Risk factors associated with death in Brazilian children with severe dengue: a case-control study.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this case-control study was to evaluate risk factors associated with death in children with severe dengue. METHODS: The clinical condition of hospitalized patients with severe dengue who died (cases, n = 18) was compared with that of hospitalized patients with severe dengue who survived (controls, n = 77). The inclusion criteria for this study were age under 13 years; hospital admission in São Luis, northeastern Brazil; and laboratory-confirmed diagnosis of dengue. RESULTS: Severe bleeding (hemoptysis), a defining criterion for dengue severity, was the factor most strongly associated with death in our study. We also found that epistaxis and persistent vomiting, both included as warning signs in the World Health Organization (WHO) classification of dengue, were strongly associated with death. No significant association was observed between any of the laboratory findings and death. CONCLUSIONS: The finding that epistaxis and persistent vomiting were also associated with death in children with severe dengue was unexpected and deserves to be explored in future studies. Because intensive care units are often limited in resource-poor settings, any information that can help to distinguish patients with severe dengue with a higher risk to progress to death may be crucial.

Risk factors associated with death in Brazilian children with severe dengue: a case-control study

Objective: The purpose of this case-control study was to evaluate risk factors associated with death in children with severe dengue. Methods: The clinical condition of hospitalized patients with severe dengue who died (cases, n = 18) was compared with that of hospitalized patients with severe dengue who survived (controls, n = 77). The inclusion criteria for this study were age under 13 years; hospital admission in São Luis, northeastern Brazil; and laboratory-confirmed diagnosis of dengue. Results: Severe bleeding (hemoptysis), a defining criterion for dengue severity, was the factor most strongly associated with death in our study. We also found that epistaxis and persistent vomiting, both included as warning signs in the World Health Organization (WHO) classification of dengue, were strongly associated with death. No significant association was observed between any of the laboratory findings and death. Conclusions: The finding that epistaxis and persistent vomiting were also associated with death in children with severe dengue was unexpected and deserves to be explored in future studies. Because intensive care units are often limited in resource-poor settings, any information that can help to distinguish patients with severe dengue with a higher risk to progress to death may be crucial. .

Prenatal diagnosis and postnatal findings of bronchogenic cyst.

Bronchogenic cysts arise from abnormal buds from the primitive esophagus and tracheobronchial tree, which do not extend to the site where alveolar differentiation occurs. Bronchogenic cysts are typically unilocular mucus field lesions arising from posterior membranous wall of the air way. The prenatal diagnosis usually is realized by two-dimensional ultrasound showing the large unilocular cystic image in the chest fetus. The prenatal percutaneous aspiration can reduce the risk of heart compression and permit better respiratory conditions to newborn. We present a case of a primiparous pregnant 23 year-old-woman prenatal ultrasound showed a large unilocular cyst in the left hemithorax with compression of the normal left lung tissue and contralateral mediastinal shift. This cyst was percutaneously aspirated without subsequent reaccumulation of fluid. The newborn did not have respiratory distress and the computed tomography scan confirmed the finding of a fluid-filled cyst in the left chest. The chest X-ray showed the displacement of the heart and the mediastinum from the left to the right. The prenatal diagnosis of bronchogenic cyst is very important to assess the degree of the compression of the normal lung and the mediastinum shift. Furthermore, the prenatal diagnosis permits planning delivery in the tertiary hospital with multidisciplinary team because of the risk of respiratory distress.

Prenatal diagnosis of intracranial immature teratoma in the third trimester using 2D and 3D sonography.

Intracranial tumors are uncommon and represent 0.5-1.5 % of all pediatric tumors. Teratoma is the most frequent intracranial tumor found at birth. Large teratomas are extremely rare and have a guarded prognosis since they grow fast and cause brain tissue destruction. A 31-week primigravida was referred to our hospital for investigation of an intracranial mass seen in the fetus. Two-dimensional ultrasound showed a large heterogeneous solid mass with calcifications inside, measuring 5.3 × 4.8 cm. It was in the right cerebral hemisphere at the level of the middle and posterior fossa, thereby shifting the midline and causing severe ventriculomegaly that measured 3.5 cm at the level of the lateral ventricle. Three-dimensional ultrasound (3DUS) in multiplanar mode allowed us to assess the anatomical relationships between the mass and the midline structures. The neurosurgical team, who had suspected that the case was inoperable, was thus able to gain a better understanding of the case. Transfontanellar ultrasound was performed on the day after the birth and confirmed the previous findings. Moreover, a biopsy confirmed the histology of the mass: it was an immature teratoma. The infant died on the 24th day of life after a large expansion of head circumference. Intracranial teratomas are extremely severe because of their quick growth and mass effect, often leading to neonatal death within days. 3DUS is a new prenatal diagnostic method that makes it possible to assess the anatomical relationships between the mass and the intracranial structures, thus enabling better preoperative planning.

Prenatal diagnosis and postnatal ultrasound findings of cloacal anomaly: a case report.

Cloacal malformation is an extremely rare fetal pathological condition that presents as a variety of defects. It predominantly affects females, with prevalence of 1 in 50,000 births. Prenatal ultrasonography on a 20-year-old caucasian woman (G4P1A2) at 33 weeks of pregnancy showed the fetus having a large cystic mass in the lower abdomen with a single septum, bilateral hydronephrosis, ambiguous genitalia, and a single umbilical artery. The pregnancy developed accentuated oligohydramnios, and presence of a fetal brain-sparing effect was diagnosed using arterial Doppler velocimetry. The newborn showed abdominal distension, ambiguous genitalia, and rectal atresia, with a single perineal opening. Pelvic ultrasound done on the first day after delivery revealed the presence of a large retrovesical septated cystic mass of dense content in the fetal abdomen, and bilateral hydronephrosis. Hysterotomy was performed, and 70 mL of dense liquid was drained through an abdominal colostomy. The infant died on the 27th day of life as a result of infectious complications. Prenatal diagnosing of female urogenital anomalies is usually difficult because of their rarity, different types of manifestation, and lack of characteristic ultrasound signs. Presence of a septated cyst with dense content in the fetal abdomen confirms the finding of hydrometrocolpos, thus raising clinical suspicion of a cloacal anomaly.

Rânula congênita: diagnóstico ultrassonográfico antenatal / Congenital ranula: antenatal sonographic diagnosis

Rânula congênita uma rara malformação cística visualizada na cavidade oral. É um pseudocisto habitualmente localizado no espaço sublingual entre o músculo milo-hioideo e a mucosa da língua. Relata-se um caso de gestante de 24 anos, G3P2, com idade gestacional de 29 semanas, encaminhada por conta de polidrâmnio e grande massa de cavidade oral de natureza cística.

A congenital ranula is a rare cystic malformation seen in the oral cavity. This pseudocyst is normally located in the sublingual space between the mylohyoid muscle and the lingual mucosa. A 24-year-old woman, gravida 3, para 2, at 29 weeks' gestation was referred to our institution because of polihydramnios and large oral mass.

Prenatal diagnosis of sacrococcygeal teratoma using two and three-dimensional ultrasonography.

Sacrococcygeal teratoma accounts for half of all fetal tumors, with a prevalence of 1 : 40,000 births. It is believed to originate from pluripotent cells in Hensen's nodule. Although most are benign, they are associated with high morbidity and mortality rates because the fetus develops congestive heart failure and hydrops. Factors leading to poor prognosis include solid components in the mass, and hydrops diagnosed before the 30th week. A case of prenatal sacrococcygeal teratoma diagnosed using B-mode and color Doppler two-dimensional ultrasonography (2DUS) is described, in which three-dimensional ultrasonography (3DUS) enabled characterization of the extent of fetal lesions and allowed the parents to understand the pathological condition better. A 20-year-old primigravida was referred with a solid mass diagnosed in the lumbosacral spine. Examinations performed at our institution revealed pregnancy of 23 weeks and 4 days, with a female fetus presenting a bulky solid mass with cystic components and calcifications, measuring 7.7 × 9.1 × 12.2 cm, starting from the sacral region, with internal flow seen on color Doppler. A new ultrasound confirmed fetal death at 25 weeks and 4 days. Postnatal findings confirmed the diagnosis of sacrococcygeal teratoma. 3DUS can be used in cases of sacrococcygeal teratoma to assess the development of tumor during the prenatal and to allow better understanding of this anomaly by the parents.

Prenatal and Postnatal Schizencephaly Findings by 2D and 3D Ultrasound: Pictorial Essay.

Schizencephaly is a brain-destructive lesion relating to clefts in the fetal brain that usually communicate with the ventricular system, subarachnoid space, or both. It presents as two types: Type I (closed) and Type II (open). During pregnancy, it may be suspected in the course of ultrasonography, which highlights ventricular dilatation and brain abnormalities. Usually, the diagnosis is confirmed postnatally using trans-fontanel ultrasonography. The etiology of schizencephaly is still unknown, but it may be derived from a primary disorder of brain development or from bilateral middle cerebral artery occlusion. Many causative agents including vascular insult, infections, toxins, and medications have been associated with this malformation. We present a pictorial essay of six cases of schizencephaly that were suspected on prenatal ultrasound scans and confirmed postnatally by trans-fontanel, two-dimensional and three-dimensional ultrasonography.

Prenatal diagnosis of an aneurysm of the vein of galen by three-dimensional power and color Doppler ultrasonography.

Aneurism of the vein of Galen is a complex arteriovenous malformation which is of multiply communications between of the vein of Galen and the cerebral arteries. It represents less than 1% of the cerebral arteriovenous malformations. Few cases using three-dimensional (3D) power and color Doppler ultrasound have been reported in the literature. We present a case of an aneurysm of the vein of Galen diagnosed at 25th week of pregnancy. We demonstrate the main findings of 3D power and color Doppler ultrasonography in this anomaly. A 36-year-old pregnant woman, gravida 3, para 2 was referred to our institution because of a midline cystic mass diagnosed in a previous ultrasonography undertaken at 24 weeks' gestation. The ultrasonographic finding consisted of a male fetus with a midline cystic mass, with positive flow detection by color Doppler and ventriculomegaly due to the compressive effects of the malformation. The 3D color and power Doppler ultrasonography allowed us to reconstruct the architecture of the vascular malformation, and it showed the spatial relationships of aneurysm of the vein of Galen with the other structures of the brain. Pregnancy was interrupted at 29 weeks' gestation because of presence of cardiomegaly. A male newborn survived for 36 hours only. The 3D ultrasound can be used as advent image technique in prenatal diagnosis of aneurysm of the vein of Galen.

Prenatal diagnosis and postnatal findings of cephalothoracopagus janiceps disymmetros: a case report.

Conjoined twins are rare variants of monozygotic twins, which result from an incomplete division of the embryonic disk. Cephalothoracopagus is a rare twin pregnancy described as imperfect fusion of the head and chest, but separated columns, limbs, and pelvis. They occur with incidence rates that range from 1 per 50,000 to 1 per 100,000 births; however, the incidence of the cephalothoracopagus variety is 1 per 58 conjoined twins. In the case of identical and symmetric faces caused by the orientations of the 2 notochordal axes that are perfectly ventroventral, they are called janiceps disymmetros. We present a prenatal diagnosis of a typical case of cephalothoracopagus janiceps disymmetros and the diagnostic confirmation by image and pathology exams.

Predictive model for spontaneous preterm labor among pregnant women with contractions and intact amniotic membranes.

PURPOSE: To determine a predictive model for supporting decisions relating to the prognosis for women presenting with preterm labor and intact membranes. METHOD: We conducted a prospective observational cohort study on 70 pregnant women at between 22 and 34 weeks of gestation. Transvaginal sonographic evaluation on the cervix was performed once on women who had completed a course of parenteral tocolysis. The sonographic parameters of cervical length measurement and presence of cervical glandular area were obtained. The outcome variable was occurrences of preterm delivery (<35 weeks). Using a univariate logistic regression model, the coefficients of each independent variable were first estimated. To construct the predictive model, multivariate logistic regression containing all the selected variables that might be related to preterm delivery was used as the starting point. Accuracy, sensitivity, specificity and predictive values were used to measure associations of predicted probabilities and to check the ability of the model to predict outcomes. The predictive analyses were based on logistic regression models, with calculation of odds ratios and 95 % confidence intervals. RESULTS: The incidence of preterm delivery was 32.80 % (23/70). After validation, the predictive model proposed showed accuracy of 87.88 %, sensitivity of 78.26 % and specificity of 93.02 %. CONCLUSION: The model presented good accuracy with correspondence between predictions and observations, and has the capacity to become a useful tool for management of pregnant women with preterm labor and intact amniotic membranes.

Prenatal diagnosis of penoscrotal hypospadia in third trimester by two- and three-dimensional ultrasonography: a case report.

Hypospadia is an abnormal development of the corpus spongiosum, that involves cavernosa urethra, as a result of an inadequate fusion of the urethral folds. The incidence ranges from 0.2 to 4.1 per 1,000 live births. Among the markers of hypospadia, isolated ventral or lateral curvature of the penis associated with shortening are the most important markers and, in severe cases, can result in the classic "tulip sign." The diagnosis of hypospadia is uncommon unless there is a routine of detailed analysis of fetal genitalia morphology. The prenatal diagnosis is of great importance for genetic counseling and allows better planning of postnatal treatment. The three-dimensional ultrasonography (3DUS) in rendering mode enables better comprehension of the pathology by parents, facilitating postnatal planning. We report a case of penoscrotal hypospadia diagnosed at 33 weeks of gestation, suspected due to the absence of testicles in the scrotum and difficulty of penis visualization. We emphasize the findings of 3DUS and its importance in the pathology compression by parents.

Prenatal diagnosis of Nager syndrome in the third trimester of pregnancy and anatomopathological correlation.

Nager syndrome or acrofacial dysostosis is a rare and complex malformation characterized by ear anomalies, micrognathia, radial limb hypoplasia, and absence of the thumb or other fingers. Since the original description of the syndrome in 1948, there have only been four reports of prenatal diagnoses in the literature, all during the second trimester, and only two of them had anatomopathological correlations. We describe a case of Nager syndrome that was suspected in the third trimester of gestation and confirmed postnatally through pathology. The mother was white, 27 years old, and G5P2A2, with a family history of a brother with a harelip. She was referred to our service at 33 weeks of pregnancy with an ultrasound fetal diagnosis of musculoskeletal dysplasia associated with severe micrognathia and severe polyhydramnios. Birth was by means of cesarean section because of suspected fetal distress, which resulted in extraction of a live male fetus with Apgar 1/4, weight of 1,505 g, severe mandibular hypoplasia, low-set ears, severe upper-limb shortening, and absent left thumb. Death occurred 4 h after birth. Anatomopathological examination confirmed the diagnosis of Nager syndrome.

Lipoma espinhal associado a seio dérmico congênito: relato de caso / Spinal lipoma associated with congenital dermal sinus: a case report

Os lipomas espinhais são raros, respondendo por 1 por cento de todos os tumores espinhais, estando associados ao disrafismo espinhal oculto em mais de 99 por cento dos casos. Estão divididos em três tipos principais: lipomielomeningocele, lipoma intradural e fibrolipoma do filo terminal. Este relato descreve um caso de lipoma lombossacral congênito associado a estigma cutâneo do tipo seio dérmico lombar congênito.

Spinal lipomas are rare, accounting for 1 percent of all spinal tumors and being associated with occult spinal dysraphism in more than 99 percent of cases. Such lesions are divided into three main types, namely, lipomyelomeningoceles, intradural lipomas, and filum terminale fibrolipomas. The present report describes a case of congenital lumbosacral lipoma associated with cutaneous stigmata of the lumbar dermal sinus type.

Valor da ultrassonografia em crianças com suspeita de febre hemorrágica do dengue: revisão da literatura / Usefulness of ultrasonography in children with suspected dengue hemorrhagic fever: a literature review

O dengue é doença endêmica em regiões tropicais e subtropicais. Quando sintomática, classifica-se em febre do dengue e febre hemorrágica do dengue, com tendência a síndrome do choque do dengue. A febre hemorrágica do dengue é marcada por manifestações hemorrágicas, trombocitopenia e aumento da permeabilidade capilar. A síndrome do choque do dengue apresenta os achados de febre hemorrágica do dengue com hipotensão. Muitos achados ultrassonográficos têm sido descritos, incluindo derrame pleural, ascite, espessamento da parede da vesícula biliar e derrame pericárdico. O objetivo desta revisão da literatura é descrever os achados ultrassonográficos e demonstrar o papel da ultrassonografia em crianças com suspeita de febre hemorrágica do dengue.

Dengue virus infection is endemic in tropical and subtropical areas. Symptomatic dengue infection is classified into dengue fever or dengue hemorrhagic fever with a tendency to develop shock syndrome. Dengue hemorrhagic fever is characterized by hemorrhagic manifestations, thrombocytopenia and increased capillary permeability. Dengue shock syndrome presents findings of dengue hemorrhagic fever with hypotension. Many sonographic findings have been described, including pleural effusion, ascites, gallbladder wall thickening and pericardial effusion. The aim of the present review is to describe sonographic findings and to demonstrate the role of ultrasonography in the assessment of children with suspected dengue hemorrhagic fever.

Acalvaria primária: relato de caso / Primary acalvaria: a case report

Acalvaria é uma malformação congênita rara de patogênese desconhecida, na qual os ossos da abóbada craniana, a dura-máter e a musculatura associada estão ausentes, mas o sistema nervoso central costuma estar preservado. A teoria fisiopatogênica mais aceita sugere um defeito pós-neurulação, com disposição normal do ectoderma embrionário. O objetivo deste relato é descrever os achados de imagem neonatais da acalvaria primária.

Acalvaria is a rare congenital malformation of unknown pathogenesis characterized by the absence of the flat bones of the cranial vault, dura mater and associated muscles, while the central nervous system is usually preserved. The most accepted physiopathogenic theory suggests the presence of a postneurulation defect with normal placement the embryonic ectoderm. The present report describes neonatal imaging findings of primary acalvaria.

Anormalidades do primeiro trimestre da gravidez: ensaio iconográfico / First trimester pregnancy abnormalities: iconographic essay

As anormalidades do primeiro trimestre da gravidez são detectadas pela ultrassonografia transvaginal em exame de rotina ou em caso de sangramento vaginal anormal. A ameaça de abortamento é uma afecção comum no primeiro trimestre da gestação, ocorrendo em mais de um terço dos casos. O advento de sondas vaginais de alta resolução vem revolucionando nossa compreensão da fisiopatologia e o manejo da gestação inicial. Trata-se de ferramenta essencial para determinar a viabilidade da gestação nos casos de ameaça de abortamento. Uma conduta expectante no abortamento poderia reduzir significativamente o número de esvaziamentos desnecessários de produtos retidos, dependendo dos critérios utilizados.

First trimester pregnancy abnormalities may be detected by transvaginal ultrasonography at routine examinations or in cases where abnormal vaginal bleeding is present. Threatened miscarriage is frequently observed in the first trimester, occurring in more than one-third of pregnancies. The advent of high-resolution transvaginal ultrasonography has revolutionized the understanding of the pathophysiology and the management of early pregnancy. This method represents an essential tool for determining the pregnancy viability in cases of threatened miscarriage. An expectant approach in the management of miscarriage could significantly reduce the number of unnecessary evacuations of retained products of conception, depending on the adopted criteria.

Ultra-sonografia transvaginal do colo para a predição do parto pré-termo em pacientes sintomáticas com bolsa íntegra / Transvaginal ultrasound of the cervix for predicting premature delivery in symptomatic patients with intact membranes

OBJETIVOS: avaliar a utilidade do comprimento cervical ultra-sonográfico para a predição do parto em gestantes com contrações uterinas persistentes e bolsa íntegra. MÉTODOS: realizou-se estudo observacional, prospectivo, do tipo coorte no qual foram incluídas 45 gestantes internadas em nossa instituição entre a 22ª e a 34ª semana. Ultra-sonografia transvaginal do colo foi realizada uma única vez, após completado um ciclo de tocólise endovenosa, com aferição do comprimento, conforme critérios descritos previamente. Os achados ultra-sonográficos não foram utilizados para o diagnóstico ou conduta obstétrica. O desfecho estudado foi a ocorrência de parto pré-termo (<37 semanas). A análise estatística fundamentou-se em método de regressão logística univariada para determinar a significância do comprimento cervical para a predição do parto pré-termo. O nível de significância adotado foi de 5 por cento (p<0,05) e o intervalo de confiança foi de 95 por cento (IC 95 por cento). RESULTADOS: a incidência de parto pré-termo foi de 51,1 por cento (23/45). O comprimento cervical associou-se de forma significativa ao desfecho da gestação (p<0,0001). Após construção de curva característica operatória do receptor, um comprimento cervical de 20 mm revelou-se como melhor ponto de corte para a predição do parto pré-termo (sensibilidade: 86,9 por cento; especificidade: 81,8 por cento; valor preditivo positivo: 83,3 por cento e valor preditivo negativo: 85,7 por cento). A área calculada abaixo da curva característica operatória do receptor foi de 0,91 (IC 95 por cento: 0.79-0.97; p<0,0001). CONCLUSÕES: nas mulheres com contrações uterinas persistentes e bolsa íntegra, em tratamento para trabalho de parto pré-termo, um comprimento cervical inferior a 20 mm demonstrou maior probabilidade de parto pré-termo. A ultra-sonografia transvaginal pode melhorar a acurácia diagnóstica em gestantes sintomáticas.

PURPOSE: to assess the role of ultrasonographic cervical length in predicting premature labor in patients presenting persistent uterine contractions and intact membranes. METHODS: a prospective observational cohort study was performed in 45 women admitted to our hospital between 22 and 34 weeks of gestation. Transvaginal sonographic evaluation of the cervix was performed once in the women who had completed a course of parenteral tocolysis. The cervical length was obtained according to criteria reported previously. Cervical sonographic findings were not used in diagnosis and management. Outcome variable was the occurrence of preterm delivery (<37 weeks). Statistical analysis consisted of univariate method with the purpose of determining the significant contribution of cervical length to the prediction of preterm delivery. The adopted significance level was 5 percent (p<0,05) and the confidence interval was 95 percent (95 percent CI). RESULTS: the incidence of preterm delivery was 51.11 percent (23/45). Cervical length was significantly associated with the outcome (p<0.0001). Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis showed that a cervical length of 20 mm was the best cutoff in predicting preterm delivery (sensitivity 86.9 percent; specificity 81.8 percent; positive predictive value 83.3 percent; negative predictive value 85.7 percent). The calculated area under the curve was 0.91 (95 percent CI: 0.79-0.97; p<0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: among women with persistent uterine contractions and intact membranes treated for preterm labor, a cervical length of less than 20 mm demonstrated a high likelihood of preterm birth. Transvaginal ultrasound may improve the accuracy of diagnosis in symptomatic women.