Turkish J Pediatr
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Malformations of cortical development (MCD) form a spectrum of lesions produced by insult to the developing neocortex. Clinical presentation and electrophysiologic findings of MCD are variable and depend on the affected cortical area. We evaluated epilepsy, EEG, and response to antiepileptic treatment in patients with MCD with respect to the neuroimaging findings. ⋯ Patients with heterotopias and PMG achieved better seizure control in comparison with the other groups. In conclusion, epilepsy is the most common problem in MCD. Epilepsy and EEG findings of patients with MCD are variable and seem to be correlated with the extent of cortical involvement.
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We aimed to investigate the role of procalcitonin in the diagnosis and follow-up of neonatal sepsis, and to compare it with C-reactive protein (CRP) in this context. Between April and October 2002, a total of 67 neonates were randomly recruited into the study and were divided into four groups as: those with highly probable sepsis (group 1), probable sepsis (group 2), possible sepsis (group 3), and no sepsis (group 4; controls). ⋯ In addition, the decreasing levels in procalcitonin were statistically more significant than the decreasing levels in CRP in showing the response to antibiotic treatment (p < 0.01 and p < 0.05, respectively). In conclusion, serum procalcitonin levels seemed to be superior to serum CRP levels in terms of early diagnosis of neonatal sepsis, in detecting the severity of the illness, and in evaluation of the response to antibiotic treatment.
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Multicenter Study
Role of procalcitonin, C-reactive protein, interleukin-6, interleukin-8 and tumor necrosis factor-alpha in the diagnosis of neonatal sepsis.
Diagnosis of neonatal sepsis may be difficult because clinical presentations are often nonspecific, bacterial cultures are time-consuming and other laboratory tests lack sensitivity and specificity. In this study, we aimed to investigate the role of procalcitonin (PCT), C-reactive protein (CRP), interleukin (IL)-6, IL-8 and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) in establishing the diagnosis and evaluating the prognosis of neonatal sepsis. Twenty-six neonates with blood-culture positivity and clinical sepsis, hospitalized for clinical suspicion of neonatal sepsis in neonatal intensive care units of Balcali Hospital, Cukurova University and Adana State Hospital between May 2000 and January 2001 (Group I) and 29 healthy neonates followed at the neonatal units and outpatient clinics of these hospitals (Group II) in the same period were studied. ⋯ For the cut-off value of TNF-alpha > or = 7.5 pg/ml, sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value and diagnostic efficacy were found to be 100%, 96.6%, 96.2%, 96.5% and 98.3%, respectively. It was detected that sensitivity, specificity and diagnostic efficacy values were lower for IL-6, CRP and IL-8. We conclude that PCT and TNF-alpha are the best markers in the diagnosis of neonatal sepsis, and these markers are also valuable in following the effectiveness of treatment and determining the prognosis of the disease.
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We report a patient with glutathione synthetase (GS) deficiency who developed acetaminophen-induced hepatotoxicity after a two-day treatment with regular doses of acetaminophen. A nine-month-old female was referred because of intractable metabolic acidosis. She was given acetaminophen at therapeutic doses over a 48-hour period. ⋯ She improved and liver function tests normalized in the next six days, but compensated metabolic acidosis and massive 5-oxoprolinuria persisted. The analysis of GS in erythrocytes revealed 5% of normal enzyme activity, and the patient had 491G > A mutation on both alleles in the GS gene. In this report it can be assumed that patients, even if heterozygous for a mutation of the GS gene, are at risk for acetaminophen toxicity.
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Case Reports
Psychiatric approach in the treatment of reflex sympathetic dystrophy in an adolescent girl: a case report.
Reflex sympathetic dystrophy (RSD) is an unusual diagnosis in the pediatric age group. It is a syndrome characterized by pain in one or more extremities with a significant morbidity in childhood. ⋯ We describe a 13-year-old girl diagnosed as pediatric RSD who was admitted to a child and adolescent psychiatry unit with a history of severe pain in the right hand, increasing disability and symptoms of nervousness and withdrawal from social activities. In this report, we discuss psychogenic factors underlying the disorder of an adolescent girl and psychiatric approach as a part of a multimodal treatment of pediatric RSD.