Longitudinal change of cardiac electrical and autonomic function and potential risk factors in children with dravet syndrome.

PURPOSE: This study aimed to investigate cardiac electrical and autonomic function, the longitudinal changes, and the associated risk factors in children with Dravet syndrome (DS). METHODS: Twenty-four children with DS (11 boys, 13 girls; mean age, 7.2 ± 2.9 years) and 21 control subjects (9 boys, 12 girls; mean age, 8.2 ± 3.0 years) were enrolled in this study. P dispersion, QTc and QTc dispersion, and heart rate variability (HRV) were evaluated using standard electrocardiography and 24-hr Holter monitoring at the initial and follow-up study of the 6-12 months intervals. RESULTS: The DS group had significantly higher P dispersion (p = 0.017), QT and QTc dispersion values (p < 0.001 for two parameters) than the control group. Most HRV parameters, such as SDNN (p < 0.001), SDANN5 (p < 0.001), SDANN-index (p = 0.001), and RMSSD (p = 0.006) were all significantly lower in the DS group than in the control group. The mean values of initial QTc, QTc dispersion, and HRV parameters showed significantly increase (QTc and QTc dispersion) and decrease (HRV) in the follow-up study (mean duration: 1.2 ± 0.5 years) in 13 DS children. ± On multivariate regression analysis, epilepsy duration had an independently significant effect for the longitudinal change of QTc, QTc dispersion, and HRV. CONCLUSIONS: DS children had significant different values of cardiac electrical and autonomic function compared with control group. Particularly, longer duration of epilepsy was significantly negative effect on the longitudinal change of cardiac autonomic function.

Cerebrospinal fluid non-pleocytosis in pediatric enteroviral meningitis: Large-scale review.

BACKGROUND: Lack of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) pleocytosis has been reported in some children with enteroviral meningitis (EVM). The aim of this paper was to investigate the clinical spectrum and related factors in EVM with CSF non-pleocytosis. METHODS: The databases of children diagnosed with EVM on CSF polymerase chain reaction between 2011 and 2014 were retrospectively reviewed. CSF pleocytosis was defined at each age using the criteria. Clinical and laboratory variables were compared between patients with CSF pleocytosis and non-pleocytosis. RESULTS: Of the 802 children of EVM, 25.4% (204/802) had CSF non-pleocytosis. In particular, CSF non-pleocytosis was found in 63.3% of the neonates versus in 22.2% of the children aged ≥1 year old, indicating that the ratio of CSF non-pleocytosis had a negative correlation with age (P < 0.001). As the main symptoms, fever (91.8% vs 86.8%, P = 0.038), headache (80.3% vs 63.7%, P < 0.001), and vomiting (75.9% vs 61.8%, P < 0.001) were significantly more frequent in CSF pleocytosis than in CSF non-pleocytosis. Patients with CSF non-pleocytosis had much lower peripheral leukocytosis (10 656 ± 3,662 vs 12 403 ± 4,207/mm3 , P = 0.014) and C-reactive protein (0.7±0.8 vs 1.2±1.5 mg/dL, P < 0.001), and earlier lumbar puncture <24 h after onset (42.6% vs 21.4%, p<0.001). No significant difference during the summer and autumn months was seen between the two groups (76.9% vs 81.9%, P = 0.169). CONCLUSION: CSF non-pleocytosis in childhood EVM was frequently observed, especially in young infants, regardless of season. We propose that CSF PCR testing for enterovirus can be helpful to recognize EVM in children with CSF non-pleocytosis.

Comparison of Cerebrospinal Fluid Cytokine Levels in Children of Enteroviral Meningitis With Versus Without Pleocytosis.

In viral meningitis, proinflammatory cytokines were detected at higher levels in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and might play an important role in the inflammatory process. Our goal was to compare the cytokine profiles in the CSF of children of enteroviral meningitis (EVM) with versus without CSF pleocytosis. In total, 158 patients were enrolled in this prospective cohort study and were classified as EVM (group-A, n = 101), nonenteroviral aseptic meningitis (group-B, n = 27), and control (group-C, n = 30) groups. Of the 101 children with EVM, 71 had CSF pleocytosis (group-A1) and 30 had CSF nonpleocytosis (group-A2). Fifteen cytokines/chemokines in the CSF were measured simultaneously by immunoassay. Significant differences were found in interleukin (IL)-2, IL-6, and IL-8 levels in the CSF across the 3 groups, with the highest levels in group-A, followed by group-B and group-C. The levels of IL-1ß, IL-2, IL-6, IL8, IL-10, interferon-γ, and tumor necrosis factor-α were significantly higher in the CSF of group-A1 than in that of group-A2. Group-A2 was significantly younger than group-A1 (3.4 ± 2.8 years versus 5.5 ± 3.2 years, P = 0.016). Significant differences between CSF pleocytosis and nonpleocytosis in EVM appear to be associated with distinct levels of CSF cytokines.

Can absence of pyuria exclude urinary tract infection in febrile infants? About 2011 AAP guidelines on UTI.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to describe clinical and laboratory characteristics of urinary tract infection (UTI) without significant pyuria in young children aged 2-24 months. METHODS: The subjects consisted of infants and young children with febrile UTI treated at Pusan National University Children's Hospital, Korea. Group A included 283 patients with definite UTI who fulfilled the revised American Academy of Pediatrics diagnostic criteria, and group B included 19 patients with presumed UTI who had significant culture of uropathogens without pyuria, bacteriuria or other focus of infection. RESULTS: Duration of fever before hospital visit in group B was significantly shorter than in group A (17.7 ± 14.0 vs 34.5 ± 30.7 h). Most patients in group B (17/19, 89.5%) came to the hospital within 24 h of onset of fever. Acute scintigraphic lesions were found in 47.8% of patients in group A and 50% in group B. Underlying urological abnormalities such as vesicoureteral reflux and obstructive uropathy were found in 24.5% of patients in group A and in 33.3% of patients in group B (P = 0.74). CONCLUSIONS: Clinicians cannot exclude UTI on the absence of pyuria in young children aged 2-24 months.