[High doses of inhaled budesonide and adrenal function in children with severe asthma]. / Efecto de dosis altas de budesonida y función suprarrenal de niños asmáticos severos.

BACKGROUND: The use of inhaled steroids is common in the treatment of bronchial asthma in children. AIM: To assess adrenocortical function in children with severe asthma receiving inhaled budesonide for six or more months. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Children with severe asthma that required 800 microg/day or more of inhaled budesonide and that did not required systemic steroids for more than six days in the last four months to control their disease, were studied. Serum cortisol was measured one hour after administration of 0.25 mg of ACTH (Cosyntropin) intravenously. The test was considered normal if post stimulation serum cortisol was over 18 microg/ml. RESULTS: Twenty children (aged 5 to 14 years, 15 males), were studied. The stimulation test was normal in 17 children. CONCLUSIONS: Alterations in adrenal function are present in a small proportion of asthmatic children who require 800 microg/day of inhaled budesonide.

Efecto de dosis altas de budesonida y función suprarrenal de niños asmáticos severos / High doses of inhaled budesonide and adrenal function in children with severe asthma

Background: The use of inhaled steroids is common in the treatment of bronchial asthma in children. Aim: To assess adrenocortical function in children with severe asthma receiving inhaled budesonide for six or more months. Material and methods: Children with severe asthma that required 800 µg/day or more of inhaled budesonide and that did not required systemic steroids for more than six days in the last four months to control their disease, were studied. Serum cortisol was measured one hour after administration of 0.25 mg of ACTH (Cosyntropin®) intravenously. The test was considered normal if post stimulation serum cortisol was over 18 µg/ml. Results: Twenty children (aged 5 to 14 years, 15 males), were studied. The stimulation test was normal in 17 children. Conclusions: Alterations in adrenal function are present in a small proportion of asthmatic children who require 800 µg/day of inhaled budesonide.

[Bone mineral density in leukemic children after completing one month of chemotherapy]. / Densitometría ósea en niños leucémicos al completar el primer mes de quimioterapia.

BACKGROUND: An important loss of bone mineral density, associated to pain and fractures, has been reported in children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). AIM: To measure bone mineral density among children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) that completed the remission induction phase with chemotherapy, that lasts 30 days. PATIENTS AND METHODS: children with ALL, admitted to the oncology unit of a general hospital were considered eligible for the study. body composition and bone mineral density were measured by dual energy x ray absorptiometry (DEXA). each child with ALL was paired with a healthy control. RESULTS: Fourteen children age 1 to 11 years, completed the study, Spine and femoral bone mineral densities were significantly lower than in their matched controls. No differences in total body bone mineral density or content were observed. Children with ALL had a lower fat free mass and a higher fat mass than their matched controls. There was a significant correlation between fat free mass and bone mineral content. CONCLUSIONS: After one month of chemotherapy, children with ALL had a lower bone mineral density in the spine and femur and a lower fat free mass.

Densitometría ósea en niños leucémicos al completar el primer mes de quimioterapia / Bone mineral density in leukemic children after completing one month of chemotherapy

Background: An important loss of bone mineral density, associated to pain and fractures, has been reported in children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). Aim: To measure bone mineral density among children with acute lymphoblastic leykemia (ALL) that completed the remission induction phase with chemotherapy, that lasts 30 days. Patients and methods: children with ALL, admitted to the oncology unit of a general hospital were considered eligible for the study. body composition and bone mineral density were measured by dual energy x ray absorptiometry (DEXA). each child with ALL was paired with a healthly control. Results: Fourteen children age 1 to 11 years, completed the study, Spine and femoral bone mineral desities were significantly lower than in their matched controls. No differences in total body bone mineral density or content were observed. Children with ALL had a lower fat free mass and a higher fat mass than their matched controls. There was a significant correlation between fat free mass and bone mineral content. Conclusions: After one month of chemotherapy, children with ALL had a lower bone mineral density in the spine and femur and a lower fat free mass.

Densidad mineral ósea en escolares nacidos prematuros / Bone mineral density in school age children born preterm

The age at which children born preterm normalize their bone mineral density, is not well known. Aim: To study if children born preterm have normalized their bone mineral density at age 5 to 7 years. Patients and methods: Twenty six infants born preterm (14 male), were studied at age 5 to 7 years. Birth weight, present weight and height, bone age, calcium and phosphate intake at the first year of life and at the current age were assessed. Bone mineral density was measured by single photon X ray absorptiometry in the dominant forearm. A blood sample was obtained to measure insulin growth factor 1 (IGF-1). As a control group, 105 healthy age-paired infants born at term, were studied. Results: Bone mineral density was significantly lower in infants born preterm than in their term counterparts (0.273±0.01 g/cm2 and 0.302±0.01 g/cm2 respectively, p <0.001). There was a positive correlation between bone mineral density and IGF-1 (r=0.49, p=0.01). No correlation with the other measured parameters was observed. Conclusions: Infants that were born preterm have a lower bone mineral density at 5 to 7 years of age than their term controls. Bone mineral density correlates with IGF-1 (Rev Méd Chile 2003; 131: 1289-94).

Evaluación de eficacia bacteriológica del uso de cefadróxilo en el tratamiento de la faringoamigdalitis estreptocóccica pediátrica / Evaluation of bacteriological efficacy of cefadroxil used in the treatment of pediatric streptococcal pharyngitis

Se trataron 40 pacientes pediátricos, cuyas edades fluctuaron entre 4 y 15 años, durante el período de marzo a octubre de 1995, con el diagnóstico clínico-bacteriológico de faringoamigdalitis estreptococcica. Recibieron cefadroxilo en una dosis diaria de 30 mg por kilo de peso durante 10 días. En todos los pacientes hubo erradicación de Streptococcus beta hemolítico grupo A que se comprobó con un test rápido para detección de grupo A y un cultivo faringeo negativo 2 a 4 días después de finalizado el tratamiento

Actividad comparativa in vitro de eritromicina, azitromicina, claritromicina, roxitromicina, ciprofloxacina y amoxicilina frente a neisseria gonorroeae / In vitro comparative activity of erythromycin, azythromycin, clarithromycin, roxithromycin, ciprofloxacin and amoxicillin against neisseria gonorrhoeae

El tratamiento antimicrobiano de las enfermedades por transmisión sexual debe ser combinado ya que coexiste más de un agente microbiano. Los nuevos macrólidos azálicos podrían ser activos frente a la mayoría de los agentes y resolver el problema con un solo antimicrobiano. Se estudiaron 100 cepas de neisseria gonorrhoeae, ciprofloxacino fue la droga más activa (CIM 90= 0,015 mcg/ml). El 20 por ciento de las cepas fueron productoras de betalactamasa. De los macrólidos azalicos azitomicina fue el más activo (CIM 90= 0,25 mcg/ml)