The pediatric trauma C-spine: is the 'odontoid' view necessary?

BACKGROUND/PURPOSE

The "odontoid view" is a difficult and often hazardous film to obtain in young children. The aim of this study was to determine if the transoral roentgenogram is necessary in the evaluation of the pediatric cervical spine.

METHODS

A retrospective, multiinstitutional review was performed of all patients 16 years of age and under with documented cervical spine injury in a large metropolitan area during the past decade. Fifty-one children with cervical spine injury were identified from the medical records at 4 hospitals.

RESULTS

The 0- to 8-year-old age group had a significantly higher incidence of upper (occiput to C3) cervical injury than the 9- to 16-year-old age group (67% v 39%; P < .05). In the 0- to 8-year-old group the initial lateral/anteroposterior radiograph made the diagnosis of cervical spine injury in 13 of 15 patients (87%), and in no patients was the transoral odontoid view used to make the diagnosis of cervical spine injury. In only 1 patient in the 9- to 16-year-old age group with a type III odontoid fracture was this view deemed useful. The overall mortality rate in this series was 7.8% with all deaths secondary to associated head injury.

CONCLUSIONS

In the 0- to 8-year-old age group in whom the incidence of cervical spine injury is rare but frequently involves the upper cervical spine, the transoral odontoid roentgenogram may be of little value in the evaluation of the spine and should not be considered necessary in "clearing" the pediatric cervical spine. An alternative evaluation of these patients would include an initial lateral and AP radiograph, followed by computed tomography scan.

Fine mapping of IGAD1 in IgA deficiency and common variable immunodeficiency: identification and characterization of haplotypes shared by affected members of 101 multiple-case families

To limit the region containing a mutation predisposing to selective IgA deficiency (IgAD) and common variable immunodeficiency (CVID), 554 informative members of 101 multiple-case families were haplotyped at the IGAD1 candidate locus in the MHC. Microsatellite markers were placed onto the physical map of IGAD1 to establish their order and permit rapid haplotype analyses. Linkage analysis of this extended family set provided additional support for a strong susceptibility locus at IGAD1 with a maximum multipoint nonparametric linkage score in excess of 3. Although the transmission of maternal IGAD1 haplotypes from unaffected heterozygous parents to the affected offspring was in excess, this was not apparent in multiple-case families with a predominance of affected mothers, suggesting that this parental bias is influenced by the affection status of transmitting parents and supporting a maternal effect in disease susceptibility. Of 110 haplotypes shared by 258 affected family members, a single haplotype (H1) was found in 44 pairs of affected relatives, accounting for the majority of the IGAD1 contribution to the development of IgAD/CVID in our families. The H1 allelic variability was higher in the telomeric part of the class III region than in the distal part of the class II region in both single- and multiple-case families. Incomplete H1 haplotypes had most variant alleles in the telomeric part of the analyzed region in homozygous IgAD/CVID patients, whereas this was not observed in unaffected homozygotes. These data suggest that a telomeric part of the class II region or centromeric part of the class III region is the most likely location of IGAD1.

American Burn Association/Shriners Hospitals for Children burn outcomes questionnaire: construction and psychometric properties

To develop a standardized, practical, self-administered questionnaire to monitor pediatric patients with burns and to evaluate the effectiveness of comprehensive pediatric burn management treatments, a group of experts generated a set of items to measure relevant burn outcomes. Children between the ages of 5 and 18 years were assessed in a cross-sectional study. Both parent and adolescent responses were obtained from children 11 to 18 years old. The internal reliability of final scales ranged from 0.82 to 0.93 among parents and from 0.75 to 0.92 among adolescents. Mean differences between parent and adolescent were small; the greatest difference occurred in the appearance subscale. Parental scales showed evidence of validity and potential for sensitivity to change. In an effort to support the construct validity of the new scales, they were compared with the Child Health Questionnaire and related to each other in clinically sensible ways. These burn outcomes scales reliably and validly assess function in patients with burns, and the scales have been developed in such a way that they are likely to be sensitive to change over time.

An analysis of the incremental value of retaining brand-level information in food consumption databases in estimating food additive intake

In the Dietary and Nutritional Survey of British Adults (DNSBA) food consumption database, brand level intake data are recorded for 2197 subjects over 7 days. This study set out to examine the incremental value of such brand level data in food consumption studies to estimate additive intake. The food codes in the DNSBA database were re-arranged into 14 food categories within each of which were varying numbers of both sub-categories of foods and of brands. Intake of the 97.5th percentile for brands and sub-categories were compared with intakes at the 97.5th percentile of the appropriate food category. Taking > or = 60 consumers as the minimal sample size for which a 97.5th percentile statistic can be calculated, only 6% of the 1363 brands listed had sufficient data to work with. Of the 14 food categories, six had a sub-category with a 97.5th percentile in excess of that of the category but none exceeded 1.3 x 97.5th percentile intake of the category. Of the 85 brands for which there were > or = 60 consumers, only 11 had 97.5th percentile intakes in excess of that statistic for the relevant food category and none exceeded a multiple of 1.3 times the category 97.5th percentile intakes. Unless dietary surveys are very large and carried out for longer periods of time, there is little value in retaining food consumption data at brand level. If 1.3x the intake of an additive from a given food category at the 97.5th percentile does not exceed the ADI, no sub-category or brand appears to do so. This may provide a valuable technique in crude estimates of food additive intake.

Thyroid function in lead smelter workers: absence of subacute or cumulative effects with moderate lead burdens

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the effect of low to moderate occupational lead exposure on thyroid function we conducted a cross-sectional study of 151 male lead smelter workers.

METHODS

Parameters of thyroid function were assessed in relation to both subacute and cumulative lead exposure over a 10-year employment period. Blood lead levels, obtained from plant surveillance records, were used to establish four ordinal levels of current and cumulative exposure (< 15, 15-24, 25-39, and > or =40 microg/dl).

RESULTS

Mean values for the lowest as compared with the highest current exposure group were similar for thyroxine (T4: 6.8 versus 6.1 microg/dl), estimated free thyroxine (EFT4: 1.6 ng/dl in both groups), and thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH: 1.8 versus 1.7 mIU/l); there was no evidence of a significant trend for diminished thyroid function associated with increasing current lead exposure. Similarly, no significant difference was observed for T4, EFT4, or TSH in relation to the 10-year cumulative exposure or for adjusted analyses controlling for potential confounders, including age and alcohol use.

CONCLUSION

In contrast to studies observing thyroid dysfunction in the setting of high lead exposure and related clinical poisoning, our findings weigh against a significant physiologic effect on thyroid function at lower levels (< 60 microg/dl) of occupational lead exposure.

Filgrastim during combination chemotherapy of patients with poor-prognosis metastatic germ cell malignancy. European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer, Genito-Urinary Group, and the Medical Research Council Testicular Cancer Working Party, Cambridge, United Kingdom

PURPOSE

To determine the effect of r-metHu granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) on the proportion of patients with metastatic poor-prognosis malignant germ cell tumors who receive full dose-intensity combination chemotherapy.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

In a phase III study patients received six cycles of BEP/EP (etoposide, and cisplatin, plus or minus bleomycin) or six cycles of BOP/VIP-B (bleomycin, vincristine, cisplatin/etoposide, ifosfamide, cisplatin, bleomycin). A subset were secondarily randomized to receive or not receive filgrastim. Filgrastim 5 microg/kg/day was administered subcutaneously on days 3 through 9 after each BOP and on days 6 through 19 after each VIP, BEP, or EP cycle.

RESULTS

Eighty-five percent of 120 eligible patients randomized to filgrastim received at least six chemotherapy cycles compared with 70% of 130 patients randomized to not receive filgrastim (VCP = .003). Patients in the filgrastim-arm achieved significantly higher dose-intensities. Neutropenic fever occurred in 25 of 128 filgrastim-patients and in 38 of 129 non-filgrastim-patients (P = .052). Twelve and three toxic deaths occurred in the non-filgrastim- and filgrastim-arms, respectively. Nine of the 12 toxic deaths and all of the three toxic deaths were associated with febrile grade 4 neutropenia. Failure-free and overall survival were similar in both arms.

CONCLUSION

During combination chemotherapy in patients with malignant germ cell tumors, the routine use of filgrastim significantly improved the delivery of the planned treatment schedule without effect on failure-free or overall survival. The use of filgrastim was associated with a clinically important reduction in the number of toxic deaths, confined to the experimental intensified-chemotherapy schedule. This study does not support the routine use of filgrastim during standard chemotherapy with BEP.

Intensive induction-sequential chemotherapy with BOP/VIP-B compared with treatment with BEP/EP for poor-prognosis metastatic nonseminomatous germ cell tumor: a Randomized Medical Research Council/European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer study

PURPOSE

The aim of this randomized trial was to assess the potential therapeutic advantage of an intensive induction-sequential chemotherapy schedule (bleomycin, vincristine, cisplatin [BOP])/etoposide, ifosfamide, cisplatin, and bleomycin [VIP-B]), compared with a regimen based on bleomycin, etoposide, and cisplatin (BEP) (BEP/etoposide and cisplatin [EP]) for the treatment of patients with poor-prognosis metastatic nonseminomatous germ cell tumors (NSGCTs).

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Patients had one or more of the following: a retroperitoneal mass > or = 10 cm in diameter; mediastinal or supraclavicular mass > or = 5 cm in diameter; at least 20 lung metastases (any size); liver, bone, or brain metastases; and serum beta human chorionic gonadotropin (betaHCG) > or = 10,000 IU/L or alfa fetoprotein (AFP) > or = 1,000 IU/L. A total of 380 patients were accrued between May 1990 and June 1994 into this joint Medical Research Council (MRC)/European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) trial; of these, nine patients were deemed ineligible.

RESULTS

There was no significant difference between the two arms in the proportion of patients who achieved a complete response (CR) with chemotherapy alone, ie, 79 of 185 assessable patients (57%) with BEP/EP and 72 of 186 (54%) with BOP/VIP-B (P = 0.687). With a median follow-up of 3.1 years (maximum, 5.8), a total of 107 patients (28%) had progressive disease. There was no significant difference in time to first disease progression, or failure-free or overall survival between the two arms (P = 0.21, 0.101, and 0.190, respectively). The 1-year failure-free survival rates for BEP/EP and BOP/VIP-B were 60% (95% confidence interval [CI], 53% to 67%) and 53% (95% CI, 47% to 61%). Grade 3 or 4 myelosuppression, febrile neutropenia, and weight loss were more pronounced with BOP/VIP-B than with BEP/EP, and there were more toxic deaths with BOP/VIP-B than BEP/EP (18 [9%] v nine [5%]).

CONCLUSION

The intensive BOP/VIP-B therapy was associated with more toxicity, but there was no evidence of an improvement in response rate or survival compared with treatment with BEP/EP.

Characterization of 12 microsatellite loci of the human MHC in a panel of reference cell lines

The human genome contains a large number of interspersed microsatellite repeats which exhibit a high degree of polymorphism and are inherited in a Mendelian fashion, making them extremely useful genetic markers. Several microsatellites have been described in the HLA region, but allele nomenclature, a set of broadly distributed controls, and typing methods have not been standardized, which has resulted in discrepant microsatellite data between laboratories. In this report we present a detailed protocol for genotyping microsatellites using a semi-automated fluorescence-based method. Twelve microsatellites within or near the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) were typed in the 10th International Histocompatibility Workshop homozygous typing cell lines (HTCs) and alleles were designated based on size. All loci were sequenced in two HTCs providing some information on the level of complexity of the repeat sequence. A comparison of allele size obtained by genotyping versus that obtained by direct sequencing showed minor discrepancies in some cases, but these were not unexpected given the technical differences in the methodologies. Fluorescence-based typing of microsatellites in the MHC described herein is highly efficient, accurate, and reproducible, and will allow comparison of results between laboratories.

Chromosomal localization of three human dual specificity phosphatase genes (DUSP4, DUSP6, and DUSP7)

Mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase phosphatases constitute a growing family of dual specificity phosphatases thought to play a role in the dephosphorylation and inactivation of MAP kinases and are therefore likely to be important in the regulation of diverse cellular processes such as proliferation, differentiation, and apoptosis. For this reason it has been suggested that MAP kinase phosphatases may be tumor suppressors. We have determined the chromosomal locations of three human dual specificity phosphatase genes by fluorescence in situ hybridization and radiation hybrid mapping. The genes were localized to three different chromosomes, MKP2 (DUSP4) to 8p11-p12, MKP3 (DUSP6) to 12q22-q23, and MKPX (DUSP7) to 3p21. This will allow the potential roles of these genes in disease processes to be evaluated.

The protective effect of beta-carotene and retinol on ventilatory function in an asbestos-exposed cohort

The association between serum beta-carotene or retinol concentration and level of ventilatory function was investigated in a population of asbestos-exposed men with a high rate of current and former cigarette smoking. The study population consisted of 816 subjects enrolled in the pilot component of the Carotene and Retinol Efficacy Trial (CARET), a placebo-controlled trial of supplemental beta-carotene and retinyl palmitate for the chemoprevention of lung cancer. Data available for analysis included baseline questionnaire, spirometry, chest X-ray, food frequency questionnaire, and serum beta-carotene and retinol concentrations. Serum beta-carotene concentration was associated with FEV1 (p < 0.05) and FVC (p < 0.05), with an approximately 100-ml increase over predicted values associated with raising the serum concentration from the 25th to the 75th percentile of the distribution in the study population (absolute difference = 155 ng/ml), even after adjustment for the confounding effects of asbestos exposure and cigarette smoking. Raising the serum retinol concentration from the 25th to the 75th percentile (absolute difference = 211 ng/ml) was associated with an approximately 70 ml increase in FVC (p < 0.05) over the predicted value. These results provide support for the hypothesis that beta-carotene and retinol have a protective effect on loss of ventilatory function.

Characterization of recombination in the HLA class II region

Studies of linkage disequilibrium across the HLA class II region have been useful in predicting where recombination is most likely to occur. The strong associations between genes within the 85-kb region from DQB1 to DRB1 are consistent with low frequency of recombination in this segment of DNA. Conversely, a lack of association between alleles of TAP1 and TAP2 (approximately 15 kb) has been observed, suggesting that recombination occurs here with relatively high frequency. Much of the HLA class II region has now been sequenced, providing the tools to undertake detailed analysis of recombination. Twenty-seven families containing one or two recombinant chromosomes within the 500-kb interval between the DPB1 and DRB1 genes were used to determine patterns of recombination across this region. SSCP analysis and microsatellite typing yielded identification of 127 novel polymorphic markers distributed throughout the class II region, allowing refinement of the site of crossover in 30 class II recombinant chromosomes. The three regions where recombination was observed most frequently are as follows: the 45-kb interval between HLA-DNA and RING3 (11 cases), the 50-kb interval between DQB3 and DQB1 (6 cases), and an 8.8-kb segment of the TAP2 gene (3 cases). Six of the 10 remaining recombinants await further characterization, pending identification of additional informative markers, while four recombinants were localized to other intervals (outliers). Analysis of association between markers flanking HLA-DNA to RING3 (45 kb), as well as TAP1 to TAP2 (15 kb), by use of independent CEPH haplotypes indicated little or no linkage disequilibrium, supporting the familial recombination data. A notable sequence motif located within a region associated with increased rates of recombination consisted of a (TGGA)12 tandem repeat within the TAP2 gene.

Localization of the recombination points in a family with two DR/DP recombinations

In a family with a maternal DR/GLO recombination, cellular DP typing showed it to be located between DR and DP. RFLP studies done during the 9th international histocompatibility workshop gave anomalous segregation patterns of DPA and DPB bands that could be interpreted as being due to a second, paternal DR/DP recombination. This assumption was confirmed later by PCR-SSO typing. A more precise mapping has been done by new markers showing the maternal recombination to be within the TAP2 locus and the paternal recombination to be between DQB1 and DQB3. This supports earlier suggestions of a hot spot of recombination in the TAP region. The recombinations involve parental haplotypes that presently show DR/DP linkage disequilibrium in the French population and it is proposed that DR/DP recombinations occur randomly while B/DR recombinations preferentially occur on haplotypes without strong linkage disequilibrium. Existing DR/DP linkage disequilibria in a given population will thus be broken down with time. The mixed lymphocyte culture response towards an isolated DP difference was tested in this and another DR/DP recombinant family. It showed that an alloresponse towards DP may be highly variable and this suggests that it might be important to define the rules for the strength of this reaction and the possible implications for allotransplantation.

Molecular mapping of a recombination hotspot located in the second intron of the human TAP2 locus

Recombination across the HLA class II region is not randomly distributed, as indicated by both strong linkage disequilibrium within the 100 kb encompassing the DRB1-DQA1-DQB1 loci and complete equilibrium between TAP1 and TAP2, the closest variant sites of which are < 15 kb. In an attempt to explain these observations, 39 novel polymorphic markers in a region encompassing the TAP, LMP, and DOB genes were used to delineate the site of crossover in 11 class II recombinant chromosomes. SSCP demonstrated that two recombination events occurred within an 850-bp interval in the second intron of TAP2, which separates the variant sites of TAP1 and TAP2. These data indicate the presence of a recombination hotspot, the first to be identified from the analysis of familial transmission in the human major histocompatibility complex. The region of crossover was cloned and sequenced from one of the recombinants, further defining the crossover site to a 138-bp segment nested within the 850-bp region. This represents the most precisely defined region of recombination in the human genome.

Risk factors for Alzheimer's disease and dementia: a case-control study based on the MRC elderly hypertension trial

We surveyed 1,545 subjects--recruited into the UK Medical Research Council elderly hypertension treatment trial between 1982 and 1987--to detect incident cases of dementia, identifying 50 cases of dementia, including 31 cases of probable or possible Alzheimer's disease (AD). These we compared with 223 unimpaired, unmatched controls from the same population for exposure to familial, cardiovascular, educational, and geographic risk factors for dementia. Our study confirms the association of family history of dementia with dementia (odds ratio [OR] = 4.36) and AD (OR = 4.69), and of advanced age with dementia (OR = 2.81). Rural residence exerted a protective effect for dementia (OR = 0.21) and AD (OR = 0.28). We report near-significant associations between AD and dementia and several cardiovascular risk factors (ECG ischemia, systolic hypertension, and smoking) among subjects lacking a family history of dementia. We postulate the existence of a nonfamilial form of dementia transcending traditional categories of multi-infarct dementia and AD, more common among urban residents, and mediated through vascular pathology. Risk factors reported elsewhere but not confirmed in this study were advanced maternal age and winter season of birth.

Walking the talk: how effective boards accelerate performance. Interview by Elizabeth Preiss, Ron Shulman, and Patrick O'Callaghan

The interviews demonstrated the belief that boards are accountable for ensuring the effective performance of their organizations. A board's obligation and authority is not limited to recruiting, appointing and replacing the organization's CEO and officers. It must also guide, shape, improve and reward what people do on the job. Performance management is not a simple process. It depends on a number of contributing factors operating in concert. To perform well, people must understand what is expected of them, their work context and their role. They must receive appropriate feedback on how they are doing from someone whom they respect and trust, someone with insight into their jobs and authority to manage them. The board's ability and obligation to contribute leadership, to be the primary force steering the organization, rests on the effectiveness with which it is able to play the performance management role.

Thyrotoxicosis induced by choriocarcinoma a report of two cases

We report two cases of choriocarcinoma, one uterine, the other a component of an ovarian germ cell tumour, in both instances clinically overt thyrotoxicosis was a feature of their initial presentation. These cases highlight a rare clinical association which is due a thyrotropic action of Human Chorionic Gonadotrophin.

Automated integration of external databases: a knowledge-based approach to enhancing rule-based expert systems

Expert system applications in the biomedical domain have long been hampered by the difficulty inherent in maintaining and extending large knowledge bases. We have developed a knowledge-based method for automatically augmenting such knowledge bases. The method consists of automatically integrating data contained in commercially available, external, online databases with data contained in an expert system's knowledge base. We have built a prototype system, named DBX, using this technique to augment an expert system's knowledge base as a decision support aid and as a bibliographic retrieval tool. In this paper, we describe this prototype system in detail, illustrate its use, and discuss the lessons we have learned in its implementation.

The 'SiteRite' ultrasound machine--an aid to internal jugular vein cannulation

The 'SiteRite' is a portable ultrasound imaging system designed to aid vein location during internal jugular vein cannulation. It was compared to the use of anatomical landmarks for internal jugular vein cannulation. It was easy to use and gave good quality images, increased the speed of cannulation, decreased the number of attempts to locate the internal jugular vein and reduced the failure rate, although it had no effect on the incidence of carotid artery puncture.

Neoplastic angioendotheliomatosis: a treatable "vascular dementia" occurring in an immunosuppressed transplant patient

A 53-year-old right-handed woman presented with headaches and dizziness. She had been well for ten years following successful cadaveric renal transplantation and was taking prednisolone and azathioprine. Two months later she had more headaches with transient dominant hemisphere disturbances and then suffered a completed right hemisphere deficit. As this was recovering, she developed an ischemic optic neuropathy, Computerized tomography (CT) was then normal although CSF analysis showed lymphocytosis and high protein. Steroid trial led to dramatic symptomatic and clinical recovery. On tailing off steroids, progressive bilateral hemisphere disturbance occurred. She was bedbound, with fever, headache, incontinence and disturbed consciousness. New evidence of infarction in watershed territories on CT led to temporal lobe biopsy. Cortical arterioles and venules showed proliferation of lymphoid cells staining for leucocyte common antigen and B-cell markers characteristic of Neoplastic Angioendotheliomatosis (NAE). After chemotherapy she regained independence and mobility and CSF protein fell. This is the first case of NAE to our knowledge in association with immunosuppression for renal transplant and is further evidence that NAE is malignant lymphoma. Cerebrovascular disease is common in such patients, the simultaneous events in differing territories is typical of NAE. Response to chemotherapeutic agents occurred although the typical natural history was unchanged.

Potentiation of the hypoglycaemic response to glipizide in diabetic patients by histamine H2-receptor antagonists

In a randomised placebo controlled study, two groups of six maturity onset diabetic patients stabilised on glipizide were given cimetidine (400 mg) or ranitidine (150 mg) 3 h before a standardised meal. In comparison with placebo, both cimetidine and ranitidine significantly reduced the post-prandial rise in blood glucose by a mean of 40% and 25% respectively producing glucose levels of less than 3 mmol l-1 (lowest 1.5 mmol l-1) in four patients. Both drugs also significantly increased plasma glipizide AUC by approximately 20%. Caution should be exercised when initiating treatment with H2-receptor antagonists in diabetics receiving sulphonylurea hypoglycaemic agents.

The Gospel Oak project 1987-1990: provision and use of community services

This longitudinal survey of elderly people examines morbidity and service usage. 705 elderly people who lived in their own homes were interviewed as part of the Gospel Oak project in 1987/88, and in 1990, 524 (74.3%) were re-interviewed--90 (12.8%) had died, 51 (7.2%) had moved and 40 (5.7%) refused a follow-up interview. The results indicate that 60% of residents (1987/88 and 1990) had been in contact with community services within the month before the survey. Respondents with depression were mostly in contact with the health service, those with dementia were in contact with social services. Long-term activity-limited people had high contact with both services, although this finding was less likely among newly activity-limited people. Multiple service-users from the first survey were likely to be either dead, or high service-users in 1990. Low service-users tended to continue to be low service-users. New users were generally living alone, aged around 70 years and had been relatively healthy previously. Respondents who stopped using services were generally younger, mostly women, and possibly depressed. People who had never been service-users, were generally younger and healthier. Information on community services performance is inadequate to ensure targeted, efficient services, and this survey gives detailed information to help planning and resource allocation.

Embryoscopy: a closer look at first-trimester diagnosis and treatment

Advancing technology has made the fetus and its environment even more accessible to prenatal diagnosis and treatment. The current approach to prenatal diagnosis relies mainly on the use of high-resolution ultrasonography. However, as attempts are made to conduct antenatal diagnoses earlier in gestation, the limits of ultrasonography are approached. Embryoscopy allows for direct visualization of the first-trimester fetus with a fiberoptic endoscope. A customized side channel enables the operator to pass a variety of diagnostic tools and gain access into the fetal circulation. The further development and refinement of this technology are expected to change early prenatal diagnosis and treatment considerably. The potential contribution of this technique to perinatal medicine is readily apparent when it is placed in historic context. Undoubtedly, many ethical, legal, and regulatory questions will have to be addressed before the full potential of embryoscopy is realized. The responsibility for the judicious use of this powerful technology for prenatal intervention will have to be shared by the scientific community and a well-informed public.

Recurrent pneumatosis intestinalis in young infants

In 67 infants with necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) at Children's Hospital of Michigan from 1987-1990, three had recurrent pneumatosis intestinalis (PI) after the neonatal period and after hospital discharge. All three infants were premature (26-34 weeks), and one had an additional risk factor of gastroschisis. All three had their initial episode of NEC within the first month of life. Two had bowel resections, and one was treated medically. 15 h to seven months after discharge from the hospital, all three infants developed recurrent PI at ages ranging from 2.5 to 9 months. Two of the infants had free intraperitoneal air. Though all three infants had PI, only one had true recurrent NEC with ischemic bowel and died. This baby was the only one with rotazyme positive stools. The second infant, who had surgery for gastroschisis, had incomplete obstruction secondary to adhesions resulting in PI. Since surgery this infant has thrived. The third infant had extensive PI of the colon with free air. At surgery there was no evidence of bowel perforation. The free air was attributed to rupture of one of the many colonic cysts of PI. Subsequently, the child has done well. Recurrent PI in infants who have had NEC is unusual and the causes are varied. Because more neonates are surviving NEC, the pediatric radiologist needs to be aware of this delayed complication.

Carbamazepine for treatment-resistant melancholia

BACKGROUND

There have only been a few studies of the role of carbamazepine in the management of treatment-resistant depression.

METHOD

The response to carbamazepine of 16 melancholic patients, who had been depressed for an extended period despite a number of standard treatments, was studied retrospectively.

RESULTS

Seven patients (44%) had a moderate or marked improvement. The responders included both psychotic and nonpsychotic depressives, and patients with concurrent organic brain disease. There was, however, a high rate of complications, with 5 of these 7 responders (71%) having to discontinue carbamazepine because of adverse effects. This high rate of complications may have reflected the older age of our sample.

CONCLUSION

These findings suggest the efficacy of carbamazepine in melancholic patients who have not responded to conventional treatments, but indicate that the high rate of significant side effects may limit its long-term usefulness.

First trimester diagnosis of a partial mole with the combined use of ultrasound and chorionic villous sampling

A patient with vaginal bleeding in the first trimester of pregnancy had a serum human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) titer of 495,132 mlU/ml and an abdominal ultrasound examination revealed an intrauterine gestational sac without a fetal pole. Two and a half weeks later the hCG titer was 385,000 mlU/ml and a fetal pole was visualized. Transabdominal villous sampling was performed because of the suspicion of a partial mole. Histopathologic examination showed hydropic villi and chromosomal studies were consistent with triploidy. The diagnosis of partial mole in the first trimester of pregnancy was made and the pregnancy terminated.

A study of emotion and behaviour in children attending a normal school in an urban area

Anxiety, depression, self-esteem, behavioural deviance and prosocial behaviour were studied in children attending a normal school in a disadvantaged urban area, using self-rated and teacher-rated questionnaires. The prevalence of depression was rated as 5%. 15% described frequent suicidal thoughts. 40% scored as behaviourally deviant. Significant correlations were found between the variables studied. The rates of depression and behavioural deviance were higher than in comparable British populations.

Transvaginal ultrasonography for the diagnosis of ectopic pregnancy

The transvaginal (TVU) and transabdominal (TAU) ultrasound approaches were compared in their ability to identify by direct visualization the adnexal mass of ectopic pregnancy. There were 22 patients who had a surgically proven ectopic pregnancy. The TAU approach identified the adnexal mass in 50% and the TVU approach in 91% of the patients (P less than 0.01). Below both previously reported threshold titers for the expected TAU intrauterine sac visualization, at 6500 mIU and 3600 mIU, respectively, the TVU approach allowed the identification of significantly more ectopic adnexal masses than the TAU approach. The results of the present study demonstrate the increased efficacy of TVU over TAU in the direct identification of the adnexal mass associated with ectopic gestation.

The frequency of aneuploidy in prenatally diagnosed congenital heart disease: an indication for fetal karyotyping

The frequency of chromosomal abnormalities in infants with congenital heart disease has been estimated from postnatal clinic data to be 5% to 10%. Over an 18-month period we performed fetal echocardiograms on 502 fetuses and found cardiac anomalies in 34. Eleven of these fetuses (32%) had abnormal chromosomes. This marked discrepancy from the data found in the pediatric literature may relate to nonviable fetuses identified in utero, who escape pediatric case identification. We conclude that in cases of fetal heart disease the workup should include either amniocentesis or fetal blood sampling for chromosome analysis. The information can be used for complete parental counseling and for managing delivery and neonatal care.