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Objective:To investigate the epidemiological and clinical characteristics of visceral leishmaniasis (VL) in children, and to analyze the distinguishing features of VL associated hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH), so that to provide reference for the diagnosis and treatment of VL.Methods:Forty-one children with VL admitted to Xi′an Children′s Hospital from July 2012 to June 2021 were enrolled. The clinical data were retrospectively analyzed, including epidemiology, clinical manifestations, laboratory data, diagnostic methods, treatment regimens and outcomes. The patients were divided into VL group and VL+ HLH group according to whether combined with HLH or not, and the clinical characteristics and laboratory findings of the two groups were compared. Two independent samples t test, Mann-Whitney U test and chi-square test were used for statistical analysis. Results:Forty-one children with VL were from different provinces, including Shaanxi Province (70.73%(29/41)), Gansu Province (14.63%(6/41)), Shanxi Province (12.20%(5/41)) and Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region (2.44%(1/41)), and 87.80%(36/41) of them lived in rural areas. The peak age was >1.0 to 3.0 years old (63.41%(26/41)). They were sporadic throughout the year. The main clinical manifestations included fever (97.56%(40/41)), splenomegaly (95.12%(39/41)), lymphadenopathy (82.93%(34/41)) and hepatomegaly (60.98%(25/41)). The numbers of cases that Leishman-Donovan bodies were detected in the first, second and third bone marrow smears were 36, four and one, respectively. Anemia, thrombocytopenia and leukopenia detected by blood routine test were 100.00%(41/41), 78.05%(32/41) and 58.54%(24/41), respectively. There were statistically significant differences in the platelet count, lactate dehydrogenase, alanine aminotransferase, triglycerides, fibrinogen and ferritin between VL group (28 cases) and VL+ HLH group (13 cases) ( t=-2.56, t=2.64, Z=-2.66, t=7.15, t=-5.76 and t=3.86, respectively, all P<0.050). The proportions of hepatomegaly and hemophagocytes found in the bone marrow smears in VL group were both lower than those in VL+ HLH group, and the differences were both statistically significant ( χ2=4.47 and 10.93, respectively, both P<0.050). Twelve cases with VL+ HLH were treated with antimony (for six days) and intravenous immunoglobulin, and the others were treated with antimony only. The cure rates of the patients treated with antimony for one and two courses were 92.68%(38/41) and 4.88%(2/41), respectively. The dose of antimony was increased one third and treatment course was prolonged to eight days in one cured case. After (41.36±31.49) months of follow-up, three cases recurred after five to eight months of cure and all of them were cured after one more course of treatment with antimony. Conclusions:Children with VL are mainly distributed in rural areas. The common clinical manifestations are fever and involvement of reticuloendothelial system, which are not specific. The positive rate of Leishman-Donovan bodies found in bone marrow smears is high, and a few negative cases need repeated bone marrow aspiration. Standardized treatment with antimony for VL in children is effective, and combination therapy with immunoglobulin can be considered if patients with VL associated HLH. Very few cases may recur and antimony is still effective.
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Objective:To analyze the clinical characteristics and SLC25A13 gene mutation in children with neonatal intrahepatic cholestasis caused by citrin deficiency(NICCD).Methods:The data of 18 children diagnosed with NICCD in Xi′an Children′s Hospital from January 2014 to December 2018 were collected.The clinical manifestations, biochemical characteristics, SLC25A13 gene mutation and prognosis were analyzed.Results:All the 18 cases of NICCD were from North China and the age of initial diagnosis averaged(63.4±19.5)days.The clinical manifestations included jaundice(100%), light yellow or white stool(38.9%), growth retardation(27.8%)and so on.All patients had cholestasis.Of 18 cases, the levels of glutamyltranspeptidase, total bile acid and alpha fetoprotein were all increased, and serum albumin was decreased.Elevated aspartate aminotransferase(94.4%), elevated glutamic pyruvic transaminase(72.2%), prolonged prothrombin time(88.9%), hyperlactemia(83.3%), hypoglycemia(77.8%), anemia(66.7%)and other biochemical abnormalities were observed.Citrulline and other serum amino acids of all cases were elevated in blood samples by tandem mass spectrometry.The increase of 4-hydroxyphenyllactate and 4-hydroxyphenylpyruvate was found in 70%(7/10)urine samples by gas chromatography.Age was negatively correlated with total bile acid( r=-0.469, P=0.049), and positively correlated with blood ammonia, threonine, methionine, ornithine and tyrosine( r=0.472, 0.690, 0.698, 0.678 and 0.769, respectively, P<0.05). A total of 16 SLC25A13 gene mutations were detected, of them c. 851_854del(33.3%)and c. 1638_1660dup(19.4%)were the most common.c.1841+ 3_1841+ 4del, c.980_981del(p.E327Vfs*45)and c. 602A>T(p.E201V)were novel mutations.Among the 17 children who were followed up, 1 case died and 16 cases had normal biochemical parameters within 1 year. Conclusion:The characteristic biochemical changes are helpful for early recognition of NICCD.The prognosis of NICCD is good if the treatment is appropriate and timely.c.851_854del and c. 1638_1660dup are high-frequency mutations of SLC25A13 gene in north China.
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<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To understand the age distribution of pertussis patients admitted in the children hospital and to analyze the source of infection as well as its transmission patterns.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Patients visiting to the Children Hospital and epidemiologically related cases during Feb. 2012 to Aug. 2013 were tested to confirm the diagnosis. Excel 2007 software was used to analyze the age distribution and clinical symptoms of clinic cases, the source of infection or subsequent cases.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>165 out of 254 clinically suspicious pertussis cases and 38 out of the 54 epidemiologically related cases were confirmed of having pertussis infection. There were 138 (83.6%) cases under 1 year of age in the confirmed clinical cases and 36 (94.7%) cases older than 20 years of age among the confirmed epidemiologically related pertussis cases. All the confirmed epidemiologically related cases were misdiagnosed or missed for diagnosis. As the source of pertussis infection in confirmed clinical cases, parents played an imported role among 25 of the 32 cases. Transmission from infants and/or little children to adults were also observed in this study.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Infants accounted for the most among the pertussis patients that visiting the clinics. Adults, being misdiagnosed or missed diagnosed, were the main sources of infection to infants. Epidemics of pertussis occurred under family aggregation. Further study was in need to develop the proper strategy for pertussis booster vaccination.</p>