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C Kind

Publications and source records attributed to C Kind.

44 records · Page 3Linked to original sources
PubMed1986

[What does neutropenia tell about the existence of sepsis in the newborn? Predictive value of clinical laboratory tests].

A laboratory test can have one of three different functions. As a confirmatory test it can prove a diagnosis, as a screening test it can indicate the probability, that a disease in question is actually present, and as a monitoring test it can be used to guide a medical therapy. To assess the clinical value of a screening test the criteria of sensitivity, specificity and predictive value are commonly used. The meaning of these terms is explained using the example of neutropenia as a screening test for sepsis on the first day of life. For the neonates admitted during their first day of life to the neonatology units of the obstetric and paediatric departments of Zurich University a neutrophil count below 3 X 10(9)/1 as a test for sepsis has a sensitivity of 67%, a specificity of 96.7%, a predictive value of the positive test of 20%, and a predictive value of the negative test of 99.6%. The predictive value of a test is strongly dependent on the prevalence of the disease looked for in the population under study. Variation of the cut off point of a screening test results in a change of its sensitivity and predictive value of the positive test in the opposite direction.

Age Factors↗
PubMed1984

Correlation between serum antibody-levels against group B streptococci and gestational age in newborns.

Sera from 33 newborn infants with gestational ages ranging from 27 to 41 weeks were tested by radioimmunoassay for IgG antibodies to surface antigens of group B streptococci (GBS) types Ia, Ib, II and III. Antibody levels to GBS antigens were positively correlated to gestational age and birthweight. However, only the correlations for anti-Ia and anti-II antibody levels reached statistical significance. Mean antibody concentrations in infants below 34 weeks of gestation were significantly lower for type Ia (P less than 0.001), type II (P less than 0.001) and type III (P = 0.05) than in infants above this limit. These findings might explain the higher rate of serious GBS-infections found among prematures as compared to full-term infants.

Antibodies, Bacterial↗
PubMed1984

[Neonatal Streptococcus group B sepsis: problems of early diagnosis, therapy and prevention].

38 cases of neonatal group B streptococcal (GBS) sepsis (31 with early onset and 7 with late onset) were observed during the years 1976-1982. Early onset disease showed the following clinical characteristics: 1. frequent lack of risk factors for infection in obstetric history, 2. very early onset of symptoms of respiratory distress, 3. rapid development of shock after only minor or missing clinical signs of infection, and 4. unspecific findings on chest radiography. Neutropenia or marked leukocyte left shift as well as the presence of gram-positive cocci in gastric or tracheal aspirate proved to be useful diagnostic clues. The latex agglutination test for the detection of GBS-antigen in urine yielded in our hands many false positive results and unspecific reactions. Given the big difficulties of early diagnosis of early onset GBS-sepsis, the relatively liberal use of antibiotics in newborns with respiratory distress is probably unavoidable. Hereby prior culturing of blood and early termination of antibiotic therapy with negative cultures (of blood, CSF, tracheal aspirate) seems essential to us. The clinical significance of newer therapeutic (granulocyte transfusions, exchange transfusions, immunoglobulins) and prophylactic (intra-partum antibiotics, vaccination) modalities is according to the current literature still not clear in many respects.

Antigens, Bacterial↗
PubMed1983

[Nosocomial epidemic of echovirus type 7 in a neonatology department].

Epidemiology, clinical features and laboratory results of a nosocomial outbreak of Echovirus 7 infections are described. After the admission of the index case with presumably perinatal infection to the neonatology unit, 3 additional babies from the total of 16 patients on the ward were infected. A 5th baby in another unit was also infected; this baby shared in part the nursing staff with the other group. Clinical symptoms of the infection were fever (5 children), gastrointestinal (5) and neurological symptoms (4), apnea and bradycardia (1), and a fine macular rash (1). Five of the 24 persons of the staff suffered from a febrile gastroenteritis during this period. The virus was isolated from stool swabs, throat swabs, urine, blood and CFS. An augmented percentage of immature neutrophils in the peripheral blood count was the only laboratory value found to be abnormal in all of the children. We measured neutralizing antibodies against this virus in an immunoglobulin preparation for i.v. use (Sandoglobulin), to get information about its prophylactic value in these cases. We could not detect any neutralizing antibodies.

Cross Infection↗
PubMed1982

[Idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura in pregnancy. Interdisciplinary care, demonstrated on a case report with a review of the literature].

The case is reported of a 30-year-old primigravida presenting with idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP) at 31 weeks gestation. Because the thrombocytopenia became progressively resistant to steroids, pregnancy was terminated at 36 weeks gestation by primary caesarean section after platelet transfusion. Subsequent therapy with high-dose intravenous gammaglobulin transiently reversed the thrombocytopenia. However, 3 weeks after delivery splenectomy was performed because of relapse of ITP. The baby showed only very mild, transient thrombocytopenia without clinical symptoms. Based on a literature survey covering 159 deliveries of women with ITP described in 18 publications in the period 1973-1982, the following points are discussed: 1. risk of ITP in pregnancy for mother and child (maternal mortality 0.6% per delivery, perinatal mortality 2.4%, risk of neonatal intracranial hemorrhage 2.4%), 2. therapy of ITP in pregnancy and its effects on the fetus; 3. mode of delivery; 4. perinatal management of the mother; 5. management of the newborn.

Delivery, Obstetric↗
PubMed1975

The development of the circulating blood volume of the chick embryo.

The circulating blood volume of the chick embryo was determined from the 4th up to the 18th day of hatching. In contrast to former studies, there was employed a radioisotope dilution method with albumin-bound I131. The findings are in close correspondence to those of the earlier studies. The blood volume does not display an entirely perfect curve of exponential growth, i.e., the doubling time increases steadily. The blood volume attains a peak value between the 16th and 18th day and decreases somewhat toward the end of the hatching period. There has been postulated a reduction of total red cell volume and hemoglobin caused by the involution of the extraembryonic circulatory system. The destruction of the erythrocytes seems to take place in the endodermal epithelium of the proximal yolk sac, where an accumulation of iron could be demonstrated on the 19th and 20th days.

Animals↗