A Case of Esophageal Obstruction Complicated in a Patient with Chronic Granulomatous Disease: Esophageal obstruction in Chronic Granulomatous Disease / 소아감염

Chronic granulomatous disease (CGD) is an inherited immunodeficient disease characterized by recurrent infections and granuloma formation. Granulomatous obstruction of esophagus is one of the rare complications of CGD. The use of steroids and antimicrobials for esophageal obstruction by granuloma in CGD patients has been controversial due to the possibility of concomitant inapparent infection. We report a case of esophageal obstruction in an 8-year-old CGD patient showing the poor response to antibiotics therapy. However, dramatic improvement of symptoms and radiologic findings of esophageal obstruction were achieved after steroid therapy. One month after discontinuation of steroid, esophageal obstruction recurred and the patient was re-treated with steroid. After that time, he experienced one more recurrence of esophageal obstruction. This symptom subsided after antibiotics therapy without steroid and he has been followed up to the present without further relapse.

Disseminated Neonatal Herpes Simplex Virus Infection / 대한구급학회지

Disseminated neonatal herpes simplex virus (HSV) infection is one of the most severe neonatal infections, and can have devastating consequences without early proper treatment. However, the administration of acyclovir can often be delayed because the symptoms and signs of HSV infection are non-specific and because HSV polymerase chain reaction (PCR) results may be negative early in the course of HSV infection. We report a case of disseminated neonatal HSV infection that was diagnosed by type 1 HSV PCR on day 8 of admission. Despite delayed administration of acyclovir, the patient was cured and subsequently discharged after 30 days of admission. Fortunately, this patient was treated successfully, but delayed administration of acyclovir has the potential to lead to significant problems. Considering the seriousness of neonatal HSV infection, empirical acyclovir therapy should be considered if HSV infection is suspected.

Association between the clinical index and disease severity in infants with acute bronchiolitis

PURPOSE: We aimed to verify whether the formal clinical index derived from infants and toddlers have a good association with the disease severity when we confine subjects to only infants, who undergo profound changes physically and immunologically. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of hospitalized infants with acute bronchiolitis caused by respiratory syncytial virus between January 1, 2010 and December 31, 2011 in three hospitals. The age, respiratory rate, presentation of chest retraction, and percutaneous oxygen saturation upon admission; presentation of fever, use of oxygen therapy and inhaled corticosteroid within 24 hours after admission were investigated. We then examined the effect of clinical index on severity of acute bronchiolitis; the mean length of stay, mean duration of fever and oxygen therapy. RESULTS: A total of 172 infants were studied. The mean length of stay was longer in patients younger than 3 months (P=0.015), in those with fever (P=0.028) and chest retraction (P=0.014), and in those who needed oxygen supplement (P=0.000). In the patients with fever, the mean duration of fever was longer in those who needed the oxygen supplement than those who did not (P=0.046). CONCLUSION: Younger than 3 months of age, chest retraction upon admission; fever, need of oxygen supplement within 24 hours after admission may predict the severe course of infants with acute bronchiolitis.

Respiratory Morbidities in Newborn Infants by Gestational Age Following Elective Cesarean Section beyond 35 Weeks of Gestation / 대한주산의학회잡지

PURPOSE: We evaluate respiratory morbidities in infants beyond 35 weeks of gestation born via elective cesarean section by gestational age. METHODS: This is a retrospective study of 443 infants who were born at Seoul National University Hospital by elective cesarean section beyond 35 weeks of gestation from January 2011 to December 2012. We compared respiratory morbidities in four groups classified by gestational age (35(+0)-36(+6) weeks, 37(+0)-37(+6) weeks, 38(+0)-38(+6) weeks, 39(+0)-40(+6) weeks). RESULTS: There were significantly lower Apgar scores in the late-preterm infant group (35-36 weeks) compared to other term infant groups and the proportion of infants born from mothers with preeclampsia gradually decreased as gestational age increased. There were significant differences in O2 supplement, duration of O2 (>24 hours), checked chest radiography, transient tachypnea of newborn (TTN), transfer to neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), endotracheal intubation, and ventilator uses including nasal continuous positive airway pressure in four groups (P<0.05). By logistic regression analysis, compared to births at 38 weeks, births at 35-36 weeks and at 37 weeks were associated with an increased risk of respiratory morbidities [odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for births at 35-36 weeks, 122.5 (17.4-863.4) for TTN; 54.0 (10.1-289.4) for transfer to NICU; 99.5 (14.9-666.2) for ventilator apply; OR and 95% CI for births at 37 weeks, 8.8 (1.6-50.1) for TTN; 5.3 (1.1-24.7) for transfer to NICU; 8.4 (1.5-47.7) for ventilator apply; P<0.05]. There were no significant differences in respiratory morbidities between births at 38 weeks and births at 39-40 weeks. CONCLUSION: Postponing the timing of elective cesarean section to beyond 38 weeks of gestation would be helpful in reducing the neonatal respiratory morbidities.