Archives of disease in childhood
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Psychogenic cough is croupy and explosive, never occurs during sleep, and is not affected by antitussive drugs. Physical and radiographic examinations of the respiratory tract and microbiological investigations are normal. Bronchial asthma manifested as chronic cough should be excluded in each patient by lung function testing.
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Human coronaviruses were found by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay in upper respiratory tract secretions taken during 30% of 108 acute respiratory infections experienced by 30 children under age 6 years with recurrent respiratory infections (index group), and during 29% of 51 acute infections experienced by their siblings. Lower respiratory tract infection--predominantly wheezy bronchitis--occurred in 30% of the index children's coronavirus positive infections but in none of their siblings' infections. Reinfections were common. Two peaks of infection were seen each year in the late autumn/early winter and in the early summer.
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Inflation and oesophageal pressures were recorded simultaneously during bag and mask resuscitation of 9 asphyxiated babies. After half a minute of standard inflation pressures, higher pressures were applied for at least 5 inflations by occluding the blow-off valve. ⋯ These findings were confirmed in 4 fresh stillborn babies studied similarly. We conclude that resuscitation using bag and mask, applying pressures less than 3.5 kPa, should not lead to gastric distension.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative Study Clinical Trial
Failure of intrathecal antitetanus serum to improve survival in neonatal tetanus.
In a prospective study, 161 infants with neonatal tetanus were randomised to receive (a) standard treatment, or (b) standard treatment together with intrathecal equine antitetanus serum, or (c) intrathecal antitetanus serum with systemic betamethasone. There was no difference in survival between the three treatment groups in infants with severe tetanus, but in mild tetanus those who received standard treatment alone had an improved survival rate. Parenteral intramuscular diazepam as a sedative was found to be preferable to paraldehyde, as the latter was associated with a higher incidence of secondary infections.