Protocol of care for foreign-body ingestion in children: a qualitative study.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to suggest a care protocol for foreign-body ingestion, address the clinical aspects, and identify the ingested object, severity, and professional conduct. METHODS: This is a qualitative study. We used books and original articles published in national and international journals (BIREME, SCIELO, LILACS, and MEDLINE/PubMed) in Portuguese, Spanish, and English. RESULTS: The ingestion of a radiolucent object should be evaluated radiographically and with endoscopy for cases with symptoms of impaction and radiolucent objects. Coins are the most commonly involved foreign bodies. In asymptomatic patients, it often requires only a conservative form of management. Ingestion of batteries, magnets, and sharp objects carries a high risk of serious clinical complications and should have an endoscopic or surgical approach. In view of this, each pediatric emergency service, based on these recommendations, has the possibility to develop an individual protocol to identify and remove the ingested foreign body. CONCLUSIONS: Protocol of care for foreign-body ingestion in children depends on the object ingested, time of ingestion, symptoms, and local epidemiological context. This study provides some suggestions for decision-making in the conduct of health professionals.

Protocol of care for foreign-body ingestion in children: a qualitative study

SUMMARY OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to suggest a care protocol for foreign-body ingestion, address the clinical aspects, and identify the ingested object, severity, and professional conduct. METHODS: This is a qualitative study. We used books and original articles published in national and international journals (BIREME, SCIELO, LILACS, and MEDLINE/PubMed) in Portuguese, Spanish, and English. RESULTS: The ingestion of a radiolucent object should be evaluated radiographically and with endoscopy for cases with symptoms of impaction and radiolucent objects. Coins are the most commonly involved foreign bodies. In asymptomatic patients, it often requires only a conservative form of management. Ingestion of batteries, magnets, and sharp objects carries a high risk of serious clinical complications and should have an endoscopic or surgical approach. In view of this, each pediatric emergency service, based on these recommendations, has the possibility to develop an individual protocol to identify and remove the ingested foreign body. CONCLUSIONS: Protocol of care for foreign-body ingestion in children depends on the object ingested, time of ingestion, symptoms, and local epidemiological context. This study provides some suggestions for decision-making in the conduct of health professionals.

The relevance of recognizing clinical and morphologic features of pityriasis lichenoides: clinicopathological study of 29 cases.

BACKGROUND: Pityriasis lichenoides (PL) is a lymphoproliferative disease of unknown origin; its diagnosis is based on clinical characteristics and confirmed by histology. OBJECTIVES: To describe clinical and histological features of PL in 29 pediatric patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Retrospective descriptive study of children (patients less than 15 years old) diagnosed with PL between 1986 and 2010 at a Reference Service in Pediatric Dermatology from South Brazil. RESULTS: Twenty-nine PL cases were found by chart review in 24 years. Mean age of diagnosis was 8 years (22 to 178 months) and a mean time of diagnosis was 13.8 months (1 to 120 months). Twenty cases (69%) were male. Seasonal correlation was found with colder months in 62% of cases (p<0.01). Clinical diagnosis was pityriasis lichenoides chronica (PLC) in 25 cases, and pityriasis lichenoides et varioliformis acuta (PLEVA) in four. Itching was the main reported symptom occurring in 13 (45%). Fourteen cases had been histologically evaluated. In six, microscopic findings were consistent with PLC, in four consistent with PLEVA, and four biopsies exhibited mixed characteristics of both forms. Concordance between clinical and histological diagnosis was seen in most cases. CONCLUSION: PL occurs in children and young adults, more commonly in males, and during cold months. PLC was the more frequent clinicohistologic form, and necrotic lesions characterized PLEVA. Associating clinical and histological findings is important for differentiating between PLC and PLEVA diagnosis.

Seroprevalence of hepatitis A in children and adolescents.

OBJECTIVES: To determine the seroprevalence of hepatitis A (HAV) in children and adolescents aged 1 to 14 years, and to identify factors associated with a history of infection. METHODS: This was a cross-sectional epidemiological study, conducted form February to August 2006 in the city of Curitiba, Paraná, Brazil, and the surrounding municipalities (Greater Curitiba). Laboratory analysis comprised qualitative assay for total HAV antibodies in whole blood samples. RESULTS: A total of 901 children and adolescents were recruited for the study. Age distribution was as follows: 1 to 4 years, n = 237 (26.3%); 5 to 9 years, n = 313 (34.7%); and 10 to 14 years, n = 351 (39%). The global rate of seroprevalence was 19.8%, and seroprevalence rates by age group were 3%, 21.1% and 29.9% respectively (p < 0.01). Multivariate analysis demonstrated that the following factors, in combination, had a positive association with the prevalence rate of antibodies against HAV in the study population: age groups 5 to 9 and 10 to 14 years, living in a household with more than one inhabitant per room, shared eating area and low per capita income. CONCLUSIONS: The results show a low prevalence of antibodies against HAV, which justifies the use of prophylactic measures, including early vaccination.

Granuloma anular: aspectos clínicos y evolutivos de 52 pacientes / Granuloma annulare: clinical and developmental aspects of 52 patients

Introducción: El granuloma anular (GA) es una dermatosis benigna autolimitada. Se observa con mayor frecuencia en la edad escolar y, si bien la causa es desconocida, se postula que puede ser una reacción inmune de hipersensibilidad tardía a diversos antígenos. El diagnóstico es clínico y se basa en la presencia de placas de centro hipercrómico o color piel normal y límites papulares arciformes. La asociación con diabetes mellitus en los pacientes en la franja etaria pediátrica aún es controvertida. El objetivo de este trabajo es evaluar las características clínicas y evolutivas del GA en la infancia. Materiales y métodos: Estudio retrospectivo y descriptivo de pacientes de hasta 15 años de edad que tuvieron diagnóstico de GA, entre los años 1990 y 2008 en el servicio de atención terciaria de la ciudad de Curitiba, Brasil. Resultados: Fueron evaluados 52 casos de GA. La edad media de inicio fue de 4,5 años (14 meses a 12 años). En el 88% de los casos, las lesiones fueron asintomáticas. La forma localizada ocurrió en 39 (75%) pacientes, la profunda en 9 (17%) y las formas generalizada y perforante en 2 casos respectivamente. De los 33 pacientes con seguimiento, el 78,7% presentó mejoría de las lesiones en un período medio de 8 meses (1 a 35 meses). La glucemia en ayunas fue normal en los 18 (34%) casos evaluados. Un paciente tenía diagnóstico previo de diabetes mellitus tipo 1. Discusión: En esta población el GA afectó predominantemente al sexo femenino, con lesiones circinadas y localizadas en el dorso de los pies. La forma clínica más común fue la localizada, no hubo alteración de la glucemia y la resolución espontánea ocurrió en la mayoría de los casos.

Introduction: Granuloma annulare (GA) is a self-limited dermatosis. It is observed at school age the cause is unknown, it is believed to be an immune reaction of delayed hypersensitivity to various antigens. The diagnosis is clinical and based on the presence of arciform plaques with Introduction: Granuloma annulare (GA) is a self-limited dermatosis. It is observed at school age and hyperpigmented or flesh-coloured skin center. The association with diabetes mellitus in the pediatric population remains controversial. The objective of this work is to evaluate the clinical features and outcome of granuloma annulare in childhood. Materials and methods: Retrospective descriptive study of patients up to 15 years of age diagnosed with GA, between 1990 and 2008, in a tertiary care center of the city of Curitiba, Brasil. Results: We evaluated 52 cases of GA. The average age of onset was 4.5 years (14 months to 12 years). In 88% of cases the lesions were asymptomatic. The localized type was observed in 39 (75%) patients, deep lesions in 9 (17%) and generalized and perforating type in 2 cases each. Of the 33 patients with follow-up, 78.7% showed improvement in the lesions over an average period of 8 months (1 to 35 months). Glycemia was normal in the 18 cases evaluated. One patient had a previous diagnosis of type 1 diabetes mellitus. Discussion: We found, among the studied population, that GA occurred predominantly in females, with localized circinate lesions occurring mainly in the dorsal region of the feet. There was no increase in blood glucose and the spontaneous resolution occurred in most of the cases.