Early detection of abnormalities in partial epilepsy using magnetic resonance

The incidence of brain abnormalities determined by magnetic resonance in 30 consecutive children presenting with intractable complex partial seizures is reported. Images were optimised to visualise the hippocampus and cortical grey matter. Abnormalities of the hippocampus or temporal lobe were seen in all 19 children with clinical features of temporal lobe epilepsy and in six of the seven children with clinically unlocalised epilepsy. By contrast, in the four children with a clinical diagnosis of extratemporal epilepsy, no temporal or hippocampal abnormalities were seen. Generalised cortical abnormalities of uncertain significance were found in a total of 14 children from all groups. The identification of focal brain abnormalities using optimised magnetic resonance imaging enables early non-invasive assessment of children with intractable seizure disorders and the identification of patients for whom epilepsy surgery may be appropriate. It may also lead to a better understanding of the structural basis of intractable epilepsy, and thereby contribute to early treatment decisions.     

Artificial renal and liver support in a severe hepatorenal syndrome of childhood

This case report describes a special management approach in a child aged 4.5 years with a severe form of hepatorenal syndrome in which the final diagnosis was familial hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (FHL). The patient presented with grade IV hepatic coma and acute renal failure (ARF). While the diagnosis was difficult at the time of admission, as well as during acute treatment, artificial liver support was established for elimination of bilirubin and other metabolic by-products by using charcoal column plasma perfusion (CCPP) and bilirubin-adsorbing resin column plasma perfusion (BRCPP). Serum levels of bilirubin showed a notable decrease after each of the four treatment sessions. Additional artificial renal function replacement by continuous arteriovenous hemofiltration and hemodialysis (CAVH, CAVHD, respectively) had a marked lowering effect on urea and creatinine serum concentrations. Both artificial liver and renal support contributed to the general clinical improvement and survival of the patient. Further experience in these therapies will be needed to establish better prognosis in such fatal or acute similar conditions.     

Twin and singleton growth patterns compared using US

Sonography has been used widely in the evaluation of singleton fetal growth. Twin gestations, however, have received less careful attention. In a statistical study of 103 twin pregnancies, the growth patterns of twin biparietal diameter (BPD), fetal femur length (FFL), and abdominal circumference (AC) were compared with those of singletons. The results of the study revealed a decrease in twin BPD growth after 31 to 32 weeks of gestation relative to singletons. Twin AC growth rate decreases after 32-33 weeks of gestation relative to singletons, but the twin FFL growth pattern does not deviate from that of singletons throughout gestation. Because of the significant difference in growth patterns of BPD and AC between twins and singletons in our population, new growth charts for twin BPD and AC are proposed.     

完全去神经大鼠皮肤愈合过程中神经纤维再生和降钙素基因相关肽的变化

目的:观察完全去神经对大鼠皮肤伤口愈合的影响及愈合过程中神经纤维再生和降钙素基因相关肽的变化情况,探讨神经纤维再生和降钙素基因相关肽与伤口愈合的关系。方法:实验于2006-02在北京大学人民医院中心实验室完成。雌性Wistar大鼠32只,体质量250～300g。切断所有大鼠右下肢的坐骨神经和股神经,然后分别制造1cm的圆形皮肤缺损作为去神经组,在大鼠左下肢相应部位制造同样皮肤缺损作为对照组,于伤后1,3,7,14d每个时间点随机处死8只大鼠,用3M贴膜覆盖于伤口,然后沿切口周围1cm切取伤口组织,观察伤口愈合情况,组织化学染色观察神经丝蛋白和降钙素基因相关肽的变化。结果:纳入大鼠32只,均进入结果分析,伤口无感染。①两组大鼠伤后7d的伤口面积比伤后1d均明显缩小[去神经组:(0.195±0.053),(0.687±0.053)cm2;对照组:(0.131±0.041),(0.562±0.088)cm2]。与对照组相比,去神经组伤后3d大鼠的伤口面积无明显变化[(0.366±0.031),(0.408±0.079)cm2,P>0.05]。②去神经组伤口的神经丝蛋白和降钙素基因相关肽阳性染色在伤后第1,3,7,14天均明显少于对照组。结论:完全去神经后皮肤伤口愈合缓慢,而伤口内的神经纤维再生缓慢和降钙素基因相关肽的减少与皮肤伤口愈合缓慢有着密切关系。     

Emergency department staff and susceptibility to pertussis: A seroprevalence study

Objective: To determine the proportion of ED staff who are susceptible to pertussis. There was evidence that some winter leave in southern Tasmania might be a reason of pertussis infection among unimmunized staff. This results in loss of individual earning and loss of availability of staff during the peak demand periods in the ED. There is evidence in the literature that underdiagnosis and undertreatment of pertussis occurs worldwide. Methods: All ED staff were approached to participate in this seroprevalence study. A self‐completed questionnaire was used to record pervious immunization history for pertussis. Blood samples were collected and analysed to detect and quantify immunoglobulin G and immunoglobulin A titres for pertussis. All confidence intervals (CI) are at 95%. Settings: The Royal Hobart Hospital and the co‐located Hobart Private Hospital. Results: Ninety‐seven of 106 eligible staff took part in the present study, a participation rate of 92% (CI 84–96). Ninety‐one of 97 subjects (94%, CI 87–98) believed that they had been immunized for pertussis in childhood; six subjects had either not been immunized or were unsure (6%, CI 2–13). Twenty‐three subjects (24%, CI 16–33) had been immunized as adults. There was serologic evidence of recent infection for 21 participants (22%, CI 14–31). Thirty‐one participants (32%, CI 23–42) were susceptible to pertussis on the basis of low immunoglobulin G titres. Conclusion: ED staff should routinely be offered booster immunization for pertussis.     

经紫外线预照射移植猪皮片覆盖烧伤创面时间的观察

目的:观察经紫外线预照射移植猪皮片对烧伤创面覆盖时间的影响。方法:选择2004-01/2005-12四川攀枝花钢铁有限责任公司职工总医院烧伤科收治的需要植皮的烧伤患者35例,患者均知情同意。按随机数字表法分为2组,紫外线预照射组18例,对照组17例。紫外线预照射组使用的猪皮片经过40W紫外线预照射,波长为253.7nm,灯管距猪皮30cm,照射时间2h;对照组使用的移植猪皮片未做紫外线预照射。将移植猪皮片真皮面覆盖于切削痂创面上,加压包扎,用手术刀片打洞以利引流。观察整体猪皮片的存活时间,在术后5,10,15d取0.2cm×0.3cm大小的整层猪皮制成匀浆,检测相关生化因子水平:应用双抗体夹心酶联免疫吸附法测肿瘤坏死因子α含量,应用鲎法测内毒素含量,应用黄嘌呤氧化酶法测超氧化物歧化酶活性,应用硫代戊巴比妥酸法测丙二醛含量。移植猪皮片出现外观苍白,与创面分离,融解脱落均视为失效。结果:35例烧伤患者全部进入结果分析,无脱落。①紫外线预照射组猪皮平均烧伤创面覆盖时间为(18.3±2.4)d,显著高于对照组(13.7±3.1)d(P<0.05)。覆盖猪皮术后15d,紫外线预照射组有3例移植猪皮片失效,对照组有9例移植猪皮片失效。②随时间延长,两组患者覆盖猪皮片局部组织匀浆肿瘤坏死因子α、内毒素、丙二醛含量均呈升高趋势,术后10d和15d紫外线预照射组显著低于对照组(P<0.01)。两组患者覆盖移植猪皮片局部组织匀浆超氧化物歧化酶活性随时间延长均呈下降趋势,术后10d和15d紫外线预照射组显著高于对照组(P<0.01)。结论:紫外线预照射新鲜猪皮用于覆盖烧伤创面能明显延长创面保护时间,其作用途径可能与减轻局部组织脂质过氧化反应程度及炎性因子水平有关。     

Enteric viral infections as a cause of diarrhoea in the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome

Background and aims The role of non-cytomegalovirus (CMV) enteric viral infection in causing diarrhoea in patients with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is poorly understood. We aimed to investigate the prevalence of these infections in acute and chronic diarrhoea. Methods Stool specimens from 377 HIV-infected patients presenting with diarrhoea were studied prospectively for evidence of non-CMV enteric viral infection. Patients with diarrhoea underwent investigation for gastrointestinal pathogens, including electron microscopic examination of stool for enteric viruses. We collected data on patients in whom enteric virus was identified and examined the association of enteric virus infection with diarrhoeal symptomatology. Results Eighty-nine (10.3%) stool specimens from 60 (15.9%) HIV⁺ individuals were positive for coronavirus (n = 13, 22%), rotavirus (n = 11, 18%), adenovirus (n = 30, 50%) and small round structured viruses (n = 5, 8%) or dual infection (n = 2, 3%). Thirty-four of 52 (65%) patients available for analysis had acute diarrhoea, and 18/52 (35%) had chronic diarrhoea. Twenty-three of 52 (44%) patients had a concurrent gut pathogen. After exclusion of concurrent pathogens enteric viral infections were found to be significantly associated with acute as opposed to chronic diarrhoea (P = 0.004). The presence of adenovirus colitis was significantly more likely to be associated with chronic diarrhoea (15/21 cases) than adenovirus isolated from stool alone (9/23 cases) (P = 0.03). There was a trend towards an association between adenovirus colitis and colonic cytomegalovirus infection (P = 0.06). Conclusion Enteric viral infection is strongly associated with acute diarrhoea in patients with HIV. Light microscopic examination of large bowel biopsies can identify adenovirus colitis which is significantly associated with chronic diarrhoea, and in addition may facilitate gastrointestinal co-infection with CMV.     

Chronic erosive herpes simplex virus infection of the penis, a possible immune reconstitution disease

Objective To report a novel clinical presentation: a chronic erosive herpes simplex virus (HSV) infection of the penis which developed in AIDS patients following the commencement of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART). The lesions were unresponsive to antiviral treatments which had previously been effective, and this could not be accounted for in terms of increased antiviral resistance.
Design Detailed case-note review and investigation of three cases which presented at two large HIV units in London.
Methods Review of all histology with immunohistochemistry for HSV, HSV drug susceptibility assays, tissue typing and measurement of in vitro lymphocyte functional activity against HSV.
Results The histology of the lesions was the same in each case, with the presence of HSV on immunohistochemistry and an unusual prominence of plasma cell and eosinophils in the inflammatory infiltrate. HSV-specific lymphoproliferative responses were normal in two cases, but subnormal in a third case. All individuals shared the HLA class I molecules B72 and Cw0202 and the class II allele DRB4.
Conclusion We believe this to be a previously unreported adverse consequence of HAART, the result of partial immune restoration, reminiscent of the the recently described syndrome of immune recovery vitritis.