Limosilactobacillus reuteri ATCC PTA 5289 and DSM 17938 as adjuvants to improve evolution of pharyngitis/tonsillitis in children: randomised controlled trial.

Pharyngitis and tonsillitis are the most common acute respiratory infections (ARIs) in children aged ≤5 years. The analysis of published data showed that some probiotics could decrease the frequency and number of days with ARIs. This study evaluated the safety and efficacy of Limosilactobacillus reuteri ATCC PTA 5289 and DSM 17938 to reduce the duration and severity of ARI symptoms. This randomised controlled trial included children aged from 6 months to 5 years, with pharyngitis or tonsillitis, who were randomised to receive a probiotic product containing L. reuteri ATCC PTA 5289 and L. reuteri DSM 17938 or placebo, as drops, ingested orally for 10 days as adjuvants to the use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. The main outcomes were the duration and severity of ARI symptoms. The secondary outcomes were changes in salivary immunoglobulin A and inflammatory biomarkers. There was no fever on day 2 and subsequent days in the L. reuteri group (37.3 ±0.5 °C vs 38.6±0.3 °C, P<0.05). Beginning on day 3, the severity of sore throat (5±0.9 vs 8±1.2, P<0.05) was lower in the L. reuteri group. Significant differences in the days with runny nose, nasal congestion, days of non-programmed visits to the medical office or emergency department, levels in tumoral necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) and related costs of treatment were observed in the L. reuteri group. The frequency of adverse events was similar between the groups. Therefore, L. reuteri ATCC PTA 5289 combined with L. reuteri DSM 17938 is a safe and effective adjunct to reduce the symptoms of pharyngitis or tonsillitis in children.

[Increased risk of neoplasia among relatives of glioma patients]. / Incremento en el riesgo de neoplasia entre familiares de pacientes con glioma.

INTRODUCTION: Some previous studies have suggested familial aggregation of gliomas, although the results have not always been replicated. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: In the present study of a Mexican population, we compared 100 cases of glioma with 124 healthy unrelated controls, as well as their 1st, 2nd and 3rd degree relatives (n = 3,575 and 4,520 respectively). RESULTS: The relatives of the cases had a significantly higher risk of developing brain tumors than the relatives of controls (OR = 5.3; p < 0.05; 95% CI = 1.1-25.7), and their risk of developing any cancer was also increased (OR = 2; p < 0.05; 95% CI = 1.16-3.51), this risk was twofold for men when compared to females (OR = 2; p < 0.05; 95% CI = 1.15-3.37). CONCLUSION: The present study supports familial aggregation of brain tumors and warrants further research into their genetic etiology.

Systemic inflammation, endothelial dysfunction, and activation in clinically healthy children exposed to air pollutants.

Mexico City children are chronically exposed to significant concentrations of air pollutants and exhibit chronic respiratory-tract inflammation. Epidemiological, controlled human exposures, laboratory-based animal models, and in vitro/in vivo studies have shown that inflammatory, endothelial dysfunction, and endothelial damage mediators are upregulated upon exposure to particulate matter (PM). Endothelial dysfunction is a critical event in cardiovascular disease. The focus of this work was to investigate whether exposure to ambient air pollution including PM(2.5) produces systemic inflammation and endothelial injury in healthy children. We measured markers of endothelial activation, and inflammatory mediators in 52 children age 8.6+/-0.1 yr, residents of Mexico City (n: 28) or of Polotitlán (n: 24), a city with low levels of pollutants. Mexico City children had significant increases in inflammatory mediators and vasoconstrictors, including tumor necrosis factor (TNF)alpha, prostaglandin (PG) E2, C-reactive protein, interleukin-1beta, and endothelin-1. There was a significant anti-inflammatory response, and a downregulation of vascular adhesion molecule-1, intercellular adhesion molecule-1 and -2, and selectins sE and sL. Results from linear regression found TNF a positively associated with 24- and 48-h cumulative levels of PM(2.5), while the 7-d PM(2.5) value was negatively associated with the numbers of white blood cells in peripheral blood in highly exposed children. Systemic subclinical inflammation, increased endothelin- 1, and significant downregulation of soluble adhesion molecules are seen in Mexico City children. Children chronically exposed to fine PM above the standard could be at risk of developing cardiovascular diseases, atherosclerosis, stroke, and other systemic effects later in life.

Cutaneous mastocytosis in children: a clinical analysis of 71 cases.

OBJECTIVE: To characterize the clinical features, response to therapy, evolution and prognosis of cutaneous mastocytosis in children. BACKGROUND: Mastocytosis in children, instead of being induced by a potentially oncogenic c-kit mutation, is probably a clonal disease with benign prognosis. METHODS: The clinicopathological features, evolution and response to treatment were analysed in 71 children with mastocytosis. RESULTS: There were 53 (75%) cases of urticaria pigmentosa, 12 (17%) cases of mastocytoma, and six (8%) cases of diffuse cutaneous mastocytosis. In 92% of cases disease onset was in the first year of life. There was a male predominance 1.8 : 1. Treatment did not modify the disease evolution. Eighty per cent of patients improved or had spontaneous resolution of the disease. CONCLUSION: The most frequent clinical form of mastocytosis was urticaria pigmentosa followed by mastocytoma and diffuse cutaneous mastocytosis. Darier's sign was present in 94% of cases. A negative Darier's sign does not rule out mastocytosis. In contrast to adults, mastocytosis in children usually has a benign course making sophisticated or invasive diagnostic tests unnecessary. A classification of paediatric cutaneous mastocytosis is proposed.

[Plasma fibronectin in pediatric patients]. / Fibronectina plasmática en pacientes pediátricos.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the levels of plasma fibronectin (FBN) in pediatric patients and to correlate them with serum albumin (ALB). METHODOLOGY: The FBN was measured by nephelometry and ALB by enzymatic analysis in samples from 95 healthy Mexican pediatric patients seen in the ambulatory surgery department. RESULTS: The levels of FBN was similar in boy and girls (mean +/- SD) 273 +/- 90 and 268 +/- 106 micrograms/mL respectively. FBN was significantly lower in children less than 6 months old. We found seven patients with ALB < 3.0 g/dL who had significantly lower values of FBN than the normoalbuminemic patients. The correlation of FBN and ALB was low (r = 0.23). CONCLUSIONS: FBN in pediatric patients is significatively lower than in adults. The lowest concentrations were seen in children less than 6 months old. These lower FBN may be an additional factor for immunodeficiency in this group at risk.

[Spondyloepiphyseal dysplasia tarda with progressive arthropathy: 2 siblings affected]. / Displasia espóndilo epifisiaria tarda con artropatía progresiva: 2 hermanos afectados.

We described a Mexican family whose parents were consanguineous. Therefore two children were affected by a progressive arthropathy with deformity in all finger joints, restricted joint mobility and broad major joints. This condition was diagnosed like atypical juvenile rheumatoid arthritis (JRA) because the test for serum rheumatoid factors and antibodies were negative and failed to respond to anti-rheumatoid treatment. However their radiographic studies showed the spine with universal platyspondyly, enlargement epiphyses of the hands, the absence of destructive and the presence of the dysplastic bone changes. These manifestations permit us to do the diagnosis of spondyloepiphyseal dysplasia tarda with progressive arthropathy. In this report we suggest that a complete radiologic study of the patient will allowed to diagnosis this hereditary autosomal recessive entity; likewise it will let us differ of JRA and others polyarticular conditions of childhood.