Assessment of Nutritional Status in Hospitalized Pediatric Patients / 대한소아소화기영양학회지

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to investigate the current prevalence of protein-energy malnutrition (PEM) and the nutritional status of hospitalized pediatric patients. METHODS: We evaluated the nutritional status of the 200 patients from February to July 1994 and the 233 patients from February to July 1999 admitted to Pediatric Department of Chosun University Hospital. Nutritional status was assessed by anthropometric and laboratory data. The nutritional status was classified according to based on the Waterlow criteria and using the laboratory data obtained between 3 days to 5 days after admission. RESULTS: 1) The prevalence of acute PEM (weight for height) was as follows: severe, 0.5%; moderate, 7%; mild, 18%; and none, 74.5% in 1994 and severe, 2.24%; moderate, 3.59%; mild, 19.73%; and none, 74.4% in 1999. 2) The prevalence of chronic PEM (height for age) was as follows: severe, 5%; moderate, 5.5%; mild, 25.5%; and none, 64% in 1994 and severe, 2.24%; moderate, 4.04%; mild, 22.87%; and none, 70.85% in 1999. There was not a statistically significant difference between 1994 and 1999. 3) The prevalence of PEM according to age group, all age group had in general higher prevalence of mild PEM. 4) Values for hemoglobin and albumin were below than total lymphocyte values in PEM. CONCLUSION: The prevalence of acute or chronic PEM was common in hospitalized children. Therefore, the assessment of nutritional status may an important role to establish effective nutritional support and to improve their subsequent hospital course in hospitalized pediatric patient

A Case of Congenital Epulis of the Newborn

Congenital epulis of the newborn refers to a very rare gingival tumor that occurs along the anterior alveolar ridge in newborn infants. We report a neonate with 3*2*1.5cm mass protruding from the mouth. This was a pinky, red solid pedunculated mass, attached to the maxillar left canine region of the alveolus at birth. The tumor's large size partially obliterated the oral cavity and caused oral feeding difficulty but did not cause respiratory problems. We described the postnatal MR imaging findings, electromicroscopic, histochemical and immunohistochemical studies of this tumor in order to search for the histogenesis of the tumor. In our case, histochemically, individual tumor cells contained numerous PAS positive cytoplasmic granules. Immunohistochemically, strong and diffuse cytoplasmic staining for vimentin and NSE was observed. Staining with S-100 protein, cytokeratin, desmin, CEA, factor VIII-related antigen, lysozyme, EMA were negative. After total excision of the lesion in our case, we had no complication or recurrence either early or late(up to one year).