No abstract available.
Humans* ; Rotavirus Infections* ; Rotavirus*

No abstract available.

PURPOSE: Antiepileptic drug (AED) therapy has been reported to induce immunological alterations in epileptic patients. However, despite extensive studies, the accumulated data are not consistent and there is still confusion and controversy over the effects of AEDs on the immune system. This study tries to elucidate the effects of anticonvulsant on some immune parameters, and serum concentration of IgA, IgG, IgM. METHODS: Thirty pediatric epileptic patients[Group A (n=12) : patients on carbamazepine, Group B (n=10) : patients on valproic acid and Group C (n=8) : patients on carbamazepine and valproic acid] were enrolled in this study and the levels of IgA, IgG, and IgM were determined before treatment and after 10 months of anticonvulsant therapy. Paired t-test was used to evaluate the data. p values<0.05 were considered significant. RESULTS: The mean serum concentratrions of IgG was elevated in patients receiving anticonvulsants (p<0.05) but mean concentrations of IgA and IgM were not different significantly. CONCLUSION: Our results demonstrate that anticonvulsants elevate the serum concentrations of IgG level, suggesting that anticonvulsants may increase humoral immunity and decrease the opportunity of infectious disease, thus decreasing the convulsion.
Anticonvulsants ; Carbamazepine* ; Child* ; Communicable Diseases ; Humans ; Immune System ; Immunity, Humoral ; Immunoglobulin A ; Immunoglobulin G ; Immunoglobulin M ; Seizures ; Valproic Acid*

Recently, NAG activity has gained increasing importance as and aid in the diagnosis of renoparenchymal diseases. Elevation of urine NAG activity has been found to be an indicator of renoparenchymnal diseases. To evaluate the diagnostic value of the NAG activity test in the renal disease, we carried out clinical study on 31 cases of renal disease patients who had been admitted to the Department of Pediatrics, Chung-Ang University Hospital between March 1992 and February 1993. We analyese by two data: (1) Stastical Package for the Social Science. (2) Students'T test. The results were as follows 1) The urine NAG activity significantly increased (p<0.05) to 69.9+/-5165.69U/hr/mg Creatinine (U/hr/mg Cr) in the renal disease group compared to 3.6+/-1.91U/hr/mg Cr in the control group. 2) The serum NAG activity was 11.69+/-5.18U/L in the renal disease group and 10.58+/-4.04U/L in the control group. There was no significant difference in the serum NAG sctivity between two groups. 3) In the renal disease group, the serum NAG activity was 10.78+/-3.32U/L in male 12.53+/-6.47U/L in female. There was no significant difference between both sexes. In the renal disease, the urine NAG activity was 33.62+/-30.67U/hr/mg Cr in male and 114.05+/-241.62U/hr/mg Cr female. There was no significant difference between both sexes (p<0.05). 4) In the renal disease group, the urine NAG activity increased 314.73+/-420.39U/hr/mg Cr in the 2 years old group but there was no significant difference of urine NAG activity compared to above 2 years old group . 5) The urine NAG activities were 93.1+/-0193.04U/hr/mg Cr in the poteinuria subgroup and 13.3+/-47.62U/hr/mg Cr in the nonproteinuria subgroup and 3.66+/-1.91U/hr/mg Cr in the control group. There was no significant difference between the proteinuria subgroup and the nonproteinuria subgroup. but there was significant difference between nonproteinuria subgroup and control grouop(p<0.005).
Child, Preschool ; Creatinine ; Diagnosis ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Pediatrics ; Proteinuria ; Social Sciences

PURPOSE: It has been known for a long time that infants of insulin dependent diabetic mothers are prone to develop macrosornia, organomegaly, hyperbilirubinemia, respiratory distress syndrome, hypoglycemia, hypocalcemia, septicemia and congenital anomalies in the neonatal period. And echocardiographic asymmetrical- ventricular septal hyper- trophy(ASH) has been observed in the newborn infants of diabetic mothers. The etiology of the ASH remains unknown, although fetal hyperglycemia and subsequent glycogen deposits have been postulated as contributing factors. Therefore, we have studied whether large for gestational age(LGA) has played an important role of developing ASH. METHODS: We compared echocardiographic findings in neonates of LGA and appro- priate for gestational age(AGA), who were admitted to the Department of Pediatrics, Chung Ang University Hospital from April 1994 to March 1997. RESULTS: 1) Mean LVED in LGA and AGA were 1.96+0.06cm and 1.94+0.04cm, respectively. 2) Mean LVPW in LGA and AGA were 0.37+0.05cm and 0.370.05cm, respectively. 3) Mean IVS in LGA and AGA were 0.400.09cm and 0.380.09cm, respectively. 4) Mean IVS/ LVPW in LGA and AGA were 1.09+0.12 and 1.040.17, respectively. There was no statistical significance between two groups in echocardiographic findings. CONCLUSION: There is no relation between LGA and ASH in the neonate. According- ly, we may not need to perform echocardiography LGA routinely.
Echocardiography ; Gestational Age* ; Glycogen ; Humans ; Hyperbilirubinemia ; Hyperglycemia ; Hypertrophy* ; Hypocalcemia ; Hypoglycemia ; Infant ; Infant, Newborn* ; Insulin ; Mothers ; Pediatrics ; Sepsis

No abstract available.
Atrioventricular Block* ; Long QT Syndrome*

PURPOSE: The nephrotic syndrome is characterized by proteinuria, hypoproteinemia, edema and hyperlipidemia. These can change body homeostasis and cause hypertension. This study was designed to determine the relationship between the forearm vasodilating capacity and serum cholesterol level of nephrotic syndrome patients. METHODS: 15 Nephrotic syndrome patients and 17 normal control children who visited Chung-ang University Youngsan Hospital from Sep. 1995 to Sep 1996, were investigated. Each subject underwent forearm plethysmography for mearsurement of blood flow and vascular resistance. RESULTS: 1) Resting blood pressure, heart rate, forearm blood flow, vascular resistance was not significantly different in nephrotic syndrome group and control group. 2) After peak hyperemic periods, blood pressure, heart rate was not significantly different in nephrotic syndrome group and control group. 3) After hyperemic periods, peak forearm vascular blood flow was lower in nephrotic syndrom group (52.0+/-10.6mL/min/100ml) than control group (59.5+/-4.5mL/min/100mL), and minimal forearm vascular resistance was significantly higher in nephrotic syndrome group (1.8+/-0.5mmHg/mL/min/100mL) than control group (1.5+/-0.4mmHg/mL/min/100mL) (p<0.05). 4) vascular dilatation capacity (resting-hyperemic forearm vascular resistance difference) was also significantly lower in nephrotic syndrome group (6.3+/-1.6mmHg/mL/min/100) than control group. 5) Serum cholesterol level is significantly higher in nephrotic syndrome group (253.1+/-133.4mg/dL) than control group (183.5+/-41.0mg/dL). High cholesterol level related with nephrotic duration. 6) resting-hyperemic forearm vascular resistance difference is associated with relapsing frequence, but not associated with cholesterol level and nephrotic syndrome duration. CONCLUSIONS: These data suggest that reactive vascular changes in the forearm of nephrotic syndrome demonstrate early abnormalities of subclinical vascular changes, and these vascular change may contribute to cardiovacular disease and artherosclerosis.
Blood Pressure ; Child* ; Cholesterol ; Dilatation ; Edema ; Forearm ; Heart Rate ; Homeostasis ; Humans ; Hyperlipidemias ; Hypertension ; Hypoproteinemia ; Nephrotic Syndrome* ; Plethysmography* ; Proteinuria ; Vascular Resistance

Henoch-Sch nlein purpura(HSP) frequently follows upper respiratory infection, and one of the causes of this disease is inferred to beta-hemolytic streptococcal infection, but the relationship is still unclear. Familial tendency of this disease is unclear, too. Also genetic relationship of this disease has been in a controversy yet. We experienced two cases of HSP in brother and sister at similar period, and report this case with review of related literatures.
Humans ; Purpura, Schoenlein-Henoch* ; Siblings* ; Streptococcal Infections

BACKGROUND: Healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) are among the most important threats to patient safety. When hospitalized children face these threats, there is morbidity, mortality, prolonged hospitalization, and increased healthcare costs. Research on local healthcare epidemiology is necessary to enhance collective knowledge and evidence formanaging this problem. METHODS: We performed a retrospective analysis of databases of patients who were diagnosed with HAIs at Chung-Ang University Hospital (CAUH) from 2007 through 2011. Cases were selected from the microbiology registry databases. The data on prevalence of HAIs in various wards and its annual trends were compared to previously reported nationwide data. Moreover, we analyzed the patterns of antibiotic susceptibility results for HAI pathogens. RESULTS: A total of 181 HAIs were identified in 122 patients. The HAI rate among pediatric patients at CAUH was 2.4/1,000 person-hospital days. Urinary tract infections (UTIs) (53 episodes, 29.3%) were the most common, followed by pneumonia (33 episodes, 18.2%). Staphylococcus aureus was found to be the most common gram-positive organism, whereas Escherichia coli was the most common gram-negative organism. Methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) comprised 84% of the S. aureus infections. Imipenem resistance was detected in 58.8% and 55.0% of Acinetobacter baumannii and Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolates, respectively. CONCLUSION: Between 2007 and 2011, UTIs were the most common type of HAIs, and MRSA was the most common pediatric HAI pathogen, both in the general ward and intensive care unit at the CAUH. Further research on the epidemiology and pathogenesis of HAIs is necessary and prevention measures should be implemented to prevent HAIs in children.
Acinetobacter baumannii ; Child ; Child, Hospitalized ; Delivery of Health Care ; Escherichia coli ; Health Care Costs ; Hospitalization ; Humans ; Imipenem ; Intensive Care Units ; Methicillin Resistance ; Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus ; Microbial Sensitivity Tests ; Patient Safety ; Patients' Rooms ; Pneumonia ; Prevalence ; Pseudomonas aeruginosa ; Retrospective Studies ; Staphylococcus aureus ; Urinary Tract Infections

In this study, we designed the expert system for the diagnosis of stroke. The causes of stroke in central nervous systems are very diverse, so a doctor who treats the patients with stroke must have the expert knowledge for the quick and correct diagnosis and for the adequate medical management. But the primary physician who engaged in the primary care of the patient with stroke does not have the expert knowledge for the stroke. So, we need to develop the expert system for assisting the diagnosis of stroke. Also the diagnosis system can be used as simulator for the medical students who study the neurology. In this study, we developed the diagnosis expert system that offer a pathological name provided by artificial neural networks. And we designed the inference engine and GUIs(graphical user interfaces). The artificial neural network is a system that provide a possible diagnosis of stroke. We implemented the system using Visual Basic 6.0 of Microsoft Co.
Central Nervous System ; Diagnosis* ; Expert Systems* ; Humans ; Neurology ; Primary Health Care ; Stroke* ; Students, Medical