European journal of paediatric neurology : EJPN : official journal of the European Paediatric Neurology Society
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Eur. J. Paediatr. Neurol. · Jul 2010
Psychosocial adjustment in siblings of young people with Duchenne muscular dystrophy.
Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is a progressive, impairing, life-limiting disorder of childhood. Little is known about how siblings adapt to this. The aim of this study is to document psychosocial adjustment in siblings of patients with DMD. ⋯ Weak/moderate associations with psychological symptoms in siblings varied according to informant and included the following factors: closeness in age to the affected sibling; older sibling age; extent of wheelchair use, burden of illness on family interactions, and siblings reporting high impact of illness on their lives. Psychological symptoms were also associated with less sibling involvement in patient care, with broader psychosocial and family disadvantage and with life stresses. Siblings have an increased risk for emotional problems, which appears influenced by specific illness factors.
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Eur. J. Paediatr. Neurol. · May 2010
Comparative StudyMelatonin versus chloral hydrate for recording sleep EEG.
Although behavioral training could be successful in promoting electroencephalogram (EEG) compliance without restraint or sedation, sleep EEG may increase the yield of seizure activity. Furthermore uncooperative children not amenable to behavioral training require sedation for EEG recording. Our aim was to assess the impact of melatonin on the sleep EEG recording in comparison with chloral hydrate. ⋯ Few adverse effects occurred in both groups (Fisher's exact test, P=0.64). The shorter sleep duration and drowsiness period were the two advantages of melatonin over chloral hydrate. Furthermore higher yield of seizure activity detection in melatonin sedated patients was in favor of its prescription for sleep EEG recording in the pediatric population.
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Eur. J. Paediatr. Neurol. · Mar 2010
Randomized Controlled TrialLorazepam versus diazepam-phenytoin combination in the treatment of convulsive status epilepticus in children: a randomized controlled trial.
Convulsive status epilepticus demands urgent and appropriate management with anticonvulsants. Intravenous diazepam is an established drug in the management of convulsive status epilepticus in adults as well as in children. The efficacy of intravenous lorazepam has not been well established in children. ⋯ Lorazepam is as efficacious and safe as diazepam-phenytoin combination. We recommend use of lorazepam as a single drug to replace the two drug combination of diazepam-phenytoin combination to control the initial seizure in pediatric convulsive status epilepticus.
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Eur. J. Paediatr. Neurol. · Nov 2009
Case Reports Historical ArticleNeural tube defect in a 4000-year-old Egyptian infant mummy: a case of meningocele from the museum of anthropology and ethnography of Turin (Italy).
This paper reports a paleopathological study of a severe neural tube defect in an ancient mummy, more specifically, a meningocele in an Egyptian infant from the XI dynasty (2100-1955B. C.). This is one of the most ancient cases of meningocele in mummified human remains described in paleopathological literature. ⋯ Only targeted, minimally invasive examinations were performed. An anthropological investigation with helical CT scan and histological analysis was used to diagnose the defect and identify post-mortem transformation processes. The analyses confirmed the diagnosis of meningocele in an approximately six-month-old infant.
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Eur. J. Paediatr. Neurol. · Jul 2009
Clinical TrialEfficacy of pregabalin in neuropathic pain in paediatric oncological patients.
To evaluate the safety and efficacy of pregabalin in the management of chemotherapy-induced neuropathic pain in patients with childhood solid tumors and leukaemia. ⋯ The treatment with pregabalin resulted in a significant improvement in pain symptoms. The use of pregabalin in children is off-label so far. However, this drug seems to be a safe and effective remedy, which could significantly broaden the therapeutic spectrum in paediatric oncological patients suffering from neuropathic pain.