Clinical analysis of allergic rhinitis in children between 1 and 3 years of age / 中华耳鼻咽喉头颈外科杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To study the atopy spectrum and its related factors in 1 to 3 years old children with allergic rhinitis.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Ninety-six children with allergic rhinitis, aged between 1 and 3 years old, referred to ENT department of Beijing Children's Hospital between August 2009 and November 2010 were retrospectively reviewed. Data were recorded for patients' age, age stratification, sex, the age of first symptom, the duration of history, and the allergic history of children, the allergic history of parents. The screening tests on inhalant and food allergens were conducted by immunoblot assay using the Allergy Screen system. The total serum IgE level was also measured. The distribution of the inhalant and food allergens was summarized. The influence of the clinical characteristics was analyzed according to the age subgroup determined by month, allergen category and positiveness of eczema or asthma. Logistic regression was used to analyze the relationship of clinical characteristics and allergen spectrum.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The total positive rates of allergic screening test rate were 81.3%. The inhalant and food allergens were 62.5% and 53.1% respectively. The commonest allergy was mixed fungal (50.0%), followed by milk (34.4%), lamb (31.3%), beef (26.0%), dust mite (21.0%), wheat (18.8%), mugwort (12.5%), egg white or egg yolk (11.5%).62.5% of patients could be diagnosed as AR, the remaining could be diagnosed temporarily as non-allergic rhinitis temporarily. Single factor analysis of clinical characteristics in different subgroup determined by month showed that: inhalant allergen (positive/negative) (χ2=13.699, P=0.001), father suffered from AR (χ2=14.060, P=0.001), and father or mother suffered from AR (χ2=7.396, P=0.025) were statistically significant at three monthly age groups. The personal history of eczema (OR=3.143, P=0.034) might increase the possibility of sensitization to allergens. The personal history of eczema (OR=3.125, P=0.015) and the total serum IgE level>200 IU/ml (OR=3.119, P=0.030) might increase the possibility of sensitization to inhalant allergens. No clinical features for food allergen sensitization was statistically significant. There was no significant difference in positive rates between inhalant and food allergens groups. The presence of inhalant allergens (OR=3.594, P=0.046), insect bites dermatitis (OR=11.941, P=0.002) were the risk factors for positiveness of eczema or asthma, and the father with AR (OR=0.251, P=0.040) as protective factors.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>Inhalant and food allergens all can be sensitized in the children with AR symptoms between 1 to 3 years old, and the positive rate of inhalant group is slightly higher. The differences of the inhalant allergen (positive/negative) and father suffered from AR are statistically significant at three monthly age groups. The history of eczema is the risk factor for allergen screening positive. Serum total IgE>200 IU/ml and eczema history are risk factors for inhalant allergen screening positive. The factors of inhalant allergens, insect bites dermatitis and father suffered from AR relate to any positive of eczema or asthma.</p>

Therapeutic effects of potassium sodium hydrogen citrate on melamine-induced urinary calculi in China / 中华医学杂志(英文版)

<p><b>BACKGROUND</b>In 2008, a sharp increase of the number of children diagnosed with urinary calculi was observed in China, 9433 children were diagnosed as having melamine-induced urinary calculi at outpatient clinic in Beijing Children's Hospital. This study examined the therapeutic efficacy of potassium sodium hydrogen citrate (PSHC) used to treat melamine-induced urinary stones in Chinese children who consumed melamine-containing infant formula.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Seventy-two infants and children (average age (18.2 +/- 7.7) months) who were diagnosed with urinary calculi were randomly divided into three treatment groups using the SAS Plan program. Group 1 was given a low dose (1 g/d) of PSHC, group 2 was given high dose of PSHC (2 g/d) and group 3 was given no PSHC (control group). The dose of drug was adjusted according to the baseline urinary pH. This study analyzed the influence of the dose of PSHC, the age of patients, stone size and position, and urinary pH on the level of efficacy of PSHC (cured, effectively treated or not cured).</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>After 1 - 6 months of therapy, 19 patients from group 1, five patients from group 2 and six patients from group 3 were cured. Five patients from group 1, five patients from group 2 and four patients from group 3 were effectively treated. There were significant differences in therapeutic efficacy between the two treatment doses after 3 and 6 months as measured by the increase in the successful expulsion rate and time of melamine-induced urinary calculi. After 6 months the mean time of expulsion of urinary calculi in groups 1 and 2 was significantly shorter than in the control group.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>PSHC can significantly increase the successful expulsion rate and time of melamine-induced urinary calculi. The therapeutic efficacy is affected by PSHC dose, treatment duration, calculi position, and urinary pH. There is no relationship between the therapeutic efficacy and the stone size or patient age.</p>