ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: Rapid undernutrition in patients with anorexia nervosa can compromise vital functions, notably due to cardiac complications. The aim of this study was to analyze the clinical parameters of anorexic patients, hospitalized for substantial weight loss, in a general pediatric inpatient unit, in order to determine which parameters should be tested by the medical doctor. POPULATION AND METHODS: We performed a retrospective study on 20 consecutive patients (18 girls), median age of 13.75 (+/-2.3) years, admitted for the first time in our pediatric inpatient unit for anorexia nervosa. RESULTS: Symptoms evolved for a median duration of 11.5 (+/-10.2) months before admittance and was shorter for the youngest patients (r = 0.42, p = 0.067). The mean BMI was 13.3 (+/-0.6) kg/m(2) (-3.0+/-1.2 Z-score) and was inversely correlated with serum creatinine levels (74+/-15 micromol/l) (r = 0.44, p < 0.05). The mean BMI variation between the beginning of the disease and hospitalization (Delta BMI) was-3.5 Z-score and was correlated to low systolic blood pressure (r = 0.45, p< or =0.05) and the presence of a pericardial effusion at admittance (r = 0.45, p < 0.05). Complete blood count, electrolyte balance and the serum phosphorus levels were normal except in 1 case. Mean serum glucose was 3.5+/-1.2 mmol/l. At admittance, an electrocardiogram, performed for 16 patients, showed sinusal bradycardia without conduction impairment. Enteral nutrition was necessary for 14 patients (70%) for a mean duration of 18.1 days (range, 6-56 days). The mean weight gain was 3.1+/-2 kg and was inversely correlated to the BMI at admittance (r = 0.49, p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Medical supervision of undernutrition tolerance during anorexia nervosa is above all clinical, as hematological and biological parameters remain normal for a long time. The cardiac complications found in our study appeared to be more related to the rapid rate of weight loss than to the amount of weight loss itself.
Subject(s)
Anorexia Nervosa/diagnosis , Protein-Energy Malnutrition/diagnosis , Weight Loss , Adolescent , Anorexia Nervosa/blood , Anorexia Nervosa/psychology , Anorexia Nervosa/therapy , Blood Glucose/metabolism , Blood Pressure , Body Mass Index , Child , Creatinine/blood , Enteral Nutrition , Female , Hospitalization , Humans , Male , Patient Care Team , Pericardial Effusion/blood , Pericardial Effusion/diagnosis , Pericardial Effusion/psychology , Pericardial Effusion/therapy , Protein-Energy Malnutrition/blood , Protein-Energy Malnutrition/psychology , Protein-Energy Malnutrition/therapy , Retrospective Studies , Weight GainABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Monitoring airflow obstruction is an essential component of asthma management. We examined home recording of PEFR using a new electronic peak flow meter in terms of compliance and acceptability in a group of children with asthma. METHODS: Twenty three children (3 with intermittent asthma and 20 with persistent asthma) (average age 10.9 +/- 3.8 [5-18] yrs) were asked to assess their PEFR every day during a period of 5.8 +/- 1.2 [4-8] weeks and record it in a diary card. Patients were not aware that their data was also being stored on the PiKo-1. At the end of the study, the written data were compared to the stored data. A multiple choice questionnaire was given to each subjectto check the acceptability of the PiKo-1. RESULTS: 2 patients were lost to follow up. The compliance (expressed as a percent of the number of recordings that should have been made) was more that 80% for 14/21(67%) patients and less than 45% for 3/21 (14%). Compliance decreased during the study (96% in the first week, 68% during the fifth). 12% of the values were falsified. The PiKo-1 was considered to be small, attractive and useful. Some children found the mouthpiece too small. CONCLUSION: The good results for compliance that we observed might have been due to the short duration of the study. PiKo-1 was well accepted by the subjects. It will be possible to monitor PEFR and forced expiratory volume in the first second of expiration at home using this new device.
Subject(s)
Asthma/physiopathology , Asthma/therapy , Patient Compliance , Peak Expiratory Flow Rate , Self Care , Adolescent , Adult , Asthma/classification , Asthma/diagnosis , Child , Child, Preschool , Data Interpretation, Statistical , Female , Follow-Up Studies , Forced Expiratory Volume , Humans , Male , Monitoring, Physiologic , Severity of Illness Index , Surveys and Questionnaires , Time FactorsABSTRACT
Two genital cases of Ewing's sarcoma/peripheral neuroectodermal tumor in 14 and 15 year old teenagers are reported. They arose in uteri and vulva, as small round cell tumors with some rosette-like formations and intense membranous immunoreactivity for CD99. The EWS/FLI-1 transcript was present in the vulvar tumor. Under chemotherapy, uterine tumor outcome was fatal within 9 months. The vulvar lesion was treated by surgery and chemotherapy, without relapse after 7 months. Likewise to these 2 cases, the literature seems to indicate different prognosis for uterine and vulvar tumors.
