Clinical Usefulness of Ambulatory Blood Pressure Monitoring in Children and Adolescents

PURPOSE: With increasing prevalence of hypertension (HTN) in children and adolescent, pediatricians have become more interested in blood pressure (BP) measurements. The ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM) is known to be useful to differentiate true HTN and white coat HTN. The object of this study is to assess the clinical usefulness of ABPM in Korean children and adolescents. METHODS: A retrospective review of 51 patients in Kyungpook National University Hospital from January 2002 to February 2010 was done. All patients were 6-18 years old and underwent ABPM. We calculated the mean value of ABP, BP load, nocturnal dip and compared the results with the patients' diagnosis and characteristics. RESULTS: The mean age of the 51 patients was 17.8+/-1.8 years and 19 children were obese. 37 patients (72.5%) were truly hypertensive and 1 patient was diagnosed as masked HTN and 7 children (14%) as white coat HTN. The rest of the patients were normotensive. Among patients with white coat HTN, 5 were in a prehypertensive state. Mean systolic and diastolic BP load of patients with true HTN were significantly higher than non-hypertensive children (P<0.001). Although the nocturnal dip of all patients were below 10%, there was no statistical significance. The obese patients showed higher systolic and diastolic BP. Their systolic and diastolic BP load were significantly higher than non-obese patients (P<0.001). CONCLUSION: ABPM in children and adolescents seems to be a valuable tool in the assessment of white coat HTN and in the confirmation of true HTN. A considerable number of white coat HTN patients are revealed to be in a prehypertensive state and need close follow-up.

Efficacy of Dextranomer/Hyaluronic Acid Copolymer (Deflux(R)) Injection for Vesicoureteral Reflux in Children

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was evaluating the efficacy of endoscopic Deflux(R) submucosal injection in children with primary vesicoureteral reflux (VUR). METHODS: Retrospective analysis of medical record was conducted on 38 children (59 ureters) who underwent endoscopic Deflux(R) injection due to primary VUR. Data were collected from March 2000 to February 2006. Mean infused amount of Deflux(R) was 0.77 cc. After Deflux(R) injection, patients were reassessed by voiding cystourethrogram (VCUG) 6 months later. RESULTS: The success rate of endoscopic Deflux(R) submucosal injection 6 months later by VCUG was 100% for grade 1 VUR, 87.5% for grade 2, 60% for grade 3, 26.6% for grade 4, 16.6% for grade 5, respectively and there was negatively significant correlation between success rate and grade of VUR (P<0.01). Degree of improvement of VUR by endoscopic Deflux(R) submucosal injection was not related to age at diagnosis, time to operation, existence of voiding dysfunction or constipation and infused amount of Deflux(R). However, group with anticholinergics medication had significantly lower success rate than non-medication group (P<0.047). CONCLUSION: Endoscopic Deflux(R) submucosal injection is effective therapy in patient with primary VUR, especially low grade VUR. It can be not only a useful substitute for prophylaxis with antibiotics, but also an effective management prior to ureteroneocystostomy in children with primary VUR.

The Usefulness of NT-proBNP in Children with Chronic Kidney Disease / 대한신장학회지

PURPOSE:NT-proBNP (N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide) is mainly secreted by cardiac myocytes of ventricle and can be used asdiagnosis and prognostic factor for heart failure. The aim of this study was evaluating the usefulness of NT-ProBNP in children with chronic kidney disease. METHODS:A total of ninety - two children with chronic kidney disease (CKD) were analyzed. The serum level of NT-proBNP were compared to age, sex, serum creatinine (Cr), estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), blood pressure (BP), and body mass index (BMI). And we also compared it to ejection fraction (EF), fractional shortening (FS), cardio-thoracic ratio (CTR), intact parathyroid hormone (iPTH), hemoglobin (Hb), and Ca x P product in 11 dialysis children. RESULTS:Among 92 patients, 75 patients had a normal Cr, and 17 patients had increased Cr. Dialysis patients were 11. Serum level of NT-proBNP showed positive correlation of serum Cr, and negative correlation of eGFR. In dialysis patients, serum level of NT-pro BNP showed negative correlation of EF on echocardiography. And was no relation with CTR, iPTH, Hb, Ca x P product, and BMI. CONCLUSION:NT-proBNP is a useful marker for evaluating the cardiac function and determining the ultrafiltration in pediatric dialysis patients.

Changes of Clinical Findings of Acute Poststreptococcal Glomerulonephritis

PURPOSE: Several studies have reported the recent increase in the incidence of acute poststreptococcal glomerulonephritis(APSGN). The objective of this study is to see changes of clinical findings/manifwstation in children with APSGN. METHODS: Medical records of 63 children who were diagnosed with APSGN in the deparment of Pediatrics, Kyungpook National University Hospital, between January 1992 and December 2006 were reviewed retrospectively. We analyzed various clinical characteristics such as age, sex, degrees of proteinuria, degrees of hematuria, and presence or absence of histories of systemic antibiotic use in children with APSGN, and compared the children with APSGN who were diagnosed between 1992 and 2000 to those who were diagnosed between 2001 and 2006. RESULTS: Age of the patients ranged from 2-14 years(median 7.11 years) at the time of disease onset. Study patients consisted of 41 boys and 22 girls. APSGN followed infection of the throat in 87% of cases. Patient developed an acute nephritic syndrome 12 days after an antecedent streptococcal pharyngitis. Forty patients presented with gross hematuria. Fortyone patients had hypertension at the time of diagnosis. Hypertension disappeared within 7.8+/-8.2 days, gross hematuria within 11.3+/-17.2 days and microscopic hematuria within 3.5+/-3.9 months from the disease onset. Patients in 2001-2006 had significantly higher increase of antistreptolysin O(ASO) titer. However, no significant differences in clinical characteristics were observed. Age, sex, severity of proteinuria, gross or microscopic hematuria, antibiotic therapy did not affect the clinical manifestations of glomerulonephritis. In other words, hypertension, duration of hematuria, recovery of serum C3 level are not different between the two time periods. CONCLUSION: Our data indicates that patients in 2001-2006 had significantly higher level of ASO titer. However, they did not show significant clinical differences. To evaluate the causes of the resurgence of APSGN, a national epidemic is needed.

A Case of the Hypercalcemia Induced by the Coenzyme Q10 and Alphacalcidol Treatment in a Patient with Kearns-Sayre Syndrome and Hypoparathyroidism / 대한소아내분비학회지

Kearns-Sayre Syndrome (KSS) is rare mitochondrial disorder characterized by chronic progressive external ophthalmoplegia, atypical retinal pigmentation and complete heart block. It is occasionally combined endocrinologic symptoms such as hypoparathyroidism, short stature, diabetes mellitus and hypothyroidism. We reported the effect of Coenzyme Q10 on total serum calcium concentration in 17 years old girl with KSS and hypoparathyroidism. The patients was treated with alfacalcidol (1alpha-OHD3), Coenzyme Q10 and oral calcium agent. Total serum calcium concentration had even remained within normal range and hypercalcemia was developed suddenly after treatment of combination of Coenzyme Q10 and alfacalcidol (1alpha-OHD3). After stop of all medication, her total calcium concentration was decreased to 7.6 mg/dL and remained in normal range with oral calcium (2 g/day) and Coenzyme Q10 (150 mcg/day) daily. The action of Coenzyme Q10 is not clearly defined but, we could explain Coenzyme Q10 activates the capacity of the patient to produce the active form of Vitamin D, 1alpha-OHD3.

Nephron Numbers in Patients with Minimal Change Nephrotic Syndrome (MCNS) and Focal Segmental Glomerulosclerosis (FSGS) / 대한신장학회지

PURPOSE: It has been proposed that a decreased nephron number may be associated with the increased risk of glomerulosclerosis. In order to test the hypothesis that a reduced number and an increased volume of glomeruli may contribute to the pathogenesis of focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS), we compared the number and volume of glomeruli between 9 patients with FSGS and 8 with minimal change nephrotic syndrome (MCNS). METHODS: Mean glomerular volume was measured using the method of Weibel and Gomez. An estimate of glomerular number (index) was obtained by multiplying the cortical volume of a kidney by the fraction of renal cortex made up of glomeruli and dividing this by the mean glomerular volume for that kidney x 10(6). We determined kidney volume from ultrasonographic measurement. RESULTS: Patients with FSGS had significantly greater glomerular volume than patients with MCNS [2.02+/-0.36 (x10(6) micrometer3) vs. 1.57+/-0.27 (x10(6) micrometer3)] (p<0.025). However, there was no significant difference in the index of glomerular number (estimated glomerular number) between FSGS & MCNS patients (2.8+/-1.4 vs. 3.0+/-0.8). CONCLUSION: The glomerular volume was greater in FSGS patients than MCNS patients. But there was no significant difference in the index of glomerular number between patients with FSGS and MCNS.

A Case of Chronic Urticaria Related to Clonorchis Sinensis / 소아알레르기및호흡기학회지

Clonorchis sinensis infection is one of the most common parasitic infections that is widely distributed in Southern Korea as well as China, Japan, Taiwan, Hong kong, and Vietnam and countries in Eastern Asia. The disease is caused by the ingestion of infected raw or under- processed freshwater fish. The clinical manifestations depend on the number of flukes in a patient, the period of infestation, and the complications. We experienced a 10-year-old boy who had a history of ingestion of raw fresh-water Chinese mitten crab preserved in soy sauce and presented with chronic urticaria. The causal organism, Clonorchis sinensis, was found by the identification of parasite ova in stool. We report a rare case of chronic urticaria related to Clonorchis sinensis that was successfully treated with praziquantel and review the pertinent literature.

Prevalence of Allergic Diseases among Primary School Children in Ilsan, Gyeonggi and Changes of Symptoms After Environmental Control in 2005 / 소아알레르기및호흡기학회지

PURPOSE:The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence of asthma, allergic rhinitis, atopic dermatitis and allergic conjunctivitis among primary school pupils in Ilsan, Gyeonggi province. We also investigated change of symptoms after environmental control. METHODS:In April 2005, a cross-sectional study was performed among 2,745 1st to 6th graders of 3 primary schools in Ilsan, Gyeonggi province. International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood (ISAAC) standardized questionnaires and additional questionnaires about environmental changes were distributed to their parents. RESULTS:Data were collected from 2,535 children (1,279 boys and 1,256 girls). The most common allergic symptom was rhinorrhea (43.0%), and atopic skin lesions, ocular lesions and wheezing were 24.5%, 19.7% and 18.2%, respectively. There was no significant relationship between allergic diseases and environmental status. One thousand four hundred nineteen children moved to a new place or had new interior decorations within the last 2 years. Of these children, 352 (24.8%) had allergic symptoms (OR=2.76, CI= 1.96-3.41, P=0.001). Interestingly, we found that children who had moved into apartments experienced more symptom changes than those who had not (P=0.022). CONCLUSION:The results of this study demonstrated that the prevalence of allergic conditions in primary school children in Ilsan, Gyeonggi province in 2005 was higher than those of nation-wide studies in 2000. We found the results of our study is similar to those of Seoul in 2005. We found a significant relationship between environmental status and changes of symptoms in primary school children in Ilsan, Gyeonggi province.

Prevalence of Allergic Diseases among Primary School Children in Ilsan, Gyeonggi and Changes of Symptoms After Environmental Control in 2005 / 소아알레르기및호흡기학회지

PURPOSE:The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence of asthma, allergic rhinitis, atopic dermatitis and allergic conjunctivitis among primary school pupils in Ilsan, Gyeonggi province. We also investigated change of symptoms after environmental control. METHODS:In April 2005, a cross-sectional study was performed among 2,745 1st to 6th graders of 3 primary schools in Ilsan, Gyeonggi province. International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood (ISAAC) standardized questionnaires and additional questionnaires about environmental changes were distributed to their parents. RESULTS:Data were collected from 2,535 children (1,279 boys and 1,256 girls). The most common allergic symptom was rhinorrhea (43.0%), and atopic skin lesions, ocular lesions and wheezing were 24.5%, 19.7% and 18.2%, respectively. There was no significant relationship between allergic diseases and environmental status. One thousand four hundred nineteen children moved to a new place or had new interior decorations within the last 2 years. Of these children, 352 (24.8%) had allergic symptoms (OR=2.76, CI= 1.96-3.41, P=0.001). Interestingly, we found that children who had moved into apartments experienced more symptom changes than those who had not (P=0.022). CONCLUSION:The results of this study demonstrated that the prevalence of allergic conditions in primary school children in Ilsan, Gyeonggi province in 2005 was higher than those of nation-wide studies in 2000. We found the results of our study is similar to those of Seoul in 2005. We found a significant relationship between environmental status and changes of symptoms in primary school children in Ilsan, Gyeonggi province.