Correlations of IL-4R gene polymorphism and serum IgE levels with asthma predictive index / 中国当代儿科杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To study the correlations of IL-4R gene polymorphism and serum IgE levels with asthma predictive index (API) in children.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>One hundred and sixty-seven children with positive API, 187 children with negative API and 203 healthy children (control group) were enrolled. PCR and DNA sequencing were used to identify genotypes of the Arg551Gln locus in IL-4R gene. Serum IgE levels were measured using ELISA.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>There was no significant difference in the genotype frequencies of the Arg551Gln locus in IL-4R gene among the positive API, negative API and control groups. Serum IgE levels in the positive API group were significantly higher than in the negative API and control groups (P<0.01). In the positive API group, the children aged less than 2 years had significantly lower serum IgE levels than those aged over 2 years (P<0.01).</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>There is no correlation between the Arg551Gln polymorphism in IL-4R gene and API results. API positivity is correlated with elevated serum IgE levels. An older age (>2 years) may be a risk factor for increased serum IgE levels in children with positive API.</p>

Correlation between insulin resistance and myocardial injury in critically ill children / 中国当代儿科杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To study the relationship between insulin resistance and myocardial injury in children with critical diseases in light of the fact that such children usually suffer from noticeable insulin resistance and myocardial injury.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Sixty-three children with critical diseases who were admitted between March 2010 and June 2011 were enrolled to comprise a case group. Fasting blood glucose, serum insulin, myocardial enzyme, and troponin I (CTnI) levels were measured. The insulin resistance index (HOMA-IR) was calculated. The children were classified into two groups: insulin resistance (HOMA-IR>1.0; n=30) and non-insulin resistance (HOMA-IR≤1.0; n=33). Thirty healthy children served as the control group.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>HOMA-IR, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), aspartate aminotransferaseaspartate transaminase (AST), creatine kinase (CK), isoenzymes of creating kinase (CK-MB), α-hydroxybuty rate dehydrogenase (α-HBDH) and CTnI in the insulin resistance group were higher than those in the non-insulin resistance and the control groups (all P<0.05). The non-insulin resistance group also showed obviously higher levels in terms of LDH, AST, CK, CK-MB, α-HBDH, and CTnI than the control group (P<0.05). In the insulin resistance group, there exists a positive correlation between HOMA-IR and such indicators as LDH, CK, CK-MB, AST, α-HBDH and CTnI (r=0.697, 0.739, 0.781, 0.642, 0.381, 0.792 respectively; all P<0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>Insulin resistance makes myocardial injury more serious; HOMA-IR can serve as a forecast indicator for the degree of myocardial injury.</p>

Efficacy of sublingual immunotherapy in children with dust mite allergic asthma / 中国当代儿科杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To compare the efficacy of sublingual immunotherapy (SLIT) combined with inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) versus ICS alone in children with mild and moderate dust mite allergic asthma.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Thirty-two children with mild and moderate dust mite allergic asthma were randomly divided into two groups: SLIT+ICS (n=18) and ICS alone (n=14). A total of 30 children completed the one year clinical observation . The amount of ICS administration, the day and night symptom scores, skin-prick test and pulmonary function test results, serum specific immunoglobulin E (sIgE) and G4 (sIgG4) levels and visual analog scale (VAS) scores were compared between the two groups.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>By the end of one year the SLIT+ICS group had significantly decreased amount of ICS administration than the ICS alone group. Compared with the ICS alone group, the day and night symptom scores decreased, FEF25-75% increased significantly, and serum sIgE levels and VAS scores were significantly reduced in the SLIT+ICS group. There were no statistical differences in the skin-prick test results, and FEV1 and sIgG4 levels between the two groups. No severe adverse events occurred in both groups during the follow-up period.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>SLIT combined with ICS may produce a better efficacy than ICS alone in the improvement of day and night symptoms, pulmonary function and VAS scores in children with dust mite-allergic asthma.</p>

Risk factors for simple obesity in preschool children from four kindergartens of Urumqi City / 中国当代儿科杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the incidence of simple obesity and risk factors for the development of this disorder in preschool children from Urumqi City.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>A total of 1730 children at ages of 3-7 years sampled randomly from four district kindergartens of Urumqi City were enrolled in this study. Their heights and weights were measured. Risk factors for the development of simple obesity were investigated by multivariate logistic regression analysis.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Overweight occurred in 229 children (13.2%). One hundred and twenty-two children were diagnosed with simple obesity (7.1%). The 5 years old group children showed the highest incidence of obesity (9.5%), more than the other age group children. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that family history of obesity, high body mass index of the mother, little physical activity of the father, and bad diet habits and low educational levels of parents were risk factors for the development of simple obesity.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>The incidence of simple obesity of preschool children from Urumqi City is higher than the reported data. The risk of childhood simple obesity is multifactorial. The prevention of simple obesity should begin at the preschool stage.</p>

Sleep disorders and their influencing factors in primary school children from Urumqi / 中国当代儿科杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To understand the prevalence of sleep disorders and their influencing factors in primary school children from Urumqi.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>A total of 2034 children at the ages of 6-14 years were randomly sampled in 3 districts of Urumqi. The children's sleep states and their family and social environments were investigated through questionnaires.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The prevalence of sleep disorders in the subjects was 55%. The prevalence of sleep inquietude was the highest (14.7%), followed by sleep talking (4.8%), sleep walking (1.5%), nocturnal enuresis (1.5%), sleep teeth grinding (5.7%), habitual snoring (12.9%), sleep apnea (0.5%), and waking up by choke (1.9%). Taking drugs to stimulate or inhibit the central nervous system, frequent colds, confined housing area, family history, and sleeping with parents were risk factors for the development of sleep disorders.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>The prevalence of sleep disorders within primary school children in Urumqi is higher than the reported data. The development of sleep disorders is multifactorial.</p>

Detection of peak expiratory flow in healthy children in Xinjiang / 中国当代儿科杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To establish reference values of peak expiratory flow (PEF) for children in Xinjiang.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>A total of 3520 healthy children (1705 males and 1815 females) aged from 7 to 16 years were enrolled in this study. PEF was measured using MicroPeak Peak Flow Meter. Children's age, sex, height and weight were recorded. Impact factors for PEF were investigated by multiple stepwise regression analysis.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>PEF values increased with the increase of age, height and weight and correlated significantly with age, height, weight and sex. The regression equation between sex and height and PEF was obtained, i.e, PEF (y)=-342.98+3.94 x Height (x1) + 26.30 x Sex (x2).</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>PEF values can be calculated according to children's height and sex.</p>