Hallermann-Streiff syndrome with hemihypertrophy.

We report on a five year old girl with Hallermann-Streiff syndrome and hemihypertrophy. Hemihypertrophy does not appear to have ever been associated with Hallermann-Streiff syndrome.

Encephalitis in a child during atypical course of rubella.

Rubella is usually encountered as a mild viral illness in children and complications are not common. We reported rubella encephalitis in the atypical course of rubella without rash in a 9-year-old boy. He was admitted with a headache, fever, loss of consciousness and bilateral retroauricular lymphadenopathy. The cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) examination showed lymphocytic pleocytosis, increased protein levels and a normal glucose value. Immunoglobulin (Ig) M antibodies against rubella virus were positive in CSF and serum. IgG antibody also became positive in his serum 3 weeks after his admittance. We emphasized that rubella may appear without any rash and cause encephalitis. In unvaccinated children, rubella should be considered in the differential diagnosis of encephalitis.

Pediatric poisonings in southeast of Turkey: epidemiological and clinical aspects.

Current detailed information about the causes, management, and clinical course of acute childhood poisonings in Turkey is scarce. Therefore, we have conducted a descriptive study of children presenting with acute poisoning to the pediatric emergency department of Dicle University Hospital throughout an 8-month period. Two hundred unselected children with poisoning were evaluated in terms of clinical, epidemiological and socioeconomic aspects. The mean age of patients was 5.7 +/- 4.0 years. The majority of the patients (n = 108, 54%) were aged from 13 months to 4 years (P < 0.05). In majority of patients (66.5%, n = 133), poisonings were accidental. Intentional poisonings accounted for 3.5% (n = 7) and food poisoning accounted for 30% (n = 60) of all cases. The families had more than three children in 129 (97%) of accidentally poisoned and in seven (100%) of intentionally poisoned patients, six were girls and one was a boy. The parents of most patients were uneducated. Furthermore, more than two third of families had low level of income. In all, 171 patients (85.5%) were discharged after an observation period of 24 h. Four patients died. In conclusion, factors such as low educational level of parents, presence of more than three children in the family, and low income increase the incidence of childhood poisonings. The low educational level of girls increases the incidence of intentional poisoning.

Hepatitis A seroprevalence and its relationship with environmental factors in children of different age groups in Kahramanmaras, Eastern Mediterranean region of Turkey.

Hepatitis A infections are influenced by environmental and socioeconomic factors. Epidemiologic studies regarding hepatitis A virus (HAV) infection in Turkey have not previously examined these factors. We investigated HAV seroprevalence and its association with sociodemographic factors among children of various ages in the Eastern Mediterranean region of Turkey. The study included 1142 children (603 male and 539 female) between ages of 6 months and 18 years. Seropositivity in the whole group was 57.2%. HAV prevalence rates according to age groups were as follows: 35.5% in 6-23 months group, 19.2% in 2-5 years group, 74.3% in 6-10 years group, 83.0% in 11-14 years group, 92.8% in 15-18 years group. Risk factors that influenced seropositivity were; dense population, over-crowded families, excessive number of siblings, low socioeconomic status and low education of the mother. As HAV seroprevalence in children older than 6 years of age is high, we recommend hepatitis A vaccination in this region after the first year of life.

Asthmatic children and risk factors at a province in the southeast of Turkey.

BACKGROUND: The prevalence of asthma appears to be on the increase and the risk factors are not well established. Environmental and demographic characteristics of asthmatic children were investigated to identify the risk factors accompanying asthma. METHODS: 140 asthmatic children aged at 3-15 years were compared with 96 age-matched control subjects admitted to the paediatric outpatient clinics of Dicle University Hospital. Information about the children were obtained from parents and patients'charts. RESULTS: Patients with asthma were most frequently admitted in May-June and November-January months. Association of the disease with allergic rhinitis was found in 84 children (60 %), allergic conjunctivitis in 63 (45 %), atopic dermatitis in 29 (21 %) and gastrointestinal symptoms in 18 (13 %). Mean age of the cases was 6.8 3.3 and 6.9 3.2 years (p > 0.05); male to female ratios were 91/49 and 43/53 (p = 0.002) in the study and control groups, respectively. There were significant differences at number of cases stated to have any symptoms induced by air pollution (25.6 %, 3.1 %, p < 0,001), exercise (47.5 %, 4.2 %, p < 0.001) and cold exposure (33 %, 15.6 %, p = 0.03), but not by damp, dust, indoor smoking, foods, drugs, and animal contact (p > 0.05) between the study and the control groups, respectively. Family history of atopy was 66 % and 8.4 %, (p < 0.001) in the study and control groups, respectively. Family crowding index, duration of breast feeding, parental education and number of consanguineous married parents were not different between both groups. History of upper respiratory tract infections were more frequent in asthmatic children than controls. Children with an earlier age of onset ( 5 years. CONCLUSIONS: Many risk factors, both individual and environmental are associated with asthmatic children in Diyarbakr. Among many risk factors that aggrevating asthma in children in Diyarbakr, air pollution, cold exposure and upper respiratory infections are preventable.

Pamidronate treatment in acute vitamin D intoxication.

Management with glucocorticoid, high iv fluid saline intake, furosemide and calcitonin may not result in a favorable reduction of hypercalcemia and may cause several side effects in infants with acute vitamin D intoxication. The bisphosphonate pamidronate, a specific inhibitor of bone resorption through osteoclast mediation was successfully used in a 6-month old infant with acute vitamin D intoxication managed in the Pediatric Emergency and Intensive Care Unit, after an ineffective trial of hydration, furosemide, calcitonin and prednisolone. After a double infusion of pamidronate on two consecutive days (1 mg/kg/day), an early and safe correction of hypercalcemia/hypercalciuria was supplied. Pamidronate therapy may be considered in patients with hypercalcemia secondary to acute vitamin D poisoning.

Asthmatic children and risk factors at a province in the southeast of Turkey

Background: The prevalance of asthma appears to be on the increase and the risk factors are not well established. Environmental and demographic characteristics of asthmatic children were investigated to identify the risk factors accompanying asthma. Methods: 140 asthmatic children aged at 3-15 years were compared with 96 age-matched control subjects admitted to the paediatric outpatient clinics of Dicle University Hospital. Information about the children were obtained from parents and patients'charts. Results: Patients with asthma were most frequently admitted in May-June and November-January months. Association of the disease with allergic rhinitis was found in 84 children (60 %), allergic conjunctivitis in 63 (45 %), atopic dermatitis in 29 (21 %) and gastrointestinal symptoms in 18 (13 %). Mean age of the cases was 6.8 ± 3.3 and 6.9 ± 3.2 years (p > 0.05); male to female ratios were 91/49 and 43/53 (p = 0.002) in the study and control groups, respectively. There were significant differences at number of cases stated to have any symptoms induced by air pollution (25.6 %, 3.1 %, p < 0,001), exercise (47.5 %, 4.2 %, p < 0.001) and cold exposure (33 %, 15.6 %, p = 0.03), but not by damp, dust, indoor smoking, foods, drugs, and animal contact (p > 0.05) between the study and the control groups, respectively. Family history of atopy was 66 % and 8.4 %, (p < 0.001) in the study and control groups, respectively. Family crowding index, duration of breast feeding, parental education and number of consanguineous married parents were not different between both groups. History of upper respiratory tract infections were more frequent in asthmatic children than controls. Children with an earlier age of onset (≤ 5 years) in the study group was more frequently associated with allergic rhinitis in comparison with the asthmatic children with an age of onset > 5 years. Conclusion: Many risk factors, both individual and environmental are associated with asthmatic children in Diyarbak¿r. Among many risk factors that aggrevatig asthma in children in Diyarbak¿r, air pollution, cold exposure and upper respiratory infections are preventable (AU)

Antecedentes: La prevalencia del asma parece ir en aumento y los factores de riesgo no parecen quedar muy claros. Se investigaron las características medioambientales y demográficas de un número de niños asmáticos para identificar los factores de riesgo que acompañan al asma. Métodos: 140 niños asmáticos de edades comprendidas entre los 3 y los 15 años fueron comparados con 96 sujetos de las mismas edades admitidos en el hospital pediátrico de día de la Universidad de Dicle. La información sobre los niños se obtuvo a través de los padres y la historia clínica de los pacientes. Resultados: Los pacientes con asma acudían con más frecuencia en los meses de mayo-junio y de noviembre-enero. La enfermedad se asoció con rinitis alérgica en 84 niños (60 por ciento), con conjuntivitis alérgica en 63 niños (45 por ciento), dermatitis atópica en 29 niños (21 por ciento) y síntomas gastrointestinales en 18 niños (13 por ciento). La edad media de los casos era de 6,8 ñ 3,3 y 6,9 ñ 3,2 años (p > 0,05); la relación entre varones y mujeres fue de 91/49 y de 43/53 (p = 0,002) en los grupos de estudio y los controles, respectivamente. Hubo diferencias importantes entre el número de casos en los que existían síntomas inducidos por la contaminación del aire (25,6 por ciento, 3,1 por ciento, p 0,05) entre los grupos estudiados y los controles, respectivamente. La historia familiar de atopia fue del 66 y del 8,4 por ciento (p 5 años. Conclusión: En Diyarbakir, los niños asmáticos se asocian con muchos factores de riesgo, tanto individuales como medioambientales. Entre muchos de los factores de riesgo que agravan el asma de los niños de Diyarbakir, la contaminación del aire, la exposición al frío y las infecciones de las vías respiratorias altas son evitables (AU)