317例儿童不明原因发热的临床分析

目的：探讨儿童不明原因发热(FUO)的病因,诊断方法和思维方式。方法：回顾性地总结分析1996年1月至2000年12月符合FUO诊断标准的住院患儿317例。结果：317例中明确诊断有298例,确诊率为94.0%。感染性疾病160例(53.7%),非感染性疾病138例(46.3%),两者之比为1.15∶1。最终确定诊断的方法分别为：临床综合诊断140例(47.0%);血清和骨髓细菌培养检查64例(21.5%);组织活检37例(12.4%);影像学检查35例(11.7%);尸体解剖11例(3.7%);骨髓形态学确诊6例(1.9%);回顾性诊断5例(1.7%)。结论：根据临床经过和必要的实验室检查大部分FUO病例可以明确病因诊断,病理学检查对疑难病例的诊断提供重要依据,极少数病人最终只能依赖尸检明确诊断。感染性疾病、结缔组织病和恶性肿瘤性疾病是该组FUO的主要原因。     

Parapharyngeal Inflammatory Pseudotumor Presenting as Fever of Unknown Origin in a 3-Year-Old Girl

A parapharyngeal inflammatory pseudotumor in a 3-year-old girl who presented with high fever, anemia, and weight loss is described. The histologic differentiation from other fibroblastic lesions occurring in the head and neck region of a child is discussed. Symptoms improved dramatically after removal of the mass. The lesion may represent an exaggerated local response to an as yet unidentified agent with concomitant systemic manifestations.     

Rheumatic Fever and Rheumatic Heart Disease in Children

Indian Journal of Pediatrics - Acute rheumatic fever (ARF) and its sequelae, Rheumatic heart disease (RHD), contribute significantly to the cardiovascular morbidity and mortality in developing...     

Hepatic Involvement in Dengue Fever in Children

Objective

Hepatic dysfunction is common in dengue infection and the degree of liver dysfunction in children varies from mild injury with elevation of transaminases to severe injury with jaundice. This study was undertaken to assess the spectrum of hepatic involvement in dengue infection.

Methods

110 children with serologically positive dengue fever aged between 2 months - 14 years were studied for their hepatic functions both clinically and biochemically after excluding malaria, enteric fever, Hepatitis A and Hepatitis B with relevant investigations.

Findings

All cases were grouped into DF (Dengue fever), DHF (Dengue hemorrhagic fever) and DSS (Dengue shock syndrome) according to WHO criteria. The spectrum of hepatic manifestations included hepatomegaly (79%), hepatic tenderness (56%), jaundice (4.5%), raised levels of aspartate transaminase (AST)(93%), alanine transaminase (ALT)(78%), alkaline phosphatase (AP) (57%), prolonged prothrombin time (PT) (20%), reduced levels of serum albumin (66%) and abnormal abdomen ultrasound (65%).

Conclusion

Hepatic dysfunction was observed more in DHF and DSS group compared to DF group. About 17.27% of children had >10 fold increase in the liver enzymes. There was no correlation between the degree of hepatic enlargement or hepatic tenderness with the abnormalities of liver functions. Any child with fever, jaundice and tender hepatomegaly in geographical areas where dengue is endemic, the diagnosis of dengue infection should be strongly considered.     

Malignant Melanocytic Lesions of Unknown Primary Site in Children and Adolescents

Background. Metastatic melanoma with an unidentified primary site represents 4% of all newly diagnosed cases of malignant melanoma in adults. Little is known of the incidence and clinicopathologic features of this clinical entity in the pediatric population. Methods. We reviewed all previously diagnosed cases of malignant melanoma in children and adolescents (<21 years) who were treated at our institution and identified three patients who presented with metastatic melanocytic lesions with an unidentified primary site. Results. This clinical presentation accounted for 9% of all malignant melanocytic lesions treated at our center over a 20-year period. The clinicopathologic features were similar to those seen in adults. Two patients died of progressive disease within two years of presentation; the third is alive and disease-free 18 years post-diagnosis. Conclusions. Although uncommon in the pediatric population, malignant melanoma should be considered in the differential diagnosis of poorly differentiated disseminated malignancy that involves lymph nodes or viscera with no identifiable primary tumor. © 1995 Wi1ey-Liss, Inc.     

Clinical Profile of Acute Rheumatic Fever in Children

A prospective study was done to determine the clinical profile of acute rheumatic fever in the first attacks and in recurrences separately. The data were compared with those from other countries. Eighty children were in their first attack while 46 had recurrences. Arthritis, the most common manifestations, was seen in 61 per cent of patients with first attack followed by carditis in 41 per cent, chorea in 28 per cent and subcutaneous nodules in 3 per cent. However, in the recurrences, arthritis was present in 52 per cent, carditis in 81 per cent, chorea in 11 per cent, and nodules in 4 per cent of cases. In both the groups, no case with erythema marginatum was seen. The results show that in the first attack the clinical picture broadly resembles that in European and North American countries. The presenting symptoms and signs are different during recurrence.     

Subclinical Valvulitis in Children with Acute Rheumatic Fever

Doppler echocardiography facility is now available in most parts of the world and its routine use for the initial diagnosis of acute rheumatic fever (ARF) might enhance its early detection and, hence, prevention of rheumatic recurrences. To add to the existing evidence and to reemphasize the need of including echocardiography as a diagnostic criterion for ARF, we investigated the pattern and prevalence of subclinical valvulitis by Doppler echocardiography in patients with ARF manifesting as either pure chorea or isolated arthritis but without clinical signs of carditis. This prospective study was carried out in a single center over a period of 6 months (June to December 2006). Thirty patients with ARF, 16 males and 14 females, aged 4–15 years (mean: 10 ± 3.2) presenting with either chorea or isolated arthritis were included by convenience sampling. Evidence of carditis as detected by echocardiography was present in 21 patients (70%). Chorea was the presenting feature in 19 patients (63%), followed by migratory polyarthritis in 11 (37%). Among patients with chorea, 13 (68%) had evidence of carditis. Mitral regurgitation (MR) was present in all 13, being isolated in 11 and with aortic regurgitation (AR) in 2 patients. In patients with migratory polyarthritis, 8 (73%) had evidence of carditis, all with isolated MR. Echocardiography detected subclinical valvulitis in at least 70% of patients with ARF presenting with either rheumatic chorea or migratory arthritis but no clinical evidence of carditis. MR was the predominant lesion present in all patients either in isolation (90%) or in combination with AR (10%). We suggest that Doppler echocardiography be performed in all patients with suspected ARF and evidence of subclinical valvulitis be used as a diagnostic criterion.     

P-Wave Dispersion in Children With Acute Rheumatic Fever

As a new and simple electrocardiographic marker, P-wave dispersion is reported to be associated with inhomogeneous and discontinuous propagation of sinus impulses. The current study aimed to investigate P-wave dispersion in children with acute rheumatic fever. The study population consisted of 47 children with acute rheumatic fever (29 patients with carditis and 18 patients without carditis) and 31 healthy control subjects. Maximum and minimum P-wave durations were measured from the 12-lead surface electrocardiogram. The P-wave dispersion was calculated as the difference between maximum and minimum P-wave durations. The maximum P-wave duration and the P-wave dispersion of the patients with and without carditis were significantly greater than those of the control subjects. The P-wave dispersion of the patients with carditis was significantly greater than that of the patients without carditis. In conclusion, the P-wave dispersion was higher in the children with acute rheumatic fever than in the healthy control subjects.     

布洛芬混悬液治疗儿童发热的疗效观察

目的观察布洛芬混悬液(美林)治疗儿童发热的临床疗效和安全性。方法将高热症状的急性上呼吸道感染患儿180例随机分成2组,治疗组100例,对照组80例。分别给予布洛芬混悬液和对乙酰氨基酚栓治疗。结果两组服药后第1～2h内的退热效果基本相同,但乙酰氨基酚栓组从服药后第3～4h体温呈回升趋势,而美林混悬液组在服药后退热效果仍最高峰,且能维持6～8h的药效,总有效率为100%。对乙酰氨基酚栓总有效率为94%。美林退热的显效率为93%,对乙酰氨基酚栓组为67.5%。两者比较有显著差异(P<0.01)。结论美林混悬液退热作用强,维持时间长。     

Acute Rheumatic Fever in Swedish Children 1971-80

ABSTRACT. Hospital records from all Swedish children 0–15 years old diagnosed as having acute rheumatic fever (ARF) during 1971–80 were studied. Thirty-one children fully met with Jones'modified criterias which gives an incidence of 0.2 cases per 100000 children and year. Carditis was the most common major manifestation of ARF. In most children the carditis was mild but in three cases there was a persistent cardial affection. 16 of the children received prophylactic antibiotic treatment. No recurrent attacks of ARF were found during the study period.     

Dapsone as an Alternative Therapy in Children with Familial Mediterranean Fever

Objective

Familial Mediterranan Fever is an hereditary autoinflammatory disease that presents with recurrent febrile attacks and poly serositis. Colchicine is the only known treatment in this diease. However, nearly 5-10% of patients are resistant to colchicines. There are many different modalities in colchicine resistant patients, biologic and immunosupressive drugs being the known ones. We studied the efficacy of Dapsone as an anti inflammatory drug in children with FMF who did not tolerate colchicine well.

Methods

This is a case series study in 10 patients who had FMF on the base of Tel-Hashomer criteria and did not tolerate colchicine or did not respond to it well. Patients took 2mg/kg dapsone in single dose, during 6 months.

Findings

In four patients episodic attacks returned after 27 days, so the drug was discontinued. One patient refused to continue the study; in five patients dapsone was taken in average for 8 months and 6 days, at least for 6 months. These five patients had no episodes of attack during the following observation.

Conclusion

Dapsone could control episodic attacks of FMF in 50% of cases. It might be considered as an alternative therapy in FMF cases not responding to colchicine.     

Carotid Intima Media Thickness and Arterial Stiffness in Children With Acute Rheumatic Fever

Acute rheumatic fever (ARF) and rheumatic heart disease (RHD) constitute important public health problems in developing countries. Inflammation is present both in the early and late stages of the diseases. Chronic inflammation is known to be associated with atherosclerosis. We hypothesize that subclinical atherosclerosis and arterial stiffness may increase due to the ongoing inflammation as well as the increased pulse pressure and left-ventricular systolic dysfunction in RHD. The purpose of the present study was to investigate carotid intima media thickness (CIMT) and carotid artery stiffness in patients with ARF. Forty patients in follow-up due to ARF in the age group of 7–16 years (disease duration 1–10 years) and 36 volunteered subjects with similar body mass index were included in the study. The subjects included in the present study were compared regarding M-mode echocardiographic parameters and CIMT as well as carotid arterial strain (CAS), carotid artery distensibility (CAD), beta stiffness index (βSI), and pressure-strain elasticity modulus (Ep) as carotid artery stiffness parameters. CIMT (0.52 ± 0.08 and 0.48 ± 0.07 mm, p = 0.01), βSI (5.29 ± 2.98 and 3.02 ± 1.30, p < 0.001), and Ep (426.53 ± 210.50 and 254.44 ± 104.69 p < 0.001) were increased, whereas CAS (0.11 ± 0.01 and 0.19 ± 0.09, p < 0.001) and CAD (10.27 ± 4.69 and 17.76 ± 14.41, p < 0.001) were decreased in patients with ARF compared with the control group. There was a positive correlation between pulse pressure and βSI (r = 0.25, p = 0.02) and Ep (r = 0.28, p = 0.01) in addition to a correlation between left atrial dilatation and CIMT (r = 0.55 p < 0.001) in patients with ARF. CIMT and carotid artery stiffness were increased in patients with ARF. Patients with ARF may have an increased risk of subclinical atherosclerosis and cardiovascular events.     

Pulmonary Pathology of Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever (RMSF) in Children

Despite infrequent respiratory symptoms, histopathologic changes were identified in the lungs of 15 of 16 children dying of Rocky Mountain spotted fever (RMSF). Gross examination demonstrated increased lung weight, edema, congestion, focal hemorrhage, and bronchopneumonia in a few cases. Paraffin sections were stained with hematoxylin and eosin and phosphotungstic acid-hematoxylin, and available blocks were examined by direct immunofluoresence for Rickettsia rickettsii. Cases and controb matched for age and sex were randomized and examined blindly for pathologic changes. In addition, morphometric measurements of mean alveolar septal thickness were made in each case. The histopathologic findings include (1) diffuse interstitial mononuclear (lymphocyte and macrophage) inflammatory infiltrate in 15/16 cases of RMSF (5/10 controls), (2) pulmonary edema and intraalveolar hemorrhage in 11/16 cases of RMSF (2/10 controls), and (3) vasculitis of small pulmonary venules and arterioles in 5/16 RMSF cases (0/10 controb). Rickettsia rickettsii were identified in 4/8 RMSF cases by direct fluorescent antibody technique. Although pulmonary disease is not always clinically apparent in children with RMSF, involvement of the pulmonary microcirculation is a frequent event infaal cases and may contribute to the development of non-cardiogenic pulmonary edema.