Risk Factors for Hearing Loss in Very Low Birth Weight Infants: Results of Hearing Test in Infants <1,500 g

PURPOSE: An association between very low birth weight infants(VLBWI) and hearing loss has long been recognized. Early identification and intervention for hearing loss benefits language and speech/cognitive development. We investigated the risk factors and clinical outcomes of hearing loss among VLBWI. METHODS: We analyzed the results of auditory brainstem response (ABR) testing of VLBWI. These infants were admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) of Pusan National University Yangsan Hospital between December 2008 and February 2011. A follow-up was conducted subsequently. RESULTS: ABR evaluations were performed on 65 infants, and 31 showed abnormal results (47.7%). Among the 31 infants, 10 were classified with moderate/severe/profound hearing loss (15.4%). The infants with abnormal ABR had a higher incidence of low birth weight, prolonged ventilator care, cumulative dose of furosemide, and the lowest PaO2 (P<0.05). Those with moderate/severe/profound hearing loss had a higher incidence of low Apgar scores at 5 minutes (odds ratio[OR],0.34; 95% confidence interval[CI],0.13-0.89), prolonged ventilator care (OR,1.06; 95% CI,1.01-1.12), and mild hearing loss compared to those without profound hearing loss. Follow-up evaluations on eight infants with ABR reveled improvements 5.6+/-3.9 months later. One infant, who had profound hearing loss in both ears, used a hearing aid. CONCLUSION: Factors influencing hearing loss at the first VLBWI hearing screening test included lower Apgar scores at 5 min and prolonged use of a ventilator. Most VLBWI with hearing losses were expected to recover after several months of follow-up.

Comparison of Adverse Events due to Differences in NICU Nursing Expertise

PURPOSE: Nursing quality influences patient' outcomes in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). We compared differences in adverse events (AEs) by differences in the level of nursing experience at the NICU, developed guidelines to prevent AE, and then investigated the change in AE. METHODS: AEs related to nursing were investigated from January 1, 2009 to December 31 2009 at the NICU of the newly established A hospital and B hospital that has been operating for 14 years. We also assessed the level of nursing experience. Guidelines to prevent nursing-related AEs were prepared at A hospital, and the change in the incidence of AE was investigated after 1 year. RESULTS: Twenty nurses (80%) had <2 years experience at A hospital, whereas 13 nurses (65%) had 2 years or longer but less than 4 years experience at B hospital (P<0.001). The number of incidences of AE that occurred in 2009 in A hospital was higher (46) than that at B hospital (10). Intravenous (IV) injection-related incidents had the highest share in both hospitals: 24 incidents (52.2%) at hospital A and eight incidents (80%) at hospital B. After the guidelines were instituted in 2009, the number of nursing AEs decreased to 17, of which the number of IV incidents was the highest (6, 35%), athough its share decreased. CONCLUSION: Supervision and prevention guidelines should be in place to reduce nursing AEs, which would improve the quality of NICU service.

Analysis on the cause of eosinophilia in a neonatal intensive care unit / 소아과

PURPOSE: Although eosinophilia is a common laboratory finding in many neonatal intensive care units (ICUs), its causative mechanisms remain obscure. We aimed to determine the causes of eosinophilia in the neonatal ICU environment. METHODS: Serial eosinophil counts were determined weekly for 288 hospitalized, appropriately grown neonates. Infants were divided into four groups according to gestational age, and the incidence and etiologic factors of eosinophilia were retrospectively studied. RESULTS: Absolute eosinophilia (>700/mm3) was documented in 18% (52/288) of neonates. Twenty-two infants (42.3%) exhibited mild eosinophilia (700-999 cells/mm3), 27 (51.9%) exhibited moderate eosinophilia (1,000-2,999 cells/mm3), and 3 (5.8%) exhibited severe eosinophilia (>3,000 cells/mm3). Of the 288 infants studied, 54 suffered sepsis. Thirty of these 54 infants (55.6%) showed eosinophilia, and 22 out of the remaining 234 infants (9%) without sepsis showed eosinophilia, indicating that eosinophilia was more prevalent in the sepsis group (P <0.05). All 5 infants suffering from bronchopulmonary dysplasia showed eosinophilia, and 47 out of the remaining 283 infants (16.7%) without bronchopulmonary dysplasia showed eosinophilia. Thus, eosinophilia was more prevalent in the bronchopulmonary dysplasia group (P <0.05). Furthermore, increased prevalence of eosinophilia was associated with respiratory distress syndrome, ventilator use, blood transfusion, and total parenteral nutrition (P <0.05). CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that eosinophilia is influenced by sepsis and bronchopulmonary dysplasia, although it can also occur idiopathically at birth. Moreover, the potential role of eosinophils in conditions such as wound healing and fibrosis in sepsis or chronic lung disease may be a cause of eosinophilia.

A Case of a del(8p)/dup(8q) Recombinant Chromosome

A male baby with intrauterine growth retardation had a short neck, small hands and feet, hypospadia, both grade I hydronephrosis, type II atrial septal defect, and moderate valvular pulmonary stenosis. The routine chromosome and banding analyses revealed a 46,XY,rec(8)del(8)(p21)dup(8) (q24.1)inv(8)(p21q24.1)pat chromosome constitution. His mother has normal chromosomes, but the father had 46,XY,inv(8)(p21q24.1). Also his uncle had an inv(8) chromosome constitution. We used lymphocytes and examined 40 mitotic cells. All mitotic cells showed deletion of 8p21-->pter and duplication of 8q24.1-->qter. Because 8p21 involves secretion of macrophage and lymphocyte against cancer cells, long-term follow-up for cancer will be needed.

Evaluation of 8-week body weight control program including sea tangle (Laminaria japonica) supplementation in Korean female college students

This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of a body weight control program with supplementation of sea tangle (20 g/day) on 22 female college students. The contents of the program for 8 weeks contained diet therapy, exercise and behavioral modification through nutrition education. Body composition, dietary habit scores, serum lipid profiles, daily nutrient intakes and the quality of life were assessed at the beginning and at the end of the program. Average age of subjects and height were 20.8 years and 161.9 cm, respectively. After 8 weeks, there were significant reductions in body weight, body fat mass, percent body fat, waist-hip ratio and BMI. The dietary habit score such as a balanced diet, regularity of mealtime, overeating, eating while watching TV or using the computer and eating salty food were increased significantly. Serum lipid levels such as total cholesterol level, LDL-cholesterol level and triglyceride level were decreased but not significantly. There were decreases in intake of energy, protein and fat and increases in intakes of dietary fiber, folic acid, calcium and potassium from the beginning to the end of the program. There were significant improvements on subcomponents of quality of life; physical functioning, general-health and vitality. The limitation of this study was the fact that there was no control group, but an overall evaluation suggests the 8-week body weight control program consisting of diet therapy, exercise and behavioral modification with supplementation of sea tangle would be helpful to improve the body composition, dietary habits, daily nutrient intakes and quality of life in Korean female college students.

Clinical aspects of an outbreak of Serratia marcescens infections in neonates / 소아과

PURPOSE: We evaluated an outbreak of Serratia marcescens infections in 24 neonates in a neonatal intensive care unit(NICU). METHODS: From January to August, 2004 a nosocomial outbreak of S. marcescens occurred in our NICU. We describe the clinical characteristics of the outbreak and analyse the risk factors for infections with S. marcescens. After the outbreak stopped, 7 isolates from blood were typed using rapid amplified polymorphic DNA analysis(RAPD). RESULTS: S. marcescens was isolated from 24 neonates, 19 infected and 5 colonized. Seven out of nineteen neonates had bacteremia, 4 had ventilator associated pneumonia, 4 had purulent conjunctivitis, 2 had UTI, 1 had meningitis and 1 had a wound infection. Three neonates died due to S. marcescens infection, 2 of 3 had ventilator associated pneumonia, 1 had meningitis complicated with abscess. The mortality rate of S. marcescens infection was 15.8%. Factors associated with S. marcescens infections were previous antibiotic therapy, indwelling catheter and use of ventilators. The isolated strains were resistant to most antibiotics, but frequently sensitive to imipenem, bactrim and amikacin. RAPD typing results show that at least 3 epidemic strains were related with this outbreak. But one genotype was predominant type in this outbreak. The control measures were instituted and the outbreak stopped within 2 months. CONCLUSION: S. marcescens can cause rapidly spreading outbreaks associated with fatal infections in neonates. If S. marcescens is isolated from clinical specimens, meticulous infection control measures and epidemiologic investigations should be done at an early stage of the outbreak.

A Case of Congenital Hepatoblastoma / 대한소아혈액종양학회지

Hepatoblastoma is the most common primary malignant hepatic tumor in infancy and childhood. But congenital hepatoblastomas are extremely rare and show distinctive, but important features when compared with tumors diagnosed in children beyond the neonatal age. They have different clinical presentations, higher incidence of pure fetal histology, significant risk for systemic metastasis, and worse outcome. The treatment of congenital hepatoblastoma should be the same as in older children, i.e., primary chemotherapy with delayed resection. We report a case of congenital hepatoblastoma in a 29-day-old boy who was known to have a well-defined ovoid hypoechoic mass at liver demonstrated by fetal sonography.

Difference of Clinical Features according to Hypoalbuminemia in the Children with Pleural Effusion / 소아과

PURPOSE: Hypoalbuminemia is a rare cause of pleural effusion. The relationship between the severity of hypoalbuminemia and the clinical course of pleural effusion is unclear. The aim of this study was to evaluate the change of clinical course according to the severity of hypoalbuminemia due to pleural effusion in children. METHODS: A total of 96 patients admitted to Pusan National University Hospital with pleural effusion from August 1998 to August 2004 were studied retrospectively. The 79 patients who had only infectious causes were evaluated according to their albumin levels. They were divided into the two groups:group 1 had serum albumin levels of 2.5 g/dL. The clinical courses of each group were compared. RESULTS: The nature of pleural effusion was transudates in seven cases and exudates in 89 cases. The most commom causes of transudates were renal failure(four cases) and the most common causes of exudates were parapneumonic effusion(58 cases). There was no statistical significance in mean ages, BUN, creatinine, potassium, bilirubin and WBC in each group. Four patient in group 1 and 26 patients in group 2 improved after medication of antibiotics or anti-tuberculosis agents only. Fourteen patients in group 1 and 26 patients in group 2 improved after thoracostomy with use of antibiotics. Eight patients in group 1 and one patient in group 2 had ventilator care with use of antibiotics therapy. CONCLUSION: Children who were diagnosed as pleural effusion with low serum albumin levels on admission had poorer prognoses than those with normal levels. We conclude that lower serum albumin level on admission is an important prognosis factor in a patient with pleural effusion.