Maternal and cord blood vitamin D status in high-altitude pregnancy.

OBJECTIVE: We aimed to explore the risk factors that may lead to vitamin D deficiency in pregnant women living in moderately high-altitude regions. METHODS: The study was conducted prospectively between November 2012 and July 2013. City of Erzurum is located at an altitude of 1900-2200 m, north Turkey at 39°4' latitude. Healthy mothers that gave birth after completing 37th week of their pregnancies and healthy neonates weighting >2500 g were included in the study. For 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) analyses venous blood samples of 2 ml were obtained from the umbilical cord and the mother. Questionnaires were developed covering the demographical characteristics and possible risk factors for mothers. RESULTS: Totally 81 mothers and neonates were included into the study. The mean 25(OH)D level of mothers was 7.1 ± 6.5 ng/ml. It was noted that 45 (55.7%) mothers had severe deficiency. Multivariate linear regression analysis showed that the dressing style and the level of sunlight received by the house were independent factors affecting the level of 25(OH)D. CONCLUSION: Our findings showed that cultural factors had significant effects on vitamin D levels. We believe that appropriate dose of vitamin D prophylaxis should be administered to pregnant women, considering the risk factors as well as the geographical features.

Cystinosis presenting with findings of Bartter syndrome.

A five-year-old boy was referred to our pediatric clinic for evaluation of failure to thrive, headache, intermittent high fever, restlessness, polyuria, and polydipsia. His weight and height measurements were under the 3rd percentile. Clinical findings consisted of frontal bossing, carious teeth, O-bain deformity of the lower extremities, and moderate dehydration. The presence of metabolic alkalosis, hypokalemia, hypochloremia, and high renin and aldosterone levels were suggestive of Bartter syndrome and a treatment regimen for Bartter syndrome was started. At follow-up, the polyuria and hyponatremia were found to persist. A reassessment of the patient revealed findings consistent with proximal renal tubular acidosis such as metabolic acidosis with a high urinary pH, proteinuria, aminoaciduria with phosphaturia and hypercalciuria. Based on the presence of parental consanguinity as well as polyuria, proteinuria, low tubular reabsorption of phosphorus, generalized aminoaciduria, light yellow skin and hair color, the probable diagnosis of cystinosis was established and was confirmed by slit-lamp examination of the cornea showing cystine crystal deposition. Our case is a good example demonstrating that development of metabolic alkalosis does not exclude cystinosis and that all findings of the patient should be thoroughly evaluated.

Abdominal tuberculosis in a child presenting with radiological evidence of pneumatosis intestinalis and portal venous gas.

Pneumatosis intestinalis, in association with portal venous gas, is a rare finding in children and young adults. In radiological studies, it is characterized by gas-filled cysts within the bowel-wall. It is often a sign of the serious significant underlying illness and is associated with a poor prognosis. A case of pneumatosis intestinalis and portal venous gas associated with abdominal tuberculosis in a child is presented here. Despite responding well to anti-tubercular treatment, he died suddenly at home, two months after discharge. It is recommended that cases with pneumatosis intestinalis should be carefully observed, although symptoms appear to be improving.

Bell's palsy as a possible complication of hepatitis B vaccination in a child.

Bell's Palsy is the sudden onset of unilateral temporary paralysis of facial muscles resulting from seventh cranial nerve dysfunction. Presented here is a two-year old female patient with right peripheral facial palsy following hepatitis B vaccination. Readers' attention is drawn to an uncommon cause of Bell's Palsy, as a rare complication of hepatitis B vaccination.

Munchausen's Syndrome.

Although the differential diagnosis of hemoptysis is extensive, consideration of a factitious cause is rarely contemplated. Factitious hemoptysis is uncommon in children. We report a dramatic case of factitious hemoptysis in a 12-year-old girl. The features of Munchausen's syndrome are also reviewed.

Pott's puffy tumor: multidetector computed tomography findings.

A subperiostal abscess of the frontal bone as a complication of osteomyelitis, appearing as a puffy, indolent tumor of the forehead, was first described by Pott. This less-common complication of is known as Pott's Puffy tumor. The complications of Pott's Puffy tumor are preseptal and orbital cellulites by downward spread to the orbit and intracranial infection by posterior extension. We present a case of Pott's Puffy tumor complicated by intracranial infection imaged by means of multidetector computed tomography.

Effectiveness of massage, sucrose solution, herbal tea or hydrolysed formula in the treatment of infantile colic.

AIM AND OBJECTIVE: The aim of the study was to evaluate the effectiveness of massage, sucrose solution, herbal tea or hydrolysed formula, each used individually in the treatment of infantile colic. BACKGROUND: The term colic describes a group of symptoms that occur frequently in infants, consisting of paroxysmal abdominal pain and severe crying. Infant colic is of importance for both parents and the community health services that provide families with care, and is therefore an important clinical problem that is amenable to nursing interventions. DESIGN: This prospective and randomised-controlled study involved 175 infants in Turkey. METHODS: Data were gathered by using Wessel criteria; parents wrote a daily structured diary, recording the onset and duration of crying. Patients were assigned randomly into four different intervention groups (massage, sucrose solution, herbal tea and hydrolysed formula) and control group. Duration of crying following each intervention was recorded in the diary by parents for a one week period. RESULTS: There was a significant reduction in crying hours per day in all intervention groups. The difference between mean duration of total crying (hours/day) before and after the intervention infants in hydrolysed formula group was found higher than massage, sucrose and herbal tea group. The difference between mean duration of total crying(hours/day) before and after the intervention infants in massage group was found lower than other intervention groups and all groups. CONCLUSION: Our findings demonstrated that varied interventions such as administration of massage, sucrose solution, herbal tea and hydrolysed formula are effective in the treatment of colic. The difference between mean duration of total crying (hours/day) before and after the intervention in hydrolysed formula group was found higher than other intervention groups. Hydrolysed formula was the most effective in reducing the duration of crying (hours/day) when compared with the other intervention groups. Massage intervention yielded the least symptomatic improvement among all the interventions. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE: Colic treatment models used in this study can be used by nurses in neonatal and primary healthcare settings as an aid to families for the treatment of infantile colic.

Bone mineral density in malnourished children without rachitic manifestations.

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to determine bone mineral density (BMD) of lumbar spine in malnourished children without rachitic manifestations, before and after dietary treatment and vitamin D supplementation, and to compare with healthy children of the same community. METHODS: The subjects were 41 children with malnutrition and 21 healthy controls. None of the children had clinical, biochemical and/or radiological rickets features. The patients had moderate 15 and severe 26 malnutrition according to Gomez's criteria. Using the Wellcome Classification, marasmus was diagnosed in 16 children, kwashiorkor in 10 children. The children with malnutrition were given vitamin D supplementation. RESULTS: BMD was lower in children with malnutrition than in controls (P < 0.01). Mineralization significantly effected the severity of malnutrition (P < 0.01). BMD in kwashiorkor was similar to that of marasmus. The mean BMD level of infants receiving 400 IU of vitamin D daily was similar to that of infants receiving 800 IU of vitamin D daily at the beginning of treatment. In two supplementation groups, the BMD gradually increased during the first 3 months of treatment, but this increase in the infants receiving 800 IU of vitamin D daily was significantly higher than that in the infants receiving 400 IU of vitamin D daily. CONCLUSION: Measurements of BMD in children with malnutrition, especially severe malnutrition, are to be recommended in the initial assessment of the severity of osteopenia and in the follow up to monitor the response to therapy. Children with malnutrition should be given 800 IU of vitamin D daily. The loss of BMD must be accepted as a complication of malnutrition.

Adolescent immunization rates and the effect of socio-demographic factors on immunization in a cosmopolitan city (ERZURUM) in the eastern Turkey.

OBJECTIVE: Pediatric vaccinations have decreased the incidence and mortality from infectious diseases in children, but adolescents continue to be adversely affected by vaccine preventable disease. The present study was performed to determine the status of adolescents immunization and to investigate the effect of several socio-demographic factors on immunization. MATERIAL AND METHOD: Using the cluster-sampling method, 817 adolescents were selected in 24 high schools (15,000 students) in central district of Erzurum (Turkey). Adolescents were categorized as completely vaccinated, incompletely vaccinated, unvaccinated or vaccination status unknown. RESULTS: Of the 817 adolescents, 6.9% were completely vaccinated, 24.4% were incompletely vaccinated and 64.1% were unvaccinated. The vaccination status of 4.6% of adolescents was unknown. A significantly correlation was seen between the number of siblings, the level of mother and father education, the level of parent's socio-economics status, health insurance and immunization status. CONCLUSION: Our findings indicated a small percentage of adolescents receive all of the recommended vaccine. In immunization programs in Turkey, priority should be given to increase adolescent immunization rate with a middle school and/or adolescents, vaccination.

Idiopathic unilateral paralysis of the palate in childhood.

Idiopathic soft palate paralysis is an isolated clinical entity of unknown cause. Typical clinical features are sudden onset, rhinolalia, and nasal escape of fluids from the ipsilateral nostril. The disorder affects mainly male children at the ages of 2 to 3 years and resolves spontaneously. This report presents a 5-year-old female with the rare disorder and discusses its probable physiopathologic mechanisms.

Acute hydrocephalus caused by mumps meningoencephalitis.

Hydrocephalus is a rare complication of mumps. We report an 8.5-year-old boy with acute hydrocephalus associated with mumps meningoencephalitis.

Seroepidemiology of varicella-zoster virus infection in a cosmopolitan city (Erzurum) in the eastern Turkey.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of the study was to determine VZV seroprevalence under age 30 and to identify the relationship of VZV seroprevalence and several sociodemographic characteristics of the study subjects. The results were presented in order to design a strategy for vaccination against varicella-zoster virus (VZV). MATERIAL AND METHOD: It was planned to include a total of 568 subjects. The sampling method of 30 clusters recommended for field studies was used for selecting subjects of a predetermined number in the rural and urban areas in eastern Turkey. ELISA method was used to examine the blood samples for VZV seropositivity. Age, gender, place of living, educational level, family size and socioeconomic status was investigated in the study subjects. RESULTS: Positive VZV seroprevalence was detected in 78% of 559 subjects. Seroprevalence increased with age. Seroprevalence was 16.67% at the age of 1 year, subsequently increased to 57.58% at the age of 4 years, 70% at the age of 7 years, 92.31% at the age of 10 years and then remained 86.78-96.36% in subjects over the age of 10 years. No association was found between sociodemographic variables studied and prevalence levels of antibodies except for educational level in the 0-14 year group. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that the majority of VZV infections occur during the early childhood; the best option to reduce the circulation of wild type VZV in the population would be the immunization of young children. VZV vaccine should be introduced into the routine childhood vaccination programme in Turkey.

Efficacy and safety of rectal thiopental, intramuscular cocktail and rectal midazolam for sedation in children undergoing neuroimaging.

BACKGROUND: This study was designed to investigate the overall usefulness of rectal thiopental, rectal midazolam and i.m. modified cocktail (meperidine-chlorpromazine hydrochloride-feniramin maleat) in 70 children undergoing computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). METHODS: The dosage of thiopental was 50 mg per kg for infants under 6 months of age, 35 mg per kg between six and 12 months, and 25 mg per kg for older children. The maximal dose did not exceed 700 mg in this study. The dosage of midazolam was 1 mg per kg for all children. A modified cocktail was described as a formulation including 11 mg/mL of meperidine, 2.8 mg/mL of chlorpromazine and 2.8 mg/mL of pheniramine maleat. The dosage of modified cocktail was 0.1 mL per kg for all children. RESULTS: The mean induction time for the i.m. cocktail was significantly longer than that for rectal thiopental (P < 0.001). The mean duration of deep sedation was 60.79 +/- 27.00 min with rectal thiopental and 58.74 +/- 39.70 min with i.m. cocktail (P > 0.05). Although the mean duration of sleep for rectal thiopental and i.m. cocktail was similar, the mean discharge duration for i.m. cocktail was significantly longer than that for rectal thiopental (P < 0.05). Children sedated with the cocktail therapy also required a longer period of observation in the department. Significant decreases in heart rate, systolic blood pressure and oxygen saturation occurred in three groups (P < 0.001). Significant decreases in body temperature occurred after rectal thiopental and i.m. cocktail therapy (P < 0.01). The effect of rectal midazolam was minimal. CONCLUSIONS: Rectal thiopental may be the drug of choice for pediatric sedation because it has a more rapid onset and offset of action. It is also safe and effective at the dosage studied in children undergoing MRI. Rectal midazolam also may be used in children undergoing CT imaging because of minimal side-effects.