Menarchal age and the stress of war: an example from Bosnia

The aim of this study was to examine the influence of very low socioeconomic status, physical injury and psychological trauma on the menarchal age of deported girls who lived in besieged Srebrenica, a town that had a highly disrupted environment from the end of 1992 to mid 1995. The Srebrenica girls had a significantly higher mean menarchal age compared with a control group who lived mainly in peaceful communities in the unoccupied territory of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Conclusion Our results show that psychological trauma, physical injury and low socioeconomic status, which provoked by the events of war, delay the age of menarche. Received: 14 October 1997 / Accepted in revised form: 26 May 1998     

The psychosocial aspects of children exposed to war: practice and policy initiatives

The atrocities of war have detrimental effects on the development and mental health of children that have been documented since World War II. To date, a considerable amount of knowledge about various aspects of this problem has been accumulated, including the ways in which trauma impacts child mental health and development, as well as intervention techniques, and prevention methods. Considering the large populations of civilians that experience the trauma of war, it is timely to review existing literature, summarize approaches for helping war-affected children, and suggest future directions for research and policy.     

From pogroms to "ethnic cleansing": meeting the needs of war affected children

Children are both the direct and indirect targets during wars. They are directly affected by violence aimed at them and their families; they are indirectly affected by the distress caused to their families; they may be internally displaced or find themselves crossing borders as asylum seekers. Their experiences during and immediately after war militate against their developing in a safe, secure, and predictable environment. Their human rights are compromised and their mental health put at risk. Whether in the country at and after war, or in the country that offers refuge, children's mental health needs have to be properly assessed and met. In many cases, children may only require a sense of safety and support via their family and school. In other cases, they require more complicated psychosocial interventions that address the various stress reactions they manifest. This paper addresses these issues against the context of a major community-based programme in Mostar in Bosnia during the recent civil war there. It argues that we have reasonably good screening measures to identify children at high risk of developing mental health problems. It presents an hierarchical model of support and intervention whereby psychosocial help is delivered primarily through schools with only a small proportion of more complex needs being met by specially trained mental health professionals. There is a strong need to evaluate various methods of delivering help and to develop new ways of reaching needy children in a nonstigmatising way.     

Wolcott-Rallison syndrome: a clinical and genetic study of three children, novel mutation in EIF2AK3 and a review of the literature

Background: Wolcott-Rallison syndrome is a rare autosomal recessive condition characterized by early infancy onset diabetes mellitus and multiple epiphyseal dysplasia. So far, 17 children have been described in the world literature. Recently, mutations in the gene encoding EIF2AK3 have been shown to segregate with the syndrome in three affected families. Aims: We aimed to describe the clinical characterization and mutation analysis of a further child, and full clinical and follow-up details on our first family including the longest surviving child. Methods: Retrospective case notes review of three children presenting to the diabetic unit at our institution; mutation analysis of the EIF2AK3 gene in our most recent patient; and review of the literature on Wolcott-Rallison syndrome. Results: Previously unreported phenotypic features in our patients included developmental regression after episodes of hepatic failure, and pachygyria on brain imaging. We have identified a novel 4-base pair deletion (nt 3021-3024 del GAGA) in exon 13, which results in a frameshift and premature stop codon (R908 F/S +22X), causing premature truncation of the protein and abolition of the carboxy- segment of the catalytic domain.

Conclusions: Wolcott-Rallison syndrome causes early-onset diabetes and acute hepatic failure, before epiphyseal dysplasia is manifest. We have identified a novel mutation in EIF2AK3, and prenatal diagnosis may now be offered to affected families.     

脓毒症大鼠心肌细胞凋亡及Bcl-2、Caspase-3蛋白表达的变化

目的 动态观察脓毒症时心肌细胞凋亡及Bcl-2和Caspase-3表达的变化,初步探讨脓毒症时心肌细胞凋亡的机制.方法 将60只Wistar雄性大鼠随机分为对照组(n=30)、实验组(n=30),两组又分为3、6、12、24及36 h共5个亚组.实验组采用盲肠结扎穿孔(CLP)法建立脓毒症模型.对照组行假手术,除不做CLP外,余同实验组.通过TUNEL法检测心肌细胞凋亡指数(AI),免疫印迹法检测Bcl-2及Caspase-3水平的变化.结果 (1)CLP术后心肌细胞AI呈进行性增加,36 h达高峰(43.742±2.495),与对照组(4.311±0.035)相比,差异有显著性(P<0.01),但24 h和36 h相比,差异无显著性(P>0.05).(2)CLP术后心肌组织Bcl-2呈持续下降,36 h下降最明显,与对照组相比差异有显著性(P<0.01),但24 h和36 h差异无显著性(P>0.05).术后心肌组织Caspase-3呈持续上升,36 h上升最明显,24 h与36 h差异无显著性(P>0.05).(3)大鼠心肌组织Bcl-2与心肌细胞AJ之间存在负相关(r=-0.753,P<0.001).结论 细胞凋亡可能是脓毒症心肌损害的机制之一,通过干预心肌细胞凋亡有望改善脓毒症的预后.     

Assessment of the performance of the Pediatric Index of Mortality 2 (PIM2) among Egyptian pediatric patients admitted to the intensive care

BackgroundMortality prediction models are useful in pediatric intensive care units (PICUs) as risk assessment tools and as a benchmark for the quality of care.ObjectivesTo assess the performance of the Pediatric Index of Mortality 2 (PIM2) in terms of calibration and discrimination between survivors and non-survivors among pediatric patients.MethodsThis is a cohort prospective study including 317 pediatric patients admitted to two PICU settings in a tertiary care hospital in Egypt over a period of one year (from June 2012 till June 2013). Collected data included personal characteristics, hospital data, diagnosis, outcome and variables included in PIM2 scoring.ResultsNon-survivors constituted 8.5%. Most common diagnosis was respiratory diseases (47.9%). Only CNS morbidities (11.7% of survivors versus 37% of non-survivors, P = 0.001) and a higher PIM2 score (2.39 ± 5.49 in survivors versus 41.38 ± 36.06 in non-survivors, P = 0.001) were associated with increased risk of non-survival. The area under the curve (AUC) for PIM2 is 0.796 (95% CI 0.675–0.916), P < 0.001. The Hosmer–Lemeshow goodness-of-fit was 2.850, 8 df, P = 0.943. PIM2.ConclusionThe calibration and the discriminative ability of PIM2 scoring system aiming to distinguish survivors from non-survivors are satisfactory for this sample of pediatric patients. PIM2 is easily calculated and is freely available. Thus, this tool provides a good incentive for ICU settings in Egypt for admission of high risk patients in the light of the limited PICU bed complement capacity in relation to the demands.     

Are food intolerances and allergies increasing in immigrant children coming from developing countries ?

There are not available data concerning the occurrence, the clinical features and the environmental risk factors for food intolerances and allergies in immigrant children. The aim of the study was to evaluate rates, distribution, clinical features and environmental risk factors for food intolerances and allergies in immigrant children. Hospital records of 4,130 patients with celiac disease (CD), cow milk protein intolerance (CMPI) and food allergies (FA) diagnosed in 24 Italian Centres from 1999 to 2001 were retrospectively reviewed, comparing immigrant patients with Italian ones. 78/4,130 (1.9%) patients were immigrant: 36/1,917 (1.9%) had CD, 24/1,370 (1.75%) CMPI and 18/843 (2.1%) FA. They were evenly distributed across Italy and their native areas were: East Europe (23/78), Northern Africa (23/78), Southern Asia (14/78), Saharan and Sub-Saharan Africa (9/78), Southern America (4/78), Far East (3/7), Middle East (2/78). Despite differences in their origin, the clinical features of immigrant children were similar to the ones of Italian patients and among each ethnic group. The majority of them were born in Italy (57/78) or have been residing in Italy since several years (19/78). All of them had lost dietary habits of the native countries and had acquired those of the Italian childhood population. Food intolerances and allergies are present also in children coming from developing countries, and paediatricians will need to have a full awareness of them because the number of immigrant children in Italy is quickly increasing. The clinical features of food intolerances and allergies appear the same in each ethnic group, despite differences in races. Sharing of dietary habits with the Italian childhood population seems to be an important environmental risk factor.     

15例儿童急性早幼粒细胞性白血病临床及治疗研究

目的探讨儿童急性早幼粒细胞性白血病(APL)的临床特点及其治疗。方法选取2002年6月~2007年3月我院诊治15例APL患儿。单剂AS2O3诱导分化治疗,达到完全缓解后采用DA/HA/IDA方案与ATRA/AS2O3序贯治疗。辅以小分子肝素抗凝治疗,必要时加用白细胞置换术。观察其临床特点、血常规、出凝血指标、肝肾功能、心电图,监测PML/RARa融合基因、染色体的变化。结果15例患儿2例早期死亡,12例PML/RARa融合基因阳性者均得到完全缓解。AS2O3治疗1周白细胞上升最高,治疗两周开始下降,D-Dimer正常,出血倾向减轻或消失。治疗6~8周CR。结论单剂AS2O3诱导分化治疗,对PML/RARa融合基因阳性,存在染色体t(15;17)患者,均能完全缓解率。且毒副反应较小。早期小分子肝素钙应用配合血浆输注,必要时行白细胞单采术帮助大多数患儿安全度过DIC,获得长期生存。     

Expression of and responses to CD2 and CD3 in 18‐month‐old children with and without atopic dermatitis

We hypothesize that atopy is associated with a reduced T‐cell function early in life and an imbalance in cytokine production. The purpose of this study was to investigate the expression of and responses to CD2 and CD3 in children who did or did not develop atopic dermatitis early in life. The expression of CD2 and CD3 was analyzed by flow cytometry, and proliferation of CD2 and CD3 was studied by ³H‐thymidine incorporation in phytohaemagglutinin (PHA)‐ and anti‐CD3‐stimulated peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) of 18‐month‐old children, 25 with and 29 without atopic dermatitis. Exogenous interleukin (IL)‐2 was added to compensate for possible functional differences in accessory cells. Anti‐CD3‐induced secretion of IL‐4, IL‐5, IL‐6, IL‐10, IL‐13, and interferon‐γ (IFN‐γ) was analyzed by enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Atopy was associated with a low proportion of CD2⁺ lymphocytes. Responsiveness to PHA, which activates lymphocytes partly via the sheep erythrocyte receptor, CD2, was reduced in the allergic children. The anti‐CD3‐induced proliferation declined more rapidly with antibody dilution in the allergic than in the non‐allergic children. Atopic dermatitis was associated with high levels of anti‐CD3‐stimulated IL‐5 secretion. The IL‐4/IL‐10 and IL‐4/IFN‐γ ratios were higher in children with elevated total immunoglobulin E (IgE) levels. Skin prick test‐negative children with eczema produced higher levels of IL‐10 than skin prick test‐positive children. In conclusion, atopic children have a reduced T‐cell function. Atopic dermatitis is associated with increased IL‐5 production, while high total IgE levels are associated with high IL‐4/IFN‐γ and IL‐4/IL‐10 ratios.     

Stable pediatric kidney transplant recipients run higher urine indoleamine 2, 3 dioxygenase (IDO) levels than healthy children

Immune cells utilize the IDO enzymatic conversion of trp to kyn to determine T‐cell activation vs. anergy/apoptosis. In prior studies, urine IDO levels were higher in rejecting renal allografts than in stable state. However, urine IDO levels in healthy subjects or children are unknown. As a corollary to a larger longitudinal and prospective study of serum and urine IDO levels for transplant immune monitoring, here, we analyzed the difference between urine IDO levels in stable post‐transplant vs. healthy children. IDO levels were measured by tandem mass spectrometry and expressed as kyn/trp ratios. We compared one‐time urine samples, from 34 well children at general pediatric clinics, to the first‐month post‐transplant urine samples from 18 children, while in stable state (no acute rejection or major infection event in next 30 days). Urine kyn/trp ratios were significantly higher in stable children in first‐month post‐kidney transplant (median 16.6, range 3.9–44.0) vs. healthy children (median 9.2, range 3.51–17.0; p = 0.0057 by nonparametric Mann–Whitney test). Higher urine IDO levels even with stable transplant suggest a continuous ongoing low‐grade allorecognition/inflammatory process. Our data also provide baseline urine IDO levels in healthy subjects for use in future studies.     

Desferoxamine and Urinary Zinc Excretion in β-Thalassemia Major

This study has been undertaken to find out whether urinary zinc excretion, which is already increased in patients with thalassemia, is further increased by usual and high doses of desferrioxamine (DF). A total of 11 β-thalassemia major patients were included. DF infusions have been performed with doses, either 50 mg/kg or 150 mg/kg. Nine age and sex matched normal children were taken as the control group. The mean basal-Zn excretion of the patients was significantly higher than the mean Zn excretion observed in controls. No significant difference is observed between the mean Zn excretion obtained on different doses of DF. However, they are both significantly higher than the mean basal-Zn levels of the controls.     

SZT2基因突变所致儿童难治性癫痫3例报告

目的报道3例SZT2基因突变所致难治性癫痫患儿的临床表现及预后。方法分析总结3例SZT2基因突变所致难治性癫痫患儿的临床资料及随访结果。结果男2例,女1例,分别于4月龄、10月龄及18月龄时出现难治性癫痫,伴有智力运动发育落后、特殊面容(高前额、睑裂下斜、眼睑下垂、弓形眉)、四肢肌张力低下、头围增大等,均有严重的癫痫性脑病表现,其中1例男性患儿(10月龄发病)因反复惊厥死亡。3例患儿基因检测结果均提示SZT2基因突变。结论对无明显诱因出现难治性癫痫伴有智力运动发育落后的患儿应尽早完善基因检测,以明确诊断。