A Case of Congenital Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy

Congenital hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCMP) is a very rare congenital heart disease. Here, we report a case of neonatal HCMP, which was confirmed by two-dimensional echocardiography and autopsy. The HCMP rapidly progressed and the patient's condition deteriorated, despite the treatment for congestive heart failure.

Alteration of CD4+CD25+Foxp3+ T cell level in Kawasaki disease / 소아과

PURPOSE: Exaggerated pro-inflammatory reactions during the acute phase of Kawasaki disease (KD) suggest the role of immune dysregulation in the pathogenesis of KD. We investigated the profiles of T regulatory cells and their correlation with the clinical course of KD. METHODS: Peripheral blood mononuclear cells were collected from 17 KD patients during acute febrile and subacute afebrile phases. T cells expressing CD4, CD25, and Foxp3 were analyzed using flow cytometry, and the results were correlated with the clinical course of KD. RESULTS: The percentage of circulating CD4+CD25highFoxp3+ T cells among CD4+ T cells was significantly higher during the subacute afebrile phase than during the acute febrile phase (1.10%+/-1.22% vs. 0.55%+/-0.53%, P=0.049). Although levels of CD4+CD25lowFoxp3+ T cells and CD4+CD25-Foxp3+ T cells were only slightly altered, the percentage of CD4+CD25+Foxp3- T cells among CD4+ T cells was significantly lower during the subacute afebrile phase than during the acute febrile phase (2.96%+/-1.95% vs. 5.64%+/-5.69%, P=0.036). Consequently, the ratio of CD25highFoxp3+ T cells to CD25+Foxp3- T cells was higher during the subacute afebrile phase than during the acute febrile phase (0.45%+/-0.57% vs. 0.13%+/-0.13%, P=0.038). CONCLUSION: Decreased CD4+CD25highFoxp3+ T cells and/or an imbalanced ratio of CD4+CD25highFoxp3+ T cells to CD4+CD25+Foxp3- T cells might play a role in KD development. Considering that all KD patients were treated with intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG), recovery of CD4+CD25highFoxp3+ T cells during the subacute afebrile phase could be a mechanism of IVIG.

Perinatal Complications of Mothers and Neonates Resulting from Inadequate Prenatal Care / 대한주산의학회잡지

OBJECTIVE: With improvement in the social and economic states of Korea, most of the pregnancies have been appropriately examined but there are a few mothers and newborns who have not received proper prenatal care. The aim of this study was to investigate obstetrical and neonatal complications resulting from inadequate prenatal care. METHODS: The medical records of 107 neonates who had received prenatal care lesser than 3 visits and admitted to the neonatal intensive care units of Korea University Ansan Hospital from January 2004 to December 2009 were retrospectively reviewed. Obstetrical complications, neonatal gestational age, birth weight, neonatal complications were analyzed. We compared neonatal complications of the inadequate prenatal care group and those of the adequate prenatal care group lesser than 34 weeks' gestational age neonates. RESULTS: In obstetrical complications, there were twenty women with anemia, fifteen cases with premature rupture of membranes, and fourteen chorioamnionitis. In neonatal complications, there were forth-four premature infants, and forty-four low birth weight infants. Respiratory distress syndrome, small for gestational age, severe intraventricular hemorrhage were more common in the inadequate prenatal care group than the adequate prenatal care group. Thirty-seven infants (34.5%) were sent to the adoption agency. Fifty infants (46.6%) received medical expense support by the social service. CONCLUSIONS: Obstetrical and neonatal complications and social burden were increasing when the pregnancies had not received adequate prenatal care. To reduce perinatal complications of mothers and neonates in low socioeconomic classes, practical nation's policies and social supports for adequate prenatal care should be provided.

Risk Factors for the Failure of Non-operative Reduction of Intussusceptions / 대한소아소화기영양학회지

PURPOSE: Intussusceptions are one of the most common causes of intestinal obstruction in infants and young children. Although it is easily treated by non-operative reduction using barium, water or air, this treatment is very stressful for young patients and may cause bowel perforation, peritonitis and shock. In this study, we identified the risk factors associated with the failure of non-operative reduction, to identify a group of children that would benefit from the procedure and those who would not. METHODS: We reviewed the medical records of patients with intussusception who were treated at the Korea University Medical Center Ansan hospital from March 1998 to July 2006. Three hundred fourteen children with intussusception were identified. Among them, non-operative reductions were performed in three hundred. Clinical and radiological variables were compared according to the failure or success of the non-operative reduction. RESULTS: Non-operative reductions were successful in 243 (81%) and failed in 57 (19%). The group that had failed procedures had a younger age (12.3+/-17.2 months vs. 18.0+/-15.8 months, p=0.03), longer symptom duration before reduction (33.6+/-29.0 hr vs. 21.5+/-20.3 hr, p<0.01), more vomiting and lethargy (p<0.01), but less abdominal pain and irritability (p<0.01), compared with the group that had a successful procedure. Logistic regression analysis showed that the factors associated with the failure of non-operative reductions were a younger age, less than 6 months of age (odds ratio: 2.5, 95% confidence interval: 1.2~5.2, p=0.01), duration of symptoms, longer than 24 hrs before reduction (odds ratio: 2.1, 95% confidence interval: 1.2~4.2, p=0.03), bloody stool (odds ratio: 4.8, 95% confidence interval: 1.9~12.2, p<0.01), lethargy (odds ratio: 3.4, 95% confidence interval: 1.1~10.4, p=0.04), and abdominal pain or irritability (odds ratio: 0.2, 95% confidence interval: 0.1~0.4, p<0.01). CONCLUSION: For children with intussusception, an age younger than 6 months, and duration of symptoms more than 24 hrs before reduction, as well as the presence of bloody stools, lethargy and abdominal pain or irritability were variables associated with failure of a non-operative reduction. Knowledge of these variables should be considered in making clinical decisions for therapeutic interventions.