Retrobulbar hydatid cyst: Assessment of two cases

A 54-year-old man with a unilocular hydatid cyst within the infero-posterior angle of the orbit and a 6-year-old male child with a unilocular hydatid cyst within the supero-medial angle of the orbit are presented. The retrobulbar cysts were diagnosed with computed tomography and ultrasonography and were treated after serologic confirmation.     

Mycobacterial infection in an inner city children's hospital

Childhood tuberculosis is perceived by many as a disease of the past. Experience in a children's hospital serving a deprived population suggested that tuberculosis and other mycobacterial infections were not declining in clinical practice. Fifty three tuberculous and 11 atypical mycobacterial infections were identified between 1978 and 1992. There was no decline in tuberculosis and nine of the 11 atypical infections occurred in the last five years. Altogether 40% of cases of tuberculosis were in non-Asian children; 32% had arrived in the UK or visited family overseas in the previous year; and 38% had a history of tuberculosis contact, usually a close adult relative. Nationally, the previous decline in tuberculosis in all ages has reversed. In the local health districts in London's east end, childhood tuberculosis has also stopped declining and seems to be increasing. It is regrettable that BCG vaccination has been abolished by some districts in the UK, against current recommendations. Childhood tuberculosis is still common in the practice described here, including among children who do not fall into conventionally recognised high risk groups. Inner city dwellers and junior doctors are both highly mobile populations, adding to the risk that paediatricians, particularly those in training, may encounter tuberculosis with little or no previous experience of the condition.     

Protein nutrition, faecal flora and iron metabolism: the role of milk-based formulae

This paper explores the role of milk-based formulae in achieving four aspects of nutritional health in infants and toddlers: in the suckling, to mimic the amino acid metabolism and the faecal flora of a breast-fed baby; in the weanling, to achieve adequate protein intakes in later infancy and beyond and to achieve satisfactory haemoglobin concentrations in the early toddler years. Milk-based formulae have two roles in infant nutrition: as so-called breast milk substitutes and as a safety net during the weaning period; the latter role may be the more important.     

Malnutrition as a prognostic factor in lymphoblastic leukaemia: a multivariate analysis

One hundred and twenty eight Brazilian children with lymphoblastic leukaemia were intensively treated with a Berlin-Frankfurt-Munich based protocol. More children had a white cell count above 50 x 10(9)/l (31%) then observed in developed countries. After a median follow up of 31 months (11-58 months), the estimated probability of relapse free survival was 41% (7%) for the whole group. After adjustment in the Cox's multivariate model, malnutrition was the most significant adverse factor affecting duration of complete remission. Age above 8 years and high peripheral white cell count were also significant adverse factors. Among the nutritional indices, the height for age and weight for age z scores were both significant, whether the cut off points of z-2 or z = -1.28 were chosen to define malnutrition. A strong statistical association between the two indices was found; the contribution of height for age z score to the prediction of relapse free survival was more significant. Children with height for age z score < -2 had a relapse risk of 8.2 (95% confidence interval 3.1 to 21.9) relative to children with z score > -2. The results of this study suggest that socioeconomic and nutritional factors should be considered in the prognostic evaluation of children with leukaemia in developing countries.     

HPLC测定益肤霜中红霉素和地塞米松的含量

采用ＨＰＬＣ测定益肤霜中红霉素和地塞米松的含量，控制制剂的质量。色谱条件：固定相为Ｋｒｏｍａｓｉｌ Ｃ１８柱；流动相为乙腈－０．２ｍｏｌ／Ｌ醋酸铵－水，流速０．８ｍｌ／ｍｉｎ；检测波长２１５ｎｍ。以ｃ对峰面积Ａ作直线回归，红霉素在１．５－２４ｇ／Ｌ地塞米松在２０－３００ｍｇ／Ｌ的范围内，其浓度与峰面积呈直线关系。红霉素回收率为９９．６９％；地塞米松的回收率为１００．２８％。本法操作简便，结果准确，     

Adequate symptom relief justifies hepatic resection for benign disease

Background  

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the long-term results of partial liver resection for benign liver lesions.     

Bronchography in the recognition of congenital cystic bronchiectasis.

Congenital cystic bronchiectasis is an uncommon disease. Most of the reported cases have been in infants and young children. This paper presents four cases of older children and younger adults who had congenital cystic bronchiectasis. Distribution of the disease is lobar or may even involve an entire lung. Bronchography plays an important role in the diagnosis of congenital cystic bronchiectasis. The three important bronchographic signs of congenital cystic bronchiectasis are: (1) absence of contrast filling of the bronchial glands duct; (2) contrast filling of numerous cysts which communicate directly with the bronchial tree; and (3) nonvisualization of normal lung parenchyma within the area of involvement.     

Patients’ experiences of dialysis services: are national health strategy targets being met?

Background The National Health Strategy envisages a health system incorporating patient views; and providing accessible, consultant-led dialysis services with patient choice of dialysis modality, in all regions. Aims To describe patients’ experiences of renal services against National Health Strategy objectives. Methods Telephone interviews with 192 dialysis patients from three hospitals in the Eastern region. Results One-quarter of participants (16% of haemodialysis [HD] and 46% of peritoneal dialysis patients) lived outside the Eastern region, and travelled there because dialysis was not available locally. Two-thirds (65%) had a choice of dialysis modality. High satisfaction with interpersonal care was observed (83–98% satisfaction). Dissatisfaction with physical environment included parking (39–56%), waiting areas (62–69%), HD unit space (74%). Regarding support services, dietary services were satisfactory (92–95%), with lower satisfaction ratings for social and financial support services (62%). Conclusions Structural and management issues must be addressed to advance a quality agenda for renal care in Ireland.     

Health and health care utilisation among asylum seekers and refugees in the Netherlands: design of a study

Background  

This article discusses the design of a study on the prevalence of health problems (both physical and mental) and the utilisation of health care services among asylum seekers and refugees in the Netherlands, including factors that may be related to their health and their utilisation of these services.