No Abstracts Available.
Asthma* ; Early Intervention (Education)*

The goal of therapy of epileptic children is to control of seizures with minimal side effects of antiepileptic drug (AED). The relationship between side effects, serum levels and doses of AED were examined prospectively in 72 epileptic children who received monotherapy with phenobarbital, phenytoin, valproate, or carbamazepine for 6 to 26 months. Our results were as follows: 1) Side effects were observed in 59.7% of all patients; in decreasing order, behavioral (41.6%)>digestive (25.0%)>others (22.2%)>neurologic (11.1%). 2) The most common side effects in children treated with phenobarbital (PB) was behavioral (54.2%); these included hyperactivity, drowsiness, sleeping in decreasing order and there was significant relationship between drowsiness and serum level of PB(P<0.05). 3) Common side effects in patients receing carbamazepine (CBZ) were behavioral (52.0%) and digestive (52.2%); behavioral disorders included drowsiness and sleeping which showed significance with dosage of CBZ (P<0.01), digestive disorders were abdominal pain which showed significance, with dosage of CBZ (P<0.05) and weight gain. Other side effects were dizziness, headache, diplopia, tremor pallor, durg eruption, alopecia, aggravated acne etc. 4) The most common side effect in children treated with valproate (VPA) was pallor which showed significance with dosage of VPA (P<0.05). Abdominal pain had<0.05 significance with serum level of VPA, and Other side effects were anemia and weight gain. 5) In 83.3% of all patients, they had no side effects or could tolerate mild side effects. But in 12.5% of patients, the side effects disappeared when dosages were reduced, and AED had to be withdrawn in only 4.2% of patients.
Abdominal Pain ; Acne Vulgaris ; Alopecia ; Anemia ; Anticonvulsants* ; Carbamazepine ; Child* ; Diplopia ; Dizziness ; Headache ; Humans ; Pallor ; Phenobarbital ; Phenytoin ; Prospective Studies ; Seizures ; Sleep Stages ; Tremor ; Valproic Acid ; Weight Gain

Antral web (prepyloric mucosal diaphragm) is a rare gastric anomaly that disturbs the gastric outlet and has sometimes been a diagnostic problem to the radiologist and the endoscopist. It is composed of mucosa that enclose a membrane of submucosa and located at the antrum on variable distances from the pylorus. Web is congenital in origin but may be secondary to chronic peptic ulcer disease. Obstructive symptoms may not occur when diaphragmatic aperture is larger than 1 centimeter in diameter. The diagnosis of web relies on the history, barium study and gastroscopic findings but it may be noticed after laparotomy. We experienced an antral web which demonstrated characteristic endoscopic and radiologic findings in an eight-year-old girl. These typical distinguishable findings in endoscopic and barium study in this case can remind of the antral web in patients with gastric outlet obstruction symptoms. Antral web or pyloric web, although rare, should be considered in the differential diagnosis of upper gastrointestinal obstructive symptoms in patients of any age.
Barium* ; Diagnosis ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Endoscopy ; Female* ; Gastric Outlet Obstruction ; Humans ; Laparotomy ; Membranes ; Mucous Membrane ; Peptic Ulcer ; Pylorus

No abstract available.
Korea* ; Measles* ; Vaccination*

No abstract available.
Child* ; Humans

No abstract available.
Asthma*

No abstract available.
Asthma*

PURPOSE: Airway inflammation is a characteristic feature of asthma. Sputum analysis can be used as a non-invasive tool to assess severity of the airway inflammation. This study was performed to compare relationships between sputum eosinophils to other parameters of airway inflammation and to evaluate the clinical utility of sputum eosinophils and ECP in childhood asthma. METHODS: Twenty one ashtmatic children and age matched control subjects without history of allergy were enrolled in this study. Their age was from 21 months to 15 years old. The study was performed from January to April of 2001. Ultrasonically nebulized hypertonic saline was used to induce sputum from children. The children were pre-treated with bronchodilator and peak expiratory flow rate (PEFR) was monitored thought-out the procedure. Sample were analysed for total cell count, differential cell count and for concentrations of eosinophil cationic protein (ECP). RESULTS: Asthmatic subjects had a significantly higher proportion of blood eosinophils than the control subjects (279.8+/-187.7/mm3 and 26.5+/-18.5/mm3, P<0.01). Correspondingly, percentages of eosinophil and concentration of ECP were 5.10+/-8.79% and 99.85+/-70.10 microL/L in asthmatic and 0.20+/-0.42% and 1.02+/-2.54 microL/L in control subjects (P<0.01 and P<0.01). Serum eosinophils have no correlation with sputum eosinophils or sputum ECP. There was no correlation between sputum eosinophils and ECP either. CONCLUSION: This study suggests that the proportion of eosinophils and the level of ECP in induced sputum may be sensitive and accurate means of assessing the airway inflammation in childhood asthma, and their relationships with serum eosinophils or serum ECP are to be studied further.
Adolescent ; Asthma* ; Cell Count ; Child ; Eosinophil Cationic Protein* ; Eosinophils* ; Humans ; Hypersensitivity ; Inflammation ; Peak Expiratory Flow Rate ; Sputum*

PURPOSE: School-age children spend more than half of the day at school and teachers or school nurses are responsible for managing students with asthma during school hours. Thus, the teachers' knowledge about asthma is very important for the care of asthmatic school children. METHODS: Total 159 teachers were asked to fill out questionnaire on their knowledge about asthma and their personal profiles. The survey was administered by mail. The questionnaire includes 17 items about pathophysiology, symptoms, precipitating factors, treatment, care and prognosis, which were to be answered by either 'true' or 'false'. The correct or incorrect answers were examined data was statistically analyzed by SPSS. RESULTS: Most teachers were in their thirties (54.7%) and years of teaching experience were from six to fifteen years (50.4%). The teachers who experienced asthma students were 23.6%, and 12.6% were either asthma patients or had asthma patients in their family. They had knowledge about precipitating factors of asthma, but, the knowledge was not correct in detail. Only 34% teachers knew what to do and where to contact in case of asthma attack among the students. Teachers' demographic and professional factors did not affect the knowledge about asthma, except their working experience as school nurses and/or with school nursing asthmatic students. CONCLUSION: The survey results demonstrated that their teachers' knowledge about asthma was not sufficient enough to take good care of the asthmatic students at school including emergency management. Asthma education for the school teachers is required and efficient educational programs for the teachers should be developed.
Asthma ; Child ; Education ; Emergencies ; Humans ; Postal Service ; Precipitating Factors ; Prognosis ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; School Nursing

PURPOSE: During the past two decades in Korea, the prevalence rate of childhood asthma has been increased, and also there has been a significant evolution in the management of asthma. In 1994, a guideline for the diagnosis and treatment of asthma was established. This study was designed to investigate a real picture of clinical practice in the management of childhood asthma. METHODS: This survey was conducted with data on 24 items of questionnaires from pediatricians working in private clinics, general hospitals, and university hospitals. We investigated the age distributions, severity of asthma, educational levels, management of asthma, and current trends of medication. RESULTS: 1) In age distribution, childhood asthma was most prevalent in 3-5 years old age group (30-40%), followed by 2 years old age group, and was least prevalent in 10-15 years old age group. 2) The number of patients with cough variant asthma was about 10% of all childhood asthma. 3) A period of 5-10 minutes was the most common period consumed for the explanation of child asthma during each medical practice. Cases recording symptom diary and cases monitoring PEFR (using peak flow meter) were less than 10% each. 4) With regard to the use of beta2 agonist in the treatment of acute asthmatic attack, rate of using oral drugs and nebulizer or inhalers of beta2 agonist are similar in the university hospitals, but the rate of using oral drugs was over 80% in private clinics. 5) With regard to the use of anti-inflammatory drugs in the management of chronic asthma, nebulizer or inhaler therapy was the first-line choice in the university hospitals (rate over 60-90%), oral drugs were main therapy in private clinics. The administration of anti-allergic medication as a preventive measures was recommended in about 40-50%, and ketotifen was used most frequently. 6) Immunotherapy was being performed in about 10% of childhood asthma patients. CONCLUSION: Childhood asthma was most prevalent in the age group under 5 years and severity was mostly mild. For the management of childhood asthma, the education and control for asthma are still insufficient and previously published guidelines have been inappropriately used in practical field.
Age Distribution ; Asthma* ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Cough ; Diagnosis ; Education ; Hospitals, General ; Hospitals, University ; Humans ; Immunotherapy ; Ketotifen ; Korea ; Nebulizers and Vaporizers ; Peak Expiratory Flow Rate ; Prevalence ; Surveys and Questionnaires