[Prognosis of children with very low birth weight in the county of Viborg. A follow-up of an unselected patient group]. / Prognosen for børn med meget lav fødselsvaegt i Viborg amt. Efterundersøgelse af en uselekteret patientgruppe.

Neonatal mortality and follow-up examination among children with birthweight < or = 1500 g born in the period 1983-1987 inclusive has been recorded in an unselected material from a Danish county (Viborg County). There were 100 with birthweight < or = 1500 g and the low-birthweight rate was 7/1000. The neonatal survival was 72% dispersed with 32% for children with birthweight < or = 1000 g and 90% for children with birthweight 1001-1500 g. Four children died before follow-up examination. Of the surviving 68 children 66 were examined between the ages 21 months to six and a half years, the average age being about three years. The test-results were based on a questionnaire to the parents, an objective examination including neuropaediatric assessment and a Denver developmental screening test. Seven children were found to have moderate to severe handicaps, equal to 10% of surviving children. Of these seven children, three (4.5%) have cerebral paresis. Five other children were found to have small "handicaps". In conclusion 12 children or 18% had varying degrees of disability while 54 children were without demonstrable disability at follow up examination.

[Exercise-induced asthma in children and oral terbutaline. A dose-response relationship study]. / Anstrengelsesudløst astma hos børn og oral terbutalin. Et dosis-respons-studie.

We wanted to assess the protective effects on exercise-induced asthma as well as the clinical efficacy and safety of increasing doses of a new sustained-release formulation of terbutaline sulphate in 17 asthmatic children aged 6-12 years (mean 9 years). Placebo, 2, 4, and 6 mg terbutaline were given b.i.d. for 14 days in a randomized, double-blind, cross-over design. At the end of each two week period, an exercise test was performed and plasma terbutaline was measured. Compared with placebo, no significant effect was seen on asthma symptoms monitored at home, or on exercise-induced asthma. The percentage falls in FEV1 after the exercise test were 36, 35, 27 and 28%, after placebo, 4, 8 and 12 mg terbutaline/day, respectively. A small but statistically significant dose-related increase was seen in morning and evening peak expiratory flow (PEF) recordings. It is concluded that continuous treatment, even with high doses or oral terbutaline, does not offer clinically useful protection against exercise-induced asthma.

No protection by oral terbutaline against exercise-induced asthma in children: a dose-response study.

We wanted to assess the protective effects on exercise-induced asthma as well as the clinical efficacy and safety of increasing doses of a new sustained-release formulation of terbutaline sulphate, in 17 asthmatic children aged 6-12 yrs (mean 9 yrs). Placebo, 2, 4 and 6 mg terbutaline were given b.i.d. for 14 days, in a randomized, double-blind, cross-over design. At the end of each two week period, an exercise test was performed and plasma terbutaline was measured. Compared with placebo, no significant effect was seen on asthma symptoms monitored at home, or on exercise-induced asthma. The percentage falls in FEV1 after the exercise test were 36, 35, 27 and 28%, after placebo, 4, 8 and 12 mg terbutaline.day-1, respectively. There was no correlation between plasma terbutaline and dose of terbutaline. A small but statistically significant dose-related increase in morning and evening peak expiratory flow (PEF) recordings occurred, but the incidence of side-effects also increased with the dose given. There was a trend towards more side-effects when the high doses were used, and two patients withdrew from the study because of side-effects at this dose. It is concluded that continuous treatment, even with high doses of oral terbutaline, does not offer clinically useful protection against exercise-induced asthma.

[Complications of pediatric diseases]. / Komplikationer til børnesygdomme.

A review of all medical reports on patients discharged from the Central Hospital in Viborg from 1974 to 1986 after measles (M), mumps (F), German measles (R), or chickenpox (S) revealed a total of 294 patients suffering from complications, 128 after M, 142 after F, 9 after R, and 15 after S. A total of 373 complications was encountered. Neurologic complications were seen in 166 cases most frequently after F, and superinfection was seen in 105 cases most frequently after M. Sequelae were seen in 3 cases of M, 2 cases of S. and in one case of R. In all cases sequelae were caused by damage in the central nervous system. More widespread use of vaccination is urged.

[Acute non-suppurative encephalitis in children]. / Akut non-suppurativ encefalit hos børn.

From July 1973 to January 1988, 66 children aged from three months to 14 years, 36 boys and 29 girls, were seen at the Central Hospital, Viborg, with acute encephalitis. In 25 cases the encephalitis was caused by mumps, in eight by measles, in six by chicken pox, one by herpes simplex, one by RS-virus, and one by mycoplasma. One case was seen after vaccination, one after infection and in 22 cases the cause of the encephalitis remained unknown. Sequelae were seen in 17 cases. The risk of encephalitis after mumps, measles, and rubella is an important argument for the use of MMR-vaccination and the risk of encephalitis after chickenpox may justify a vaccination campaign against chickenpox.

Absolute bioavailability of terbutaline from a CR-granulate in asthmatic children.

The study aimed at finding the absolute bioavailability of terbutaline of a newly developed CR-granulate. Eight asthmatic children, aged 8-13 years, were given 3 mg of terbutaline as the CR-granulate, concomitant with the intravenous administration of 0.100 mg of deuterium-labelled terbutaline. The labelling of the intravenous dose made possible a separation, in the analytical step, of terbutaline originating from the intravenous and oral administration. Maximal plasma concentration, 8.7 (range: 4.9-15.2) nmol l-1, was reached after 4.7 (2.2-6.0) h. Absolute bioavailability was 10.8 (7.63-16.4) per cent. The parameter values were similar to those found after administration of terbutaline CR-tablets to adults. The CR-formulation is easily swallowed and can be dosed twice daily. Thus it should be a good alternative to elixir or plain tablets, dosed three times a day.

Myasthenia gravis in the county of Viborg, Denmark.

The epidemiology of myasthenia gravis was studied in a Danish countryside county with 230,760 inhabitants. The incidence rate was 10.4 per million per year and the prevalence rate, 125 per million. The female to male ratio was 1.4 to 1. The diagnoses were delayed from a few hours to 6 years, most frequently on behalf of ophthalmologic diagnoses. A high incidence rate and a considerable diagnostic delay indicate that a number of patients suffering from myasthenia gravis are misdiagnosed, leading to unfortunate psychologic events.