Comparison of Clinical Characteristics of Mycoplasma pneumoniae Pneumonia According to the Pleural Effusion / 소아알레르기및호흡기학회지

PURPOSE:Mycoplasma pneumoniae (M. pneumoniae) is a major cause of respiratory infections in school-aged children. Complications of M. pneumoniae pneumonia include atelectasis, pleural effusion, empyema, pneumothorax and bronchiectasis. We evaluated the clinical characteristics of M. pneumoniae pneumonia with pleural effusion. METHODS:A total of 210 medical records of children who were admitted to the Dong-A University hospital due to M. pneumoniae pneumonia from 2000 to 2004 were retrospectively analyzed. Diagnosis of M. pneumoniae pneumonia was based on the single titer of antimycoplasmal antibody higher than 1:320. Enrolled children were divided into Group A (with pleural effusion) and Group B (without effusion). We analysed the differences between the two groups according to sex, age, onset, symptoms, clinical manifestations, laboratory findings and chest x-rays. RESULTS:There were no significant differences in age, sex and clinical manifestations between the two groups. Group A had longer fever durations (9.3+/-7.8 days vs 5.0+/-3.7 days), and a longer duration of hospitalization (10.4+/-6.3 days vs 6.9+/-6.3 days) compare to Group B. Also, compared to the Group B, Group A had higher ESR (49.6+/-32.9 mm/hr vs 28.7+/-20.4 mm/hr), CRP (23.0+/-60.4 mg/dL vs 8.7+/-30.9 mg/dL), SGOT (67+/-74.2 IU/L vs 53.6+/-60.0 IU/L), SGPT (37.4+/-18.6 IU/L vs 26.2+/-16.9 IU/L). There was no significance between antimycoplasmal antibody titer and pleural effusion. CONCLUSION:This study shows that M. pneumoniae pneumonia with pleural effusion has a longer duration of fever and hospitalization, higher ESR, CRP, SGOT, SGPT compare to the M. pneumoniae pneumonia without pleural effusion. We conclude that these findings could be used as the prognostic factors in M. pneumoniae pneumonia with pleural effusion.

Comparison of total parenteral nutrition-associated cholestasis according to amino acid mixtures in very low birth weight infants / 소아과

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of amino acid mixtures on incidence and severity of total parenteral nutrition associated-cholestasis(PNAC) in very low birth weight infants. METHODS: Retrospective review of 63 very low birth weight infants(birth weight < or =1,500 g) who received total parenteral nutrition(TPN) in our neonatal intensive care unit from January 2000 to December 2004 was performed. Patients were divided into 2 groups : Group I(n=32, Jan 2000-Jun 2002) and Group II(n=31, Jul 2002-Dec 2004), where infants in Group II received taurine and glutamic acid-rich amino acid mixtures. PNAC was defined as serum direct bilirubin(DB) level greater than 2.0 mg/dL. The incidence and severity of PNAC were compared between these groups. RESULTS: The incidence of PNAC was significantly lower in Group II than in Group I(21.9% vs 6.5%, P<0.148). Maximum and mean DB levels were also significantly lower in Group II(P<0.05). CONCLUSION: The incidence and severity of PNAC in very low birth weight infants may be reduced with different composition of amino acid mixtures in TPN. Further prospective randomized controlled studies are needed to determine an ideal composition of acid mixtures to prevent the development of PNAC.

A case of pyomyositis due to Mycobacterium tuberculosis / 소아과

Pyomyositis is a primary bacterial infection of the skeletal muscles. Although infection can affect any skeletal muscle, the large muscle groups such as the quadriceps or gluteal muscles are most often the focus of this disease, and most commonly the inflammation is focal, involving a single muscle. The mechanism of pyomyositis is poorly understood. The local mechanical trauma at the time of an incidental bacteremia is frequently postulated as a mechanism that could explain the high incidence of the disease in tropical areas and its male preponderance. Staphylococcus aureus is the most common organism responsible for pyomyositis. Mycobacterium tuberculosis primarily affects the lungs, and the prevalence of active pulmonary tuberculosis co-existing with musculoskeletal tuberculosis has been about 30 percent. We report here on a case of an otherwise healthy 17-month-old girl, who had tuberculous pyomyositis at the upper arm after the hepatitis A vaccination with no evidence of any coexistent active tuberculosis.

A Study of Epileptiform Discharges in Children with Chronic Recurrent Headaches / 대한소아신경학회지

PURPOSE: This study was undertaken to determine the incidence and the meaning of epileptiform discharges accompanied by chronic recurrent headaches. METHODS: We selected 449 cases of children who visited Dong-A University Hospital because of recurrent headaches from January 1999 to July 2005. The headaches were classified by the criteria established by the International Headache Research Committee in 2004. The electroencephalography was performed in 336 cases and 36 cases who showed epileptiform discharges were selected. We studied the characteristics of epileptiform discharges, MRI findings and the relationship with epilepsy. RESULTS: The incidence of interictal epileptiform discharges(ILEDs) of the patients with chronic headaches was 10.7%, which was higher than that in a normal population. In the location of ILEDs, focal areas(9.2%) were more common than general areas(1.5%). The incidence of the ILEDs was different according to the types of headaches(P<0.01). The focal ILEDs were concentrated at the central temporal areas. The most common type of ILEDs was frequent epileptiform discharges(63.9%). For the wave forms of ILEDs, focal spike activities were 83.3%, and bursts of slow waves mixed with spikes were 13.9%. Among the 36 cases that showed the ILEDs, 2 cases were associated with epilepsy and another 2 with AV malformation on the MRI images. CONCLUSION: The ILEDs of the patients with chronic recurrent headaches mainly occurred in the central temporal areas as focal spike wave forms, which shows a benign course. Because a few cases can accompany epilepsy and brain abnormalities, close observation and follow-up tests are needed.

Effect of Intranasal Corticosteroid Therapy for Perennial Nonallergic Rhinitis and Perennial Allergic Rhinitis / 소아알레르기및호흡기학회지

PURPOSE: The efficacy of intranasal corticosteroids for the treatment of allergic rhinitis has been reported. But the efficacy of intranasal corticosteroids has not been compared between perennial nonallergic rhinitis (PNAR) and perennial allergic rhinitis (PAR). METHODS: Twenty-three patients with PNAR and 19 patients with PAR were enrolled in this study. Every patient received fluticasone propionate (FP) 200 g (100 g, bid) daily for 4weeks. Control group (n=16) was received only anti-histamine (hydroxyzine 0.6 mg/kg/dose) intermittently. Efficacy of FP was evaluated by the mean change in nasal congestion, rhinorrhea, nasal itching, sneezing and total nasal symptom score (a sum of patient ratings of nasal congestion, rhinorrhea, nasal itching, and sneezing). RESULTS: Both groups (PNAR and PAR) showed similar improvement of nasal symptom with FP 200 g compared with control. (P< 0.05) In the total population, both groups showed significant improvements from baseline in TNSS compared with control during each week of treatment. (P< 0.05) In PNAR and PAR, nasal congestion was significantly improved more than in control. (P< 0.01, P< 0.01) Rhinorrhea and itching in PAR were improved more than in control. (P=0.02, P=0.03) In sneezing, all three groups showed no differences. (P=1.00, P=0.31, P= 0.29) CONCLUSION: Intranasal FP is an effective treatment for perennial nonallergic rhinitis as same as perennial allergic rhinitis.