ABSTRACT
Introducción: La COVID-19 es una enfermedad infecciosa de alta transmisibilidad. Objetivo: Caracterizar la casuística pediátrica que posibilite disponer de conocimientos para el enfrentamiento a la pandemia en Cuba. Métodos: Estudio descriptivo, observacional y transversal en pacientes con COVID-19, ingresados en el Hospital Pediátrico San Miguel del Padrón: abril-junio de 2020. Se analizó: edad, sexo, estado nutricional, enfermedad previa, área de residencia, sintomatología al ingreso, resultados de complementarios, y condición al egreso. Resultados: Se identificaron 36 niños con COVID-19. La proporción según sexo no mostró diferencias. Hubo predominio del grupo de edad entre 10-14 años, piel mestiza y presentación asintomática en 72,2 %. Las comorbilidades más observadas fueron el asma bronquial leve y la anemia ligera. Prevalecieron los residentes del Este de la capital, sobre todo, en la semana estadística 21 y 25. En el grupo de enfermos sintomáticos predominaron las manifestaciones respiratorias y la fiebre. Los complementarios revelaron linfocitosis (63,9 %), anemia (13,9 %) e infiltrados pulmonares (8,3 %). El 100 % de los pacientes tuvo evolución favorable y PCR negativo tras concluir tratamiento. Conclusiones: La COVID-19 tuvo mayor incidencia en niños de 10 años o más. No hubo variaciones en cuanto al sexo. Predominó el color de piel mestizo. Los pacientes tuvieron espectro clínico variable, y evolución de PCR condicionada por la presencia de factores de riesgo individual y social. La recuperación clínica y la regresión de alteraciones hematológicas y radiológicas se logró en todos los pacientes entre 2-3 semanas.
Introduction: COVID-19 is an infectious disease with high transmissibility. Objective: To characterize the pediatrics casuistry that allows having the relevant knowledge to fight COVID-19 pandemic in Cuba. Methods: Descriptive, observational and cross-sectional study in patients with COVID-19 admitted in San Miguel del Padrón municipality's Pediatric Hospital from April to June, 2020. There were analyzed as variables: age, sex, nutritional state, previous diseases, living area, sintomatology in the moment of admission, results of complementary tests, and state in the moment of discharge. Results: 36 children were identified with COVID-19. Proportion according to sex had no differences. There was a predominance of the group age among 10 to 14 years, mixed race patients and the asymptomatic forms in 72,2% of them. The most frequent comorbidities were slight bronchial asthma and slight anemia. There was predominance of patients living in the Eastern area of the capital, mainly in the statistic weeks #21 and #25. In the group of symptomatic patients prevailed the respiratory manifestations and the fever. The complementary tests showed lymphocytes (63,9%), anemia (13,9) and pulmonary infiltrates (8,3%). 100% of the patients had favorable evolution and negative PCR after finishing the treatment. Conclusions: COVID-19 had a higher incidence in 10 or more year's children. There were not variations regarding sex. Mixed race patients predominated. Patients had a variable clinical spectrum, and an evolution of the PCR conditioned by the presence of individual and social risk factors. Clinical recovery and regression of hematologic and radiologic alterations was achieved in all the patients among 2 to 3 weeks.
ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION: Angiostrongylus cantonensis meningoencephalitis is an emergent disease in the Americas. METHOD: Twelve children suffering from eosinophilic meningoencephalitis due to this parasite aged between 6-10 years were studied. Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and serum samples were taken simultaneously in the first diagnostic puncture at admission. RESULTS: All cases showed typical findings on the routine CSF and serum analysis: increased CSF total protein, increased Q (CSF/serum) albumin accompanied by eosinophilia in CSF. No intrathecal synthesis of immunoglobulins was found. Mean serum and CSF sICAM-1 values were 337.4 and 3.97 ng/mL. Qalbumin and QsICAM-1 mean values were 4.1 and 6.2 respectively. In 50 percent of the patients an increased brain-derived fraction of sICAM-1 was found. CONCLUSION: It may be suggested that a dynamic of the sICAM-1 brain derived fraction is perhaps associated to the immune response in the evolution of the disease.sICAM-1 may be an agent in negative feedback for eosinophils passage through the blood-CSF barrier into the inflammatory brain response.
INTRODUCCION: La meningoencefalitis por Angiostrongylus cantonensis es una enfermedad emergente en las Américas. MÉTODO: Doce niños con meningoencefalitis eosinofílica por Angiostrongylus cantonensis con edades entre 6 y 10 años fueron estudiados. Se tomaron muestras simultáneas de suero y líquido cefalorraquídeo (LCR) en la primera punción lumbar diagnóstica. RESULTADOS: Todos los casos evidenciaron hallazgos típicos en los análisis de rutina del LCR y suero: incremento de proteínas totales, aumento de la razón albúmina Q (LCR/suero) acompañado de eosinofilia en LCR. No se encontró síntesis intratecal de inmunoglobulinas. Los valores medios de sICAM-1 en suero y LCR fueron de 337,4 y 3,97 ng/mL respectivamente. Los valores medios de Q albúmina y Q sICAM-1 fueron de 4,1 y 6,2 respectivamente. En el 50 por ciento de los pacientes se encontró un incremento de la fracción de sICAM-1 derivado del cerebro. CONCLUSION: Se puede sugerir que la dinámica de la fracción sICAM-1 derivada del cerebro ocurre quizas asociada a la respuesta inmune frente a la enfermedad. sICAM-1 puede ser un agente de retroalimentación negativa para el paso de eosinófilos de la sangre a través de la barrera sangre-LCR en el cerebro inflamado.
Subject(s)
Humans , Animals , Child , Angiostrongylus cantonensis , Eosinophilia/parasitology , Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1/blood , Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1/cerebrospinal fluid , Meningoencephalitis/parasitology , Strongylida Infections/parasitology , Biomarkers/blood , Biomarkers/cerebrospinal fluid , Case-Control Studies , Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay , Eosinophilia/blood , Eosinophilia/cerebrospinal fluid , Meningoencephalitis/blood , Meningoencephalitis/cerebrospinal fluid , Strongylida Infections/blood , Strongylida Infections/cerebrospinal fluidABSTRACT
An IgG subclass deficiency is often associated with bacterial infections. We studied four pediatric patients suffering from meningoencephalitis, two of them due to Streptococcus pneumoniae and two due to Haemophilus influenzae type b. Simultaneous diagnostic serum and cerebrospinal fluid samples were taken during income. The four subclasses of IgG and albumin were quantified in both biologic fluids by radial immunodiffusion. Very low levels of seric IgG2 with non detectable cerebrospinal fluid IgG2 were found in the patients. No intrathecal IgG subclass synthesis was found in two patients. One patient with S. pneumoniae had IgG3 intrathecal synthesis. Intrathecal IgG1, IgG3 and IgG4 synthesis was found in one patient suffering from H. influenzae according with reibergrams. Substitutive therapy with intravenous gammaglobulin was given to the patients as part of the treatment.