Prevalence and risk factors for early presentation of asthma among preschool children in Taiwan.

Background: Traditional asthma prevalence surveys were based on the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood (ISAAC) questionnaire, which focuses on children aged 6-7 and 13-14. However, asthma-like symptoms usually commence in preschool aged children, in whom it is difficult to make a definite diagnosis of asthma. It is worth determining the prevalence rate of asthma or asthma-like symptoms and analyzing the risk factors for this phenomenon among preschool aged children. Materials and Methods: Children aged 3-6 years were recruited from kindergartens in Keelung City, northern Taiwan. The questionnaire used was based on the ISAAC phase III core and environmental questionnaires and included questions on asthma, rhino-conjunctivitis, and eczema, along with questions to elicit common and early presentations of asthma, as well as other demographic and environmental data. The questionnaires were delivered and completed by parents. Results: 2,395 questionnaires were delivered to parents with children at 50 kindergartens, of which 2,170 questionnaires were returned (return rate 90.6%). 9.9% of these preschool children had physician-diagnosed asthma. However, 20.4% of them experienced asthma-like symptoms while attending kindergarten. Both the physician-diagnosed asthma and asthma-like symptoms groups had more clinical symptoms in all seasons except summer, compared to children without asthma. It was significant that the asthma-like symptoms commenced after joining a kindergarten (P< 0.001), and 66.5% of the children started to experience the symptoms within one month of beginning kindergarten. Using antibiotics or antipyretics in young infancy and mothers having asthma were the risk factors for developing asthma and asthma-like symptoms (P< 0.001), but parental smoking was not contributory to asthma development in preschool children. More frequent use of antipyretics in a year had a higher risk for the development of asthma and asthma-like symptoms. Conclusions: Asthma and asthma-like symptoms were common in preschool children. Early infection of the respiratory tract and use of antibiotics were associated with presentation of symptoms. Attending a kindergarten is also a risk factor for early presentation of asthma among preschool children.

Risk factors and bacterial profiles of urinary tract infections in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus.

Bacteremic urinary tract infection (UTI) is known to carry a high mortality rate, especially in immunocompromised patients. Patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) have an immunocompromised status, and thus an increased risk of infection. To evaluate the risk factors for UTI in SLE patients and to identify factors associated with bacteremic UTI, we reviewed SLE patients hospitalized for UTI over a 20-year study period. Based on our results we conclude that lupus nephritis is a risk factor for UTI in SLE patients. Clinical symptoms do not significantly distinguish bacteremic from non-bacteremic UTI in hospitalized SLE patients. Although Escherichia coli remain the most common bacteria in UTI, Salmonella spp. might need particular attention because of their high likelihood for causing bacteremia.

Asthmatic versus non-asthmatic spontaneous pneumomediastinum in children.

The aim of this study was to analyze the clinical spectrum and seek potential curable causes of spontaneous pneumomediastinum (SPM) in children in order to minimize respiratory morbidity. Medical records from 1986 to 2003 were retrospectively reviewed at a tertiary pediatric facility in northern Taiwan. Sixteen cases of SPM were identified. There were eleven boys and five girls (M:F = 2.2:1) and ages ranged from 2 to 17 years (average, 10 years). Cough (81%), dyspnea (75%) and chest pain (56%) were the predominant symptoms and expiratory wheezing (63%) and neck crepitus (50%) were the most common physical findings. The specific sign of Hamman's crunch was noted in only one child initially. A coughing-related Valsalva maneuver (13 patients/81%) was the most common cause of pneumomediastinum in these children. The most common underlying medical causes were asthma (8 patients/50%) and idiopathic origin (5 patients/31%). Acute gastroenteritis, foreign body aspiration and mycoplasmal pneumonia were each found in one patient respectively. All patients had subcutaneous emphysema on initial chest radiographs. Two patients were complicated by pneumothorax and required intensive respiratory therapy. The average hospital stay was 4 days (range 1-9 days). Rapid resolution of symptoms without long-term sequelae was common except for one patient who had hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy with epilepsy after foreign body removal. We conclude that in young teenagers, who suffer from cough, dyspnea, chest pain and associated discomfort of throat or neck, the diagnosis of SPM should be considered and chest radiography including posterior-anterior and lateral projections should be performed to verify the diagnosis. Because of the high prevalence of asthma related SPM, children of idiopathic SPM should undergo diagnostic pulmonary function tests after the acute episode, to establish whether the child has asthma. Targeted investigations of the underlying causes of SPM might decrease respiratory morbidity and avoid further complications.