Associated Symptoms of Kawasaki Disease

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: In addition to diagnostic criteria, a broad range of nonspecific clinical features can be found in patients with Kawasaki disease. This lack of specificity may cause confusion with other febrile illnesses and delay the diagnosis of Kawasaki disease. The purpose of this study is to describe common associated symptoms and their clinical significances in children affected with Kawasaki disease. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: As a retrospective study, we reviewed the medical records of 121 children who were treated for Kawasaki disease at Presbyterian medical center from January 2005 to June 2010. All clinical symptoms, laboratory data and echocardiographic findings in patients with KD were collected and analyzed. RESULTS: We found that there are 9 associated symptoms, namely cough, rhinorrhea, sputum, abdominal pain, vomiting, diarrhea, arthralgia, headache and seizure, which occur in patients with Kawasaki disease. Among the study group, there were only 32 children with no associated symptoms (26.4%). Patients with abdominal pain and headache had an older mean age than those without such symptoms. The incidence of seizure was significantly higher in incomplete Kawasaki disease patients compared with those with complete Kawasaki disease. Vomiting was highly associated with IVIG non-responder group. CONCLUSION: To decrease the incidence of serious coronary complications due to delayed diagnosis, physicians need to be aware of the manifestations of Kawasaki disease and the possibility of associated symptoms, which, being unspecific, may otherwise not raise any red flags.

A Case of Partial Trisomy 14q derived from Paternal Balanced Translocation / 대한주산의학회잡지

Partial trisomy 14q is an extremely rare disorder. Approximately 50 cases have been reported around the world. This disorder results from a malsegregation or non-disjunction of balanced translocated chromosome, thus the offspring inherits such a chromosome. In this report, the father's chromosomal arrangement was 46, XY, t(11;14)(q25;q32.1) and the mother had a normal chromosomal arrangement. We experienced a case of partial trisomy 14q in a male neonate who had craniofacial abnormalities, frontal bossing, bulgin fontanelle, hypertelorism, low-set ears, wide and flat nasal bridge, thin cupid bow lip and micrognathia. The karyotype of his chromosome was 46,XY,der(11)t(11;14)(q25;q32.1). We report the case with a review of the literature.

A study on the toilet training and influencing factors / 소아과

PURPOSE: We aimed to determine the ideal age for initiating toilet training and investigate the factors influencing the training. METHODS: The study population comprised 1,370 children aged 2-6 years, who visited the pediatric clinics in Jeonju, Iksan, and Gunsan. Their parents were given questionnaires in order to gather data about the types of diapers used, ages when toilet training was initiated and completed for each day and night, its adverse effects, and the educational level and employment and economic status of the mothers. RESULTS: The toilet training initiation age was low for those living in the country, having an elder sibling(s), and using cloth diapers, and for those whose mothers were employed and had a low economic status. The training completion age was 22.9 months when the training was initiated before the age of 18 months; this was lower than the training completion ages of 25.9 and 31.0 months when the training was initiated at the age of 18-24 months and after 25 months, respectively. However, the required durations in these cases were 8.4, 5.6, and 3.8 months, respectively. Encopresis and refusal occurred more often when the training was initiated before the age of 18 months than when initiated after this age. CONCLUSION: Toilet training should begin at least after the age of 18 months considering the developmental status of infants. It is recommended for the future researchers to develop specific guidelines regarding toilet training.