Leishmaniasis is one of the major health problems in Iran. Although the incidence of visceral leishmaniasis (VL) is reported almost everywhere, the northwestern Iran is one of the major endemic regions.To do this study, clinical, laboratory as well as disease characteristics of children admitted to Children Cure and Health Hospital, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, were examined as the reference hospital for the treatment of VL in northwestern Iran.In this study, 156 children hospitalized in a pediatric hospital from 2000 to 2015 for VL were included. Gender, age, anemia, thrombocytopenia, increase in the erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), alanine transaminase (SGPT), and aspartate transaminase (SGOT), major clinical manifestations such as fever, splenomegaly, hepatomegaly, treatment type, and the disease were studied.Among 156 patients examined in this study, 88 (56.41%) and 68 (43.59%) participants were male and female, respectively. The minimum and maximum ages of the infection were 4.5 months and 6 years, respectively. The mean age of the infected children was 17.94 months. Fever (94.24%) and splenomegaly (86.53%) were the most common symptoms of this disease among children. In addition, 49 (31.41%), 64 (41.02%), 18 (11.53%), 33 (21.15%), and 40 (25.64%) participants had leukopenia, hemoglobin count below 8, ESR above 100, ESR above 60, and platelets below 100,000, respectively. Moreover, 39 (25%) and 17 (10.89%) patients had high aspartate transaminase (AST) and alanine transaminase (ALT). Also, 96.2% of the participants responded to the treatment with glucantime. The rate of mortality in this study was 3.2%.Clinically, almost all children had fever and splenomegaly at the onset of the disease. In addition, hepatic involvement was observed in all cases of mortality, cases with a lack of initial response, and those in need of auxiliary medication. Hepatic involvement appears to be related to the prognosis of the disease. In our study, bone marrow aspiration (BMA) and positive direct antiglobulin test (DAT) were observed in 66.67% and more than 90% of the patients, respectively.Children with VL in northwestern Iran responded well to glucantime. In case of resistance, amphotericin B was a good alternative. Early diagnosis is essential in reducing mortality rate.

Background: Whipple surgery (pancreaticodeudenectomy) has a high complication rate. We aimed to evaluate whether adding Braun jejunojejunostomy (side-to-side anastomosis of afferent and efferent loops distal to the gastrojejunostomy site) to a standard Whipple procedure would reduce postoperative complications. Methods:We conducted a randomized clinical trial comparing patients who underwent standard Whipple surgery (standard group) and patients who underwent standard Whipple surgery with Braun jejunojejunostomy (Braun group). Patients were followed for 1 month after the procedure and postoperative complications were recorded.Results: Our study included 30 patients: 15 in the Braun and 15 in the standard group. In the Braun group, 4 (26.7%) patients experienced 6 complications, whereas in the standard group, 7 (46.7%) patients experienced 11 complications (p = 0.14). Complications in the Braun group were gastrointestinal bleeding and wound infection (n = 1 each) and delayed gastric emptying and pulmonary infection (n = 2 each). Complications in the standard group were death, pancreatic anastomosis leak and biliary anastomosis leak (n = 1 each); gastrointestinal bleeding (n = 2); and afferent loop syndrome and delayed gastric emptying (n = 3 each). There was no significant difference between groups in the subtypes of complications. Conclusion:Our results showed that adding Braun jejunojejunostomy to standard Whipple procedure was associated with lower rates of afferent loop syndrome and delayed gastric emptying. However, more studies are needed to define the role of Braun jejunojejunostomy in this regard. Trial registration: IRCT2014020316473N1 (www.irct.ir)Contexte : La chirurgie de Whipple (pancréatoduodénectomie) s'accompagne de taux de complications élevés. Nous avons voulu vérifier si l'ajout d'une jéjunojéjunostomie de Braun (anastomose latérolatérale des anses afférente et efférente à la partie distale de la gastrojéjunostomie) à une chirurgie de Whipple standard permet de réduire les complications postopératoires.

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