preterm Neonates

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the markers of stress before and after a session of assisted physical exercise in infants born before 35 weeks' gestation.

METHODS

25 infants born at 280/7 to 346/7 weeks were subjected to assisted physical exercise daily for about 10-15 min at one week of postnatal age or 33 weeks of post menstrual age, whichever was later. Primary outcome was salivary cortisol and secondary outcome was Premature infant pain profile (PIPP) score. Outcomes were measured, on day 5 (±1) of exercise.

RESULTS

There was no difference in salivary cortisol between baseline and immediately after (P=0.16), at 90 min (P=0.6) or 120 min (P=0.7) after exercise. Salivary cortisol was lower at 30 min after exercise as compared to baseline (mean difference -0.08 µg/dL; 95% CI -0.16 to -0.002; P=0.04). The median (IQR) PIPP score was significantly higher at 5 min into exercise (4 (3-6) vs 4 (3-5); P=0.04) and at completion of exercise 6 (4-8) vs 4 (3-5); P<0.01), as compared to baseline.

CONCLUSION

Assisted physical exercise does not seem to result in stress in premature infants.

Alarming rates of antimicrobial resistance and fungal sepsis in outborn neonates in North India

BACKGROUND

There is a paucity of data on the epidemiology of sepsis in outborn neonates being referred to level-3 units in low- and middle-income countries (LMIC). The objective of the present study was to evaluate the prevalence of sepsis and outcomes of outborn neonates with sepsis, and to characterize the pathogen profile and antimicrobial resistance (AMR) patterns of common isolates in them.

METHODS

In this prospective observational cohort study (2011-2015), a dedicated research team enrolled all neonates admitted to an outborn level-3 neonatal unit and followed them until discharge/death. Sepsis work-up including blood culture(s) was performed upon suspicion of sepsis. All the isolates were identified and tested for antimicrobial susceptibility. Gram-negative pathogens resistant to any three of the five antibiotic classes (extended-spectrum cephalosporins, carbapenems, aminoglycosides, fluoroquinolones, and piperacillin-tazobactam) were labeled multi-drug resistant.

RESULTS

Of the total of 2588 neonates enrolled, culture positive sepsis and total sepsis-i.e. culture positive and/or culture negative sepsis-was diagnosed in 13.1% (95% CI 11.8% to 14.5%) and 54.7% (95% CI 52.8% to 56.6%), respectively. The case fatality rates were 23.4% and 11.0% in culture-positive and total sepsis, respectively. Sepsis accounted for two-thirds of total neonatal deaths (153/235, 63.0%). Bacterial isolates caused about three-fourths (296/401; 73.8%) of the infections. The two common pathogens-Klebsiella pneumoniae (n = 50, 12.5%) and Acinetobacter baumannii (n = 46, 11.5%)-showed high degree of multi-drug resistance (78.0% and 91.3%, respectively) and carbapenem resistance (84.0% and 91.3%, respectively). About a quarter of infections were caused by Candida spp. (n = 91; 22.7%); almost three-fourths (73.7%) of these infections occurred in neonates born at or after 32 weeks' gestation and about two-thirds (62.1%) in those weighing 1500 g or more at birth.

CONCLUSIONS

In this large outborn cohort, we report high burden of sepsis, high prevalence of systemic fungal infections, and alarming rates of antimicrobial resistance among bacterial pathogens.

Research priorities in Maternal, Newborn, & Child Health & Nutrition for India: An Indian Council of Medical Research-INCLEN Initiative

In India, research prioritization in Maternal, Newborn, and Child Health and Nutrition (MNCHN) themes has traditionally involved only a handful of experts mostly from major cities. The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR)-INCLEN collaboration undertook a nationwide exercise engaging faculty from 256 institutions to identify top research priorities in the MNCHN themes for 2016-2025. The Child Health and Nutrition Research Initiative method of priority setting was adapted. The context of the exercise was defined by a National Steering Group (NSG) and guided by four Thematic Research Subcommittees. Research ideas were pooled from 498 experts located in different parts of India, iteratively consolidated into research options, scored by 893 experts against five pre-defined criteria (answerability, relevance, equity, investment and innovation) and weighed by a larger reference group. Ranked lists of priorities were generated for each of the four themes at national and three subnational (regional) levels [Empowered Action Group & North-Eastern States, Southern and Western States, & Northern States (including West Bengal)]. Research priorities differed between regions and from overall national priorities. Delivery domain of research which included implementation research constituted about 70 per cent of the top ten research options under all four themes. The results were endorsed in the NSG meeting. There was unanimity that the research priorities should be considered by different governmental and non-governmental agencies for investment with prioritization on implementation research and issues cutting across themes.

Assisted Physical Exercise for Improving Bone Strength in Preterm Infants Less than 35 Weeks Gestation: A Randomized Controlled Trial

OBJECTIVE

To compare the efficacy of daily assisted physical exercise (starting from one week of postnatal age) on bone strength at 40 weeks of post menstrual age to no intervention in infants born between 27 and 34 weeks of gestation.

DESIGN

Open-label randomized controlled trial.

SETTING

Tertiary-care teaching hospital in northern India from 16 May, 2013 to 21 November, 2013.

PARTICIPANTS

50 preterm neonates randomized to Exercise group (n=26) or Control group (n=24).

INTERVENTION

Neonates in Exercise group underwent one session of physical exercise daily from one week of age, which included range-of-motion exercises with gentle compression, flexion and extension of all the extremities with movements at each joint done five times, for a total of 10-15 min. Infants in Control group underwent routine care and were not subjected to any massage or exercise.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Primary: Bone speed of sound of left tibia measured by quantitative ultrasound at 40 weeks post menstrual age. Secondary: Anthropometry (weight length and head circumference) and biochemical parameters (calcium, phosphorus, alkaline phosphatase) at 40 weeks post menstrual age.

RESULTS

The tibial bone speed of sound was comparable between the two groups [2858 (142) m/s vs. 2791 (122) m/s; mean difference 67.6 m/s; 95% CI - 11 to 146 m/s; P=0.38]. There was no difference in anthropometry or biochemical parameters.

CONCLUSIONS

Daily assisted physical exercise does not affect the bone strength, anthropometry or biochemical parameters in preterm (27 to 34 weeks) infants.

Development of All India Institute of Medical Sciences-Modified International Clinical Epidemiology Network Diagnostic Instrument for Neuromotor Impairments in Children Aged 1 Month to 18 Years

Introduction

There is shortage of specialists for the diagnosis of children with neuromotor impairments (NMIs), especially in resource limited settings. Existing International Clinical Epidemiology Network (INCLEN) instrument for diagnosing NMI have been validated for children aged 2–9 years. The current study modified the same including wider symptomatology and age group (1 month to 18 years).

Methods

The Modified INCLEN diagnostic tool (INDT) was developed by a team of experts by modifying the existing tool to widen the age range (1 month to 18 years) and include broader symptomatology (inclusion of milestones from the first 2 years of life and better elucidation of cerebellar and extrapyramidal features) in a tertiary care teaching hospital of North India between January and April 2015. A trained medical graduate applied the candidate tool, which was followed by gold standard evaluation by a Pediatric Neurologist (both blinded to each other).

Results

A total of 197 children (102 with NMI and 95 without NMI) were enrolled for the study. The sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values, positive and negative likelihood ratio of the modified NMI tool were 90.4% (82.6–95.5), 95.5% (88.7–98.7), 95.5% (88.9–98.7), 90.3% (82.4–95.5), 19.9 (12.1–32.6), and 0.13 (0.08–0.12), respectively.

Conclusion

The All India Institute of Medical Sciences modified INDT NMI tool is a simple and structured instrument covering a wider symptomatology in the 1 month to 18 years age group with acceptable diagnostic accuracy.

Reduction of Neonatal Mortality Requires Strengthening of the Health System: A Situational Analysis of Neonatal Care Services in Ballabgarh

BACKGROUND

Planning a comprehensive program addressing neonatal mortality will require a detailed situational analysis of available neonatal-specific health infrastructure.

METHODS

We identified facilities providing essential and sick neonatal care (ENC, SNC) by a snowballing technique in Ballabgarh Block. These were assessed for infrastructure, human resource and equipment along with self-rated competency of the staff and compared with facility-based or population-based norms.

RESULTS

A total of 35 facilities providing ENC and 10 facilities for SNC were identified. ENC services were largely in the public-sector domain (68.5% of births) and were well distributed in the block. SNC burden was largely being borne by the private sector (66% of admissions), which was urban-based. The private sector and nurses reported lower competency especially for SNC. Only 53.9% of government facilities and 17.5% of private facilities had a fully equipped newborn care corner.

CONCLUSIONS

Serious efforts to reduce neonatal mortality would require major capacity strengthening of the health system, including that of the private sector.

Healthcare Access and Quality Index based on mortality from causes amenable to personal health care in 195 countries and territories, 1990-2015: a novel analysis from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2015

BACKGROUND

National levels of personal health-care access and quality can be approximated by measuring mortality rates from causes that should not be fatal in the presence of effective medical care (ie, amenable mortality). Previous analyses of mortality amenable to health care only focused on high-income countries and faced several methodological challenges. In the present analysis, we use the highly standardised cause of death and risk factor estimates generated through the Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study (GBD) to improve and expand the quantification of personal health-care access and quality for 195 countries and territories from 1990 to 2015.

METHODS

We mapped the most widely used list of causes amenable to personal health care developed by Nolte and McKee to 32 GBD causes. We accounted for variations in cause of death certification and misclassifications through the extensive data standardisation processes and redistribution algorithms developed for GBD. To isolate the effects of personal health-care access and quality, we risk-standardised cause-specific mortality rates for each geography-year by removing the joint effects of local environmental and behavioural risks, and adding back the global levels of risk exposure as estimated for GBD 2015. We employed principal component analysis to create a single, interpretable summary measure-the Healthcare Quality and Access (HAQ) Index-on a scale of 0 to 100. The HAQ Index showed strong convergence validity as compared with other health-system indicators, including health expenditure per capita (r=0·88), an index of 11 universal health coverage interventions (r=0·83), and human resources for health per 1000 (r=0·77). We used free disposal hull analysis with bootstrapping to produce a frontier based on the relationship between the HAQ Index and the Socio-demographic Index (SDI), a measure of overall development consisting of income per capita, average years of education, and total fertility rates. This frontier allowed us to better quantify the maximum levels of personal health-care access and quality achieved across the development spectrum, and pinpoint geographies where gaps between observed and potential levels have narrowed or widened over time.

FINDINGS

Between 1990 and 2015, nearly all countries and territories saw their HAQ Index values improve; nonetheless, the difference between the highest and lowest observed HAQ Index was larger in 2015 than in 1990, ranging from 28·6 to 94·6. Of 195 geographies, 167 had statistically significant increases in HAQ Index levels since 1990, with South Korea, Turkey, Peru, China, and the Maldives recording among the largest gains by 2015. Performance on the HAQ Index and individual causes showed distinct patterns by region and level of development, yet substantial heterogeneities emerged for several causes, including cancers in highest-SDI countries; chronic kidney disease, diabetes, diarrhoeal diseases, and lower respiratory infections among middle-SDI countries; and measles and tetanus among lowest-SDI countries. While the global HAQ Index average rose from 40·7 (95% uncertainty interval, 39·0-42·8) in 1990 to 53·7 (52·2-55·4) in 2015, far less progress occurred in narrowing the gap between observed HAQ Index values and maximum levels achieved; at the global level, the difference between the observed and frontier HAQ Index only decreased from 21·2 in 1990 to 20·1 in 2015. If every country and territory had achieved the highest observed HAQ Index by their corresponding level of SDI, the global average would have been 73·8 in 2015. Several countries, particularly in eastern and western sub-Saharan Africa, reached HAQ Index values similar to or beyond their development levels, whereas others, namely in southern sub-Saharan Africa, the Middle East, and south Asia, lagged behind what geographies of similar development attained between 1990 and 2015.

INTERPRETATION

This novel extension of the GBD Study shows the untapped potential for personal health-care access and quality improvement across the development spectrum. Amid substantive advances in personal health care at the national level, heterogeneous patterns for individual causes in given countries or territories suggest that few places have consistently achieved optimal health-care access and quality across health-system functions and therapeutic areas. This is especially evident in middle-SDI countries, many of which have recently undergone or are currently experiencing epidemiological transitions. The HAQ Index, if paired with other measures of health-system characteristics such as intervention coverage, could provide a robust avenue for tracking progress on universal health coverage and identifying local priorities for strengthening personal health-care quality and access throughout the world.

FUNDING

Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

Complementary feeding at 4 versus 6 months of age for preterm infants born at less than 34 weeks of gestation: a randomised, open-label, multicentre trial

BACKGROUND

Evidence on the optimal time to initiation of complementary feeding in preterm infants is scarce. We examined the effect of initiation of complementary feeding at 4 months versus 6 months of corrected age on weight for age at 12 months corrected age in preterm infants less than 34 weeks of gestation.

METHODS

In this open-label, randomised trial, we enrolled infants born at less than 34 weeks of gestation with no major malformation from three public health facilities in India. Eligible infants were tracked from birth and randomly assigned (1:1) at 4 months corrected age to receive complementary feeding at 4 months corrected age (4 month group), or continuation of milk feeding and initiation of complementary feeding at 6 months corrected age (6 month group), using computer generated randomisation schedule of variable block size, stratified by gestation (30 weeks or less, and 31-33 weeks). Iron supplementation was provided as standard. Participants and the implementation team could not be masked to group assignment, but outcome assessors were masked. Primary outcome was weight for age Z-score at 12 months corrected age (WAZ12) based on WHO Multicentre Growth Reference Study growth standards. Analyses were by intention to treat. The trial is registered with Clinical Trials Registry of India, number CTRI/2012/11/003149.

FINDINGS

Between March 20, 2013, and April 24, 2015, 403 infants were randomly assigned: 206 to receive complementary feeding from 4 months and 197 to receive complementary feeding from 6 months. 22 infants in the 4 month group (four deaths, two withdrawals, 16 lost to follow-up) and eight infants in the 6 month group (two deaths, six lost to follow-up) were excluded from analysis of primary outcome. There was no difference in WAZ12 between two groups: -1·6 (SD 1·2) in the 4 month group versus -1·6 (SD 1·3) in the 6 month group (mean difference 0·005, 95% CI -0·24 to 0·25; p=0·965). There were more hospital admissions in the 4 month group compared with the 6 month group: 2·5 episodes per 100 infant-months in the 4 month group versus 1·4 episodes per 100 infant-months in the 6 month group (incidence rate ratio 1·8, 95% CI 1·0-3·1, p=0·03). 34 (18%) of 188 infants in the 4 month group required hospital admission, compared with 18 (9%) of 192 infants in the 6 month group.

INTERPRETATION

Although there was no evidence of effect for the primary endpoint of WAZ12, the higher rate of hospital admission in the 4 month group suggests a recommendation to initiate complementary feeding at 6 months over 4 months of corrected age in infants less than 34 weeks of gestation.

FUNDING

Indian Council of Medical Research supported the study until Nov 14, 2015. Subsequently, Shuchita Gupta's salary was supported for 2 months by an institute fellowship from All India Institute Of Medical Sciences, and a grant by Wellcome Trust thereafter.

Nasal masks or binasal prongs for delivering continuous positive airway pressure in preterm neonates-a randomised trial

The objective of this study was to compare the efficacy and safety of continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) delivered using nasal masks with binasal prongs. We randomly allocated 72 neonates between 26 and 32 weeks gestation to receive bubble CPAP by either nasal mask (n = 37) or short binasal prongs (n = 35). Primary outcome was mean FiO₂ requirement at 6, 12 and 24 h of CPAP initiation and the area under curve (AUC) of FiO₂ against time during the first 24 h (FiO₂ AUC_0-24). Secondary outcomes were the incidence of CPAP failure and nasal trauma. FiO₂ requirement at 6, 12 and 24 h (mean (SD); 25 (5.8) vs. 27.9 (8); 23.8 (4.5) vs. 25.4 (6.8) and 22.6 (6.8) vs. 22.7 (3.3)) as well as FiO₂ AUC_0-24 (584.0 (117.8) vs. 610.6 (123.6)) were similar between the groups. There was no difference in the incidence of CPAP failure (14 vs. 20%; relative risk 0.67; 95% confidence interval 0.24-1.93). Incidence of severe nasal trauma was lower with the use of nasal masks (0 vs. 31%; p < .001).

CONCLUSIONS

Nasal masks appear to be as efficacious as binasal prongs in providing CPAP. Masks are associated with lower risk of severe nasal trauma.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

CTRI2012/08/002868 What is Known? • Binasal prongs are better than single nasal and nasopharyngeal prongs for delivering continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) in preventing need for re-intubation. • It is unclear if they are superior to newer generation nasal masks in preterm neonates requiring CPAP. What is New? • Oxygen requirement during the first 24 h of CPAP delivery is comparable with use of nasal masks and binasal prongs. • Use of nasal masks is, however, associated with significantly lower risk of severe grades of nasal injury.

Reliability of transcutaneous bilirubinometry from shielded skin in neonates receiving phototherapy: a prospective cohort study

OBJECTIVE

To determine the agreement between transcutaneous bilirubin (TcB) measured from shielded skin and serum total bilirubin (STB) in infants (34 to 41 weeks of gestation) with hyperbilirubinemia receiving phototherapy (PT).

STUDY DESIGN

In this prospective cohort study, we shielded a small area of skin on sternum using a commercial photo-opaque patch (BilEclipseTM, Philips Respironics, Murrysville, PA, USA). The TcB from the shielded skin (TcBs) and STB were measured at four time points-before initiation, 12 and 24 h during and once after (12 h) cessation of PT. TcB was measured using multiwavelength transcutaneous bilirubinometer (BiliChek, Philips Children's Medical Ventures, Monroeville, PA, USA). The STB was measured in triplicate by spectrophotometry (Apel BR 5100, APEL, Japan). Bland and Altman plots were drawn to determine agreement between the TcBs and STB.

RESULTS

The gestation and birth weight of enrolled neonates were 37.0 (1.0) weeks and 2750 (458) g, respectively. The age at initiation and duration of PT were 75 (27 to 312) and 25.3 (4.4) h, respectively. Bland and Altman plot showed poor agreement between TcBs and STB at all time points. The gradient (median, range) between TcBs and STB at 0, 12, 24 h and 12 h after cessation of PT were -0.2 (-4.9 to 3.5), 1.4 (-4.7 to 4.0), 1.5 (-3.8 to 9.4) and 2 (-2.9 to 5.8) mg dl^-1. The proportions of TcBs values outside ±1.5 mg dl^-1 of STB ranged from 47 to 64% at four time points.

CONCLUSION

TcBs does not appear to be reliable for estimating serum bilirubin in late preterm and term neonates receiving PT.

Innovating affordable neonatal care equipment for use at scale

The care of small and sick neonates requires biomedical technologies, such as devices that can keep babies warm (radiant warmers and incubators), resuscitate (self-inflating bags), track growth (weighing scales), treat jaundice (phototherapy units) and provide oxygen or respiratory support (hoods, continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) devices and ventilators). Until the 1990s, most of these products were procured through import at a high cost and with little maintenance support. Emerging demand and an informal collaboration of neonatologists, engineers and entrepreneurs has led to the production of good quality equipment of several high-volume categories at affordable cost in India. Radiant warmers, resuscitation bags, phototherapy units, weighing scales and other devices manufactured by Indian small-scale companies have enabled an expansion of neonatal care in the country, particularly in district hospitals, medical college hospitals and subdistrict facilities in the public sector as a part of the National Rural Health Mission. Indian products have acquired international quality standards and are even exported to developed nations. This paper captures this story of innovation and entrepreneurship in neonatal care.

Newborn healthcare in urban India

The rapid population growth in urban India has outpaced the municipal capacity to build essential infrastructures that make life in cities safe and healthy. Local and national governments alike are grappling with the challenges of urbanization with thousands migrating from villages to cities. Thus, urbanization in India has been accompanied by a concentration of poverty and urban public healthcare has emerged as one of the most pressing priorities facing our country. Newborn mortality rates in urban settings are lower than rural areas, early neonatal deaths account for greater proportion than late neonatal deaths. The available evidence suggests that socio-economic inequalities and poor environment pose major challenges for newborn health. Moreover, fragmented and weak public health system, multiplicity of actors and limited capacity of public health planning further constrain the delivery of quality and affordable health care service. Though healthcare is concentrated in urban areas, delay in deciding to seek health care, reaching a source of it and receiving appropriate care affects the health outcomes disproportionately. However, a few city initiatives and innovations piloted in different states and cities have brought forth the evidences of effectiveness of different strategies. Recently launched National Urban Health Mission (NUHM) provides an opportunity for strategic thinking and actions to improve newborn health outcomes in India. There is also an opportunity for coalescence of activities around National Health Mission (NHM) and Reproductive, Maternal, Newborn and Child Health+Adolescent (RMNCH+A) strategy to develop feasible and workable models in different urban settings. Concomitant operational research needs to be carried out so that the obstacles, approaches and response to the program can be understood.

Inpatient care of small and sick newborns in healthcare facilities

Neonatal units in teaching and non-teaching hospitals both in public and private hospitals have been increasing in number in the country since the sixties. In 1994, a District Newborn Care Programme was introduced as a part of the Child Survival and Safe Motherhood Programme (CSSM) in 26 districts. Inpatient care of small and sick newborns in the public health system got a boost under National Rural Health Mission with the launch of the national programme on facility-based newborn care (FBNC). This has led to a nationwide creation of Newborn Care Corners (NBCC) at every point of child birth, newborn stabilization units (NBSUs) at First Referral Units (FRUs) and special newborn care units (SNCUs) at district hospitals. Guidelines and toolkits for standardized infrastructure, human resources and services at each level have been developed and a system of reporting data on FBNC created. Till March 2015, there were 565 SNCUs, 1904 NBSUs and 14 163 NBCCs operating in the country. There has been considerable progress in operationalizing SNCUs at the district hospitals; however establishing a network of SNCUs, NBSUs and NBCCs as a composite functional unit of newborn care continuum at the district level has lagged behind. NBSUs, the first point of referral for the sick newborn, have not received the desired attention and have remained a weak link in most districts. Other challenges include shortage of physicians, and hospital beds and absence of mechanisms for timely repair of equipment. With admission protocols not being adequately followed and a weak NBSU system, SNCUs are faced with the problem of admission overload and poor quality of care. Applying best practices of care at SNCUs, creating more NBSU linkages and strengthening NBCCs are important steps toward improving quality of FBNC. This can be further improved with regular monitoring and mentoring from experienced pediatricians, and nurses drawn from medical colleges and the private sector. In addition there is a need to further increase such units to address the unmet need of facility-based care.

State of newborn health in India

About 0.75 million neonates die every year in India, the highest for any country in the world. The neonatal mortality rate (NMR) declined from 52 per 1000 live births in 1990 to 28 per 1000 live births in 2013, but the rate of decline has been slow and lags behind that of infant and under-five child mortality rates. The slower decline has led to increasing contribution of neonatal mortality to infant and under-five mortality. Among neonatal deaths, the rate of decline in early neonatal mortality rate (ENMR) is much lower than that of late NMR. The high level and slow decline in early NMR are also reflected in a high and stagnant perinatal mortality rate. The rate of decline in NMR, and to an extent ENMR, has accelerated with the introduction of National Rural Health Mission in mid-2005. Almost all states have witnessed this phenomenon, but there is still a huge disparity in NMR between and even within the states. The disparity is further compounded by rural-urban, poor-rich and gender differentials. There is an interplay of different demographic, educational, socioeconomic, biological and care-seeking factors, which are responsible for the differentials and the high burden of neonatal mortality. Addressing inequity in India is an important cross-cutting action that will reduce newborn mortality.

Global, regional, and national life expectancy, all-cause mortality, and cause-specific mortality for 249 causes of death, 1980-2015: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2015

BACKGROUND

Improving survival and extending the longevity of life for all populations requires timely, robust evidence on local mortality levels and trends. The Global Burden of Disease 2015 Study (GBD 2015) provides a comprehensive assessment of all-cause and cause-specific mortality for 249 causes in 195 countries and territories from 1980 to 2015. These results informed an in-depth investigation of observed and expected mortality patterns based on sociodemographic measures.

METHODS

We estimated all-cause mortality by age, sex, geography, and year using an improved analytical approach originally developed for GBD 2013 and GBD 2010. Improvements included refinements to the estimation of child and adult mortality and corresponding uncertainty, parameter selection for under-5 mortality synthesis by spatiotemporal Gaussian process regression, and sibling history data processing. We also expanded the database of vital registration, survey, and census data to 14 294 geography-year datapoints. For GBD 2015, eight causes, including Ebola virus disease, were added to the previous GBD cause list for mortality. We used six modelling approaches to assess cause-specific mortality, with the Cause of Death Ensemble Model (CODEm) generating estimates for most causes. We used a series of novel analyses to systematically quantify the drivers of trends in mortality across geographies. First, we assessed observed and expected levels and trends of cause-specific mortality as they relate to the Socio-demographic Index (SDI), a summary indicator derived from measures of income per capita, educational attainment, and fertility. Second, we examined factors affecting total mortality patterns through a series of counterfactual scenarios, testing the magnitude by which population growth, population age structures, and epidemiological changes contributed to shifts in mortality. Finally, we attributed changes in life expectancy to changes in cause of death. We documented each step of the GBD 2015 estimation processes, as well as data sources, in accordance with Guidelines for Accurate and Transparent Health Estimates Reporting (GATHER).

FINDINGS

Globally, life expectancy from birth increased from 61·7 years (95% uncertainty interval 61·4-61·9) in 1980 to 71·8 years (71·5-72·2) in 2015. Several countries in sub-Saharan Africa had very large gains in life expectancy from 2005 to 2015, rebounding from an era of exceedingly high loss of life due to HIV/AIDS. At the same time, many geographies saw life expectancy stagnate or decline, particularly for men and in countries with rising mortality from war or interpersonal violence. From 2005 to 2015, male life expectancy in Syria dropped by 11·3 years (3·7-17·4), to 62·6 years (56·5-70·2). Total deaths increased by 4·1% (2·6-5·6) from 2005 to 2015, rising to 55·8 million (54·9 million to 56·6 million) in 2015, but age-standardised death rates fell by 17·0% (15·8-18·1) during this time, underscoring changes in population growth and shifts in global age structures. The result was similar for non-communicable diseases (NCDs), with total deaths from these causes increasing by 14·1% (12·6-16·0) to 39·8 million (39·2 million to 40·5 million) in 2015, whereas age-standardised rates decreased by 13·1% (11·9-14·3). Globally, this mortality pattern emerged for several NCDs, including several types of cancer, ischaemic heart disease, cirrhosis, and Alzheimer's disease and other dementias. By contrast, both total deaths and age-standardised death rates due to communicable, maternal, neonatal, and nutritional conditions significantly declined from 2005 to 2015, gains largely attributable to decreases in mortality rates due to HIV/AIDS (42·1%, 39·1-44·6), malaria (43·1%, 34·7-51·8), neonatal preterm birth complications (29·8%, 24·8-34·9), and maternal disorders (29·1%, 19·3-37·1). Progress was slower for several causes, such as lower respiratory infections and nutritional deficiencies, whereas deaths increased for others, including dengue and drug use disorders. Age-standardised death rates due to injuries significantly declined from 2005 to 2015, yet interpersonal violence and war claimed increasingly more lives in some regions, particularly in the Middle East. In 2015, rotaviral enteritis (rotavirus) was the leading cause of under-5 deaths due to diarrhoea (146 000 deaths, 118 000-183 000) and pneumococcal pneumonia was the leading cause of under-5 deaths due to lower respiratory infections (393 000 deaths, 228 000-532 000), although pathogen-specific mortality varied by region. Globally, the effects of population growth, ageing, and changes in age-standardised death rates substantially differed by cause. Our analyses on the expected associations between cause-specific mortality and SDI show the regular shifts in cause of death composition and population age structure with rising SDI. Country patterns of premature mortality (measured as years of life lost [YLLs]) and how they differ from the level expected on the basis of SDI alone revealed distinct but highly heterogeneous patterns by region and country or territory. Ischaemic heart disease, stroke, and diabetes were among the leading causes of YLLs in most regions, but in many cases, intraregional results sharply diverged for ratios of observed and expected YLLs based on SDI. Communicable, maternal, neonatal, and nutritional diseases caused the most YLLs throughout sub-Saharan Africa, with observed YLLs far exceeding expected YLLs for countries in which malaria or HIV/AIDS remained the leading causes of early death.

INTERPRETATION

At the global scale, age-specific mortality has steadily improved over the past 35 years; this pattern of general progress continued in the past decade. Progress has been faster in most countries than expected on the basis of development measured by the SDI. Against this background of progress, some countries have seen falls in life expectancy, and age-standardised death rates for some causes are increasing. Despite progress in reducing age-standardised death rates, population growth and ageing mean that the number of deaths from most non-communicable causes are increasing in most countries, putting increased demands on health systems.

FUNDING

Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

Estimates of global, regional, and national incidence, prevalence, and mortality of HIV, 1980-2015: the Global Burden of Disease Study 2015

BACKGROUND

Timely assessment of the burden of HIV/AIDS is essential for policy setting and programme evaluation. In this report from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2015 (GBD 2015), we provide national estimates of levels and trends of HIV/AIDS incidence, prevalence, coverage of antiretroviral therapy (ART), and mortality for 195 countries and territories from 1980 to 2015.

METHODS

For countries without high-quality vital registration data, we estimated prevalence and incidence with data from antenatal care clinics and population-based seroprevalence surveys, and with assumptions by age and sex on initial CD4 distribution at infection, CD4 progression rates (probability of progression from higher to lower CD4 cell-count category), on and off antiretroviral therapy (ART) mortality, and mortality from all other causes. Our estimation strategy links the GBD 2015 assessment of all-cause mortality and estimation of incidence and prevalence so that for each draw from the uncertainty distribution all assumptions used in each step are internally consistent. We estimated incidence, prevalence, and death with GBD versions of the Estimation and Projection Package (EPP) and Spectrum software originally developed by the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS). We used an open-source version of EPP and recoded Spectrum for speed, and used updated assumptions from systematic reviews of the literature and GBD demographic data. For countries with high-quality vital registration data, we developed the cohort incidence bias adjustment model to estimate HIV incidence and prevalence largely from the number of deaths caused by HIV recorded in cause-of-death statistics. We corrected these statistics for garbage coding and HIV misclassification.

FINDINGS

Global HIV incidence reached its peak in 1997, at 3·3 million new infections (95% uncertainty interval [UI] 3·1-3·4 million). Annual incidence has stayed relatively constant at about 2·6 million per year (range 2·5-2·8 million) since 2005, after a period of fast decline between 1997 and 2005. The number of people living with HIV/AIDS has been steadily increasing and reached 38·8 million (95% UI 37·6-40·4 million) in 2015. At the same time, HIV/AIDS mortality has been declining at a steady pace, from a peak of 1·8 million deaths (95% UI 1·7-1·9 million) in 2005, to 1·2 million deaths (1·1-1·3 million) in 2015. We recorded substantial heterogeneity in the levels and trends of HIV/AIDS across countries. Although many countries have experienced decreases in HIV/AIDS mortality and in annual new infections, other countries have had slowdowns or increases in rates of change in annual new infections.

INTERPRETATION

Scale-up of ART and prevention of mother-to-child transmission has been one of the great successes of global health in the past two decades. However, in the past decade, progress in reducing new infections has been slow, development assistance for health devoted to HIV has stagnated, and resources for health in low-income countries have grown slowly. Achievement of the new ambitious goals for HIV enshrined in Sustainable Development Goal 3 and the 90-90-90 UNAIDS targets will be challenging, and will need continued efforts from governments and international agencies in the next 15 years to end AIDS by 2030.

FUNDING

Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and National Institute of Mental Health and National Institute on Aging, National Institutes of Health.

Efficacy and safety of surfactant replacement therapy for preterm neonates with respiratory distress syndrome in low- and middle-income countries: a systematic review

Surfactant replacement therapy (SRT) has been shown to reduce mortality and air leaks in preterm neonates from high-income countries (HICs). The safety and efficacy of SRT in low- and middle- income countries (LMICs) have not been systematically evaluated. The major objectives of this review were to assess the (1) efficacy and safety, and (2) feasibility and cost effectiveness of SRT in LMIC settings. We searched the following databases-MEDLINE, CENTRAL, CINAHL, EMBASE and WHOLIS using the search terms 'surfactant' OR 'pulmonary surfactant'. Both experimental and observational studies that enrolled preterm neonates with or at-risk of respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) and required surfactant (animal-derived or synthetic) were included. A total of 38 relevant studies were found; almost all were from level-3 neonatal units. Pooled analysis of two randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and 22 observational studies showed a significant reduction in mortality at the last available time point in neonates who received SRT (relative risk (RR) 0.67; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.57 to 0.79). There was also a significant reduction in the risk of air leaks (five studies; RR 0.51; 0.29 to 0.90). One RCT and twelve observational studies reported the risk of bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) with contrasting results; while the RCT and most before-after/cohort studies showed a significant reduction or no effect, the majority of the case-control studies demonstrated significantly higher odds of receiving SRT in neonates who developed BPD. Two studies-one RCT and one observational-found no difference in the proportion of neonates developing pulmonary hemorrhage, while another observational study reported a higher incidence in those receiving SRT. The failure rate of the intubate-surfactant-extubate (InSurE) technique requiring mechanical ventilation or referral varied from 34 to 45% in four case-series. No study reported on the cost effectiveness of SRT. Available evidence suggests that SRT is effective, safe and feasible in level-3 neonatal units and has the potential to reduce neonatal mortality and air leaks in low-resource settings as well. However, there is a need to generate more evidence on the cost effectiveness of SRT and its effect on BPD in LMIC settings.

When do newborns die? A systematic review of timing of overall and cause-specific neonatal deaths in developing countries

About 99% of neonatal deaths occur in low- and middle-income countries. There is a paucity of information on the exact timing of neonatal deaths in these settings. The objective of this review was to determine the timing of overall and cause-specific neonatal deaths in developing country settings. We searched MEDLINE via PubMed, Cochrane CENTRAL, WHOLIS and CABI using sensitive search strategies. Searches were limited to studies involving humans published in the last 10 years. A total of 22 studies were included in the review. Pooled results indicate that about 62% of the total neonatal deaths occurred during the first 3 days of life; the first day alone accounted for two-thirds. Almost all asphyxia-related and the majority of prematurity- and malformation-related deaths occurred in the first week of life (98%, 83% and 78%, respectively). Only one-half of sepsis-related deaths occurred in the first week while one-quarter occurred in each of the second and third to fourth weeks of life. The distribution of both overall and cause-specific mortality did not differ greatly between Asia and Africa. The first 3 days after birth account for about 30% of under-five child deaths. The first week of life accounts for most of asphyxia-, prematurity- and malformation-related mortality and one-half of sepsis-related deaths.

Description and Validation of a Novel Method of Measuring Pharyngeal Pressure in New-born

Study background: Measurement of delivered pharyngeal pressure during continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy is not in routine practice due to lack of a simple and affordable technique of intrapharyngeal pressure measurement. To overcome the lack of the gold standard solid-state catheter-tip pressure measurement technology in our set up, we improvised a novel method of pressure measurement and tested its validity in a simulated pharynx.

METHODS

A low-cost pressure transducer was improvised by attaching an orogastric tube to its one end. The other end of the orogastric tube was sealed into an artificial pharynx - a 20 ml syringe. The pressure transducer readings were compared with that obtained by a digital manometer attached to the tip of the syringe. Bland-Altman statistic was used to quantify the measurement reliability of the novel method against the digital manometer. Effect of tube length on the measurement agreement was also studied. The developed technique was applied in new-borns.

RESULTS & CONCLUSION

Pressures measured by this technique were in good agreement with that obtained using a digital manometer. This technique has the potential to be used as an alternative to catheter-tip pressure transducers for bedside pharyngeal pressure measurement in new-born babies, especially in under-resourced setups.

Efficacy and acceptability of an "App on sick newborn care" in physicians from newborn units

BACKGROUND

There has been an increased emphasis on institutional births, and thus an increasing clinical work load for health care professionals in the recent past. Hence, continuing education, training, ongoing supervision, and mentorship of health care professionals working in these health facilities with easy access to guidelines in a cost effective manner has become a challenging task. With the increased emphasis on institutional births, and an increasing clinical work load, continuing education and training of health care professional managing these health facilities, their ongoing supervision, mentorship, with ready availability of guidelines in a cost effective manner becomes imperative and is a challenging task. Training opportunities can be linked to mobile electronic devices and 'Apps' to improve the care of seriously ill newborn. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of an innovative point of care tool- Android based App- 'AIIMS-WHO CC STPs' on the knowledge, skill scores, and satisfaction among Special Newborn Care Unit (SNCU) physicians managing sick neonates.

METHODS

The baseline knowledge and skill scores of pediatricians working in SNCUs in the state of Tamil Nadu, India (n = 32) were assessed by 25 multiple choice questions (MCQs) and by five Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) skill stations. The training was conducted in a single-day workshop using the app on four modules followed by post-training assessment of knowledge and skill scores after 3 weeks using the same. The satisfaction was assessed by mixed method approach using Likert's scale and focus group discussion (FGD) after 3 weeks.

RESULTS

The mean knowledge scores [19.4 (2.6) vs. 10.7 (3.2); maximum marks (MM) 25, mean difference 8.7 (95 % CI 7.6 to 9.9)], and the composite mean skill scores [55.2 (5.8) and 42 (6.2), MM 75, mean difference 13.2 (95 % CI 10.4 to 15.9)] improved after training. The median (IQR) satisfaction score with the course was 4 (4 to 5) (Likert's scale). Focus group discussion revealed that the physicians were overall satisfied using the device. They expressed overall satisfaction on the teaching methodology using wall charts, simulators, and device.

CONCLUSION

Training SNCU physicians on Android based App- 'AIIMS-WHO CC STPs' improved their knowledge and skills. This app may have a potential role as a supplement to other modalities in training doctors for improving newborn care.

Assuring health coverage for all in India

Successive Governments of India have promised to transform India's unsatisfactory health-care system, culminating in the present government's promise to expand health assurance for all. Despite substantial improvements in some health indicators in the past decade, India contributes disproportionately to the global burden of disease, with health indicators that compare unfavourably with other middle-income countries and India's regional neighbours. Large health disparities between states, between rural and urban populations, and across social classes persist. A large proportion of the population is impoverished because of high out-of-pocket health-care expenditures and suffers the adverse consequences of poor quality of care. Here we make the case not only for more resources but for a radically new architecture for India's health-care system. India needs to adopt an integrated national health-care system built around a strong public primary care system with a clearly articulated supportive role for the private and indigenous sectors. This system must address acute as well as chronic health-care needs, offer choice of care that is rational, accessible, and of good quality, support cashless service at point of delivery, and ensure accountability through governance by a robust regulatory framework. In the process, several major challenges will need to be confronted, most notably the very low levels of public expenditure; the poor regulation, rapid commercialisation of and corruption in health care; and the fragmentation of governance of health care. Most importantly, assuring universal health coverage will require the explicit acknowledgment, by government and civil society, of health care as a public good on par with education. Only a radical restructuring of the health-care system that promotes health equity and eliminates impoverishment due to out-of-pocket expenditures will assure health for all Indians by 2022--a fitting way to mark the 75th year of India's independence.

Global, regional, and national comparative risk assessment of 79 behavioural, environmental and occupational, and metabolic risks or clusters of risks in 188 countries, 1990-2013: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2013

BACKGROUND

The Global Burden of Disease, Injuries, and Risk Factor study 2013 (GBD 2013) is the first of a series of annual updates of the GBD. Risk factor quantification, particularly of modifiable risk factors, can help to identify emerging threats to population health and opportunities for prevention. The GBD 2013 provides a timely opportunity to update the comparative risk assessment with new data for exposure, relative risks, and evidence on the appropriate counterfactual risk distribution.

METHODS

Attributable deaths, years of life lost, years lived with disability, and disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs) have been estimated for 79 risks or clusters of risks using the GBD 2010 methods. Risk-outcome pairs meeting explicit evidence criteria were assessed for 188 countries for the period 1990-2013 by age and sex using three inputs: risk exposure, relative risks, and the theoretical minimum risk exposure level (TMREL). Risks are organised into a hierarchy with blocks of behavioural, environmental and occupational, and metabolic risks at the first level of the hierarchy. The next level in the hierarchy includes nine clusters of related risks and two individual risks, with more detail provided at levels 3 and 4 of the hierarchy. Compared with GBD 2010, six new risk factors have been added: handwashing practices, occupational exposure to trichloroethylene, childhood wasting, childhood stunting, unsafe sex, and low glomerular filtration rate. For most risks, data for exposure were synthesised with a Bayesian meta-regression method, DisMod-MR 2.0, or spatial-temporal Gaussian process regression. Relative risks were based on meta-regressions of published cohort and intervention studies. Attributable burden for clusters of risks and all risks combined took into account evidence on the mediation of some risks such as high body-mass index (BMI) through other risks such as high systolic blood pressure and high cholesterol.

FINDINGS

All risks combined account for 57·2% (95% uncertainty interval [UI] 55·8-58·5) of deaths and 41·6% (40·1-43·0) of DALYs. Risks quantified account for 87·9% (86·5-89·3) of cardiovascular disease DALYs, ranging to a low of 0% for neonatal disorders and neglected tropical diseases and malaria. In terms of global DALYs in 2013, six risks or clusters of risks each caused more than 5% of DALYs: dietary risks accounting for 11·3 million deaths and 241·4 million DALYs, high systolic blood pressure for 10·4 million deaths and 208·1 million DALYs, child and maternal malnutrition for 1·7 million deaths and 176·9 million DALYs, tobacco smoke for 6·1 million deaths and 143·5 million DALYs, air pollution for 5·5 million deaths and 141·5 million DALYs, and high BMI for 4·4 million deaths and 134·0 million DALYs. Risk factor patterns vary across regions and countries and with time. In sub-Saharan Africa, the leading risk factors are child and maternal malnutrition, unsafe sex, and unsafe water, sanitation, and handwashing. In women, in nearly all countries in the Americas, north Africa, and the Middle East, and in many other high-income countries, high BMI is the leading risk factor, with high systolic blood pressure as the leading risk in most of Central and Eastern Europe and south and east Asia. For men, high systolic blood pressure or tobacco use are the leading risks in nearly all high-income countries, in north Africa and the Middle East, Europe, and Asia. For men and women, unsafe sex is the leading risk in a corridor from Kenya to South Africa.

INTERPRETATION

Behavioural, environmental and occupational, and metabolic risks can explain half of global mortality and more than one-third of global DALYs providing many opportunities for prevention. Of the larger risks, the attributable burden of high BMI has increased in the past 23 years. In view of the prominence of behavioural risk factors, behavioural and social science research on interventions for these risks should be strengthened. Many prevention and primary care policy options are available now to act on key risks.

FUNDING

Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

Global, regional, and national disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) for 306 diseases and injuries and healthy life expectancy (HALE) for 188 countries, 1990-2013: quantifying the epidemiological transition

BACKGROUND

The Global Burden of Disease Study 2013 (GBD 2013) aims to bring together all available epidemiological data using a coherent measurement framework, standardised estimation methods, and transparent data sources to enable comparisons of health loss over time and across causes, age-sex groups, and countries. The GBD can be used to generate summary measures such as disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs) and healthy life expectancy (HALE) that make possible comparative assessments of broad epidemiological patterns across countries and time. These summary measures can also be used to quantify the component of variation in epidemiology that is related to sociodemographic development.

METHODS

We used the published GBD 2013 data for age-specific mortality, years of life lost due to premature mortality (YLLs), and years lived with disability (YLDs) to calculate DALYs and HALE for 1990, 1995, 2000, 2005, 2010, and 2013 for 188 countries. We calculated HALE using the Sullivan method; 95% uncertainty intervals (UIs) represent uncertainty in age-specific death rates and YLDs per person for each country, age, sex, and year. We estimated DALYs for 306 causes for each country as the sum of YLLs and YLDs; 95% UIs represent uncertainty in YLL and YLD rates. We quantified patterns of the epidemiological transition with a composite indicator of sociodemographic status, which we constructed from income per person, average years of schooling after age 15 years, and the total fertility rate and mean age of the population. We applied hierarchical regression to DALY rates by cause across countries to decompose variance related to the sociodemographic status variable, country, and time.

FINDINGS

Worldwide, from 1990 to 2013, life expectancy at birth rose by 6·2 years (95% UI 5·6-6·6), from 65·3 years (65·0-65·6) in 1990 to 71·5 years (71·0-71·9) in 2013, HALE at birth rose by 5·4 years (4·9-5·8), from 56·9 years (54·5-59·1) to 62·3 years (59·7-64·8), total DALYs fell by 3·6% (0·3-7·4), and age-standardised DALY rates per 100 000 people fell by 26·7% (24·6-29·1). For communicable, maternal, neonatal, and nutritional disorders, global DALY numbers, crude rates, and age-standardised rates have all declined between 1990 and 2013, whereas for non-communicable diseases, global DALYs have been increasing, DALY rates have remained nearly constant, and age-standardised DALY rates declined during the same period. From 2005 to 2013, the number of DALYs increased for most specific non-communicable diseases, including cardiovascular diseases and neoplasms, in addition to dengue, food-borne trematodes, and leishmaniasis; DALYs decreased for nearly all other causes. By 2013, the five leading causes of DALYs were ischaemic heart disease, lower respiratory infections, cerebrovascular disease, low back and neck pain, and road injuries. Sociodemographic status explained more than 50% of the variance between countries and over time for diarrhoea, lower respiratory infections, and other common infectious diseases; maternal disorders; neonatal disorders; nutritional deficiencies; other communicable, maternal, neonatal, and nutritional diseases; musculoskeletal disorders; and other non-communicable diseases. However, sociodemographic status explained less than 10% of the variance in DALY rates for cardiovascular diseases; chronic respiratory diseases; cirrhosis; diabetes, urogenital, blood, and endocrine diseases; unintentional injuries; and self-harm and interpersonal violence. Predictably, increased sociodemographic status was associated with a shift in burden from YLLs to YLDs, driven by declines in YLLs and increases in YLDs from musculoskeletal disorders, neurological disorders, and mental and substance use disorders. In most country-specific estimates, the increase in life expectancy was greater than that in HALE. Leading causes of DALYs are highly variable across countries.

INTERPRETATION

Global health is improving. Population growth and ageing have driven up numbers of DALYs, but crude rates have remained relatively constant, showing that progress in health does not mean fewer demands on health systems. The notion of an epidemiological transition--in which increasing sociodemographic status brings structured change in disease burden--is useful, but there is tremendous variation in burden of disease that is not associated with sociodemographic status. This further underscores the need for country-specific assessments of DALYs and HALE to appropriately inform health policy decisions and attendant actions.

FUNDING

Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

The National Rural Health Mission in India: its impact on maternal, neonatal, and infant mortality

The National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) has been a watershed in the history of India's health sector. As a previously unattempted investment, governance, and mobilization effort, the NRHM succeeded in injecting new energy into India's public health system. A huge expansion of infrastructure and human resources is the hallmark of the NRHM action. Demand-side initiatives led to enhanced utilization of public health facilities, especially for facility births. The impact is visible. The Mission has brought Millennium Development Goals 4 and 5 within India's grasp. Acceleration in infant and neonatal mortality reduction is especially notable. The NRHM has created conditions for the country to move toward universal health coverage.

Body composition of term healthy Indian newborns

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES

Previous anthropometry-based studies have suggested that in Indian newborns fat mass is conserved at the expense of lean tissue. This study was undertaken to assess the body composition of Indian newborns and to evaluate its relation with parents' anthropometry, birth weight and early postnatal weight gain.

SUBJECTS/METHODS

Body composition of healthy term singleton newborns was assessed by the deuterium dilution method in the second week of life. Anthropometry was carried out at birth and on the day of study.

RESULTS

Data from 127 babies were analyzed. Birth weight was 2969±383 g. Body composition was assessed at a mean age of 12.7±3.1 days. Fat and fat-free mass were 354±246 and 2764±402 g, respectively, and fat mass percentage (FM%) was 11.3±7.3%. Birth weight and fat-free mass were higher among boys, but no gender difference was noted in FM%. Birth weight was positively correlated with fat as well as fat-free mass but not FM%. FM% showed positive correlation with gain in weight from birth to the day of assessment.

CONCLUSIONS

This is the first study from India to report body composition in newborns using deuterium dilution. FM% was comparable to that reported for Western populations for babies of similar age. Our results suggest that the percentage of fat and fat-free mass is relatively constant over the range of birth weights included in this study, and greater weight gain during early postnatal period results in greater increase in FM%.

Challenges of Implementing Universal Newborn Hearing Screening at a Tertiary Care Centre from India

OBJECTIVES

To report experience of implementing universal newborn hearing screening (UNHS) in a tertiary care neonatal unit, identify risk factors associated with failed two-step automated acoustic brainstem response (AABR) screen and evaluate cost of AABR.

METHODS

This was a prospective study of UNHS outcomes of all live births with two step AABR using BERAphone MB11®. Outcome measures were screening coverage, refer, pass and lost to follow up rates and cost of AABR using micro-costing method. To identify risk factors for failed screening, authors performed multivariate logistic regression with failed two-step AABR screen as dependent variable and baseline risk factors significant on univariate analysis as predictors.

RESULTS

Screening coverage was moderate (84 %), with 2265 of total 2700 eligible infants screened with initial AABR (mean gestation 37.2 ± 2.3 wk; birth weight 2694 ± 588 g; 305 received nursery care). A total of 273 of 2265 infants were "refer" on first screen. Second screen was done on 233, of which 58 were "refer". Of these, 35 underwent conventional ABR, of which 5 were diagnosed to have hearing impairment. Only 2 could get hearing aid. Overall, a total of 2197 (81.4 %) infants passed, 496 (18.4 %; excluding 2 deaths) were lost to follow up at various stages, and 5 (0.2 %) were diagnosed with hearing impairment, all of whom were high risk. Average cost of AABR was INR 276 per test. No factor emerged as significant on multivariate analysis.

CONCLUSIONS

UNHS is feasible to implement, but significant lost to follow up and non-linkage with appropriate rehabilitation services limit its utility. Cost effectiveness of UNHS compared to high risk based screening needs to be determined.

Underweight full-term Indian neonates show differences in umbilical cord blood leukocyte phenotype: a cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND

While infections are a major cause of neonatal mortality in India even in full-term neonates, this is an especial problem in the large proportion (~20%) of neonates born underweight (or small-for-gestational-age; SGA). One potential contributory factor for this susceptibility is the possibility that immune system maturation may be affected along with intrauterine growth retardation.

METHODS

In order to examine the possibility that differences in immune status may underlie the susceptibility of SGA neonates to infections, we enumerated the frequencies and concentrations of 22 leukocyte subset populations as well as IgM and IgA levels in umbilical cord blood from full-term SGA neonates and compared them with values from normal-weight (or appropriate-for-gestational-age; AGA) full-term neonates. We eliminated most SGA-associated risk factors in the exclusion criteria so as to ensure that AGA-SGA differences, if any, would be more likely to be associated with the underweight status itself.

RESULTS

An analysis of 502 such samples, including 50 from SGA neonates, showed that SGA neonates have significantly fewer plasmacytoid dendritic cells (pDCs), a higher myeloid DC (mDC) to pDC ratio, more natural killer (NK) cells, and higher IgM levels in cord blood in comparison with AGA neonates. Other differences were also observed such as tendencies to lower CD4:CD8 ratios and greater prominence of inflammatory monocytes, mDCs and neutrophils, but while some of them had substantial differences, they did not quite reach the standard level of statistical significance.

CONCLUSIONS

These differences in cellular lineages of the immune system possibly reflect stress responses in utero associated with growth restriction. Increased susceptibility to infections may thus be linked to complex immune system dysregulation rather than simply retarded immune system maturation.

A micro-costing model of neonatal intensive care from a tertiary Indian unit: feasibility and implications for insurance

OBJECTIVE

To calculate and compare costs of neonatal intensive care by micro-costing and gross-costing methods.

METHODS

The costs of resources of a tertiary care neonatal intensive care unit were estimated by the two methods to arrive at specific costs per diagnosis related categories for 33 neonates followed-up prospectively.

RESULTS

Gross-costing as compared to micro-costing resulted in higher cost per bed (Rs 6315 vs. Rs 4969) and wide variations of costs (-34.8% to +13.4%). Intensity of interventions, relative stay in neonatal intensive care unit compared to the step-down nursery, and total length of hospital admission accounted for these variations.

CONCLUSION

Estimates based on micro-costing arrived in this study may be used as a starting point in developing assumptions for insurance models covering neonatal intensive care.