Blood lead and hemoglobin levels in Andean children with chronic lead intoxication.

This study investigated blood lead (PbB) and hemoglobin (HbB) levels in 88 children (42 females and 46 males; ages: 2-15 years; mean age: 7.2) with chronic Pb exposure, living in a highly Pb-contaminated Andean village at above 2800 meters. The mean PbB level for 88 venous blood samples was 43.2 microg/dl (SD: 25.1; range: 6.2 - 128.2 microg/dl) measured by ICP-MS, and 42.0 microg/dl (SD: 26.0; range: 5.0 - 130.0 microg/dl) by GFAAS analysis. The mean PbB level for the 42 females was 41.0 microg/dl and for 46 males, 45.0 microg/dl. Multiple regression analysis showed a significant gender by age interaction (R2 = 0.099; F = 4.173, p = 0.044), indicating a relationship between age and PbB level for males, but not for females. Simple regression analysis showed a statistically significant positive correlation between PbB levels and age for males (r = 0.416, p = 0.004), but not for females (r = -0.042, p = .793). The measured mean HbB level for the 88 children was 12.6 g/dl (12.5 g/dl for females and 12.8 g/dl for males) and lower than expected for children living in the Ecuadorian Andes. The mean altitude-corrected HbB level was 10.9 g/dl (10.8 g/dl for females and 11.1 g/dl for males). A significant inverse correlation between PbB and HbB levels was observed for the group of 88 children (r = -0.292, p = 0.006). Multiple regression analyses indicated no significant age and gender interaction (R2 = 0.014; F = 0.025, p = 0.876) for HbB levels. In conclusion, the results of this investigation indicate that the children in this Pb-contaminated, high altitude study area had chronic elevated PbB levels, which increased with age for males, and probable Pb-induced anemia.

Cardiac toxicity of intravenous terbutaline for the treatment of severe asthma in children: a prospective assessment.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the cardiac toxicity as measured by elevations in serum cardiac troponin T (cTnT) and to compare creatine kinase (CK) and creatine kinase MB (CK-MB) and findings on electrocardiography (ECG) as markers of cardiac toxicity with cTnT during the infusion of intravenous terbutaline for the treatment of severe asthma in children. STUDY DESIGN: Prospective cohort study of patients receiving intravenous terbutaline for severe asthma. RESULTS: Only 3 (10%) of the 29 patients had elevations in cTnT. Each underwent mechanical ventilation for >72 hours, which was the earliest point at which cTnT elevations were identified. Eighteen (62%) patients had an elevation in CK, and 3 had an elevation in CK-MB fraction without an elevated cTnT. Twenty (69%) patients had ECG findings consistent with ischemia, and 19 of these patients had the ischemic findings on their preterbutaline ECG. Elevations in CK and CK-MB and ischemic changes on ECG did not correlate with elevations in cTnT. Both mechanical ventilation (P =.02) and prolonged administration (>72 hours) of intravenous terbutaline (P =. 02) were significantly associated with elevations in cTnT. CONCLUSIONS: We found no clinically significant cardiac toxicity from the use of intravenous terbutaline for severe asthma as measured by serum cTnT elevations.

Correlations of cardiovascular disease risk factors between African American siblings.

OBJECTIVES: This study examines intrasibling correlations at 2 points during childhood for African American siblings with the same father, different fathers, a father present in the home, and no father present in the home. STUDY DESIGN: Cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors were assessed in 267 pairs of African American siblings (visit 1) and in 79 of these siblings approximately 28 months later (visit 2). RESULTS: As a group, correlations of CVD risk factors between African American siblings with the same father were greater than those for African American siblings with different fathers in visit 1 (P <.05). However, having a father present in the home was associated with significantly lower intrasibling correlations for girth and total cholesterol in visit 2 (P <.005). Intrasibling correlations for the 4 family subgroups suggest that CVD risk factors were most similar in siblings who shared the same father but who had no father present in the home. CONCLUSIONS: Intrasibling correlations for African American children were influenced by whether they shared the same father and whether a father was present in their home, reflecting both genetic and environmental influences. Family composition should be considered when family CVD risk factors are used to predict CVD risk in children.

Plasma lipids and other cardiovascular risk factors in Costa Rican adolescents.

This study assessed plasma lipids and other cardiovascular risk factors in adolescents in a developing Latin American country and compared those risk factors to those of adolescents in the United States of America, where the risk of heart disease is high. In a cross-sectional study, data were collected from September 1998 to April 1999 on 161 Costa Rican adolescents between the ages of 12 and 20. A general questionnaire was used to collect demographic, smoking, socioeconomic, and women's health data. Anthropometric measurements, blood pressure, and a fasting blood sample were taken. The Costa Rican males had lower levels of total cholesterol than did the Costa Rican females (mean +/- standard error of the mean (SEM), 149 +/- 6.5 mg/dL vs. 158 +/- 6.3 mg/dL). This was mainly due to lower high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol in males than in females (mean +/- SEM, 38 +/- 2.0 mg/dL vs. 44 +/- 2.4 mg/dL). As compared to the United States, adolescents in this study had lower levels of total cholesterol, largely due to lower HDL cholesterol. Both genders of Costa Ricans had levels of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol that were similar to those of counterpart groups in the United States. Costa Rican male and female adolescents had higher LDL/HDL ratios than did their United States counterparts. Therefore, as compared to the United States, Costa Rican adolescents have an adverse lipid profile as demonstrated by a higher LDL/HDL ratio. Overweight prevalence in Costa Rica was 13%, approaching the 15% overall level of the United States.

Efficacy of felbamate in therapy for partial epilepsy in children.

Thirty children (2 to 17 years of age) with refractory partial seizures received open-label felbamate as an add-on medication to their background antiepileptic drugs. The dose was increased up to a maximum of 45 mg/kg. Compared with baseline seizure activity, there was a 53% decrease in seizure frequency during felbamate therapy; 50% of the patients had more than a 50% decrease in seizure frequency. Patients older than 10 years of age were more likely to have a favorable response. Age correlated positively with felbamate concentrations and negatively with apparent felbamate clearance. Transient weight loss occurred in 57% of the patients; the weight loss was maximal after 12 weeks of initiation of felbamate, and subsided after the twentieth week of treatment. Anorexia and insomnia were reported in 20% and 16% of the patients, respectively. Adverse effects were generally tolerable; felbamate therapy was discontinued because of side effects in only one patient, because of a rash. We conclude that felbamate can be a useful and well-tolerated medication in the treatment of refractory partial epilepsy in children. However, increased apparent clearance of this drug in younger children should be considered in treatment of this age group.