Clinical effects of erdosteine in the treatment of acute respiratory tract diseases in children.

Erdosteine has positive effects on mucus rheology and transport due to the active metabolite (Metabolite I) which contains a free thiol group. Erdosteine inhibits bacterial adhesiveness and has antioxidant properties. A synergistic effect of erdosteine with various antibiotics has been demonstrated in pharmacological and clinical studies. The present study was multicenter, randomized, double-blind and placebo-controlled. The aims of the study were to compare a combination of erdosteine with amoxicillin against an amoxicillin-placebo combination in pediatric patients with acute lower respiratory tract disease. A total of 158 patients (78 in the erdosteine group and 80 in the placebo group) were treated for 7 +/- 2 days. The efficacy parameters were cough (primary), polypnea, rhonchi, rales and body temperature (all measured at baseline, on Day 3 and at the end of treatment). Safety was assessed by strictly monitoring the occurrence of adverse events and using standard laboratory parameters. The results of the intention-to-treat analysis showed that the severity of cough was decreased by 47% at Day 3 in the erdosteine group with a statistically significant difference compared to placebo, the difference was still significant at the final visit. The decrease in the severity of rales was significantly greater at Day 3 in the erdosteine group than in the placebo group. The incidence of polypnea and rhonchi in the two groups showed similar decreases, an improvement mainly due to the antibiotic. No adverse events occurred and no adverse changes in laboratory parameters were observed. It is concluded that the combination of erdosteine and amoxicillin is a safe medication which is clinically superior to that of the antibiotic combined with placebo, especially in regard to the effects on cough.

[Urticaria in children--the current etiopathogenetic and clinico-therapeutic aspects]. / Urticaria la copil--aspecte actuale etiopatogenice si clinico-terapeutice.

The authors present actualized data regarding urticaria, which is frequently encountered in children. The first part presents the etiology, pathogenesis and pathological aspects of urticaria. Next, are discussed clinical and paraclinical data, useful for the diagnosis. An important step in the diagnosis work-up is to establish the etiology. A large space is dedicated to the therapeutical aspects, insisting upon the superiority (the advantages, the efficacy) of last generation antihistaminic drugs.

[The diagnostic difficulties in a case of a hemorrhagic syndrome in an infant]. / Dificultati de diagnostic într-un caz de sindrom hemoragic la sugar.

The authors present a case of cystic fibrosis in a 3 months old infant. Clinically, the first manifestation was a severe anemia secondary to iron deperdition through a hemorrhage due to an acquired trouble of thrombin formation. The late was explained by the vitamin K malabsorption and by the hepatocellular insufficiency.