PURPOSE: To identify factors that influence serum zinc concentrations in children with acute gastroenteritis. METHODS: Thirty-two children under 5 years of age (15 boys and 17 girls) were selected randomly among those who visited to an pediatric emergency room of Ehwa Womans University Mokdong Hospital with acute gastroenteritis from May to August 2005. This study estimated the association between serum zinc concentrations and clinical, biochemical variables in patients with acute gastroenteritis. RESULTS: Serum zinc concentration was lower in febrile patients than afebrile patients with acute gastroenteritis (67.0+/-25.3 vs 85.5+/-14.2, p<0.05). It also was lower in patients with positive C-reactive protein (CRP) than those with negative CRP (63.9+/-25.4 vs 86.7+/-13.8, p<0.05). Serum zinc concentration was negatively correlated (r=-0.494, p<0.05) with CRP concentration, whereas positively correlated with hematocrit (r=0.370, p<0.05), total protein (r=0.474, p<0.05), and albumin (r=0.636, p<0.05). Twelve patients (37.5%) showed very low serum zinc concentration (<70 microgram/dL) without clinical symptoms of deficiency or growth retardation. Frequency of febrile illness or positive CRP is significantly greater in group with zinc <70 microgram/dL than the group with zinc > or =70 microgram/dL (91.7% vs 55%, p<0.05; 91.7% vs 40%, p<0.05, respectively). CONCLUSION: In patients with acute gastroenteritis, serum zinc concentration was influenced by various factors such as fever, CRP, and biochemical factors. For evaluating zinc status in the body. factors.
C-Reactive Protein ; Child* ; Emergency Service, Hospital ; Female ; Fever ; Gastroenteritis ; Hematocrit ; Humans ; Zinc*

PURPOSE: Obesity is a significant health problem with medical and psychological consequences for children and adolescents. The purpose of this study was to assess the correlation between body fat percent using bioelectrical impedance(BI) and other variable methods. METHODS: We measured height, weight, body mass index(BMI) and body fat percent by skinfold thickness(ST) and BI in 1,035(496 male; 539 female) children from seven to 18 years of age. The correlation coefficients between BI and each of the other different methods were obtained. The sensitivity and specificity to predict obesity by these several methods were studied. RESULTS: Fat percent estimated by BI analysis and BMI showed a strong correlation(r=0.749). Fat percent estimated by BI analysis and ST showed a very strong correlation(r=0.835). At the 95th percentile cut-off point for BI, ST showed a sensitivity of 57.7%, and a specificity of 97.6% for estimating body fat. At the 95th percentile cut-off point for BI, BMI showed a sensitivity of 84.9%, and a specificity of 99.3% for estimating body fat. CONCLUSION: The fat percent estimated by BI analysis correlated strongly with ST or BMI. BI analysis is an objective and accurate method for estimating body fat in childhood obesity.
Adipose Tissue* ; Adolescent ; Body Mass Index ; Body Weight ; Child ; Electric Impedance* ; Humans ; Male ; Obesity ; Pediatric Obesity ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Skinfold Thickness

Infancy and childhood are marked by rapid physical growth and development, and infant's and child's health and development depends on good nutrition. Any disruption in appropriate nutrient intake may have lasting effects on growth potential and development achievement. Nutrition needs and feeding patterns vary significantly in each stage of growth and development. This article summarized the key nutritional issues in the Korea national health screening program for infants and children as followings: encouraging breastfeeding, healthier complementary feeding, healthy foods selection, healthy eating habits, coping with feeding problem (picky eating), and overweight prevention with an emphasis on physical activity.
Achievement ; Breast Feeding ; Child ; Eating ; Feeding Behavior ; Growth and Development ; Humans ; Infant ; Infant Nutritional Physiological Phenomena ; Korea ; Mass Screening ; Motor Activity ; Overweight

Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is characterized by the clustering of obesity, impaired glucose metabolism, hypertension, and dyslipidemia, and is predictive for development of cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes. The high prevalence of MetS is a serious health problem, especially among obese adolescents. Because insulin resistance and obesity play a central role in MetS, treatment of MetS should be primarily focused on improving insulin sensitivity and weight reduction. Nutritional therapy of MetS aims to reduce the intakes of saturated fat and free fructose, and increasing the intakes of dietary fiber, unsaturated fat, and antioxidant nutrients may also be beneficial.
Adolescent ; Cardiovascular Diseases ; Dietary Fiber ; Dyslipidemias ; Fructose ; Glucose ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Insulin Resistance ; Nutrition Therapy ; Obesity ; Prevalence ; Weight Loss

Worldwide, diarrhea remains one of the most common illnesses among children. Oral rehydration therapy (ORT) is the cornerstone of diarrhea treatment. Yet, the rates at which ORT is used are still disappointingly low. Additional treatment interventions include antimotility drugs, antisecretary drugs, adsorbents, probiotics, antibiotics, oral immunoglobulin, micronutrient supplementation. Drugs are generally not necessary. However, selected probiotics may reduce the duration and intensity of diarrhea. Zinc is beneficial especially to malnourished children with diarrhea. Antibiotic treatment is effective mainly in shigella and cholera infection. Other drugs may be effective but require further investigations.
Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Child ; Cholera ; Diarrhea ; Fluid Therapy ; Humans ; Immunoglobulins ; Micronutrients ; Probiotics ; Shigella ; Zinc

Worldwide, diarrhea remains one of the most common illnesses among children. Oral rehydration therapy (ORT) is the cornerstone of diarrhea treatment. Yet, the rates at which ORT is used are still disappointingly low. Additional treatment interventions include antimotility drugs, antisecretary drugs, adsorbents, probiotics, antibiotics, oral immunoglobulin, micronutrient supplementation. Drugs are generally not necessary. However, selected probiotics may reduce the duration and intensity of diarrhea. Zinc is beneficial especially to malnourished children with diarrhea. Antibiotic treatment is effective mainly in shigella and cholera infection. Other drugs may be effective but require further investigations.
Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Child ; Cholera ; Diarrhea ; Fluid Therapy ; Humans ; Immunoglobulins ; Micronutrients ; Probiotics ; Shigella ; Zinc

Juvenile dermatomyositis is an uncommon autoimmune disease with classic heliotrope discoloration of eyelids, erythematous skin rash of joints and proximal muscle weakness. Quite different from adults, malignancy is rarely accompanied in juvenile dermatomyositis. However vasculitis, muscle atrophy, calcification and gastrointestinal involvement are often observed in juvenile dermatomyositis. A six year old boy was admitted with chief complaints of general weakness and skin rash. Muscle biopsy was performed which was consistent with dermatomyositis. The patient was treated with intravenous immunoglobulin, steroid, methotrexate and physiotherapy. We report a case of juvenile dermatomyositis.
Adult ; Autoimmune Diseases ; Biopsy ; Dermatomyositis* ; Exanthema ; Eyelids ; Humans ; Immunoglobulins ; Joints ; Male ; Methotrexate ; Muscle Weakness ; Muscular Atrophy ; Vasculitis

PURPOSE: Helicobacter pylori infection is probably acquired in childhood and persists as an asymptomatic infection for decades in most individuals. It is unclear why only a minority of those infected develop a clinical manifestation, even in childhood, such as peptic ulcer disease. H. pylori infection activates local immune responses and causes lymphocyte infiltration in the gastric mucosa. We have previously reported that both T and B cells in the lamina propria play important roles in the local immune response of H. pylori-infected children. The aim of this study was to investigate the association between H. pylori genotypes and gastric mucosal lymphocytes. METHODS: Twenty-five H. pylori-infected children (10 with peptic ulcer disease and 15 with gastritis) were enrolled in this study. We investigated the genotypes (cagA, cagE, vacA, and babA2) and evaluated the association with clinical manifestations, histopathology, and gastric mucosal lymphocytes. RESULTS: The prevalence of cagA, cagE, vacA s1m1, and babA2 was 80%, 60%, 84%, and 88%, respectively. The most prevalent (68%) combination of cagA, vacA, and babA2 genotypes was cagA+/ vacA s1m1+/babA2+. H. pylori genotypes were not associated with clinical manifestations, histopathology, or gastric mucosal lymphocytes. CONCLUSION: There was no association between the cagA, cagE, vacA, or babA2 status and gastric mucosal lymphocytes. The role of the host immune response in relation to H. pylori genotypes and disease potential in children needs further studies.
Asymptomatic Infections ; B-Lymphocytes ; Child ; Gastric Mucosa ; Genotype ; Helicobacter ; Helicobacter pylori ; Humans ; Lymphocytes ; Mucous Membrane ; Peptic Ulcer ; Prevalence

Purpose: Helicobacter pylori infection is one of the most common gastrointestinal infections worldwide; it almost invariably causes chronic gastritis. Pediatric studies may provide important insights into the mucosal immune response of H. pylori-infection, as children are not submitted to environmental factors such as alcohol, tobacco and anti-inflammatory medication. The aim of the present study was to investigate the mucosal immune response against H. pylori in clinically well-defined groups: H. pylori-positive (divided into peptic ulcer disease and gastritis) and H. pylori-negative control. Methods: Antral biopsies were obtained from 45 children undergoing an upper GI endoscopy for dyspeptic symptoms. T cells (CD3+, CD4+, CD8+) and B cells (CD20+) were analyzed by quantitative immunohistochemistry. The correlation of lymphocyte subsets of gastric mucosa with histology was evaluated. Results: T cells (CD3+, CD4+, CD8+) and B cells (CD20+) were significantly increased in the lamina propria of H. pylori-positive group (p<0.01). CD8+ T cells were significantly increased in the lamina propria of the H. pylori-positive peptic ulcer disease (p<0.01). Within the epithelium, only CD4+ T cells were significantly increased in the H. pylori-positive group (p<0.01). Gastric histological parameters had a closer correlation with lymphocytes in the lamina propria than intraepithelial lymphocytes. Conclusion: This study suggests that both T cells and B cells in the lamina propria play important roles in the local immune response of H. pylori-infected children. Furthermore, it remains to be elucidated whether CD8+ T cells in the lamina propria may contribute to peptic ulcer formation in H. pylori-infected children.
B-Lymphocytes ; Biopsy ; Carbamates ; Child ; Endoscopy ; Epithelium ; Gastric Mucosa ; Gastritis ; Helicobacter ; Helicobacter pylori ; Humans ; Immunity, Mucosal ; Immunohistochemistry ; Lymphocyte Subsets ; Lymphocytes ; Mucous Membrane ; Organometallic Compounds ; Peptic Ulcer ; T-Lymphocytes ; Tobacco

PURPOSE: The prevalence of childhood obesity has increased dramatically. It is important to know about life style and dietary habits of the obese children because the treatment of childhood obesity focuses on using behavioral modification techniques. We aimed to develop a questionnaire for the purpose of providing convenient and useful guidance to pediatricians who evaluate and treat obese children. METHODS: Previously developed questionnaire was given to 94 obese children and their parents who had visited clinic for obese children and adolescents. We analyzed response rates on questions and reliability between children and their parents. RESULTS: The response rates on questions were somewhat high. Agreement of paired questions of both parents and children was also moderately high (63~92%). It is acceptable to complete questions by either parents or children alone. Items for hours of playing video games or computer, maternal job, kind of consuming beverage and food outside home were added. CONCLUSION: We concluded that some questions are not needed to be given to both parents and their children. It would be better to have parents record life style of their children and to have children record their food intake with physical activity outside home.
Adolescent ; Beverages ; Child* ; Eating ; Food Habits ; Health Behavior* ; Humans ; Life Style ; Motor Activity ; Obesity ; Parents ; Pediatric Obesity ; Prevalence ; Surveys and Questionnaires* ; Video Games