The Association Between Long Working Hours of Parents and Dyslipidemia in Their Children.

The purpose of our study is to examine the association between children's low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) levels and their parents' working hours. We used data from the 2010-2018 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey in which lipid profile samples of 3,799 children were eligible. Logistic regression analyses were used with an outcome variable of the dichotomous LDL-C group and an exposure variable of the father's and mother's working hours, respectively. In logistic regression models adjusted for age, sex, household income, education level of children and parents, and working hours of the parents, mothers' working hours more than 52 h per week were significantly associated with their children's dyslipidemia [OR 2.14, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.33-3.47] compared to working 40 h or less, whereas fathers' working hours did not show statistical significance (OR 1.08, 95% CI 0.71-1.66) in the same manner. The association was greatest for elementary school students for mothers working more than 52 h per week (OR 3.42, 95% CI 1.64-7.14) compared to those working hours 40 h per week or less. Mothers' long working hours were associated with a higher prevalence of dyslipidemia in their children. The association was strongest for elementary school students. Proper working time of parents is required for their children's health.

Simultaneous EEG, fMRI, and behavior in typical childhood absence seizures.

PURPOSE: Absence seizures cause transient impairment of consciousness. Typical absence seizures occur in children, and are accompanied by 3-4-Hz spike-wave discharges (SWDs) on electroencephalography (EEG). Prior EEG-functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) studies of SWDs have shown a network of cortical and subcortical changes during these electrical events. However, fMRI during typical childhood absence seizures with confirmed impaired consciousness has not been previously investigated. METHODS: We performed EEG-fMRI with simultaneous behavioral testing in 37 children with typical childhood absence epilepsy (CAE). Attentional vigilance was evaluated by a continuous performance task (CPT), and simpler motor performance was evaluated by a repetitive tapping task (RTT). RESULTS: SWD episodes were obtained during fMRI scanning from 9 patients among the 37 studied. fMRI signal increases during SWDs were observed in the thalamus, frontal cortex, primary visual, auditory, somatosensory, and motor cortex, and fMRI decreases were seen in the lateral and medial parietal cortex, cingulate gyrus, and basal ganglia. Omission error rate (missed targets) with SWDs during fMRI was 81% on CPT and 39% on RTT. For those seizure epochs during which CPT performance was impaired, fMRI changes were seen in cortical and subcortical structures typically involved in SWDs, whereas minimal changes were observed for the few epochs during which performance was spared. DISCUSSION: These findings suggest that typical absence seizures involve a network of cortical-subcortical areas necessary for normal attention and primary information processing. Identification of this network may improve understanding of cognitive impairments in CAE, and may help guide development of new therapies for this disorder.

Historical trend toward improved long-term outcome in childhood absence epilepsy.

We retrospectively analyzed published studies to investigate historical trends in outcome of childhood absence epilepsy (CAE). We included patients based on onset of absence seizures in childhood, 3 Hz bilateral spike-wave discharges on EEG, and availability of seizure-free outcome data. The primary endpoint was seizure-freedom off medications by study publication year. We also analyzed relationships between seizure-freedom and 1. treatment medication, and 2. CAE diagnostic criteria. We included 29 studies published 1945-2013, encompassing 2416 patients. Seizure-freedom off medications was higher for studies after 1985 versus before 1975 (82% versus 35%; p < 0.001). Ethosuximide and valproate were used more commonly after 1985, and patients previously treated with ethosuximide or valproate had higher seizure-freedom off medications than those treated only with other medications (64% versus 32%; χ2>10; p < 0.001). Although differences in diagnostic criteria for early vs. later studies did not reach statistical significance, later studies tended to use normal EEG background (p = 0.09) and absence of comorbid disorders (p = 0.09) as criteria more commonly. These findings demonstrate that seizure-freedom off medications has improved in published CAE studies after 1985. Our results are limited due to retrospective analysis. Further work is needed with prospective, controlled trials to establish factors leading to improved long-term prognosis in CAE.

TORCH (toxoplasmosis, rubella, cytomegalovirus, and herpes simplex virus) screening of small for gestational age and intrauterine growth restricted neonates: efficacy study in a single institute in Korea.

PURPOSE: Routine screening for toxoplasmosis, rubella, cytomegalovirus (CMV), and herpes simplex virus (TORCH) in intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) and small for gestational age (SGA) neonates has become a common practice. However, the incidence of TORCH varies across countries, and the cost of TORCH testing may be disadvantageous compared to disease-specific screening. To evaluate the efficacy of TORCH screening, the medical charts of IUGR or SGA neonates born in a single institution in Bucheon, Korea from 2011 to 2015 were reviewed. METHODS: The clinical data of the 126 IUGR or SGA neonates were gathered, including gestational age, Apgar scores, neonatal sonographic findings, chromosome study, morbidities, developmental follow-up, and growth catch-up. Maternal factors including underlying maternal disease and fetal sonography were collected, and placental findings were recorded when available. TORCH screening was done using serum IgM, CMV urine culture, quantification of CMV DNA with real-time polymerase chain reaction, and rapid plasma reagin qualitative test for syphilis. Tests were repeated only for those with positive results. RESULTS: Of the 119 TORCH screenings, only one was positive for toxoplasmosis IgM. This result was deemed false positive due to negative IgM on repeated testing and the absence of clinical symptoms. CONCLUSION: Considering the incidence and risk of TORCH in Korea, the financial burden of TORCH screening, and the single positive TORCH finding in our study, we suggest disease-specific screening based on maternal history and the clinical symptoms of the neonate. Regarding CMV, which may present asymptomatically, universal screening may be appropriate upon cost-benefit analysis.

Urinary YKL-40 as a Candidate Biomarker for Febrile Urinary Tract Infection in Young Children.

BACKGROUND: Given that YKL-40 is a known marker of inflammation, we sought to determine its association with urinary tract infection (UTI) in febrile children. METHODS: In total, 44 children aged 0 to 24 months with febrile UTI and 35 age- and sex-matched controls with fever from other causes were enrolled in the study. ELISA was performed to determine the level of YKL-40 in urine collected from each child. RESULTS: The ratio of urinary YKL-40 to creatinine (Cr) was higher in the children with a UTI than in the controls (P<0.001). The area under the ROC curve for detecting UTI was 0.88 for the urinary YKL-40/Cr ratio, 0.86 for pyuria, and 0.71 for positive nitrite on urinalysis. We applied a cut-off value of 125.23 pg/mg to urinary YKL-40/Cr for detecting UTI. Eight of nine children in the control group with pyuria had urinary YKL-40/Cr levels lower than 125.23 pg/mg, and the one child in the UTI group without pyuria or positive nitrite had a urinary YKL-40/Cr level greater than 125.23 pg/mg. CONCLUSIONS: Determining the levels of urinary YKL-40/Cr may help identify true cases of UTI in febrile young children, especially when they have pyuria but not nitrite, or have neither pyuria nor nitrite in the urine.

Prediction of vesicoureteral reflux in children with febrile urinary tract infection using relative uptake and cortical defect in DMSA scan.

BACKGROUND: Vesicoureteral reflux (VUR) is an important urologic anomaly that causes renal injury in children with febrile urinary tract infection (UTI). The present study aimed to evaluate the associations of abnormalities detected on technetium-99m-labeled dimercaptosuccinic acid (DMSA) scans, focusing on the association with VUR of the levels of relative decrease in kidney function and cortical defects after a first febrile UTI in children. METHODS: All 171 children underwent ultrasonography, DMSA scan and voiding cystourethrography (VCUG). The features of ultrasound and DMSA scans were compared between patients with (n = 48) and without VUR (n = 123). The relative uptake (RU) by each kidney was derived from the absolute value of the differences between the value for RU of radionuclide in the right kidney and that in the left kidney. The extent of cortical defects (ECD) was graded according to the number of compartments that contained cortical defect in both kidneys (right upper/right lower, left upper/left lower). Receiver operating characteristic curves were constructed to examine the diagnostic value of these parameters of ultrasound and DMSA scans for predicting VUR. RESULTS: The ratio of patients having hydronephrosis on ultrasound or cortical defects on DMSA scan did not differ significantly between VUR and non-VUR groups. However, the absolute values of the RU and the scores for ECD were significantly higher in the VUR group than in the non-VUR group. The area under the curves for these two parameters were higher than those for the presence of hydronephrosis or the presence of cortical defects or both. CONCLUSION: Decreased relative function and increased extents of cortical defects on DMSA scan may be associated with the presence of VUR. These findings may assist pediatricians to decide whether febrile UTI children need to undergo VCUG.