A Case of Constrictive Pericarditis with Purulent Effusion in an Infant

Constrictive pericarditis is a rare disease of infancy and childhood, and is almost always caused by a tuberculosis or other infection. It is usually fatal, if untreated in acute phase. Early diagnosis of this condition is now facilitated by echocardiography and computerized tomography. Favorable outcome seems to depend on early diagnosis assured by echocardiography, early surgical treatment such as pericardiocentesis or pericardiectomy, and appropriate antibiotic treatment according to culture and sensitivity test. We report a case of constrictive pericarditis with severe purulent effusion in a 11-month-old female who presented with fever, irritability and hepatomegaly, and was treated with pericardiectomy and antibiotics.

Insulin-like Growth Factor(IGF)-I and IGF-Binding Protein-3 in Relation to Hemoglobin Concentration in Healthy Infants

PURPOSE: Insulin-like growth factor(IGF-I) and IGF binding protein(IGFBP)-3 is thought to play an important role in fetal erythropoiesis. The objective of this study was to establish a relation between IGF-I, free IGF-I, IGFBP-1, and -3 with hemoglobin level in healthy term, 3-month, and 12-month old infants. METHODS: Healthy term infants(n=20)were enrolled at birth, as well as 3 months

The Clinical Characteristics of Status Epilepticus in Children / 대한소아신경학회지

PURPOSE: Status epilepticus (SE) is one of the most common neurologic emergencies in children requiring immediate aggressive intervention. Despite advances in treatment of this condition, SE is still associated with a significant morbidity and mortality. To evaluate etiology and neurologic outcome of SE is very important for improving the methods of evaluation and management of SE as well as decreasing morbidity and mortality. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the records of 98 children aged 1 month to 15 years who were admitted to our department of pediatrics from January, 1992 to December, 1998. We analyzed age distribution, etiology, seizure type, abnormalities of EEG and brain MRI, and neurologic outcome. We try to find any coherence between neurologic sequelae and clinical factors. RESULTS: The incidence was high in toddler age, especially younger than 3 years old (67.4%). Generalized convulsive SE was the most common type (67.3%), and 54.1% of children with SE which was the first seizure episode. Major etiology of SE in young children younger than 3 years old were febrile convulsion (54.5%) and acute symptomatic causes (22.7%). Neurologic sequelae were left in 21.4% and the mortality rate was 7.1%. The neurologic complications were highly associated with the underlying causes and the seizure durations, especially over 2 hour seizures left in 75% complications. The mortality and neurologic sequelae were higher in acute symptomatic SE than other causes. Febrile SE had usually benign course, but in four in our cases showed neurologic sequale it shows 4 neurologic sequelae cases. CONCLUSION: SE is a life-threatening neurologic condition and especially occurs in young children. The early detection of seizure etiology and aggressive management are the essential factors to decrease the mortality and morbidity rates.

The Study of Transplacental Transfer of Immunoglobulin G in Premature Infants

PURPOSE: Premature infants have low serum immunoglobulin G (IgG) levels because IgG is transplacentally acquired, primarily after 32-34 weeks of gestational age. We studied the transplacental transfer of serum IgG in preterm infants. METHODS: The IgG levels in the sera were measured by radial immunodiffusion method (Behring nephelometer, Germany). RESULTS: There was a significant difference between IgG concentration and gestational age; the IgG concentration increased from 462.2 +/- 105.5mg/dL at less than 26 weeks of gestation to 1009.0 +/- 242.6mg/dL at 35 and 36 weeks of gestation with increasing gestational age (P<0.01). The linear relation between IgG concentration and birthweight; the IgG concentration in the sera of premature infants were increased from 588.3 +/- 136.4mg/dL at birthweight less than 1250g to 1149.3 +/- 287.8mg/dL at birthweight more than 2251g with increasing birth weight (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: The effects of gestational age and birthweight on the concentration of IgG at birth were highly interdependent and significant. These results suggest that IVIG administration is needed for nearly all premature infants with birthweight less than 1200g and gestational age less than 32 weeks.