Estudio observacional de las características clínicas, epidemiológicas y de laboratorio en pacientes pediátricos con dengue de la ciudad de Córdoba / Observational study of clinical, epidemiological, and laboratory characteristics of pediatric patients with dengue in the city of Córdoba

Introducción. El dengue es la enfermedad transmitida por mosquitos con mayor propagación mundial en los últimos años. Presenta un amplio espectro de manifestaciones clínicas y, en ocasiones, evoluciona a un estado crítico llamado dengue grave. Su tratamiento es de sostén. La información disponible acerca de las características clínicas, epidemiológicas y de laboratorio de la enfermedad en la población pediátrica es limitada. Objetivo. Describir la epidemiología y las manifestaciones clínicas y de laboratorio de la enfermedad. Población y métodos. Estudio descriptivo, observacional y retrospectivo. Incluyó pacientes entre 1 y 180 meses asistidos por dengue probable o confirmado en un hospital de niños, desde el 01 de enero de 2020 hasta el 31 de mayo de 2020. Resultados. Se incluyeron 85 pacientes por criterios microbiológicos de positividad o clínicoepidemiológicos. Veinticinco (29 %) confirmados por RT-PCR, todos serotipos DENV-1. La mediana de  edad fue de 108 meses (rango intercuartílico: 84-144). Las principales manifestaciones clínicas fueron fiebre, cefalea y mialgias. Los hallazgos de laboratorio más importantes fueron leucopenia, trombocitopenia y elevación de transaminasas. Conclusión. El reconocimiento y la comprensión de las alteraciones clínicas y de laboratorio que se presentan durante la enfermedad pueden permitir un abordaje eficaz y contribuir a la reducción de cuadros clínicos más graves en los niños.

Introduction. Dengue has been the most widespread mosquito-borne disease worldwide in recent years. It develops with a broad spectrum of clinical manifestations and sometimes progresses to a critical condition known as severe dengue. It is managed with supportive treatment. Available information about its clinical, epidemiological, and laboratory characteristics in the pediatric population is limited. Objective. To describe the clinical, epidemiological, and laboratory characteristics of dengue. Population and methods. Descriptive, observational, and retrospective study. It included patients aged 1 to 180 months seen due to probable or confirmed dengue at a children's hospital between 1/1/2020 and 5/31/2020. Results. A total of 85 patients with positive microbiological or clinical-epidemiological criteria were included. Of these, 25 (29%) were confirmed by RT-PCR; all corresponded to DENV-1 serotype. Patients' median age was 108 months (interquartile range: 84­144). The main clinical manifestations were fever, headache, and myalgia. The most important laboratory findings were leukopenia, thrombocytopenia, and high transaminase levels. Conclusion. The recognition and understanding of clinical and laboratory alterations that occur during dengue disease may allow an effective approach and help to reduce the more severe clinical form in children.

Manejo não farmacológico da enfermagem em pacientes pediátricos com febre e hipertermia: uma revisão sistemática / Non-pharmacological nursing management of pediatric patients with fever and hyperthermia: a systematic review / Manejo de enfermería no farmacológico del paciente pediátrico con fiebre e hipertermia: una revisión sistemática

Objetivo: descrever o manejo não farmacológico do enfermeiro frente ao paciente pediátrico com febre ou hipertermia. Método: a revisão seguiu o PRISMA, contou com estudos empíricos, que abordassem o manejo não farmacológico em crianças com febre, estudos entre 2013 e 2023. As bases de dados foram Adolec, BVS, Embase, LILACS, Web of Science e a biblioteca SciELO, com os descritores "criança", "hipertermia", "febre", "enfermagem" e "enfermagem pediátrica". Resultados: selecionado 7 estudos, descrevem que o manejo não farmacológico são massoterapia, compressas, água morna e sabonete com Marshmallow. O uso de antitérmico (paracetamol) e outra medida não farmacológico foi evidenciada como efetiva. Há lacuna de protocolos para guiar os profissionais para o atendimento da criança com febre, além dos profissionais se basearem em suas crenças na assistência. Conclusão: o uso não farmacológico foi eficaz em conjunto com antitérmico. Há necessidade de outros estudos e desenvolvimento de protocolos para guiar os profissionais na assistência.

Objective: to describe the nurse's non-pharmacological management of pediatric patients with fever or hyperthermia. Method: the review followed PRISMA and included empirical studies that addressed non-pharmacological management in children with fever, studies between 2013 and 2023. The databases were Adolec, BVS, Embase, LILACS, Web of Science and the SciELO library, with the descriptors "child", "hyperthermia", "fever", "nursing" and "pediatric nursing". Results: 7 studies were selected, describing non-pharmacological management as massage therapy, compresses, warm water, and soap with Marshmallow. The use of antipyretics (paracetamol) and other non-pharmacological measures were shown to be effective. There is a lack of protocols to guide professionals in caring for children with fever, in addition to professionals relying on their beliefs in care. Conclusion:non-pharmacological use was effective in conjunction with antipyretics. There is a need for further studies and development of protocols to guide professionals in helping.

Objetivos:describir el manejo no farmacológico de la enfermera del paciente pediátrico con fiebre o hipertermia. Método: la revisión siguió PRISMA, incluyó estudios empíricos que abordaron el manejo no farmacológico en niños con fiebre, estudios entre 2013 y 2023. Las bases de datos fueron Adolec, BVS, Embase, LILACS, Web of Science y la biblioteca SciELO, con los descriptores "niño", "hipertermia", "fiebre", "enfermería" y "enfermería pediátrica". Resultados: se seleccionaron 7 estudios que describen manejo no farmacológico como terapia con masajes, compresas, agua tibia y jabón con Marshmallow. Se demostró eficaz el uso de antipiréticos (paracetamol) y otras medidas no farmacológicas. Faltan protocolos que orienten a los profesionales en el cuidado de niños con fiebre, además de que los profesionales se basen en sus creencias sobre el cuidado. Conclusión: el uso no farmacológico fue efectivo en conjunto con antipiréticos. Es necesario realizar más estudios y desarrollar protocolos que orienten a los profesionales en la prestación de asistencia.

Variantes en la presentación clínica de la enfermedad por arañazo de gato en niños del hospital Garrahan / Variants in the clinical presentation of cat scratch disease in children at Garrahan Hospital

La infección por Bartonella henselae (BH) adopta diversas formas de presentación clínica en pediatría. Según la bibliografía la forma de presentación más frecuente en pacientes inmunocompetentes es la linfadenopatía única asociada a fiebre. En el 85 % de los casos se compromete un solo ganglio siendo los axilares y los epitrocleares los más frecuentemente involucrados. Existen otras formas de presentación menos frecuentes que debemos tener en consideración, para poder realizar un diagnóstico precoz e indicar un tratamiento adecuado si así lo requiere. El diagnóstico requiere de la sospecha clínica del equipo de salud tratante, junto al antecedente epidemiológico, los hallazgos clínicos del examen físico y la realización de serologías que incluyan el dosaje de inmunoglobulina M y G. Los objetivos del presente trabajo fueron reconocer las manifestaciones clínicas típicas y atípicas de la EAG por Bartonella henselae, describir la epidemiología, características clínicas y evolución de esta enfermedad que se presentaron en nuestro hospital. Se estudiaron un total de 187 pacientes. La media de edad fue de 7.6 años (rango 1-14); siendo 53.5% de género masculino. Las formas de presentación más frecuentes en nuestro trabajo fueron la adenitis y la fiebre. La mayoría recibió diversos esquemas de tratamiento antibiótico, secundario al retraso en el diagnóstico. La tasa de hospitalización fue muy baja, remitió con tratamiento ambulatorio con antibióticos o sin ellos (AU)

Bartonella henselae infection has different clinical presentations in pediatrics. According to the literature, the most common form of presentation in immunocompetent patients is single lymphadenopathy associated with fever. In 85 % of the cases a single lymph node is involved, with the axillary and epitrochlear nodes being the most commonly involved. There are other, less frequent, forms of presentation that should be taken into consideration in order to make an early diagnosis and indicate appropriate treatment if required. Diagnosis relies on clinical suspicion by the treating healthcare team, together with the epidemiological history, clinical findings on physical examination, and serology including immunoglobulin M and G dosage. The objectives of this study were to identify both the typical and atypical clinical manifestations of Bartonella henselae cat scratch disease, to describe the epidemiology, clinical characteristics, and outcomes of cases presenting at our hospital. A total of 187 patients were studied. The mean age was 7.6 years (range 1-14); 53.5% were male. The most frequent forms of presentation in our study were adenitis and fever. Most of them received different antibiotic treatment regimens due to delayed diagnosis. The hospitalization rate was very low and the disease typically resolved with outpatient treatment, with or without antibiotics (AU)

Conocimientos sobre los riesgos de la fiebre y manejo de la misma por madres de niños menores de 5 años que asisten al Centro de Salud CRIN de Vinto, 2023 / Knowledge about the risks of fever and its management by mothers of children under 5 years of age who attend the Health Center CRIN de Vinto, 2023

La fiebre en niños menores de 5 años es considerada a nivel mundial como un signo de alarma ante las múltiples enfermedades, en especial de infecciones respiratorias agudas (IRAS) y enfermedades diarreicas agudas (EDAS). El Foro de las Sociedades Respiratorias Internacionales (2017), afirmó que "las IRAS como primera causa de morbimortalidad con 4 millones de defunciones ocurridos anualmente" y EDAS la segunda causa de muerte con una mortalidad de 525.000 en niños menores de 5 años en cada año y 1700 millones de casos de enfermedades diarreicas infantiles cada año. Según la OMS (2018), "América Latina y el Caribe son de las regiones más diversas del mundo, al mismo tiempo son regiones donde se evidencian mayores disparidades socioeconómicas, es por ello que la OPS indica la necesidad de crear políticas de salud para estas poblaciones. En Bolivia existen 36 diferentes naciones o pueblos indígenas originarios y campesinos, reconocidos por la Constitución Política del Estado" el acceso a la salud de estas poblaciones es limitado y las condiciones en las que viven afecta particularmente la salud de los niños, quienes con frecuencia padecen enfermedades infecciosas que cursan con fiebre, misma que si no es manejada de forma adecuada oportuna puede desencadenar complicaciones que pone en peligro su vida, es por eso que en muchas regiones rurales las madres recurren a diversas prácticas naturales o culturales para el manejo de la fiebre, lo que no siempre es recomendable ya que se debe indagar la causa de la misma y realizar un tratamiento etiológico

Enfermedad de Still del adulto: serie de casos / Adult Still's disease: case series

Resumen La enfermedad de Still del adulto (ESA) es una enfermedad reumática e inflamatoria, infrecuente, de etiología desconocida. Su presentación clínica es variada y sus síntomas más frecuentes son fiebre, artralgias, exantema asalmonado evanescente, odinofagia, adenopatías, hepatoesplenomegalia, serositis y presencia en laboratorio de leucocitosis (neutrofilia), hiperferritinemia asociado a ausencia de anticuerpos. El diagnóstico es clínico y por exclusión. Existen criterios clasificatorios como son los de Yamaguchi1, Cush y Fautrel2,3 que ayudan a la orientación diagnóstica. El tratamiento se define según la presentación y la evolución clínica1. Se describen las características clínicas, diagnósticas, tratamiento y evolución de siete pacientes con ESA.

Abstract Adult Still's disease (ASD) is an uncommon rheumatic and inflammatory disorder of unknown etiology. The major clinical features include fever, arthralgia, transient salmon-pink rash, odynophagia, lymphadenopathy, hepatosplenomegaly, serositis, and laboratory findings such as leukocytosis with neutrophilia, hyperferritinemia, and negative immunologic laboratory testing. ASD diagnosis is reached by exclusion. Different classification criteria such as Yamaguchi, Cush and Fautrel have been developed for the identification of ASD. Treatment is based on the degree of disease activity and clinical response1. We describe clinical manifestations, diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis of seven patients with adult's Still disease.

Osteomielitis primaria de esternón / Primary sternal osteomyelitis

La osteomielitis primaria de esternón es muy infrecuente en niños, con menos de 100 casos publicados hasta la actualidad. Su presentación clínica es a menudo inespecífica, lo que causa un retraso en el diagnóstico. Se presentan dos nuevos casos de osteomielitis primaria de esternón. Ambos referían un cuadro de fiebre, malestar general, dolor torácico y rechazo del decúbito, con eritema preesternal en uno de los casos. La velocidad de sedimentación globular y la proteína C-reactiva estaban elevadas en ambos casos. El diagnóstico se confirmó mediante estudios de imagen y en un caso se aisló Staphylococcus aureus sensible a meticilina en el hemocultivo. Ambos se recuperaron sin complicaciones con tratamiento antibiótico. Debe tenerse en cuenta la osteomielitis primaria de esternón en el diagnóstico diferencial del dolor torácico, especialmente si se acompaña de fiebre, signos inflamatorios locales, intolerancia al decúbito o elevación de reactantes de fase aguda.

Primary sternal osteomyelitis is very rare in children, with less than 100 cases published to date. Its clinical presentation is often non-specific, which results in a diagnostic delay. Here we describe 2 new cases of primary sternal osteomyelitis. Both referred fever, malaise, chest pain, and refusal to lie down, with pre-sternal erythema in one of the cases. The erythrocyte sedimentation rate and C-reactive protein values were high in both cases. The diagnosis was confirmed by imaging studies; methicillin-sensitive Staphylococcus aureus was isolated in the blood culture of one of them. Both recovered without complications with antibiotic treatment. Primary sternal osteomyelitis should be considered in the differential diagnosis of chest pain, especially if accompanied by fever, local inflammatory signs, intolerance to lying down, or increased acute phase reactants.

Histoplasmosis diseminada en una paciente pediátrica inmunocompetente / Disseminated histoplasmosis in an immunocompetent pediatric patient

La histoplasmosis es una micosis endémica producida por el hongo Histoplasma capsulatum. La forma diseminada en pediatría conlleva alta morbimortalidad. Reportamos el caso de una niña inmunocompetente con diagnóstico de histoplasmosis diseminada. Paciente de 3 años de edad con cuadro clínico de síndrome febril prolongado acompañado de hepatoesplenomegalia confirmada por ecografía. Laboratorio con anemia normocítica, normocrómica y leucopenia. Se arribó al diagnóstico por biopsia de ganglio periportal y periesplénico. El cultivo fue positivo para Histoplasma capsulatum y en estudios histopatológicos se observó linfadenitis granulomatosa con elementos levaduriformes intracelulares. Realizó tratamiento con anfotericina B 1 mg/kg/día durante 6 semanas con favorable resolución clínica. Se debe considerar histoplasmosis diseminada en aquellos pacientes provenientes de zonas endémicas que presentan la tríada de fiebre, hepatoesplenomegalia y citopenias, para poder brindar un tratamiento oportuno, mejorar el pronóstico y disminuir la mortalidad de la enfermedad.

Histoplasmosis is an endemic fungal infection caused by the fungus Histoplasma capsulatum. The disseminated form is associated with a high morbidity and mortality in pediatrics. Here we report the case of an immunocompetent female patient diagnosed with disseminated histoplasmosis. She was 3 years old and presented with protracted febrile syndrome and hepatosplenomegaly confirmed by ultrasound. Lab tests showed normocytic anemia and leukopenia. Diagnosis was made by periportal and perisplenic lymph node biopsy. The culture was positive for Histoplasma capsulatum and histopathological studies showed granulomatous lymphadenitis with intracellular yeast-like elements. Amphotericin B was administered at 1 mg/kg/day for 6 weeks, with a favorable clinical course. Disseminated histoplasmosis should be considered in patients from endemic areas who present the triad of fever, hepatosplenomegaly, and cytopenias so as to provide a timely treatment, improve prognosis, and reduce the mortality from this disease.

Características clínicas y evolución de los pacientes con enfermedad de Kawasaki en un hospital general / Clinical characteristics and course of patients with Kawasaki disease at a general hospital

La enfermedad de Kawasaki (EK) es la principal causa de cardiopatía adquirida en menores de cinco años. Nuestro objetivo fue conocer las características clínicas, el compromiso coronario y la evolución de pacientes atendidos en nuestra institución. Se revisó una serie de casos desde 2001 hasta 2018. Se incluyeron 63 pacientes, 58 % varones; la mediana de edad fue 2,6 años. La mediana de días de fiebre al diagnóstico fue 5,5 días. El 33 % presentó la forma incompleta y se detectó compromiso coronario en el 20 %. El 60 % de los pacientes con afectación coronaria presentaron EK incompleta versus el 28 % de presentación incompleta en los pacientes sin compromiso coronario (p 0,06). No se observaron diferencias en datos de laboratorio entre los grupos según el compromiso coronario. En conclusión, 33 % presentó EK incompleta y el 20 %, afectación coronaria. Hubo una tendencia de mayor riesgo para daño coronario en la forma incompleta.

Kawasaki disease (KD) is considered the leading cause of acquired heart disease in children younger than 5 years. Our objective was to know the clinical characteristics, coronary involvement, and course of patients seen at our facility. A case series from 2001 to 2018 was reviewed. Sixty-three patients were included; their median age was 2.6 years; 58% were males. The median duration of fever at the time of diagnosis was 5.5 days. The incomplete form was observed in 33% and coronary involvement, in 20%. Among patients with coronary involvement, 60% had incomplete KD versus 28% among those without coronary involvement (p: 0.06). No differences were observed between groups in laboratory data based on coronary involvement. To conclude, 33% had incomplete KD and 20%, coronary involvement. There was a trend to a higher risk for coronary artery damage in the incomplete form of KD.

Canalización del crecimiento entre los 2 y los 5 años en niños aparentemente sanos con talla baja a los 2 años / Canalization of growth between 2 and 5 years of age in apparently healthy children with short stature at age 2 years

Introducción. El tamaño del recién nacido se asocia a condiciones intrauterinas. El potencial genético se expresa más tarde; la canalización del crecimiento se describe clásicamente hasta los 24 meses. Objetivo. Describir la canalización del crecimiento entre los 2 y los 5 años en niños aparentemente sanos con talla baja a los 2 años. Población y métodos. Estudio de cohorte retrospectiva. Se incluyeron niños seguidos en un hospital universitario de comunidad entre 2003 y 2019, con puntaje Z de talla menor a -2 DE para edad y sexo a los 2 años. Se excluyeron los nacidos prematuros, con bajo peso y con enfermedades crónicas. Se evaluó la trayectoria de crecimiento. Se definió canalización como la adquisición de talla normal para la población general. Resultados. Se incluyeron 64 niños, de los cuales 37 (58 %) presentaron canalización del crecimiento a los 5 años (20 a los 3 años, 8 a los 4 años, y 9 a los 5 años). La velocidad de crecimiento a los 3 y a los 5 años fue significativamente mayor en los que canalizaron en comparación con los que no lo hicieron; hubo una tendencia similar a los 4 años. De los 27 niños con talla baja a los 5 años, 25 tuvieron al menos un registro de velocidad de crecimiento anual menor al percentil 25. Conclusiones. La mayoría de los niños aparentemente sanos con baja talla a los 2 años alcanzan una talla normal a los 5 años. La velocidad de crecimiento anual permite detectar a los niños con riesgo de no canalizar.

Introduction. Newborn size is associated with intrauterine conditions. Genetic potential is expressed later; the canalization of growth is typically described up to 24 months of age. Objective. To describe the canalization of growth between 2 and 5 years of age in apparently healthy children with short stature at age 2 years. Population and methods. Retrospective, cohort study. Children seen at a community teaching hospital between 2003 and 2019, who had a Z-score for height below -2 SDs for age and sex at age 2 years were included. Infants born preterm, with a low birth weight, and chronic conditions were excluded. Growth patterns were assessed. Canalization was defined as reaching a normal stature for the general population. Results. Sixty-four children were included; 37 (58%) showed canalization of growth at 5 years old (20 at 3 years, 8 at 4 years, and 9 at 5 years). The growth rate at 3 and 5 years of age was significantly higher among those who showed canalization compared to those who did not; a similar trend was observed at 4 years of age. Among 27 children with short stature at 5 years of age, 25 had at least 1 annual growth velocity below the 25th centile. Conclusions. Most apparently healthy children with short stature at 2 years old reached a normal stature at 5 years old. The annual growth velocity allows to detect children at risk of not showing canalization.

Predictive factors for sequelae of bronchitis obliterans in refractory Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia / 中华儿科杂志

Objective: To investigate the predictive factors for bronchitis obliterans in refractory Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia (RMPP). Methods: A restrospective case summary was conducted 230 patients with RMPP admitted to the Department of No.2 Respiratory Medicine of Beijing Children's Hospital, Capital Medical University from January 2013 to June 2017 were recruited. Clinical data, laboratory results, imaging results and follow-up data were collected. Based on bronchoscopy and imaging findings 1 year after discharge, all patients were divided into two groups: one group had sequelae of bronchitis obliterans (sequelae group) and the other group had not bronchitis obliterans (control group), independent sample t-test and nonparametric test were used to compare the differences in clinical features between the two groups. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve to explore the predictive value of Bronchitis Obliterans in RMPP. Results: Among 230 RMPP children, there were 115 males and 115 females, 95 cases had sequelae group, the age of disease onset was (7.1±2.8) years;135 cases had control group, the age of disease onset was (6.8±2.7) years. The duration of fever, C-reative protein (CRP) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) levels, the proportion of ≥2/3 lobe consolidation, pleural effusion and the proportion of airway mucus plug and mucosal necrosis were longer or higher in the sequelae group than those in the control group ((17±9) vs. (12±3) d, (193±59) vs. (98±42) mg/L,730 (660, 814) vs. 486 (452, 522) U/L, 89 cases (93.7%) vs. 73 cases (54.1%), 73 cases (76.8%) vs.59 cases (43.7%), 81 cases (85.3%) vs. 20 cases (14.8%), 67 cases (70.5%) vs. 9 cases (6.7%), t=5.76, 13.35, Z=-6.41, χ2=14.64, 25.04, 22.85, 102.78, all P<0.001). Multivariate Logistic regression analysis showed that the duration of fever ≥10 days (OR=1.200, 95%CI 1.014-1.419), CRP levels increased (OR=1.033, 95%CI 1.022-1.044) and LDH levels increased (OR=1.001, 95%CI 1.000-1.003) were the risk factors for sequelae of bronchitis obliterans in RMPP. ROC curve analysis showed that CRP 137 mg/L had a sensitivity of 82.1% and a specificity of 80.1%; LDH 471 U/L had a sensitivity of 62.7% and a specificity of 60.3% for predicting the development of bronchitis obliterans. Conclusions: The long duration of fever (≥10 d), CRP increase (≥137 mg/L) may be used to predict the occurrence of sequelae of bronchitis obliterans in RMPP. It is helpful for early recognition of risk children.

Comparison of epidemic characteristics and clinical manifestation of chickenpox between adults and children in Shandong Province from 2019 to 2021 / 中华流行病学杂志

Objective: To analyze the differences between adults and children in the epidemic characteristics and clinical manifestations of chickenpox and provide a reference for the prevention strategy adjustment of chickenpox. Methods: The incidence data of chickenpox surveillance in Shandong Province from January 2019 to December 2021 were collected. Descriptive epidemiological methods were used to analyze the distribution of cases, and the chi-square test was used to compare the differences in epidemiological characteristics and clinical manifestations of varicella cases between adults and children. Results: A total of 66 182 cases of chickenpox were reported from 2019 to 2021, including 24 085 cases of adults chickenpox, the male to female sex ratio was 1∶1 (12 032∶12 053), basically the same for men and women, and 42 097 cases of children chickenpox, with a gender ratio of 1.4∶1, the male to female ratio was 1.4∶1 (24 699∶17 398). Fever in chickenpox cases was mainly low and moderate, but the proportion of moderate fever with temperature between 38.1 and 39.0 ℃ in children cases (35.0%,14 744/42 097) was significantly higher than that in adults (32.0%,7 696/24 085). The number of herpes in chickenpox cases was mainly less than 50, but the proportion of severe cases with 100-200 herpes in children was higher than that in adults. The incidence rate of complications was 1.4% (333/24 085) in adults chickenpox, the incidence rate of complications was 1.7% (731/42 097) in children chickenpox. The incidence of encephalitis and pneumonia in children was higher than in adults, and the difference was statistically significant (P<0.05). The proportion of chickenpox cases was mainly outpatient, but the hospitalization rate of children cases was 14.4% (6 049/42 097), higher than that of adults, which was 10.7% (2 585/24 085). Conclusions: There were differences between adult chickenpox and child chickenpox in terms of epidemic and clinical manifestations; the symptoms of child chickenpox were more serious than adult chickenpox. However, the adult chickenpox population is generally susceptible and lacks immune strategy protection, which calls for more attention.

Efficacy and safety of Regan Syrup in treatment of common cold (wind-heat syndrome):a multicenter, randomized, double-blind, double-dummy, placebo and positive drug-controlled, parallel, phase Ⅱb clinical trial / 中国中药杂志

Regan Syrup has the effect of clearing heat, releasing exterior, benefiting pharynx and relieving cough, and previous phase Ⅱ clinical trial showed that the efficacy of Regan Syrup high-dose and low-dose groups was better than that of the placebo group, and there was no statistically significant difference in the safety between the three groups. The present study was conducted to further investigate the efficacy and safety of the recommended dose(20 mL) of Regan Syrup in the treatment of common cold(wind-heat syndrome). Patients who met the inclusion and exclusion criteria were selected and divided into the test group(Regan Syrup+Shufeng Jiedu Capsules placebo), positive drug group(Regan Syrup placebo+Shufeng Jiedu Capsules) and placebo group(Regan Syrup placebo+Shufeng Jiedu Capsules placebo) at a 1∶1∶1 using a block randomization method. The course of treatment was 3 days. A total of 119 subjects were included from six study centers, 39 in the test group, 40 in the positive drug group and 40 in the placebo group. The onset time of antipyretic effect was shorter in the test group than in the placebo group(P≤0.01) and the positive drug group, but the difference between the test group and the positive drug group was not significant. The test group was superior to the positive drug group in terms of fever resolution(P<0.05), and had a shorter onset time of fever resolution than the placebo group, but without obvious difference between the two groups. Compared to the positive drug group, the test group had shortened disappearance time of all symptoms(P≤0.000 1). In addition, the test group was better than the positive drug group and the placebo group in relieving symptoms of sore throat and fever(P<0.05), and in terms of clinical efficacy, the recovery rate of common cold(wind-heat syndrome) was improved in the test group compared to that in the placebo group(P<0.05). On the fourth day after treatment, the total TCM syndrome score in both test group and positive drug group was lower than that in the placebo group(P<0.05). There was no significant difference in the incidence of adverse events between three groups and none of them experienced any serious adverse events related to the study drug. The results indicated that Regan Syrup could shorten the onset time of antipyretic effect, reduce the time of fever resolution, alleviate the symptoms such as sore throat and fever caused by wind-heat cold, reduce the total score of Chinese medicine symptoms, and improve the clinical recovery rate with good safety.

Inflammatory granuloma of the trachea: a rare case with Epstin-Barr virus infection / 浙江大学学报（英文版）（B辑：生物医学和生物技术）

Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), a double-stranded DNA virus with an envelope, is a ubiquitous pathogen that is prevalent in humans, although most people who contract it do not develop symptoms (Kerr, 2019). While the primary cells EBV attacks are epithelial cells and B lymphocytes, its target range expands to a variety of cell types in immunodeficient hosts. Serological change occurs in 90% of infected patients. Therefore, immunoglobulin M (IgM) and IgG, serologically reactive to viral capsid antigens, are reliable biomarkers for the detection of acute and chronic EBV infections (Cohen, 2000). Symptoms of EBV infection vary according to age and immune status. Young patients with primary infection may present with infectious mononucleosis; there is a typical triad of symptoms including fever, angina, and lymphadenectasis (Houen and Trier, 2021). In immunocompromised patients, response after EBV infection may be atypical, with unexplained fever. The nucleic acid of EBV can be detected to confirm whether high-risk patients are infected (Smets et al., 2000). EBV is also associated with the occurrence of certain tumors (such as lymphoma and nasopharyngeal carcinoma) because it transforms host cells (Shannon-Lowe et al., 2017; Tsao et al., 2017).

Diagnostic strategies for diseases with fever in dental clinics / 浙江大学学报（英文版）（B辑：生物医学和生物技术）

Fever is an increase in body temperature beyond the normal range, acting as a protective inflammatory mechanism. This article summarizes diseases with fever encountered in dental clinics, including what is known about pyrexia in coronavirus infection, and further proposes a "six steps in one" identification and analysis strategy to guide the clinical work of stomatology.

Clinical characteristics of neonates infected with the Omicron variant of SARS-CoV-2: a multicenter cross-sectional survey / 中国当代儿科杂志

OBJECTIVES@#To investigate the clinical characteristics of neonates infected with the Omicron variant of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2).@*METHODS@#A cross-sectional survey was conducted on 542 hospitalized neonates with confirmed coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in 27 hospitals in Shenzhen from December 7, 2022, to January 12, 2023 (during the Omicron variant epidemic period). The neonates were divided into two groups: asymptomatic infection and symptomatic infection. The clinical characteristics, results of laboratory examination, chest X-ray findings, and outcome were compared between the two groups.@*RESULTS@#Among the 542 neonates, there were 285 males and 257 females. Among them, 515 (95.0%) were full-term infants, and 27 (5.0%) were preterm infants. The asymptomatic infection group had 60 cases, and the symptomatic infection group had 482 cases. Among them, 336 cases (69.7%) were mild, 125 cases (25.9%) were moderate, 15 cases (3.1%) were severe, and 6 cases (1.2%) were critical. Fever was the most common symptom (434 cases, 90.0%), followed by cough and/or spitting (183 cases, 38.0%), nasal congestion and/or runny nose (131 cases, 27.2%), shortness of breath (36 cases, 7.5%), and feeding intolerance (30 cases, 6.2%). Among the 325 cases who underwent chest X-ray examination, 136 cases (41.8%) had patchy or consolidative shadows in the lungs, 2 cases (0.6%) had pneumothorax, 2 cases (0.6%) had decreased lung transparency, and 185 cases (57.0%) showed no abnormality. Among the 396 cases (73.1%) who received treatment, 341 cases (86.1%) received symptomatic treatment, 137 cases (34.6%) received antibiotic treatment, 4 cases (1.0%) received immunoglobulin treatment, and 23 cases (5.8%) received respiratory support treatment. All 542 neonates were discharged from the hospital after their clinical symptoms were relieved, and the median hospital stay was 5 days. The white blood cell count, neutrophil count, hemoglobin, and procalcitonin were lower in the symptomatic infection group than those in the asymptomatic infection group (P<0.05), while the platelet count and blood glucose levels were higher in the symptomatic infection group than those in the asymptomatic infection group (P<0.05). The proportions of neonates with decreased neutrophil count, increased platelet count, and decreased hemoglobin concentration were higher in the symptomatic infection group than those in the asymptomatic group (P<0.05).@*CONCLUSIONS@#Most neonates with COVID-19 caused by the Omicron variant of SARS-CoV-2 are mild, with fever as the predominant symptom. Symptomatic neonates with COVID-19 are often accompanied by decreased neutrophil count, increased platelet count, and decreased hemoglobin level. Symptomatic treatment is the main treatment, and the prognosis is good.

Clinical features of children with febrile seizures caused by Omicron variant infection / 中国当代儿科杂志

OBJECTIVES@#To study the clinical features of children with febrile seizures after Omicron variant infection.@*METHODS@#A retrospective analysis was performed on the clinical data of children with febrile seizures after Omicron variant infection who were admitted to the Department of Neurology, Children's Hospital Affiliated to the Capital Institute of Pediatrics, from December 1 to 31, 2022 (during the epidemic of Omicron variant; Omicron group), and the children with febrile seizures (without Omicron variant infection) who were admitted from December 1 to 31, in 2021 were included as the non-Omicron group. Clinical features were compared between the two groups.@*RESULTS@#There were 381 children in the Omicron group (250 boys and 131 girls), with a mean age of (3.2±2.4) years. There were 112 children in the non-Omicron group (72 boys and 40 girls), with a mean age of (3.5±1.8) years. The number of children in the Omicron group was 3.4 times that in the non-Omicron group. The proportion of children in two age groups, aged 1 to <2 years and 6-10.83 years, in the Omicron group was higher than that in the non-Omicron group, while the proportion of children in two age groups, aged 4 to <5 years and 5 to <6 years, was lower in the Omicron group than that in the non-Omicron group (P<0.05).The Omicron group had a significantly higher proportion of children with cluster seizures and status convulsion than the non-Omicron group (P<0.05). Among the children with recurrence of febrile seizures, the proportion of children aged 6-10.83 years in the Omicron group was higher than that in the non-Omicron group, while the proportion of children aged 3 years, 4 years, and 5 years in the Omicron group was lower than that in the non-Omicron group (P<0.05).@*CONCLUSIONS@#Children with febrile seizures after Omicron variant infection tend to have a wider age range, with an increase in the proportion of children with cluster seizures and status convulsion during the course of fever.

Clinical features of children with coronavirus disease 2019 caused by Delta variant infection in different age groups / 中国当代儿科杂志

OBJECTIVES@#To study the clinical features of children with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by Delta variant infection in different ages groups.@*METHODS@#A total of 45 children with COVID-19 caused by Delta variant infection who were hospitalized in the designated hospital in Henan Province, China, from November 17 to December 17, 2021, were included. They were divided into three groups: <6 years group (n=16), 6-13 years group (n=16), and >13 years group (n=13). The three groups were compared in clinical features and laboratory examination data.@*RESULTS@#COVID-19 in all age groups was mainly mild. Main manifestations included cough and expectoration in the three groups, and fever was only observed in the 6-13 years group. The <6 years group had significantly higher serum levels of aspartate aminotransferase, lactate dehydrogenase, and creatine kinase isoenzymes than the other two groups (P<0.05). The 6-13 years group had the highest proportion of children with elevated serum creatinine levels (50%). Among the three groups, only 4 children in the >13 years group had an increase in serum C-reactive protein levels. The 6-13 years group had the lowest counts of CD3+CD4+ lymphocytes, CD3+CD8+ lymphocytes, and natural killer cells in the peripheral blood among the three groups. The >13 years group had a significantly higher positive rate of SARS-CoV-2 IgG on admission than the other two groups (P<0.05). There was no significant difference in the imaging findings on chest CT among the three groups (P>0.05).@*CONCLUSIONS@#The clinical features of COVID-19 caused by Delta variant infection in children of different age groups may be different: children aged <6 years tend to develop myocardial injury, and those aged 6-13 years have fever except cough and expectoration and tend to develop renal and immune dysfunction.

Clinical practice of whole-genome sequencing in the rapid diagnosis of critically ill neonates / 中国当代儿科杂志

OBJECTIVES@#To explore the application of whole-genome sequencing (WGS) in the rapid clinical diagnosis of critically ill neonates.@*METHODS@#The critically ill neonates who admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit of Children's Hospital of Fudan University and underwent WGS from August to September, 2019 were enrolled in this prospective study. The genetic testing results and clinical outcome were analyzed with reference to the sequencing data and clinical features of the neonates.@*RESULTS@#A total of 15 neonates were tested, among whom there were 9 boys and 6 girls. The main reason for hospitalization included abnormal breathing in 7 neonates, poor response in 2 neonates, feeding difficulty in 2 neonates, fever in 1 neonate, hypothermia in 1 neonate, preterm birth in 1 neonate, and convulsion in 1 neonate. The mean turn-around time was 4.5 days for WGS. Finally a genetic diagnosis was obtained for 3 neonates, with a positive diagnostic rate of 20% (3/15). Among the 3 neonates, 2 neonates were withdrawn from the treatment due to severe conditions and 1 neonate died on the day when the sample was sent for genetic testing, whose etiology could be explained by the results of genetic testing.@*CONCLUSIONS@#WGS technique can provide a timely and effective diagnosis for critically ill neonates suspected of genetic diseases and provide genetic evidence for clinical treatment of critically ill cases.

Effects of heat exposure and vitamin C intervention on oxidative stress and blood pressure changes in treadmill rats / 中华劳动卫生职业病杂志

Objective: To investigate the effect of oxidative stress caused by heat exposure on the blood pressure increase of treadmill rats and the intervention of antioxidants. Methods: In June 2021, Twenty-four healthy SD male rats were randomly divided into four groups: normal temperature feeding, normal temperature treadmill, high temperature treadmill and high temperature treadmill supplementation with vitamin C groups, 6 rats in each group. The rats run on the platform in normal temperature or heat exposure environment for 30 min in the morning and in the afternoon daily, 6 days per week. The daily vitamin C supplement dose of high temperature treadmill supplementation with vitamin C group was 10 mg/kg. BP recordings were done at the end of the week. The rat vascular lipofuscin (LF) was detected by ELISA, the rat serum nitric oxide (NO) was detected by nitrate reductase method, the serum malondialdehyde (MDA) was detected by thibabituric acid method, the serum glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) were detected by chemiluminescence method, and the serum catalase (CAT) was detected by ammonium molybdate method. The total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC) of serum was measured by iron reduction/antioxidant capacity method, and the content of nuclear erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) in vascular tissue was measured by Western blot. The intra-group mean was compared by repeated measurement analysis of variance, and the inter-group mean was compared by single-factor analysis of variance and post-event LSD-t test. Results: Compared with the previous time point, the systolic BP and diastolic BP of the high temperature treadmill group were significantly increased at 7, 14 and 21 d, and decreased at 28 d which were higher than the initial level (P<0.05), and the systolic BP and diastolic BP values at each experimental time point were significantly higher than those of normal temperature treadmill group (P<0.001). The changes of thickening of the artery wall, no smoothing of the endodermis and irregular arrangement of muscle cells in high temperature treadmill group were observed. Compared with the normal temperature treadmill group, the content of MDA in serum, and LF in vascular tissue were significantly increased, the activities of SOD, CAT, T-AOC, the content of NO in serum, and the expression of Nrf2 in vascular tissue were significantly decreased in high temperature treadmill group (P<0.05). Compared with the high temperature treadmill group, the systolic BP and diastolic BP values at 7, 14, 21 and 28 d, the content of serum MDA and LF in vascular tissue were significantly decreased, the activities of CAT and T-AOC, and the expression of Nrf2 in vascular tissue significantly increased (P<0.05), the histopathological changes of the artery wall improved in high temperature treadmill supplementation with vitamin C group. Conclusion: Heat exposure has effect on oxidative stress, which may be related to the increase of BP. Vitamin C as an anti-oxidative enhancer can prevent those negative effects, which could alleviate the pathological changes of vessel intima in heat-exposed rats. And the Nrf2 may be a regulated factor to vascular protection.