Objective:To evaluate the efficacy and safety of rituximab in pediatric myasthenia gravis (MG).Methods:Case series study. The clinical manifestations, laboratory tests, treatment plans and prognosis of 27 pediatric MG patients treated with rituximab from June 2013 to June 2023 at Children′s Medical Center of Peking University First Hospital were retrospectively collected.Results:There were 5 males and 22 females in 27 MG children. The onset age was 2.1 (1.6, 4.8) years, ranging from 8 months to 11 years. The clinical classification included 20 children (74%) of ocular MG and 7 children (26%) of generalized MG. Seventeen children (63%) had positive MG-related pathogenic antibodies, including 17 children of anti-AchR antibody and 1 of them also had anti-MuSK antibody. Rituximab was used as first-line immunosuppressant in 13 children, second-line immunosuppressant in 13 children and third-line immunosuppressant in 1 child. Immunosuppressants used before rituximab including 8 children of cyclosporine, 3 children of tacrolimus, 1 child of azathioprine, 1 child of mycophenolate mofetil and 1 child of cyclosporine combined with azathioprine. Rituximab was used for at least half a year with a follow-up period of more than 12 months. At the last follow-up after rituximab treatment, all children achieved improved or above, 14 children (52%) achieved complete stable remission, 7 children (26%) achieved pharmacologic remission, 1 child (4%) achieved minimal manifestations, and 5 children (18%) improved. After rituximab treatment, 27 children all could reduce the immunomodulation therapy and shorten the course of glucocorticoid therapy, and 22 children (81%) had stopped the glucocorticoid therapy. Among the 14 children with poor efficacy of other immunosuppressants, rituximab had complete stable remission of 7 children. The most common adverse reaction was respiratory infection (4 children (15%)). Only 2 children had allergic reaction to rituximab and got better after symptomatic treatment.Conclusions:Rituximab has good efficacy and tolerance in pediatric MG. Early application of rituximab can improve the prognosis and shorten the course of glucocorticoid treatment.

Objective To analyze the vaccination status of National Immunization Program Vaccines (NIPV) and the occurrence of febrile seizures in children with febrile seizures (FS), and to provide a basis for improving the NIPV vaccination rate and preventing vaccine related disease outbreaks in these children. Methods A total of 416 cases of febrile seizure children who were admitted to the pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) of Guangxi Maternity and Child Health Hospital from January 2021 to January 2023 were selected as the case group. According to 1:1 matching，416 healthy children were randomly selected from the National Immunization Program Information System as the control group. The National Immunization Program Information System was used to inquire about the NIPV vaccination status of the two groups of study subjects. The children in the two groups were asked by phone whether they had febrile seizures after NIPV inoculation. Results The vaccination rates of NIPV (including basic and enhanced NIPV) were lower in the case group than those in the control group, and the differences were statistically significant (all P<0.05). Except for the boosted polio vaccine (PV) and adsorbed diphtheria (DT) vaccine case groups, the overdue vaccination rates were lower than those in the control group, and the overdue vaccination rates in all vaccine case groups were higher than those in the control group (all P<0.05). Conclusion There is no statistically significant difference in adverse reactions between children with a history of febrile seizures and healthy children after NIPV inoculation. The vaccination rate of children with a history of febrile seizures is generally low. All NIPV vaccination rates in children with febrile seizures are lower than those in healthy children, and the vaccines are not vaccinated on time.

Malocclusion,identified by the World Health Organization(WHO)as one of three major oral diseases,profoundly impacts the dental-maxillofacial functions,facial esthetics,and long-term development of～260 million children in China.Beyond its physical manifestations,malocclusion also significantly influences the psycho-social well-being of these children.Timely intervention in malocclusion can foster an environment conducive to dental-maxillofacial development and substantially decrease the incidence of malocclusion or reduce the severity and complexity of malocclusion in the permanent dentition,by mitigating the negative impact of abnormal environmental influences on the growth.Early orthodontic treatment encompasses accurate identification and treatment of dental and maxillofacial morphological and functional abnormalities during various stages of dental-maxillofacial development,ranging from fetal stages to the early permanent dentition phase.From an economic and societal standpoint,the urgency for effective early orthodontic treatments for malocclusions in childhood cannot be overstated,underlining its profound practical and social importance.This consensus paper discusses the characteristics and the detrimental effects of malocclusion in children,emphasizing critical need for early treatment.It elaborates on corresponding core principles and fundamental approaches in early orthodontics,proposing comprehensive guidance for preventive and interceptive orthodontic treatment,serving as a reference for clinicians engaged in early orthodontic treatment.

Objective:To investigate the status of corneal epithelial remodeling and changes in corneal aberration after femtosecond laser-assisted laser in situ keratomileusis (FS-LASIK) and FS-LASIK combined with corneal collagen cross-linking (FS-LASIK Xtra), and to analyze the relationship between corneal epithelial thickness (CET) and corneal aberration.Methods:A cohort study was conducted.A total of 172 patients (172 eyes) who underwent FS-LASIK at Yinhai Eye Hospital of Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine were enrolled from June 2021 to February 2022.The 172 eyes were divided into FS-LASIK group (94 eyes) and FS-LASIK Xtra group (78 eyes) according to the surgical procedure, with a total follow-up of 6 months.The cornea was divided into a central 2-mm ring and a ring of 2-5 mm centered on the central cornea.CET at 9 regions in the central 0-5 mm area was measured by OCT before and at 1, 3 and 6 months after surgery, and the corneal higher-order aberration (HOA) was measured by the iTrace visual function analyzer.The main outcomes were the increase in CET (ΔCET), and corneal HOA at 6 months after surgery.The relationship between central corneal ΔCET and corneal aberration was analyzed.This study adhered to the Declaration of Helsinki.The study protocol was approved by the Ethics Committee of Yinhai Eye Hospital of Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine (No.2021yh-009). Written informed consent was obtained from each subject.Results:At 1, 3 and 6 months after surgery, the central, superior, superior nasal, nasal, inferior nasal, inferior, inferior temporal, temporal and superior temporal ΔCET were significantly smaller in FS-LASIK Xtra group than in FS-LASIK group (all at P<0.05). In FS-LASIK Xtra group, 6-month postoperative central, superior, superior nasal, inferior and inferior temporal ΔCET were significantly larger than those at 1 month after surgery, and 3- and 6-month postoperative temporal ΔCET were significantly larger than that at 1 month after surgery, and 6-month postoperative superior temporal ΔCET was significantly larger than those at 1 and 3 months after surgery (all at P<0.05). In FS-LASIK group, 3- and 6-month postoperative central, superior, inferior and inferior temporal ΔCET were significantly larger than those at 1 month after surgery, and 6-month postoperative superior nasal ΔCET was significantly larger than that at 3 months after surgery, and 6-month postoperative nasal, inferior nasal, temporal, superior temporal ΔCET were significantly larger than those at 1 and 3 months after surgery (all at P<0.05). There was no significant difference in vertical trefoil, vertical and horizontal coma changes at different time points after surgery between both groups (vertical trefoil: χ2group=4.27, P=0.118; χ2time=0.01, P>0.05.vertical coma: χ2group=5.74, P=0.057; χ2time=0.08, P=0.957.horizontal coma: χ2group=3.97, P=0.137; χ2time=0.51, P=0.773). The tilted trefoil changes at 1, 3 and 6 months after surgery of FS-LASIK Xtra group were significantly larger than those of FS-LASIK group (all at P<0.05). The 6-month spherical aberration change in FS-LASIK Xtra group was significantly higher than that at 1 month after surgery, and the 6-month spherical aberration change in FS-LASIK group was significantly higher than that at 1 and 3 months after surgery (all at P<0.05). The 6-month total HOA change in FS-LASIK group was significantly lower than that at 1 and 3 months after surgery (all at P<0.05). In FS-LASIK group, central corneal ΔCET was weakly positively correlated with spherical aberration at 1 and 6 months after surgery ( rs=0.257, P=0.008; rs=0.244, P=0.012), and was weakly positively correlated with total HOA ( rs=0.253, P=0.009; rs=0.279, P=0.004). Conclusions:The postoperative ΔCET after FS-LASIK Xtra is smaller than that after FS-LASIK, but the homogeneity of ΔCET in each region is similar between the two groups.The changes in corneal HOA after surgery are similar in both groups, and there is a certain association between the overall epithelial distribution and corneal aberration.

Humans ; Nitric Oxide ; Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung/drug therapy* ; Lung Neoplasms ; Lung ; Nitric Oxide Synthase ; Macrophages, Alveolar ; Pulmonary Alveoli

Objective:To investigate the safety and feasibility of the CHESS endoscpic ruler (CHESS ruler), and the consistency between the measured values and the interpretation values by endoscopic physician experience.Methods:From January 2021 to January 2022, a total of 105 liver cirrhosis patients with portal hypertension were prospectively enrolled from General Hospital, Xixia Branch Hospital, Ningnan Hospital of People′s Hospital of Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region (29 cases), and the First People′s Hospital of Yinchuan (25 cases), General Hospital of Ningxia Medical University (18 cases), Wuzhong People′s Hospital (10 cases), the Fifth People′s Hospital of Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region (10 cases), Shizuishan Second People′s Hospital (6 cases), Yinchuan Second People′s Hospital (5 cases), and Zhongwei People′s Hospital (2 cases) 8 hospitals. The clinical characteristics of all the patients, including gender, age, nationality, etiolog of liver cirrhosis, and Child-Pugh classification of liver function were recorded. A big gastroesophageal varices was defined as diameter of varices ≥5 mm. Endoscopist (associated chief physician) performed gastroscopy according to the routine gastroscopy procedures, and the diameter of the biggest esophageal varices was measured by experience and images were collected, and then objective measurement was with the CHESS ruler and images were collected. The diameter of esophageal varices of 10 randomly selected patients (random number table method) was determined by 6 endoscopists (attending physician or associated chief physician) with experience or measured by CHESS ruler. Kappa test was used to test the consistency in the diameter of esophageal varices between measured values by CHESS ruler and the interpretation values by endoscopic physician experience.Results:Among 105 liver cirrhosis patients with portal hypertension, male 65 cases and female 40 cases, aged (54.8±12.2) years old, Han nationality 82 cases, Hui nationality 21 cases and Mongolian nationality 2 cases. The etiology of liver cirrhosis included chronic hepatitis B (79 cases), alcoholic liver disease (7 cases), autoimmune hepatitis (7 cases), chronic hepatitis C (2 cases), and other etiology (10 cases). Liver function of 32 cases was Child-Pugh A, Child-Pugh B 57 cases, and Child-Pugh C 16 cases. All 105 liver cirrhosis patients with cirrhotic portal hypertension were successfully measured the diameter of gastroesophageal varices by CHESS ruler, and the success rate of application of CHESS ruler was 100.0% (105/105). The procedure time from the CHESS ruler into the body to the exit of the body after measurement was (3.50±2.55) min. No complications happened in all the patients during measurement. Among 105 liver cirrhosis patients with cirrhotic portal hypertension, 96 cases (91.4%) were recognized as big gastroesophageal varices by the endoscopists. Totally 93 cases (88.6%) were considered as big gastroesophageal varices by CHESS ruler. Eight cases were recognized as big gastroesophageal varices by the endoscopist, however not by the CHESS ruler; 5 cases were recognized as big gastroesophageal varices by the CHESS ruler, but not by the endoscopists; 4 cases were not recognized as big gastroesophageal varices both by the endoscopists and CHESS ruler; 88 cases were recognized as big gastroesophageal varices both by the endoscopists and CHESS ruler. The missed diagnostic rate of big gastroesophageal varices by the endoscopists experience was 5.4% (5/93), and the Kappa value of consistency coefficient between the measurement by the CHESS ruler and the interpretation by endoscopists experience was 0.31 (95% confidence interval 0.03 to 0.60). The overall Kappa value of consistency coefficient by 6 endoscopists measured by CHESS ruler in big gastroesophageal varices diagnosis was 0.77 (95% confidence interval 0.61 to 0.93).Conclusion:As an objective measurement tool, CHESS ruler can make up for the deficiency of subjective judgment by endoscopists, accurately measure the diameter of gastroesophageal varices, and is highly feasible and safe.

Objective:To summarize the therapeutic effect of deep brain stimulation (DBS) for dystonia.Methods:Detailed clinical information and peripheral blood of children with dystonia at Peking University First Hospital from April 2017 to July 2020 were collected.The motor scores of Burke-Fahn-Marsden Dystonia Rating Scale were recorded of the dystonia before and after the treatment of DBS.Whole-exome sequencing was performed on children with dystonia.Then the effect of DBS was evaluated.Results:A total of 32 cases of patients with dystonia treated with DBS were enrolled, including 16 males and 16 females.Twelve cases were treated with globus pallidus internus DBS, and 20 cases were treated with subthalamic nucleus DBS.Twenty cases (62.5%) with pathogenic gene mutations were detected.Pathogenic variants in PANK2 (9 cases), KMT2B(3 cases), GNAO1 (2 cases), GCDH (2 cases), PINK1(1 case), NDUFAF6(1 case), DYT27(1 case) and ADCY5(1 case) were found.The follow-up period was 1 month to 3 years and 8 months.Only 1 case had local infection due to improper home care.The postoperative improvement was 5.66%-95.92%. Conclusions:All patients have a certain degree of relief after DBS without obvious adverse reactions.DBS is an effective treatment for pediatric dystonia.

Objective:To analyze the clinical phenotype and genetic characteristics of children with germline PIGA gene mutations. Methods:The clinical presentations, blood biochemistry, electroencephalogram (EEG), brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and genetic test results of 10 children diagnosed at the Department of Pediatrics of Peking University First Hospital between January 2014 and June 2020 were analyzed.Results:All these 10 children were male, with seizures and severe developmental delay.Five out of eight cases showed hypotonia.Four out of nine cases had facial deformity or multiple organ abnormalities.The onset age of seizures ranged from one month and 28 days to 10 months, with an average age of 4.8 months.There were various types of seizures, and all patients showed focal seizures.The seizures of 6 patients in these 10 cases could be induced by fever disease.Diffuse slow waves mixed focal or multifocal discharges of interictal EEG in 9 cases with PIGA-deficient.Brain MRI showed enlarged subarachnoid space in 44.4% (4/9 cases) of patients.Slight elevated serum alkaline phosphatase could be seen in 2 cases.Genetic analysis confirmed that a total of 8 different mutation sites were found, 7 of which were unreported.In this group, 4 cases were diagnosed with multiple congenital anomalies -hypotonia -seizures syndrome 2 (MCAHS2), 5 cases were diagnosed with developmental delay and epilepsy without deformity, and one case was not classified, respectively. Conclusions:Focal seizure was common in these patients with PIGA mutations, and often induced by fever disease.Interictal EEG was characterized by diffuse slow waves mixed focal or multifocal discharges.Enlarged subarachnoid space was the most common brain MRI abnormality in these patients.The phenotype of patients only partially conformed to typical MCAHS2 manifestations, and most of them had no deformity.

Objective:To summarize the clinical characteristics and the features of electroencephalograph (EEG) of children with DEPDC5 gene variants related epilepsy.Methods:The clinical data, gene variation, EEG and head magnetic resonance image (MRI) of 20 epileptic children with DEPDC5 gene variants admitted to Department of Pediatrics, Peking University First Hospital from May 2017 to November 2020 were retrospectively analyzed.Results:Twenty patients with heterozygous DEPDC5 gene variants were enrolled, 8 of 20 patients were nonsense variants, 6 were missense variants, 3 were frame-shift variants, 2 were splicing variants, and 1 was large fragment deletion. Sixteen cases had hereditary variation and 4 had de novo variation. Fifteen of variations were novel. Nine were male, while 11 were female. Their latest follow-up age ranged from 10 months to 13 years and one month.The epilepsy onset age ranged from 3 hours to 11 years and 3 months, the median age was 10.5 months. Twelve (60%) patients had developmental delay. Nineteen patients had focal seizures, 7 had epileptic spasms, 1 had multiple seizure types including tonic, atypical absence, dystonic and myoclonic seizures. Epileptic form discharges were observed in 18 patients during the interictal phase, and 11 were focal discharges, 7 were multifocal discharges. Ten (50%) patients had abnormal brain MRI, including focal cortical dysplasia in 5 patients, undefined malformation of cortical development in 4 patients, hemimegalencephaly in 1 patient. Four patients were diagnosed as West syndrome and one patient was diagnosed as Lennox-Gastaut syndrome. Fourteen (70%) patients were diagnosed as drug-resistant epilepsy. Four patients became seizure-free by treatment with anti-epileptic drugs. Three children were treated with surgery, and 2 of them became seizure-free, 1 had more than 75% reduction in seizures.Conclusions:DEPDC5 gene variant epilepsy is inherited with incomplete penetrance and focal seizure is the major seizure type. However, epileptic spasms, generalized seizures can also be observed. Half of the patients brain malformations. Most of the patients are drug-resistant epilepsy. Patients with clear epileptogenic zones can be treated with surgery. Treatment-resistant patients are more likely to be complicated with developmental delay.

Objective:To summarize the clinical characteristics of myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein antibody-associated disease (MOGAD) and compare the differences in efficacy of different disease-modifying drugs.Methods:An ambispective cohort study was conducted in 42 children diagnosed with MOGAD at Department of Pediatrics, Peking University First Hospital from January 2012 to March 2021 and conducted long-term follow-up to analyze clinical phenotypes and compare the efficacy of different disease-modifying drugs such as rituximab, mycophenolate mofetil and azathioprine. Kruskal-Wallis H test was used to compare the annual relapse rate of disease-modifying drugs at different times, expanded disability status scale (EDSS) score at the last follow-up, and Wilcoxon rank test was used to compare the annual relapse rate before and after modified disease therapy. The Log-rank (Mantel-Cox) survival curve was used to compare the relapse rate of different disease-modifying drugs. Results:Of the 42 cases, 22 were male and 20 were female, with the age at disease onset of 5.96 (2.33-12.90) years. The disease duration was 4.46 (1.25-13.00) years at the last follow-up with 161 clinical acute attacks. Acute disseminated encephalomyelitis (ADEM) was the most common phenotype of first attack and all attacks during disease course ((60% (25/42) for first attack, 38% (61/161) for all attacks). The most common clinical syndrome was neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorders (NMOSD) (50%, 21/42). Of the 42 children, 5 (12%) showed encephalitis and 6 (14%) combined with anti-N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) antibody overlap syndrome. The most commonly involved areas of brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) were subcortical white matter (71%, 88/124), cortex (26%, 32/124) and periventricular white matter (25%, 32/124). Spinal cord MRI was most frequently involved in cervical (70%, 16/23) and thoracic (61%, 14/23) medulla, and 43% (10/23) longitudinally extensive transeverse myelitis. Disease-modifying drugs were used in 34 patients. The annual relapse rate after treatment with rituximab, mycophenolate mofetil and azathioprine decreased (all P<0.05) and there was no statistically significant difference in the annual relapse proportion among the groups ( P=0.307). Conclusions:The most common clinical attack of first and all of MOGAD in children is ADEM, and the most common clinical syndrome is NMOSD. Rituximab, mycophenolate mofetil and azathioprine can reduce the annual relapse rate, but it is not clear effect of which treatment is better.