How to assess fetal metabolic acidosis from cord samples.

The degree of metabolic acidosis at birth has been calculated in cord artery and vein samples from 21 term fetuses with cord artery pH less than 7.20. The aim of the study was to compare base deficit values calculated from either Siggaard-Andersen alignment nomogram (BD blood) or the Acid-Base chart (BD extra cellular fluid, BDecf). BDblood was found to be consistently higher in the cord artery as compared with BDecf, 13.2 +/- 3.5 and 9.9 +/- 2.9 mmol/l (Mean +/- SD), respectively. A significant correlation was found between cord artery PCO2 and BDblood whereas BDecf appeared unaffected by PCO2. In cases with cord entanglement BDecf a-v differences were increased to 3.4 +/- 2.3 mmol/l as compared with the small a-v difference noted in acidotic cases without cord entanglement, 1.1 +/- 1.25 mmol/l. It is speculated that with acutely emerging, intermittent asphyxia due to cord compression, a cord artery and vein difference in metabolic acidosis may exist and where the vein captures the basal level and the artery the acute changes. It is concluded that BDecf in both cord artery and vein add valuable information on the mechanisms behind metabolic acidosis.     

Antigenuria after immunization with Haemophilus influenzae oligosaccharide CRM197 conjugate (HbOC) vaccine

We tested the urine of 30 infants 6 weeks to 7 months of age after they received standard 10-micrograms (0.5-ml) doses of HbOC (HibTITER) Haemophilus influenzae b (Hib) conjugate vaccine for the presence of Hib antigenuria using a commercially available latex particle agglutination assay (Directigen). Urines were collected within 1 hour, from 1 to 3 hours, at 24 hours and at 3, 6 and 9 days after vaccine administration and reactions were quantitated from 0 to 3+. In contrast to previous studies in older children which showed little or no antigenuria following HbOC vaccination, our study shows that in infants intense Hib antigenuria is evident within 2 to 3 hours and persists 3 days after vaccine administration and that less intense antigenuria may be detected in some infants for several days. With efficacious vaccines now being used in 2- to 6-month-old infants, invasive Hib disease may soon be limited to infants of this age just before their seroconversion. It should be recognized that antigenuria occurs for several days after vaccination with Hib conjugate vaccines and that it could be erroneously interpreted as evidence of invasive Hib infection.     

Biting in day care centers: incidence, prevention, and intervention.

Analysis of accident logs in child day care centers indicates that biting is common, especially among toddlers 13 to 30 months of age. Children of this age often lack appropriate verbal skills and resort to aggressive means to achieve their goals. Still awkward in gross-motor skills, toddlers can also suffer self-bites following accidental falls. According to medical reports, human bites sometimes are more virulent than animal bites and can cause severe trauma. Although the AIDS virus has been cultured from saliva, transmission from saliva alone has not been documented. Bite injuries in day care, however, usually are minor and can be treated by washing, applying cold compresses, and comforting the child. Suggested methods to diminish the frequency of biting in day care include physical changes within the room, behavior modification, and other classroom management techniques.     

Acute multilocular osteomyelitis in infancy and childhood

38 cases of acute multilocular osteomyelitis out of a total of 165 osteomyelitis patients were treated between 1974 and 1986 at the Department of Paediatric Surgery and Paediatric Diseases at the University of Mainz. Osteomyelitis in infants was separated from juvenile osteomyelitis because of the different problems inherent to this disease depending upon the age; likewise, multilocular remote involvement was separated from regional multiple involvement. It was found that distant involvement is of special importance in infancy. 6 of the 8 cases in this group presented with symmetrical involvement. This interesting phenomenon is described in this article for the first time in acute multilocular osteomyelitis; so far, it was known to occur only in chronic recurrent multifocal osteomyelitis (CRMO). The infants in this group were predominantly newborn who were particularly severely handicapped by predisposing factors such as necessary intensive-care measures or surgical interventions. Our findings showed that in this age group most of the problems occurred, namely: 3 deaths and 2 healing defects in 8 children. For this reason it is imperative to effect particularly close monitoring of multilocular acute osteomyelitis in infancy. This must be considered as a paediatric and paediatric-surgical emergency requiring not only accurate diagnostic measures but also early internistic and surgical treatment to improve the prognosis of this specific disease pattern.     

Microtuboplasty as an outpatient procedure

Fifteen cases of microtuboplasty were done as outpatient procedures at low cost and with increased patient convenience. Advances in outpatient surgery at free-standing surgery centers have allowed many new patient care innovations, and microsurgery should now be considered an outpatient procedure for gynecologic patients. Outpatient microtuboplastic surgery is not only feasible but perhaps preferable to that done as an inpatient procedure.     

Sustained eosinophil cationic protein release into tears after a single high-dose conjunctival allergen challenge

Background The appearance of eosinophils is a hallmark sign of the allergic late-phase response (LPR). Eosinophil cationic protein (ECP), a readily measurable product released from activated eosinophils, has so far not been evaluated in the ocular LPR. Objective Two sets of trials were performed in order to investigate changes of local and systemic eosinophil activity and their possible link with symptoms and hyper-reactivity in the allergic LPR in the eye. Methods In the first experiment, ECP was analysed in tears and serum and the clinical reaction was evaluated during a 72-h time–course after a single, high-dose allergen challenge out of season in one eye of 15 pollen-sensitized volunteers. In a second experiment, the hypothesis of an increased clinical response to an allergen challenge in an eye that had been provoked with allergen 48h previously was tested in nine sensitized individuals. Results In the first experiment, symptoms at 10 min and 2, 4, 6, 8 and 24 h significantly exceeded base line scores of the challenged eyes. Tear ECP was significantly elevated in challenged eyes compared to contralateral eyes at 6, 8 and 24 h. In addition, symptoms and ECP release correlated significantly at the 24-h evaluation. Serum ECP remained unchanged throughout the study period. In the second experiment, conjunctival hyperreactivity 48h after an allergen challenge was not confirmed. Conclusion ECP secretion occurs in the experimental ocular LPR and is in part associated with the magnitude of the clinical reaction, which suggests a truly pathogenic role of the activated eosinophil in pollen-induced allergic conjunctivitis.     

A prospective randomized trial of colchicine in prevention of liver cirrhosis in chronic hepatitis B patients

Background : The clinical course of chronic hepatitis B is variable. Patients with hepatic decompensation, bridging necrosis or an alpha-fetoprotein level greater than 100 ng/mL during an exacerbation of hepatitis have a high risk of developing cirrhosis. This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of colchicine in the prevention of cirrhosis in such patients.
Methods : Patients with risk factor(s) were randomized to receive either colchicine 5 mg/week or no specific treatment, the end point being development of cirrhosis.
Results : After a follow up period of 4 years, the treatment group had a marked reduction in exacerbations of acute hepatitis (32% vs. 63%/patient/year, P <0.005). Seven out of 38 patients in the treatment group and 10 out of 27 patients in the control group developed cirrhosis. The calculated cumulative incidence of cirrhosis by the end of first, second, third and fourth years in the treatment group was 8.7, 18.6, 32 and 32%, respectively. The corresponding figures in the control group were 30, 35.5, 46.3 and 73.2%, respectively, with a P -value of 0.057.
Conclusions : The results suggest that colchicine may prevent cirrhosis in chronic hepatitis B patients with risk factor(s), possibly by suppressing exacerbations of hepatitis through an anti-inflammatory effect.