Clinical Investigation of Benign Infantile Convulsion with Diarrhea / 대한소아신경학회지

PURPOSE: "Benign Infantile Convulsion with Diarrhea" was first described by Morooka in 1982. Even without fever, dehydration, electrolyte imbalance and intracranial infection, seizures can occur several times in a day after the onset of diarrhea. Except for the seizures during the patient's acute illness, neurological outcome is excellent and no patient suffers epilepsy. Because seizures can occur repeatedly without accompanying fever, and with only mild diarrhea, these patients can be misdiagnosed with infantile epilepsy and treated with unnecessary anticonvulsants. METHODS: This study was carried out with 61 patients with benign infantile convulsion with diarrhea who visited at Inje University Sang-gye Paik Hospital, from September 1989 to June 1997. RESULTS: There were 61 patients with benign infantile convulsion with diarrhea, 32 boys and 29 girls. Sixty out of 61 patients had generalized tonic-clonic seizures, and one patient showed partial seizure with secondary generalization. Sixteen(45.7%) out of 35 patients showed positive rotazyme tests. Cerebrospinal fluid examination showed normal in 14 patients, EEG's were normal in 38(84.4%) out of 45 patients, brain CT's were negative in 24 out of 25 patients, and brain MRI's were negative in 4 patients. We could follow up 38 patients, and 3 patients had recurring seizures due to benign infantile convulsion with diarrhea. Psychomotor developments were normal in all the follow-up patients. CONCLUSION: Benign infantile convulsion with diarrhea is a benign seizure disorder in infancy without relation to later neurological disability or epilepsy.

Serum Leptin Levels in Obese Children

PURPOSE: Leptin is a protein encoded by the ob gene that is expressed in adipocytes. It regulates eating behavior by the action to the satiety centers in the hypothalamus. In ob/ob mouse, adipocytes can not produce leptin because of a mutation in the ob gene which results in obesity. Whereas, leptin concentrations were elevated in obese adults, and leptin levels in obese children has not been studied much until now. The purpose of this study is to evaluate leptin concentrations in obese children and to find out correlating factors with leptin. METHODS: Thirty-six obese childrens whose weight is above 97 percentile of korean weight standard and 39 children with average weight were included. Height, weight, waist to hip ratio, fat weight and lean body mass were measured. The serum levels of leptin, insulin, cholesterol and triglyceride were measured. RESULTS: Mean age was 10.8 +/- 2.5 years in obese group and 10.6 +/- 2.6 years in control group. Obesity percent was 51.6 +/- 18.8% in obese and 8.8 +/- 10.2% in control group. Body mass index (BMI) was 26.3 +/- 5.8kg/m2 in obese group and 17.3 +/- 1.9kg/m2 in control group. Leptin levels of obese group (13.7 +/- 5.4ng/ml) were significantly higher than that of the control group (3.6 +/- 3.3ng/ ml). Leptin levels showed no significant difference by gender and by pubertal development. Leptin levels significantly correlated with BMI, obesity percent, fat weight, and serum cholesterol level but showed no significant correlation with lean body mass, serum fasting insulin and triglyceride levels. CONCLUSION: Serum leptin levels of obesity group were significantly higher than that of the control group, and they were correlated with BMI, obesity percent and fat weight. Additional research is necessary to assess the mechanism of leptin resistance in obese children.

Serum Leptin Levels in Obese Children

PURPOSE: Leptin is a protein encoded by the ob gene that is expressed in adipocytes. It regulates eating behavior by the action to the satiety centers in the hypothalamus. In ob/ob mouse, adipocytes can not produce leptin because of a mutation in the ob gene which results in obesity. Whereas, leptin concentrations were elevated in obese adults, and leptin levels in obese children has not been studied much until now. The purpose of this study is to evaluate leptin concentrations in obese children and to find out correlating factors with leptin. METHODS: Thirty-six obese childrens whose weight is above 97 percentile of korean weight standard and 39 children with average weight were included. Height, weight, waist to hip ratio, fat weight and lean body mass were measured. The serum levels of leptin, insulin, cholesterol and triglyceride were measured. RESULTS: Mean age was 10.8 +/- 2.5 years in obese group and 10.6 +/- 2.6 years in control group. Obesity percent was 51.6 +/- 18.8% in obese and 8.8 +/- 10.2% in control group. Body mass index (BMI) was 26.3 +/- 5.8kg/m2 in obese group and 17.3 +/- 1.9kg/m2 in control group. Leptin levels of obese group (13.7 +/- 5.4ng/ml) were significantly higher than that of the control group (3.6 +/- 3.3ng/ ml). Leptin levels showed no significant difference by gender and by pubertal development. Leptin levels significantly correlated with BMI, obesity percent, fat weight, and serum cholesterol level but showed no significant correlation with lean body mass, serum fasting insulin and triglyceride levels. CONCLUSION: Serum leptin levels of obesity group were significantly higher than that of the control group, and they were correlated with BMI, obesity percent and fat weight. Additional research is necessary to assess the mechanism of leptin resistance in obese children.

Growth Status in Infants Born Intrauterine Growth Retardation / 대한소아내분비학회지

PURPOSE:In infants born intrauterine growth retardation(IUGR), there may be persistent short stature in childhood and adulthood, although most IUGR infants show some degree of catch-up growth. The purpose of this study was to describe the postnatal growth status in order to determine the incidence of catch-up growth. METHODS:This study was carried out with the 260 IUGR infants(birth weight<2,500gm) born at Inje University Sanggye Paik Hospital, from October 1989 to March 1995. RESULTS: 1)Mean gestational age was 38.3+/-.6weeks, mean birth weight was 2.3+/-.2kg and mean birth length was 46.1+/-.7cm. 2)Mean height standard deviation score(height SDS) was 0.02+/-.03. Height SDS was -0.002+/-.71 at 1 year of age, 0.03+/-.14 at 2 years of age, -0.03+/-.71 at 3 years of age, 0.01+/-.24 at 4 years of age, 0.16+/-.24 at 5 years of age, -0.08+/-.43 at 6 years of age. 3)Of the entire study group of the 260 children, 16 children (6%) were below 10 percentile in height. 1 of 36 (2.8%) was below 10 percentile in height at 1 year of age, 5 of 86(5.8%) at 2 years of age, none at 3 years of age, 6 of 44 (13.6%) at 4 years of age, 1 of 25 (4.0%) at 5 years of age, 3 of 17 (17.6%) at 6 years of age. 4)Height SDS significantly correlated with gestational age (r=0.57, p<0.01), birth weight (r=0.17, p<0.01) and midparental height (r=0.72, p<0.01). 5)Birth length and midparental height showed significant differences between catch-up group and non-catch-up group (p<0.01). Condusions:In summary, of the infants born IUGR, 94% showed catch-up growth. Birth length and midparental height were significantly lower in non- catch-up group.