An analysis of 20 clinical cases of refractory mycoplasma pneumonia in children.

BACKGROUND: Refractory mycoplasma pneumonia (RMPP) is one of the important pathogens of community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) in children. Its treatment is difficult. The aims of this study were to analyze the clinical manifestations, diagnosis, and treatment of 20 cases of RMPP in children in order to provide a reference for the diagnosis and treatment of RMPP. METHODS: The clinical data of 20 patients with RMPP admitted to the Pediatrics Department of the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University in the recent three years were retrospectively analyzed. The clinical data of 36 patients with common mycoplasma pneumonia in the same period were compared. The clinical manifestations, laboratory examinations, and imaging characteristics of RMPP were discussed. Intrapulmonary and extrapulmonary complications and treatment were also analyzed in order to provide assistance in the diagnosis and treatment of RMPP. RESULTS: There were significant differences between the refractory group and the general group in terms of heat duration, hospitalization time, hypoxemia, lung rales, CRP, ESR, PCT, LDH, ALT, PLT, WBC, D dimer and other laboratory examinations, intrapulmonary and extrapulmonary complications, and treatment (all P<0.05). There was no significant difference in the age, sex, and wheezing between the two groups (P>0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Long duration of fever, tachycardia, and lung rale protrusion may be the clinical characteristics of RMPP. Unilateral pulmonary shadow and atelectasis should be paid more attention, which may be a high-risk factor for the development of RMPP. The inflammation index of RMPP cases increased and there were many complications inside and outside the patients' lungs. It was necessary to give enough macrolides to fight the infection by using Glucocorticoid and Intravenous immunoglobulin reasonably while liver, heart, and fiberoptic bronchoscopy was completed to improve the effectiveness of the diagnosis and treatment.

The chiral bioconversion and preclinical pharmacokinetic analysis of (R)-(+)-rabeprazole in beagle dogs by HPLC and HPLC-MS/MS.

In order to accurately investigate the preclinical pharmacokinetics of (R)-(+)-rabeprazole sodium injection, a reliable high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method was developed using a Chiral-AGP column to prove that there is no chiral bioconversion of (R)-(+)-rabeprazole to (S)-(-)-rabeprazole in beagle dogs after single intravenous administration of (R)-(+)-rabeprazole sodium injection. An HPLC-tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS/MS) method for analysis of (R)-(+)-rabeprazole was developed and validated, and used to acquire the pharmacokinetic parameters in beagle dogs. (R)-(+)-Rabeprazole and internal standard omeprazole were extracted from plasma samples by protein precipitation and separated on a C18 column using methanol-5 mm ammonium acetate as mobile phase. Detection was performed using a turbo-spray ionization source and mass spectrometric positive multi-reaction monitoring mode. The linear relationship was achieved in the range from 2.5 to 5000 ng/mL. The method also afforded satisfactory results in terms of sensitivity, specificity, precision, accuracy and recovery as well as the stability of the analyte under various conditions, and was successfully applied to a preclinical pharmacokinetic study in beagle dogs after single intravenous administrations of (R)-(+)-rabeprazole sodium injection at 0.33, 2 and 6 mg/kg.

[Clinical characteristics of bronchiolitis obliterans in pediatric patients].

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the clinical characteristics, image findings, laboratory examination, the therapeutic methods and clinical outcomes of bronchiolitis obliterans (BO) in pediatric patients. METHOD: Twenty-six pediatric patients with BO were reported. All data were collected from cases who were hospitalized in the Department of Pediatrics, First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical College from June 1(st), 2009 to the April 30(th), 2011, and infectious agents, clinical manifestations, risk factors, changes in imageology, laboratory examination, therapeutic methods and treatment responses were analyzed. RESULT: The ranges of age at onset was 4.5 months-8 years in 26 cases (18 boys and 8 girls). The course of disease was (6.2 ± 3.5) months. The period of followed-up ranged from 2 to 24 months. The common clinical characteristics were persistent wheezing of different severity (26 cases, 100%), cough (24 cases, 92%), intolerance to exercise (22 cases, 85%), short of breath (21 cases, 81%), retraction (20 cases, 77%), wheezy phlegm (16 cases, 62%), keeping with crackles (10 cases, 38%), cyanosis around the mouth (3 cases, 12%) and no clubbed fingers (toes). In 18 cases the etiology was detected, mycoplasma (11 cases, 42%), respiratory syncytial virus (4 cases, 15%), parainfluenza virus (2 cases, 8%), influenza virus A (2 cases, 8%) and influenza virus B (2 cases, 8%), human bocavirus (HBoV) (1 case, 4%). There were 8 cases (31%) with combined infection. Chest X-ray in 10 cases indicated changes suggestive of bronchopneumonia (38%), in only 1 case there was an image of interstitial pneumonia disease (4%). All the patients were diagnosed by high-resolution computerized tomography (HRCT). All cases were demonstrated to have air retention, poor blood perfusion in lung, just like "Westemark sign" with HRCT. In 19 cases antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA) was determined and 10 patients (53%) were positive for P-ANCA, and 8 cases (42%) were positive for C-ANCA. All patients received oral corticosteroid and low doses azithromycin. In 13 cases (50%) the treatment effectively reduced the severity of disease and the frequency of cough and wheezing. The average number of days for symptom improvement was (7.1 ± 4.8) days. CONCLUSION: Respiratory infection plays an important role in BO in children. The chronic and persistent wheezing, cough, intolerance to exercises, short breath, retraction were the main clinical manifestations. But these symptoms are non-specific. Chest X-ray can not provide enough information for diagnosis. Classical "Westemark sign" with HRCT is an important sign. ANCA with a high positive rate (approximately 50%) suppose immuno-lesion in BO. Oral corticosteroid and methotrexate may relieve clinical symptoms.

Bladder tumors: dynamic contrast-enhanced axial imaging, multiplanar reformation, three-dimensional reconstruction and virtual cystoscopy using helical CT.

BACKGROUND: There have been few studies to evaluate the effects of helical CT on bladder tumor. This study was to evaluate the clinical applications of helical CT dynamic contrast-enhanced axial imaging, multiplanar reformation (MPR), three-dimensional (3D) reconstruction and virtual cystoscopy (CTVC) in bladder tumors. METHODS: The precontrast and four-phase postcontrast helical CT scans were performed in 42 patients with bladder tumors confirmed by conventional cystoscopy and pathology. MPR, 3D and CTVC images were generated from the volumetric data of the excretory phase. The results were then compared with the findings of conventional cystoscopy and surgery in a double-blinded mode. RESULTS: The sensitivity of the axial, 3D and CTVC images in detecting the bladder tumors were 90.8%, 76.9% and 95.4% respectively. The dynamic contrast-enhanced axial images could provide excellent intramural and extravesical information, and the accuracy in preoperative tumor staging was 87.7%. MPR could directly demonstrate the origin and extravesical invasions of the tumors and their relation to the ureter. 3D and CTVC images were useful for displaying the surface morphology of the tumor and the relationship between the tumor and the ureteric orifices, whereas CTVC could depict the tumors smaller than 5 mm that were not seen on the axial images. CONCLUSIONS: The combination of axial, MPR, 3D and CTVC images with helical CT can provide comprehensive information on bladder tumor.

[Value of helical CT in bladder tumor].

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the diagnostic effect of helical CT on bladder tumor. METHODS: In 28 patients with bladder tumors which had been confirmed by conventional fiberoptic cystoscopy (FC) and pathology, precontrast and four-phase postcontrast helical CT scans were performed with multiple plane reconstruction (MPR), three dimensional (3D) reconstruction and CT virtual cystoscopy (CTVC) images constructed from the volumetric data of the excretory phase. The results were then compared with the findings of conventional fiberoptic cystoscopy and surgery through a double-blind manner. RESULTS: The sensitivity of the helical CT axial, 3D and CTVC images in detecting bladder tumor were 92.3%, 76.9% and 96.2% respectively. The accuracy in preoperative tumor staging of helical CT was 83.0%. The axial images could provide excellent intramural and extravesical information, and MPR could directly show the origin and extravesical invasion of the tumor and its relation to the ureter. 3D and CTVC images were useful in displaying the surface morphology of the tumor and its relation with the ureteric orifices, whereas CTVC images could depict a tumor smaller than 5 mm that could not be visualized on the axial images. CONCLUSION: Combining interpretation of axial, MPR, 3D and CTVC images, helical CT is able to provide comprehensive information for the diagnosis and treatment of bladder tumor.