ABSTRACT
Objective. Evaluation of children younger than two years old admitted to a pediatric emergency department with upper gastrointestinal bleeding. Methods. Thirty four (34) children aged < 2 years with upper gastrointestinal bleeding were studied. The demographic features, etiologies, laboratory and endoscopic findings and treatment procedures were evaluated retrospectively. Results. The study consisted of 34 patients (73.5 % male, 26.5 % female) with a median age 12.3 months (1.5–24 months). 30 patients (88 %) had an underlying disease. 21 patients (56 %) had a history of aspirin or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs intake. Endoscopic findings were pathological in 85% of patients. Conclusion. The incidence of upper gastrointestinal bleeding in children aged < 2 years due to antipyretics must be taken into consideration although most of them may also have an underlying disease.
Subject(s)
Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal/administration & dosage , Aspirin/administration & dosage , Endoscopy, Gastrointestinal , Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage/diagnosis , Female , Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage/etiology , Humans , Infant , Infant, Newborn , Male , Retrospective Studies , Risk FactorsABSTRACT
We report two immunocompromised infants aged six and four months with invasive gastrointestinal aspergillosis. Both patients presented with weight loss and diarrhea. The underlying disorders were combined immunodeficiency and transient hypogammaglobulinemia of infancy. The diagnosis of gastrointestinal aspergillosis was established by gastrointestinal endoscopy and histopathological examination of the tissue specimens. Both children responded well to Amphotericin B.
Subject(s)
Agammaglobulinemia/complications , Amphotericin B/therapeutic use , Aspergillosis/diagnosis , Gastrointestinal Diseases/diagnosis , Gastrointestinal Tract/immunology , Humans , Immunocompromised Host , Infant , Male , Risk FactorsABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: The diagnosis and the treatment of community-acquired severe pneumonia is still a serious child health problem in developing countries. The aim of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of two different antibiotic regimens in the empirical treatment of severe childhood pneumonia. METHODOLOGY: We enrolled 97 infants (aged 2-24 months) with severe community-acquired pneumonia in a randomized-controlled trial of 10 days of treatment with penicillin G+chloramphenicol (n:46) or ceftriaxone (n:51). We evaluated the effectiveness of treatments with symptoms and some laboratory tests during and at the end of the study. RESULTS: The cure rates were similar in both groups and the antibiotic regimens in all patients were found effective (P< 0.001). The number of nurse rounds was much more in penicillin plus chloramphenicol group than ceftriaxone group. CONCLUSION: Both penicillin G plus chloramphenicol and ceftriaxone are effective in the empirical treatment of severe community pneumonia of young children. In spite of more nurse visits for antibiotic treatment, penicillin G+ chloramphenicol combination may be a cheaper alternative to ceftriaxone in the treatment of childhood pneumonia.