Background Soil-transmitted helminth (STH) infections remain a public health problem in developing countries. Their prevalence is particularly high in rural areas with people of low socioeconomic level. A single or mixed STH infection rarely causes death, but can affect nutritional status, growth, cognitive development and human health, especially in children. Objective To compare the nutritional status of STH-infected and uninfected children. Methods This cross-sectional study was conducted in June 2010 in children from 3 primary schools in the Simpang Empat and Kabanjahe Subdistricts, Karo District, North Sumatera Province. Fecal examinations were done by the Kato-Katz method to diagnose STH infections. Participants of this study consisted of 140 infected children and 141 uninfected children. Nutritional status classification was based on the 2000 Centers for Disease Control growth charts. All categorical data were analyzed by Chi-square test. Results Of 140 infected children, 8.6% were infected with Ascaris lumbricoides, 17.1% with Trichuris trichiura and 74.3% with mixed infections (Ascaris lumbricoides and Trichuris trichiura). We found significantly more STH infected children with mild to moderate malnutrition than the uninfected group. We also found significantly more mildly to moderately malnourished children with moderate infection intensity than mild infection intensity. Conclusion We find significantly more STH infected children with mild to moderate malnutrition than the uninfected group. We also find significantly more mildly to moderately malnourished children with moderate infection intensity than mild infection intensity. Higher severity of infection is associated with lower nutritional status. [Paediatr Indones. 2015;55:136-41.].

Background Soil-transmitted helminth (STH) infections remain a public health problem in developing countries. Their prevalence is particularly high in rural areas with people of low socioeconomic level. A single or mixed STH infection rarely causes death, but can affect nutritional status, growth, cognitive development and human health, especially in children.Objective To compare the nutritional status of STH-infected and uninfected children.Methods This cross-sectional study was conducted in June 2010 in children from 3 primary schools in the Simpang Empat and Kabanjahe Subdistricts, Karo District, North Sumatera Province. Fecal examinations were done by the Kato-Katz method to diagnose STH infections. Participants of this study consisted of 140 infected children and 141 uninfected children. Nutritional status classification was based on the 2000 Centers for Disease Control growth charts. All categorical data were analyzed by Chi-square test.Results Of 140 infected children, 8.6% were infected with Ascaris lumbricoides, 17.1% with Trichuris trichiura and 74.3% with mixed infections (Ascaris lumbricoides and Trichuris trichiura). We found significantly more STH infected children with mild to moderate malnutrition than the uninfected group. We also found significantly more mildly to moderately malnourished children with moderate infection intensity than mild infection intensity.Conclusion We find significantly more STH infected children with mild to moderate malnutrition than the uninfected group. We also find significantly more mildly to moderately malnourished children with moderate infection intensity than mild infection intensity. Higher severity of infection is associated with lower nutritional status.

Z inkum (Zn) merupakan zat yang esensial untuk kehidupan, telah diketahui sejak lebih dari seratus tahun yang lalu. Peran penting zat ini untuk pertumbuhan normal dan kesehatan manusia telah diteliti sejak tahun 1930-an oleh Mc Lance dan Widdowson 1 yang melakukan penelitian tentang metabolisme Zn. Pada akhir tahun 1960-an dan awal tahun 1970-an diperoleh laporan pertama tentang kegagalan pertumbuhan pada remaja di delta sungai Nil di Mesir yang dapat diperbaiki dengan pemberian suplementasi Zn.2-3 Pengertian mendalam selama 20 tahun terakhir menghasilkan pemahaman lebih baik tentang peran biokimia di dalam tubuh dan gejala klinik yang timbul akibat defisiensi Zn. 1Proses tumbuh-kembang merupakan proses yang berkesinambungan mulai dari konsepsi sampai usia 18 tahun, yang mengikuti pola tertentu yang khas untuk setiap anak. 4 Faktor gizi merupakan salah satu faktor yang menentukan dan memegang peran penting dalam proses tumbuh kembang anak, karena kebutuhan anak berbeda dengan orang dewasa.4,5 Anak membutuhkan Zn lebih banyak untuk pertumbuhan dan perkembangan secara normal, melawan infeksi, dan penyembuhan luka. Anak yang dalam proses tumbuh kembang dan anak yang mengalami kekurangan gizi mempunyai risiko yang lebih tinggi untuk mengalami defisiensi.6 Di negara berkembang, defisiensi Zn banyak dijumpai pada bayi dan anak yang menyebabkan retardasi pertumbuhan, bersamaan dengan tingginya angka kejadian penyakit infeksi yang berat seperti diare, pneumonia, dan malaria.7-9 Di Indonesia, defisiensi Zn merupakan salah satu masalah gizi pada balita disamping kurang energi protein serta kekurangan zat gizi yang lain seperti vitamin A, zat besi, dan

Background Functional constipation is a common pediatric problem in both developed and developing countries. In the past two decades, the prevalence of obesity has increased worldwide. Obesity itself leads to many health problems, including functional constipation. Studies correlating obesity to functional constipation have thus far mostly originated from developed countries. Objective To assess for a possible correlation between obesity and functional constipation in children in a developing country. Methods This cross-sectional study was conducted in Al-Mukhlisin Islamic Boarding School, Batu Bara District, North Sumatera Province, Indonesia, between July and August 2015. The subjects were 150 students aged 12 to 17 years. Questionnaires were used to determine functional constipation and filled by direct interview. Obesity was determined by body mass index. Data were analyzed using Chi-square test. Results Of 150 children, 49 had functional constipation; and 18 of the 49 were obese. The mean age of children with constipation was 14.7 (SD 1.07) years (95%CI 14.1 to 14.7) and their mean body weight was 53.8 (SD 15.10) kg (95%CI 49.4 to 58.1). The prevalence for functional constipation in obese children was 58% There was a statistically significant correlation between obesity and functional constipation (prevalence ratio=4; 95%CI 1.72 to 8.94; P=0.001), indicating that obese children had 4 times higher risk of having functional constipation. Conclusion There is a significant correlation between obesity and functional constipation in children. [Paediatr Indones. 2018;58:1-4 ; doi: http://dx

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Background Malnutrition in hospitalized children has negative impact on morbidity, mortality, length of stay, and health-care cost. A simple screening tool is needed to detect hospital malnutrition risk in children. Objective To compare the level of agreement of the Screening Tool for Malnutrition in Pediatrics (STAMP) and Pediatric Nutritional Risk Score (PNRS) with anthropometric measurements, as screening tools for hospital malnutrition in children. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted from February to July 2014 in the Pediatric and Surgery Wards at H. Adam Malik Hospital, Medan, North Sumatera. Inclusion criteria were children aged 2 to 18 years who were hospitalized for more than 72 hours. Subjects were screened using STAMP and PNRS, and underwent anthropometric measurement on admission. The weight measurements were repeated on the 3 rd and 7t h days, and just before discharge. The STAMP and PNRS results were compared in terms of level of agreement with anthropometric measurements. Data were analyzed by Kappa value and Spearman's correlation test. Results A total of 127 children were screened with both instruments. The PNRS had slight agreement with hospital malnutrition prevalence (K=0.175; P=0.028), while STAMP had not (K=0.080; P=0.193). Both screening tools had weak positive correlations with length of stay, but the correlation was stronger for PNRS than for STAMP (r=0.218; P=0.014 vs. r=0.188; P=0.034, respectively). The prevalence of hospital malnutrition was 40.9%. Conclusion The PNRS screening tool has slight agreement with anthropometric measurement for identifying hospital malnutrition risk in children. [Paediatr Indones. 2017;57:117-23; doi: http:// dx

Background Dysmenorrhea is a common gynecological symptom reported in adolescent girls. Prevalence of the condition has been reported to be 45 - 75%. Absenteeism from work and school as a result of dysmenorrhea is common (13 - 51% of women have been absent at least once, and 5 - 14% are often absent due to the severity of symptoms).Objective To compare school performance in pubertal adolescent girls with and without dysmenorrhea.Methods This cross-sectional study was conducted in June 2010 in adolescent females aged 12 - 18 years from the Musthafawiyah School, Mandailing Natal district, North Sumatera. Adolescent females with and without dysmenorrhea were recruited for this study. All participants completed questionnaires including age of menarche, length of menstrual cycle, length of bleeding, number of sanitary napkins used daily and school absences. School reports from two consecutive semesters in one year were used to evaluate subjects’ academic performance. An academic score of higher than 7.5 was considered good performance while scores of less than 7.5 were considered poor. We used the chi-square test to analyze differences in school performance between girls with and without dysmenorrhea.Results One hundred and sixteen participants were divided into 2 groups, those with and without dysmenorrhea, of 58 subjects each. We found no significant difference in school performance between the two groups, P=0.176 (95% CI -0.009 to -0.048 and P=0.08 (95%CI -0.052 to 0.024).Conclusion There was no significant difference in school performance of girls with and without dysmenorrhea.