Gastric emptying of solids and its relationship with microalbuminuria in children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes mellitus.

BACKGROUND: The aims of the present study were to determine the frequency of delayed gastric emptying in children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) and to investigate the relationship between gastric emptying rate and other contributing factors (e.g. serum HbA1c, duration of diabetes and microalbuminuria) in these patients. METHODS: This was a clinical trial evaluating the rate of gastric emptying of solid meals in 33 children and adolescents with T1DM and in 26 healthy peers using a radionuclide method. Three consecutive overnight urine collections were used to calculate the albumin excretion rate. RESULTS: There was no significant difference in the gastric half-emptying time (GE t½ ) between patients and controls (151.7 ± 154.5 vs 109.8 ± 60.5 min, respectively; P=0.885) or the frequency of delayed gastric emptying (36.4% vs 30.8%, respectively; P=0.433). There was a moderately positive correlation between GE t½ and the duration of diabetes (r=0.380; P=0.029). There was no correlation between GE t½ and microalbumin levels in T1DM patients. In these patients, the body mass index standard deviation scores were significantly lower than in patients with normal gastric emptying (-0.13 ± 0.87 vs 0.7 ± 1.23, respectively; P=0.044). CONCLUSION: Progression of delayed gastric emptying is more likely to be related to a longer duration of diabetes than glycemic control in children and adolescents with T1DM. Patients with delayed gastric emptying are thinner compared with patients with a normal rate of gastric emptying; they may also be asymptomatic.

Clinical significance of lung perfusion defects in children with post-infectious bronchiolitis obliterans.

Clinical significance of segmental lung perfusion defects in children with bronchiolitis obliterans (BO), have not been reported before. The aim of this study was to evaluate clinical significance of lung perfusion defects in children with BO and to reveal its impact on follow up. The study included 38 children aged 9 to 60 months (17.8 + or - 13.4 months) with BO. Diagnosis was based on persistent respiratory findings beyond six weeks and oligemic-mosaic pattern in lung high resolution computerized tomography. Chest X-ray, 24 hour esophageal pH monitoring, sweat chloride test, immunoglobulin levels and respiratory viral screening were carried out in all. Lung perfusion scintigraphy was carried out at least three months after the first clinical sign of BO. Perfusion defects were scored. Scintigraphy demonstrated perfusion defects in 24 (63.2%) patients but was normal in 14 (36.8%). Number of segments having perfusion defects was 2.9 + or - 2.6. Mean number of exacerbations and days of hospitalization during the first year of follow up were 4.7 + or - 4.4 and 26.9 + or - 29.8 respectively. It was detected that number of perfusion defects correlated significantly with the number of exacerbations and duration of hospitalization (r= 0.66 and p= 0.00). In conclusion, number and extent of segments with perfusion defects in lungs of children with BO are correlated with clinical severity. Therefore, evaluation of lung perfusion status may aid in clinical determination of disease severity and its follow-up.

[Common viral etiologies of community acquired lower respiratory tract infections in young children and their relationship with long term complications]. / Küçük çocuklarda toplum kökenli viral alt solunum yolu enfeksiyonu etkenlerinin sikligi ve uzun dönem komplikasyonu ile iliskileri.

Viral lower respiratory tract infections (LRTIs) and their late complications are important causes of morbidity and mortality in childhood. The aims of this study were the detection of viral agents that cause community-acquired LRTIs in young children and investigation of the relationship between viral etiology and bronchiolitis obliterans (BO) which is one of the late complications of LRTIs. A total of 151 children (86 male, 65 female; mean age: 2.9 +/- 1.9 years) who were diagnosed to have LRTIs between the period of 2002-2004, at Pediatric Allergy and Pulmonology Department of a University Hospital in Manisa (located in the Aegean region of Turkey) were included to the study. The presence of respiratory viruses [respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), influenza virus type A and B, parainfluenza virus types 1, 2 and 3, adenovirus] in the nasopharyngeal aspirate specimens collected from children have been searched by direct fluorescence antibody test (Biotrin, Ireland). Respiratory viruses were detected in 25.2% (38/151) of the patients with LRTIs, while this rate was 46.8% (22/47) for 2002 period, 13.3% (8/60) for 2003 period and 18.2% (8/44) for 2004 period. RSV and adenoviruses both detected with a frequency of 31.5% (n= 12/38); were the most common agents encountered, and followed by parainfluenza (10/38, 26.3%) and influenza (9/38, 23.6%) viruses. Postinfectious BO have been diagnosed in 7.3% (11/151) of the patients; seven in 2002, one in 2003 and three in 2004 periods. Viral etiology were present in all of the patients who developed BO in 2002, while viral infection was detected in one of the patients who developed BO in 2003-2004 periods. Adenoviruses were the most frequently detected agents (n= 5) in BO cases with viral etology (n= 8). Viral agents were found positive in 72.7% (8/11) and 21.4% (30/140) of the patients with and without BO development, respectively, and this difference was found statistically significant (p= 0.02). Besides, BO development was detected in 21.1% (8/38) and 2.6% (3/113) of LRTI patients with and without viral etiology, respectively, and this difference was also significant (p< 0.05). In conclusion, the long term follow-up is important in young children with viral LRTIs for the early diagnosis of complications. Thus the identification of viruses might aid in estimation of prognosis.

Doppler ultrasonography imaging of hemodynamic alteration of retrobulbar circulation in type 1 diabetic children and adolescents without retinopathy.

AIM: We aimed to investigate the retrobulbar blood circulation using Colour Doppler Imaging (CDI) in type 1 diabetic children and adolescents who had no diabetic retinopathy and to compare the results with their healthy peers. METHODS: Forty-nine patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus with no retinopathy on fundoscopic examination were included in the study. Forty-nine healthy children were defined as the control group. Central retinal artery (CRA), ophthalmic artery (OA) and posterior ciliary artery (PCA) were examined with Doppler US bilaterally. Peak systolic velocity (PSV), end diastolic velocity (EDV) and resistive indices (RI) for each artery were recorded. RESULTS: Blood flow velocity of the OA was significantly different in diabetic patients (p<0.05). EDV of the OA was significantly higher (p=0.011) and RI was significantly lower (p=0.027) in patients with diabetes duration of longer than 5 years. RI of the CRA was significantly higher in patients who had higher microalbuminuria levels (p=0.016). CONCLUSION: EDV of the OA increases and RI of the OA decreases in diabetes duration longer 5 years. Raised AER increases RI of the CRA. These findings may be the initial changes in the arterial circulation before vascular rigidity develops.

Changes in growth pattern, body composition and biochemical markers of growth after adenotonsillectomy in prepubertal children.

OBJECTIVE: Adenotonsillar hypertrophy (ATH) is associated with growth interruption during childhood. The aim of this study was to determine the changes in growth, body composition and biochemical markers associated with growth following adenotonsillectomy (A&T) in prepubertal children. STUDY DESIGN: Twenty-eight children aged 3-10 years (mean age 73.90 +/- 20.97 months) with ATH were followed up for 1 year after A&T. During the same period of time, 20 healthy children of similar ages (mean age 73.7 +/- 18.2 months) were followed up too. METHODS: Height, weight as well as insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) and insulin-like growth factor binding protein-3 (IGFBP-3) were measured during the preoperative period, 6 months and 1 year after surgery. RESULTS: Height and weight of the patient group significantly increased during the first year after A&T (p < 0.01). Increase in height standard deviation score (SDS) during the first postoperative year reflected a true acceleration of growth (p = 0.04). Height and weight of patients were not significantly below those of their healthy peers at the preoperative measurement. Height velocity of the patients (p = 0.118), which was similar to that of their healthy peers in the first 6 months postoperatively, was significantly higher at the end of the second 6-month period after the operation (p = 0.048). IGF-1 levels of the patient group, which were significantly lower than those of the controls preoperatively (p < 0.001), increased to similar levels 1 year after the operation. IGFBP-3 levels of the patient group increased significantly after postoperative sixth month (p = 0.002). CONCLUSION: Although children with ATH do not have significant growth retardation, their growth rate is slower. Increase in weight and IGF-1 levels followed by the increase in height leads to an acceleration in growth rate after A&T. These results have led to the conclusion that either the levels or effect of growth hormone (GH) increase following A&T.

Biochemical markers of bone metabolism and calciuria with inhaled budesonide therapy.

We investigated the changes in renal excretion of calcium, sodium, and potassium in asthmatic children treated with inhaled budesonide, an inhaled glucocorticoid. Twenty-two asthmatic patients (7 female, 15 male, mean age 10.1+/-4.3 years) treated with 400-600 microg/day inhaled budesonide and 23 healthy children (6 female, 17 male, mean age 10.2+/-2.8 years) were enrolled in the study. The parameters recorded were serum sodium, potassium, calcium, phosphorus, alkaline phosphatase (ALP), type I collagen carboxyterminal telopeptide (ICTP), osteocalcin, intact parathyroid hormone (PTH) levels, first spot morning urine calcium/creatinine ratio, sodium/potassium ratio, and daily renal calcium excretion rate (UCa-ER). These parameters were measured in the control group and pre- and post-budesonide treatment in asthmatic children. Serum electrolytes, ALP, PTH, ICTP, and UCa-ER were in the normal ranges and were not significantly different between controls and asthmatic children. Serum levels of ICTP increased, while levels of osteocalcin decreased after budesonide therapy in the asthmatic group ( P=0.001, P=0.005). UCa-ER was decreased after budesonide therapy in asthmatics ( P=0.000). In conclusion, moderate doses of inhaled budesonide cause hypocalciuria and decreased bone turnover. These results may be attributed to a mechanism compensating for decreased absorption of calcium in the gut due to the topical effect of swallowed budesonide rather than the systemic effects of the drug. Increased bone metabolism and decreased turnover may have an important role in this compensatory mechanism.