[Imperforate hymen: one diagnosis can hide another]. / Imperforation hyménéale : un diagnostic peut en cacher un autre.

INTRODUCTION: A case of imperforate hymen discovered after a surgical complication is reported. We discuss the lessons to draw from this case in terms of diagnosis and therapeutic management. CASE REPORT: An 11-year-old girl was referred with fever and acute lower abdominal pain. A diagnosis of appendicitis was hypothesized because of rigidity located to the right iliac fossa, a psoas sign, polynuclear leukocytosis, and increased serum C-reactive protein. A McBurney laparotomy showed a brownish hemoperitoneum and a dilated right fallopian tube. The appendix appeared normal and an appendicectomy was done. A diagnosis of hematocolpos aggravated by hematometra, hematosalpinx, and hemoperitoneum was suspected. Pelvic examination revealed an imperforate hymen with a taut pelvic mass confirmed by transabdominal and endorectal ultrasonography. Hymenotomy was performed, which allowed the discharge of 400cc of chocolate-colored fluid. The history-taking revealed recurrent intermittent lower abdominal pain with several referrals to emergency departments. The patient recovered uneventfully and was discharged 2 days later. CONCLUSION: In case of acute abdominopelvic pain in pubertal girls with no previous menstruation, the possibility of an imperforate hymen must be suspected. Examination should include observation of secondary sexual characteristics and inspection of the external genitalia. Treatment is surgical and consists of a hymenotomy.

[Management of severe acute asthma in children in pediatric urgent and intensive care units]. / Prise en charge de l'asthme aigu sévère de l'enfant en unité de soins d'urgence et de soins intensifs pédiatriques.

Mortality in cases of severe asthma attacks in children is evaluated at 1%. During initial medical care, repeated evaluation of clinical and para-clinical severity criteria constitutes the main therapeutic guide. Emergency care treatment is based mainly on oxygen therapy, bronchodilatory therapy by discontinuous inhalation, and general corticotherapy. Intravenous theophylline treatment is controversial. The response after a few hours should allow a decision to be made [1] to follow up with outpatient treatment (rapid marked improvement), [2] to continue the hospital treatment (stabilization), or [3] to transfer to intensive care (worsening, exhaustion). In the intensive care unit, the treatment is based on continuous intravenous administration of beta 2 mimetics in addition to the above therapies. The objective is to avoid resorting to assisted ventilation. When this proves necessary, it must not be detrimental; controlled alveolar hypoventilation allows dynamic hyper-inflation linked to ventilation to be reduced. Prevention of relapse is indispensable. This requires hospitalization in a specialized care unit after discharge from intensive care.

[The value of procalcitonin in neonatal infections]. / Intérêt de la procalcitonine dans les infections néonatales.

UNLABELLED: The value of procalcitonin (PCT) measurement is not presently completely assessed for the diagnosis of neonatal infections. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This parameter was assessed in a prospective study in the neonatal intensive care unit of Clermont-Ferrand Hospital (France) in comparison to C-reactive protein. All newborn infants admitted before 24 h of life (day 0) in the neonatal intensive care unit were included in the study. Newborns (102) were assigned to one of four groups: group 1: non-infected newborns (n = 41); group 2: possibly infected newborns (n = 33); group 3: probably infected newborns (n = 10); group 4: confirmed infections (n = 18 bacterial or fungal infections). C-reactive protein and PCT were determined in the sera at D0, D1, D3 and D8. We determined the optimal cutoff value of PCT using the Receiver Operating Characteristic curves (R.O.C.). RESULTS: The cutoff value is 1.5 ng/mL at D0 and 10 ng/mL at D1. PCT cutoff value is significantly higher at D1 because of a significant PCT peak on the first day of life independent of any infectious stimulus. Our study shows that at D0 and D1 infected newborn infants had significantly higher mean PCT and C-reactive protein values than non infected newborn infants. C-reactive protein has a better specificity but PCT has better sensitivity and negative predictive value. CONCLUSION: PCT seems to be an interesting marker of neonatal infections especially during the first 24 h of life even though the mechanism of PCT synthesis remains unclear.

Non-infectious interstitial alveolitis and foreign body pulmonary vasculitis in a child treated for acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

We report a case of a 14-month-old girl who was treated for acute lymphoblastic leukemia but died from interstitial alveolitis associated with foreign body vasculitis. This respiratory complication arose 3 months after an allogenic bone marrow transplant. No infectious agents (bacteria, virus, or parasite) were isolated from bronchial or lung tissue samples. Respiratory complications after chemotherapy are reviewed as well as the potential origin of the intravascular foreign body.

[Severe streptococcal complications in varicella]. / Complications bactériennes graves à streptocoque an cours de la varicelle.

BACKGROUND: An increase in the incidence of group A beta hemolytic streptococcal (GABHS) infections in children has been recently noted with a frequent association with varicella. CASE REPORTS: Two children, 3 and 4.5 years old, developed varicella. The first one was febrile and presented a phlyctene on his left foot. Few hours after his admission, he presented a septic shock; GABHS was isolated from blood. Despite immediate adapted antibiotherapy, he developed a right tibial osteomyelitis with abscess. The second child also developed varicella and was hospitalized because of fever, bad general condition, right cervical adenitis and edema on the left wrist. Edema rapidly extended to the hand and upper arm. One purulent lesion was noted on the upper arm from whom Staphylococcus aureus and GABHS were isolated. Blood samples were sterile. The clinical course was favorable with adapted antibiotherapy. A cutaneous desquamation was observed on the 9th day and we concluded that it was a GABHS cellulitis. CONCLUSION: These two cases confirm the recent report of increase in GABHS infections associated with varicella. Such complications must be looked for in patients with varicella remaining abnormally febrile and/or presenting unusual manifestations.

Plasma exchange in Rasmussen's encephalitis.

The authors observed a 4-year-old girl who has Rasmussen's encephalitis. She started with frequent localized and generalized seizures. Standard antiepileptic treatment was almost ineffective. The frequency of the generalized seizures decreased, but the myoclonic jerks of the left part of the body persisted. An EEG showed partial status epilepticus. The results of the CT scan were normal. Antibodies to viruses were absent from the blood and cerebrospinal fluid. An MR scan showed a T2-weighted hypersignal zone in the right frontal region. Intravenous bolus injections of corticosteroids and drips of immunoglobulins were inefficient, and we started plasma exchanges which have continued for 9 months. The clinical state stabilized, and the images on the MR scan improved, but the results of the EEG did not improve. The authors discuss the effect of the plasma exchange, the use of which is questionable in this disease.

Clinical and bacteriological survey after change in aminoglycoside treatment to control an epidemic of Enterobacter cloacae.

The effect of a change in the first line antibiotic treatment in a neonatal unit was studied. A total of 238 neonates (G1), admitted between 1 January and 31 July 1989, and treated with gentamicin, were compared with 398 (G2) admitted between 1 August 1989 and 31 July 1990 who received amikacin, in the combination of ampicillin plus an aminoglycoside. This change was implemented in an attempt to prevent the spread of an epidemic strain of Enterobacter cloacae resistant to third generation cephalosporins and all aminoglycosides, except amikacin. The change in treatment had no effect on the incidence of nosocomial infections [19.7% (G1) vs. 16.3% (G2) RR = 1.21 (0.86-1.70)], but the proportion of patients with nosocomial infections caused by the E. cloacae decreased (6.3% vs. 2.0% RR 3.14 CI 1.35-7.28). Certain trends in the bacterial ecology emerged: E. aerogenes and Enterococci increased in G2. The proportion of gentamicin-resistant strains such as E. cloacae or Staphylococci decreased and there was no increase in aminoglycoside-resistant strains, except in Escherichia coli, in which resistance to amikacin rose from 0 to 3%. This study illustrates the influence of antimicrobial therapy on the species and the resistance of strains isolated in nosocomial infections. It also highlights the need for epidemiologic surveillance, and poses the question of how best to modify antibiotic policy.

[Discovery, in neonatal screening, of 2 families carrying a syndrome of generalized resistance to thyroid hormones]. / Découverte, à partir du dépistage néonatal, de deux familles porteuses du syndrome de résistance généralisée aux hormones thyroïdiennes.

The syndrome of generalized resistance to thyroid hormones is being increasingly diagnosed, albeit often belatedly. In the two families described herein the diagnosis was established when moderately elevated thyrotropin levels were found upon neonatal screening of a family member. The family studies identified other affected members with a pattern indicating autosomal dominant inheritance. Clinical and laboratory findings in the neonates were consistent with normal thyroid function and no treatment was given. In one neonate, fibroblast nuclear receptor studies failed to detect decreased affinity for triiodothyronine, a finding reported in most previously published cases; the mutation in this patient was different from the one described in 1989 by Sakurai et al., consistent with the known genetic heterogeneity of this syndrome. It has been suggested recently that treatment of affected neonates with large doses of thyroid hormones is safe and effective in ensuring normal growth. The neurodevelopmental effects of this treatment are unknown. Early treatment is possible when the syndrome is detected neonatally. We therefore advocate routine T4 assays in neonates with moderately elevated TSH levels.

[Haemophilus parainfluenzae meningitis in an 8-year-old boy]. / Méningite à Haemophilus parainfluenzae chez un enfant de 8 ans.

Invasive infections caused by Haemophilus parainfluenzae, a saprophyte of the respiratory tract, are exceptional and should arise suspicion of abnormalities in immunocompetence. So far, about thirty cases of H. parainfluenzae meningitis affecting neonates, infants or adults have been published. A case of such meningitis in an 8-year old boy without any risk factor is reported here.

[Isolated persistent thrombocytopenia after autologous bone marrow grafting]. / Thrombopénie isolée persistante après autogreffe de moelle.

An 11 year-old boy was treated for acute promyelocytic leukemia (ALM3) with chemotherapy according to the LAME 86 protocol (aracytin and rubidomycin). The first complete remission was consolidated by two autologous bone marrow transplantations. Following autologous graft, a persistent thrombocytopenic purpura appeared. Autoimmune origin was indicated by a decrease in platelet survival time and by the presence of high levels of antiplatelet antibodies.