Albendazole as an alternative therapeutic agent for childhood giardiasis in Turkey.

The efficacy of albendazole for the treatment of giardiasis has been indicated by previous in-vitro and in-vivo studies. In order to compare the therapeutic efficacy of albendazole and metronidazole, 107 Giardia-positive children (aged 3-15 years), diagnosed by three consecutive positive stool examinations, were enrolled in the study. Of these children, 52 were given a single daily dose of albendazole 10 mg/kg for 5 days, and 55 were given metronidazole 20 mg/kg daily in three doses for 7 days. Parasite eradication was achieved in 47 (90.4%) of 52 children treated with albendazole and 49 (89.1%) of 55 children treated with metronidazole (p > 0.05). These results suggest that albendazole is an effective treatment option for childhood giardiasis.

Effects of different socioeconomic conditions on menarche in Turkish female students.

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to determine the age at menarche, the menarcheal features, and the association between menarcheal age and socioeconomic status in an urban area in Turkey. In addition, we tried to assess whether there is a relationship between age at menarche and body composition. METHODS: We asked some questions about menarche of 1017 female adolescent students in the high schools of Manisa region. Height and weight were measured. The body mass index (BMI; kg/m2) was used as an index of relative weight. Adolescent girls were grouped into three socioeconomic status according to the educational and occupational levels of their parents. The age at menarche and the menarcheal pattern were evaluated according to the socioeconomic status. RESULTS: The ages of girls involved in the study ranged between 14 and 18 years, with a mean of 15.7+/-1.1 years. Although the menarcheal age was found to be lower in girls with higher socioeconomic status, there was no significant difference between the three different socioeconomic status. In all of the three groups, menarche was more common in summer and fall than in spring and winter. Although the mother was an important source of knowledge in all groups, it was significantly more important in the group with high socioeconomic status. Adolescent girls with low socioeconomic status had fewer premenstrual complaints. However, there was no significant difference between the groups. We found an inverse correlation between menarcheal age and postmenarcheal weight and the BMI (r=-0.14, p=0.000). However, there was no correlation between menarcheal age and postmenarcheal height. CONCLUSION: These results indicate that as the social status differences decrease, the difference observed in menarcheal age and pattern disappears in urban areas of developing countries. Menarcheal age may be an indicator of socioeconomic development. It does not influence postmenarcheal height; however, as menarcheal age decreases, BMI increases.

Non-invasive evaluation of the adaptations of cardiac function in the neonatal period: a comparison of healthy infants delivered by vaginal route and caesarean section.

Postnatal adaptations of cardiac hemodynamics in infants born vaginally or by caesarean section may be different. These cardiac functions were evaluated by Doppler echocardiography to assess adaptation differences. Cardiac output, heart rate, stroke volume, mean arterial pressure, total systemic vascular resistance, ejection fraction, and ductus arteriosus diameter were determined and compared at 1, 24 and 72 h of life in 22 infants born vaginally (group 1) and 23 born by caesarean section (group 2). One hour after delivery, heart rate, mean blood pressure, and total systemic resistance were found to be higher in group 1 infants (P < 0.01, P < 0.05, P < 0.05 respectively). Stroke-volume measurements were significantly higher in group 2 (P < 0.05). The ejection fraction and cardiac output values were similar in both groups. At 24 and 72 h, no significant differences were observed in measurements of infants born vaginally or by caesarean section. We did not find a parameter negatively affecting healthy newborns in either mode of delivery. However, under pathological conditions affecting the cardiovascular system at 1 h of life, including perinatal infections and hypoxemia, a lower stroke volume, higher heart rate, higher mean blood pressure, and higher peripheral resistance may cause additional work load to the cardiovascular system in infants born vaginally.

Doppler echocardiographic evaluation of pulmonary arterial pressure in children with allergic rhinitis.

In children, persistent upper airway obstruction may lead to increased pulmonary arterial pressure (PAP). Allergic rhinitis (AR) is one of the frequent cause of persisting upper airway obstruction by nasal blockage in childhood. Regular use of nasal topical corticosteroids are effective in reducing nasal blockage and obstruction. However, whether symptomatic children with AR have increased PAP and curative effect of topical steroids are not known. The aims of this study were to clarify whether children having active symptoms of AR have increased PAP and to investigate the curative effect of reducing nasal obstruction by topical corticosteroids. Twenty-three children, aged between 5 and 16, diagnosed as AR, consisted of 17 seasonal AR (SAR) and seven perennial AR (PAR), were included in the study. Nineteen age and sex matched healthy children were received as controls. PAP was measured by using Doppler echocardiography in all subjects and symptom scores of AR were recorded in rhinitis group. After first evaluation, nasal steroid, budesonid, was given to rhinitis group for three months. Mean systolic PAP was 33.4+/-3.1 for children with AR mmHg and 23.6+/-4.3 mmHg for the control group. The difference was statistically significant (P<0.05). Mean systolic PAP of children with PAR was significantly higher than children with SAR (P<0.05). In rhinitis group, mean PAP decreased significantly after relief of upper airway obstruction by nasal corticosteroid therapy to normal level of 24.9+/-3.6 mmHg (P<0.05). Our results showed that children with AR may have significantly higher PAP than healthy subjects and decreased to normal levels after relieving nasal blockage by nasal corticosteroids. Nevertheless, Doppler echocardiography is a safe, non-invasive and practical tool for cardiac investigation of children with AR. Therefore, in symptomatic period, evaluation of PAP of children with AR by using Doppler echocardiography may be useful in the planning and following of their therapy.

Chloralhydrate in children undergoing echocardiography.

Transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) is a painless, noninvasive and risk-free diagnostic method in children with known or suspected congenital heart disease. Sedation is frequently required for an optimal achievement of this procedure. The purpose of this study was to determine the safety and efficacy of chloral hydrate (CH) sedation in undergoing TTE. The study population included 360 patients with a median age of 19 months. (2 weeks to 8 years). The median dosage of CH given was 75 mg/kg (ranging 50 and 100 mg), with either oral or rectal administration. Oral administration could not be achieved successfully in 90 patients (20%) because of the bitter taste of the drug, in the other 108 patients (30%), vomiting occurred immediately after drug administration. Prior to CH administration and until discharge; respiratory rate; heart rate, blood pressure and oxygen saturation were recorded. Sedation was successfully achieved in 342 (95%) of the patients. No child had a clinically significant change in heart rate, blood pressure and respiratory rate during sedation. There were also no significant differences in heart rate, respiratory rate, blood pressure and oxygen saturation before and after sedation. Although CH has a bitter taste and is a gastric irritant for oral medication, because of the minimal side effects and efficacy for sedation, it remains as a safe and successful drug for use in children for TTE.

Lower arrythmogenic risk of low dose albuterol plus ipratropium.

OBJECTIVE: Wheezy infants are in need of urgent bronchodilatation owing to their intermittent bronchoconstriction. beta 2 agonists are frequently used in emergencies and have previously shown to increase the QT dispersion (QTd), which may be associate with high risk of cardiac arrhythmia, in asthmatics. However, effect of low dose beta 2 agonist therapy in combination with the anticholinergic agents on QTd in wheezy infants is not known. This study aimed to assess the effect of standard dose of nebulized albuterol (NAB) and low doses of NAB combined with ipratropium-bromide (NIB) on QTd in wheezy infants. METHODS: Twenty-nine children, under 2 years old, with the diagnosis of wheezy infant with acute exacerbation were enrolled in the study. Thirteen were treated by standard dose of NA therapy (0.15 mg/kg) and low doses of NAB (0.075 mg/kg) plus NIB (250 micrograms/dose) therapy was given to the remaining subjects. Respiratory distress score, O2 saturation and side effects were studied and QTd were measured from the standard electrocardiograms at baseline and after treatment. Significant improvement was achieved in clinical score and oxygenation of both groups. RESULT: The evaluation of the corrected QTd (QTcd) showed that there was no significant difference between pretreatment values of both groups (p > 0.05). However, while there was no statistically significant difference in the pre and post-treatment values of QTcd of infants treated with combination therapy, QTcd was found to be significantly increased in NAB group after treatment (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that, while clinical improvement is same, the increase of the QT dispersion is more prominent with the use of standard dose of NAB compared to low dose NAB plus NIB therapy. So, low dose of beta 2 agonist in combination with anticholinergic agents may much safer than the use of standard dose of beta 2 agonists alone in regard to preventing the possibility of arrythmogenic effects in wheezy infants with acute exacerbation.

Should children with infection be tested for lipid, lipoprotein and apolipoprotein?

The lipid profile is known to alter in patients with infection, but there has not been a study of the apolipoprotein levels in serum of otherwise healthy children during infection. Lipids, lipoproteins, apolipoproteins A-1 and B and lipoprotein (a) were evaluated prospectively in 31 consecutive children, aged 4-15 years, who were admitted to the hospital with bacterial pharyngitis. The degree of dyslipidemia associated with bacterial pharyngitis was assessed using each child as his/her own control and by comparison with 79 healthy children who had not had an infection during the past 3 months. Serum total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, apolipoprotein A-1 and apolipoprotein B levels were significantly decreased during the symptomatic phase of the disease, whereas the serum triglyceride level was slightly elevated. Serum lipoprotein (a) concentration did not change significantly. In conclusion, it is suggested that serum lipids, lipoproteins and apolipoproteins should not be assessed during infection because of the possible transient changes of these parameters during infection or inflammation.