[Congenital taxoplasmosis in twins in own material]. / Toksoplazmoza u blizniat w materiale wlasnym.

Little is known about congenital toxoplasmosis in twins. As in singletons fetal infection occurs usually in mothers seroconverted during second or third trimester of pregnancy. Infection affects usually both siblings, but there is posible that one child is not infected, especially in dizygotic pregnancies. A distinct difference in clinical patterns between dizygotic and monozygotic twins is observed. In monozygotic pairs most often clinical course is similar, while in dizygotic twins discrepancies in clinical findings are frequent and marked. For almost thirty years of our own experience with congenital toxoplasmosis we observed only four pairs of twins with this intrauterine infection. All of them were dizygotic. In two pairs the clinical course was similar, and different in the other two.

[Longitudinal study of children with bronchopulmonary dysplasia treated with disodium cromoglycate]. / Dlugofalowe obserwacje kliniczne dzieci z dysplazja oskrzelowo-plucna leczonych kromoglikanem dwusodowym.

In order to improve the quality of life of children born prematurely, who developed chronic lung disease, clinical trials of drugs of different origin are undertaken. The aim of the work was the evaluation of the efficacy of disodium cromoglycate in the treatment of bronchopulmonary dysplasia in children. We retrospectively studied 15 infants with bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) hospitalised in the Infant Care Department of Children's Health Memorial Institute from 01.01.1997 to 01.02.2000. All babies were premature (25-30 weeks of gestation) with LBW or VLBW A control group of 11 babies with BPD, matched for birth weight and gestational age, who did not have disodium cromoglycate therapy were also studied. Recurrent obturative bronchitis and bronchial hyperresponsiveness were stated in all cases in both groups. Disodium cromoglycate was administered in all babies in the study group. Inhaled corticosteroid (Budesonide mite) was given in 10 cases, for a short period of time, due to severe obturative bronchitis. Babies in the control group were treated with systemic and inhaled corticosteroids. Results of our trial compared with the log-rank and chi2 test show statistically, significant differences in the regression of obturative bronchitis (log-rank = 4.35, p < 0.0001) and normalization of capillary blood-gas examination (log-rank = 3.777, p < 0.0002) in favour of the studied group, treated with disodium cromoglycate.

[Visual and auditory impairment in children with congenital cytomegalovirus and Toxoplasma gondii infection]. / Zmiany w narzadzie wzroku i sluchu u dzieci z wrodzona toksoplazmoza i cytomegalia.

Intrauterine infections are an important cause of hearing and visual impairment in children. The aim of this paper was to evaluate the character and frequency of hearing and visual disturbances in children with congenital toxoplasmosis and cytomegalovirus infection. 38 out of 54 children with congenital toxoplasmosis as well as 34 out of 403 children with congenital human cytomegalovirus disease, with visual/auditory impairment, hospitalized in Infant Department in Children's Memorial Health Institute between 1995-2001 were enrolled in this study. Visual impairment was observed in all children with toxoplasmosis (with visual dysfunction rate of 74%), but there was no deafness found. Vision impairment had been observed in 18% of children with congenital cytomegalovirus infection compared to 35% of children with auditory impairment (bilateral deafness had been found in half of them). Neurological deficits' rate was much higher in children with toxoplasmosis (52% vs. 4%). Because of common hearing impairment in children with congenital cytomegalovirus infection and vision impairment in children with congenital toxoplasmosis, it is essential to start the prophylaxis to decrease the percentage of handicapped children.