[Quality of life of children with bronchial asthma disease]. / Kvalita zivota detí s astmatem.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to determine how children with bronchial asthma disease assess their quality of life and to find domains of physical and psychosocial health in relation to age and gender. The quality of life compared with the healthy children and parents of asthmatic children and healthy parents. METHODS: The research sample consisted of 199 children and 125 parents. Adepts for the study were selected by standardized questionnaires on the quality of life of the pediatric version of the PedsQL 4.0 and questionnaires PedsQL 2.0 module impact on the family. The research was conducted between September 2010 and January 2011 in the pediatric allergology ambulances and physicians in the University and Municipal Hospital in Ostrava. RESULTS: The mean quality of life of asthmatic children is 74.41, a statistically significant difference between the physical (78,81) and psychosocial (72,06) dimensions of health. The analysis shows that girls evaluate their quality of life worse than boys. The worst quality of life was found among children in the age group 5-7 years. No statistically significant difference in the quality of life was found between the asthmatic and healthy children. Between parents of asthmatic and healthy children statistically significant difference in the quality of life was found. CONCLUSIONS: Between asthmatic and healthy children no difference in the quality of life was found. We must not forget that the quality of life of the parents of asthmatic children is significantly influenced by the chronic disease of their children.

[Babyboxes in the Czech Republic--what next?]. / Babyboxy v Ceské republice--jak dál?

Though from the perspective of history babyboxes are not new phenomenon, their present existence, however, brings many problems, either in terms of Pediatry and neonatology, or because of their social, ethical and also legislative issues. The authors provide an overview of the arguments proponents of babyboxes with their critical analysis, then provide arguments against placing babyboxes and then summarize the experience with their operation in the Czech Republic. In conclusion, authors present a list of recommendations to improve the current bad situation.

Arterial HTN in children with T1DM--frequent and not easy to diagnose.

INTRODUCTION: To evaluate the diagnostic efficacy of the office blood pressure (OBP) and ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM) in the assessment of hypertension (HTN) in children with diabetes mellitus type 1 (T1DM). METHODS: We analyzed OBP and ABPM measurements in 84 diabetic children (43 boys) obtained at a median age of 14.9 yr and 6.3 +/- 3.5 yr after diagnosis of T1DM. OBP and ABPM results were converted into standard deviation scores (SDS). In addition, we analyzed blood pressure loads and nighttime dipping. The comparison between OBP and ABPM was performed using kappa coefficient and receiver operator curve (ROC). RESULTS: HTN was diagnosed in 43/84 (51%) patients using OBP (>95th percentile), and in 24/84 (29%) patients using ABPM ( > or = 95th percentile during 24 h, day or night). Both methods were in agreement in 33 ABPM normotensive and 16 ABPM hypertensive patients (most had nighttime HTN); 32% patients had white-coat HTN and 9.5% patients had masked HTN. The kappa coefficient was 0.175 (95% CI from -0.034 to 0.384) suggesting poor agreement between OBP and ABPM. Diastolic OBP was a better predictor of ABPM HTN (ROC area under the curve (AUC) = 0.71 +/- 0.06) than systolic OBP (AUC = 0.58 +/- 0.07). The percentage of non-dippers ranged from 7 to 23% in ABPM normotensive patients, and 21-42% in ABPM hypertensive patients who also had significantly higher BP loads (p < 0.0001). CONCLUSION: Children with T1DM often suffer from nocturnal, white coat- and masked HTN, which can not be assessed and predicted by the OBP.