[ASSESSMENT OF PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT OF PRESCHOOL CHILDREN OF THE REPUBLIC OF KAZAKHSTAN AND RETROSPECTIVE ANALYSIS OVER THE LAST 50 YEARS].

Purpose - study of the physical development of preschool children, taking into account gender characteristics and comparison with identical data from the study of 1968, 1972, 1986, 2000s. Object of the research: 968 children aged 3-6 years, living in the central, southern and northern regions of the country, who underwent an anthropometric study using standard instruments. Also, the results were compared with the research data from 1968, 1972, 1986, 2000s. The body weight of boys 3-5 years old significantly exceeded that of girls (р<0.05). A significant difference in body length is obvious only at the age of 4 (р<0.05). The lengths of the arms and legs did not differ in both sexes, except for the length of the arms in 5-year-old boys with a significant predominance (p<0.05). On average, boys of the studied ages had higher body length indicators than girls (p>0,05). When conducting a comparative analysis of the body length and body weight of children in Kazakhstan with the WHO standards, there were no significant differences. At the same time, the head circumference of 3-year-old boys and 3-4-year-old girls exceeds the identical indicators according to WHO (р<0.05). This fact is possibly related to the climatic, ethnic and social-everyday characteristics of the children. The latter, once again indicates the need to develop regional standards, since WHO standards are likely to be a guideline. A comparative analysis of the basic indicators of the physical development of children over the period from 1968 to 2019 demonstrates a gradual increase in somatometric indicators in most age groups. The physical development of preschool children in the Republic of Kazakhstan at the present stage is quite harmonious. A retrospective analysis of the physical development of children aged 3-6 years over the past 50 years has shown a significant increase in body length, without a significant increase in body weight in modern children, which indicates the ongoing process of acceleration with a tendency to asthenization.

Chlamydia trachomatis, Ureaplasma urealyticum, and Mycoplasma hominis in sexually intact girls with arthritides.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the frequency of Chlamydia trachomatis, Ureaplasma urealyticum, and Mycoplasma hominis in the genital tract of sexually intact girls with arthritides, and to search for optimal means of their elucidation. METHOD: Sixty girls with rheumatic arthritides and 61 girls who had applied to a children's gynaecologist because of genital complaints (control group), aged 2-16 years, were examined. First-catch urine and swabs were taken from the vaginal arc and the surface of the external orifice of the urethra. C. trachomatis was elucidated by ligase chain reaction (LCR). U. urealyticum and M. hominis were detected with the Mycoplasma Duo diagnostic kit. RESULTS: One of the investigated microorganisms was found in nine (15%) girls with arthritis: C. trachomatis in one (1.7%), U. urealyticum in six (10%), and M. hominis in two (3.3%). In patients without arthritis, only U. urealyticum was detected in two (3.3%) girls. Nine (15%) girls with arthritis had genital symptoms (actively revealed only through a questionnaire), and in seven of them the investigated microorganisms were elucidated. Taking smears from the external orifice of the urethra failed to elucidate the microorganisms studied in only 1/11 positive cases from both patient groups. CONCLUSIONS: C. trachomatis was found in 1.7%, U. urealyticum in 10%, and M. hominis in 3.3% of 60 sexually intact girls with rheumatic arthritides. Actively detected genital symptoms may serve as a guide for examining girls with arthritis for these rare infections. The external orifice of the urethra may be an alternative easily accessible site for taking material for examination.

Recurrent tonsillitis and tonsillectomy in juvenile idiopathic arthritis.

OBJECTIVES: To compare the clinical and bacteriological features of recurrent tonsillitis between patients with and without juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA). METHODS: A total of 122 participants, aged 2-18 years, were consecutively recruited into four groups: (i) JIA and recurrent tonsillitis; (ii) JIA; (iii) recurrent tonsillitis; and (iv) healthy. All the patients with recurrent tonsillitis underwent tonsillectomy. Swabs from tonsillar surface crypts of all children and samples from tonsillar core tissue in case of tonsillectomy were processed for culturing. Mycoplasma pneumoniae was determined by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). RESULTS: Significantly lower rates of recurrences but more frequent tonsillar detritus, paratonsillar scars, and more intensive bleeding during tonsillectomy were found in patients with JIA and recurrent tonsillitis, versus patients with recurrent tonsillitis without arthritis. In JIA patients with recurrent tonsillitis, Staphylococcus aureus was cultured from the tonsillar surface in 36%, and from the core tissue in 92% of cases (p = 0.0000). In patients suffering from recurrent tonsillitis alone, this pathogen was cultured from the core in 55.9% of cases (p = 0.0066 compared to JIA patients with recurrent tonsillitis). No M. pneumoniae was revealed by PCR in samples from the tonsillar surface and the core tissue. CONCLUSIONS: The increased rate of S. aureus in the core tissue of tonsils, the higher frequency of tonsillar detritus, the more pronounced paratonsillar scarring, and more intensive bleeding during tonsillectomy, associated with the lower frequency of tonsillitis recurrences, are characteristic for recurrent tonsillitis in JIA as compared to recurrent tonsillitis without arthritis.

PRINTO/PRES international website for families of children with rheumatic diseases: www.pediatric-rheumatology.printo.it.

OBJECTIVE: To prepare a website for families and health professionals containing up to date information about paediatric rheumatic diseases (PRD). METHODS: Firstly, paediatric rheumatology centres and family self help associations were surveyed to characterise current clinical practice of physicians providing care for children with PRD, research activities, and training facilities of each centre. Secondly, international consensus was reached on the content of the website. Finally, the website was developed and the texts translated. RESULTS: The web page contains three main sections: (a) description for families of the characteristics of 15 PRD; (b) list of paediatric rheumatology centres; (c) contact information for family self help associations. A version for 45 countries in 52 languages (with another three in progress) is now available on the web. 291 surveys from 171 centres and 102 family associations were received from 42 countries. The median proportion of time spent in paediatric practice in the centres examined was 100%, with 70% of this time dedicated to paediatric rheumatology. 90% of the centres were willing to perform clinical trials in the future. CONCLUSIONS: The PRINTO/PRES website provides a well defined and competent set of information about PRD, with appropriate multiple translated versions and easy web navigational direction.