Association between body mass index and physical fitness index in Chinese and Japanese children and adolescents / 中国学校卫生

Objective@#To determine the relationship between body mass index (BMI) and physical fitness index (PFI) in Chinese and Japanese children and adolescents and to provide theoretical support for physical fitness improvement in Chinese children and adolescents.@*Methods@#A total of 9 594 children and adolescents aged 7-18 years were tested in China and Japan, 4 800 of which with various BMI were randomly selected for analyzing and comparing PFI between the two countries. The relationship between different BMI-Z scores and PFI was analyzed.@*Results@#In general, the PFI of wasting, normal weight, overweight and obesity in Chinese boys was -1.17, -0.03, 0.04 and 0.26, the figures were -2.59, -0.34, -1.46 and -2.44 for Japanese boys, significant differences were found in overweight and obese group (P<0.01). the PFI of wasting, normal weight, overweight and obesity in Chinese girls was -1.18, -0.08, 0.01 and 1.03, the figures were -1.21, 0.51, 0.11 and -1.30 for Japanese girls, significant differences were found in normal weight and obese group(P<0.05). Significant differences in PFI were found within Chinese boys, Chinese children, Japanese boys, Japanese girls and Japanese children with different BMI-Z levels(F=2.89, 3.05, 4.81, 2.33,5.34,P<0.01).@*Conclusion@#There is an inverted "U" curve relationship between BMI and PFI in Chinese and Japanese children and adolescents. With the increase of BMI-Z score, decreasing rate of PFI in Chinese boys is higher than Japanese boys. Practical and effective intervention measures should be taken to improve physical fitness of children and adolescents in China.

Defibrotide Treatment for Hepatic Veno-occlusive Disease after Umbilical Cord Blood Transplantation / 대한소아혈액종양학회지

Veno-occlusive disease (VOD) of the liver is a life-threatening complication occurring early after blood or bone marrow transplantation (BMT). Effective treatment has not been established in case of severe forms of VOD. Defibrotide, a single-stranded polydeoxyribonucleotide, has been used on a compassionate basis in recent clinical trials with promising results. We report here with the first Korean experience of using defibrotide for the treatment of hepatic VOD occurring after unrelated umbilical cord blood transplant in a 2-year-old child with acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Defibrotide was administered for 23 days without any significant side effects with resolution of signs and symptoms of VOD.

Dyskeratosis Congenita in a Girl / 대한소아혈액종양학회지

Dyskeratosis congenita (DC) is a rare genetic disorder encompassing abnormal skin pigmentation, dystrophic nails, leukoplakia of mucous membranes and others. Bone marrow failure is the cause of early mortality. Moreover, DC is known for its predisposition to malignancy. X-linked recessive, autosomal dominant and autosomal recessive forms of the disease are recognized. We describe here a rare case of DC in a 4-year-old girl showing dark skin, dystrophic toe nails, and mild bone marrow failure. Autosomal recessive disease was suggested as the patient is female, and tests for DKC1 and hTR mutations were negative. Intermittent treatment with oxymetholone and prednisolone for about 26 months resulted in stable hemoglobin and platelet response.

Risk Factors of Epilepsy After Stroke in Children

PURPOSE: Post-stroke seizures and epilepsy were mainly studied in adults. Selected groups of children with stroke were studied to evaluate the incidence of seizures and epilepsy and the risk factors of epilepsy after stroke. METHODS: Seventy consecutive stroke children younger than 15 years of age were retrospectively reviewed to evaluate the incidence, times, causes of epilepsy and the risk factors epilepsy after stroke. The number and location of the lesion as imaged on the CT scan, and MRI scan were determined. RESULTS: Epilepsy after stroke was diagnosed in 38(54.3%) of 70 stroke patients:16 (45.7%) of 35 with hemorrhagic stroke and 22(62.9%) of 35 with ischemic stroke. Arteriovenous malformation(18), vitamin K deficiency(7), hemophilia(5) were frequent causes in hemorrhagic stroke, and idiopathic(15), moyamoya disease(11), hemiconvulsion-hemiplegia-epilepsy syndrome(6) were frequent in ischemic stroke. No statistically significant differences were noted with relation to sex, type of stroke, number of the lobar lesions, between cortical and subcortical lesions and onset time of initial seizure. Epilepsy developed more often in patients who had lesions located in the left cerebral hemisphere (76.7%) than on the right(42.3%)(P<0.01). CONCLUSION: Epilepsy developed more often in children who had lesion located in left cerebral hemisphere. No statistically significant differences noted in relation to sex, type of stroke, number of the lobar lesions and between cortical and subcortical lesions.

A Case of Ramsay Hunt Syndrome Associated with Aseptic Meningitis

Ramsay Hunt syndrome(RHS or herpes zoster oticus) is caused by reactivation of latent varicella-zoster virus(VZV) in the geniculate ganglion of the seventh cranial nerve. Unilateral facial paralysis is accompanied by herpetic vesicles on the external auditory canal or in the mouth. The prognosis is not good as that of idiopathic facial palsy. Aggressive treatment with acyclovir, in combination with steroids, is recommended. RHS is thought to affect adults primarily, but a few cases of children with RHS have been reported. We present a case of RHS combined with aseptic meningitis in a previously healthy 10-year-8-month-old boy. He showed a complete peripheral facial palsy on the right side with CSF pleocytosis. Eight days after the onset of the facial palsy, the characteristic herpetic vesicles appeared on the pinna of the right side. The analysis of sera confirmed the clinical diagnosis of RHS with a positive IgG and IgM-ELISA antibody titer of VZV. Although we administered acyclovir and prednisolone adequately to the patient, he has shown an incomplete recovery of the facial palsy on a follow-up visit. The physicians should be prudent in the diagnosis of idiopathic facial palsy or RHS, and must watch for the appearance of vesicles in children with facial palsy.