Browsing by Author "Thakuri, Pushpa Chand"
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Publication Clinical Characteristics and Hematologic Profile of Children Admitted to a Tertiary Hospital with Dengue Virus Infection: A Cross-sectional Study(Rapti Academy of Health Sciences (RAHS), 2025) Chand, Bharat; Thakuri, Pushpa Chand; Shrestha, Anil; Poudel, DrishtiAbstract: Introduction: Dengue is an arboviral disease spread by mosquitoes, predominantly affecting tropical and subtropical regions. In Nepal, dengue cases have highest burden in the Bagmati region, including Kathmandu. Clinically, dengue manifests with asymptomatic to severe infection characterized by systemic symptoms. This study aims to identify the clinical characteristics and hematologic profile of children admitted with dengue fever in a tertiary hospital in Kathmandu. Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out at Nepal APF Hospital, a tertiary care facility in Kathmandu, Nepal. Enumerative sampling was used to gather secondary data of 49 children under the age of 18 who were hospitalized with positive dengue tests (NS1 antigen or IgM antibody positive) between September 2022 and November 2024. Dengue was categorized as per the 2009 WHO classification. Descriptive statistics and Kruskal-Wallis test was performed. Results: Majority of the patients (77.5%) had dengue without warning signs, 20.41% had warning signs and only 2.04% had severe dengue. All the patients had fever when they first arrived. Headache (57.1%), Arthralgia/Myalgia (53.1%), Nausea and Vomiting (24.5%) and Cough (22.4%), were common clinical characteristics. Abdominal pain (p-value <0.05) and epistaxis (p-value <0.05) was significantly associated with severity of dengue infection. There was a sharp rise in incidence of dengue cases in the month of September. Majority of children admitted had Leukopenia (69.4%) and thrombocytopenia (57.1%). 83.7% of children were Non-Structural protein 1 (NS1) positive and 32.7% were IgM positive whereas none were IgG positive. Conclusion: Fever is the most common sign of a dengue infection. Leucopenia and thrombocytopenia are the most prevalent test findings. Children are especially susceptible to dengue during the monsoon season. It is critical to be aware of these clinical and laboratory markers to diagnose and manage denguePublication Nutritional Status of Children Under Five Years in a Tertiary Care Center: A Cross-Sectional Study(Nepal APF Hospital, 2025) Chand, Bharat; Poudel, Drishti; Shrestha, Anil; Thakuri, Pushpa Chand; Thapa, Madhu; Shahi, AnitaAbstract: Introduction: Malnutrition remains a leading cause of under-five mortality globally and in Nepal, with significant rates of stunting, wasting, and underweight. Despite national progress, child nutrition challenges persist, especially among vulnerable groups in hospital settings. This study assesses the nutritional status of under-five children attending a tertiary care center in Nepal. Methods: This descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among 260 under-five children attending the Pediatric Department of Nepal APF Hospital, Kathmandu, from February to June 2025 after ethical approval. Data were collected through face-to-face interviews with caregivers and anthropometric measurements. Nutritional status was assessed using WHO standards. Descriptive statistics, chi-square test, and logistic regression were used for analysis. Results: Among 260 children under five years, the overall prevalence of malnutrition was 30%, including 10% stunted, 11.2% wasted, and 15.4% underweight. Malnutrition was significantly associated with the child’s age (p < 0.001), with children below 24 months more likely to be malnourished. Father's education level also showed a significant association (p = 0.005), where lower paternal education correlated with higher malnutrition rates. No significant associations were observed with maternal, environmental, or child-rearing characteristics. Conclusion: The present study found a notable burden of malnutrition among under-five children visiting a tertiary care center in Kathmandu with younger age and father’s education significantly associated with malnutrition. Targeted early-life nutritional interventions and improved parental education can help to improve the nutritional status of under five children.