[Turbulence in emergency ward. Agitation of children and adolescents].
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Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to G Picherot.
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UNLABELLED: In children more than 8 years old, hyperinsulinism is the most common cause of hypoglycemia. CASE REPORT: We report the case of an 11-year-old girl who presented recurrent hypoglycemia with endogenous hyperinsulinism (high insulin and C-peptide concentrations). The morphological investigations didn't find insulinoma. Finally the questioning identifies the voluntary intoxication with hypoglycemic agent. At a later date, the sulfonylurea dosage during an hypoglycaemic episode was positive. CONCLUSION: The sulfonylurea drugs can mimic an endogenous hyperinsulinism and mislead the diagnostic to an insulinoma suspicion and lead to a surgical exploration. A sulfonylurea dosage should be done before planning out surgery.
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BACKGROUND: The generalization of the vaccination against H. influenzae b (Hib), according to its integration in the French vaccinal calendar, led to the incidence decrease of the purulent meningitis with Hib in young children, which became a so rare event. CASE REPORT: We described the case of a 14-months-old child showing a bacterial purulent meningitis with Hib, despite of a well driven vaccination. DISCUSSION: The epidemiology of bacterial meningitis was upset by the generalization of the anti-H. influenzae b vaccination. The use of combined vaccines specially reduced the incidence and the gravity of this pathology. Nevertheless, in spite of the excellent vaccinal coverage, the limited but real persistence of epiglottis or meningitis due to H. influenzae b should keep in mind of the biologists and the clinicians. Indeed, the chronic nasopharyngal carriage, the existence of not vaccinated or not answering people allow to consider the persistent risk of H. influenzae b bacterial meningitis.
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Until the year 2000, systematic cystic fibrosis (CF) neonatal screening was only performed in a few regions of France. The Brittany region began in 1989, but not the neighboring region of Loire-Atlantique. The present study compares the clinical evolution of both affected populations 10 years after screening was started. Although the 77 screened and 36 nonscreened children were followed in different CF centers, they were included in similar care protocols. The clinical characteristics at diagnosis and their evolution over a 10-year period of all the children affected with CF and born between January 1, 1989 and December 31, 1998, excluding those with meconium ileus, were compared. There were no significant differences in sex ratio, gestational age, anthropometric data at birth, frequency of deltaF508 homozygotes, proportion of pancreatic-insufficient patients, and mean age between the two populations. Age at diagnosis was lower in the screened group (38 days vs. 472 days, P < 10(-7)), as was the delay in supplementation with pancreatic enzymes (1.7 months vs.15.9 months, P < 10(-7)). The proportion of children who were hospitalized at least once was higher among the nonscreened than the screened patients (86% vs. 49%, P < 10(-4)). Z-scores for weight and height were significantly better in the screened population, not only in the first years of life, but also at 5 years old for height and 8 years old for weight. The Shwachman and Brasfield scores were higher among the screened children during the whole period of follow-up. No significant differences in colonization by Pseudomonas aeruginosa nor in lung function were found. Given the homogeneity in the characteristics and the follow-up of both populations, the benefits in terms of nutrition and clinical well-being of neonatal screening appear to be clear, thus confirming the advantages of its general implementation.
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UNLABELLED: Neonatal screening for cystic fibrosis was started in Brittany in 1989 but not in the adjacent department of Loire-Atlantique. This study compares the outcome from the children of both populations nine years after the beginning of the screening. Those children were seen in different centers but with the same following guidelines. POPULATION AND METHODS: All children with cystic fibrosis born between 01/01/89 and 31/12/97 in Brittany and the Loire-Atlantique, excluding the meconium ileus, were compared for their initial characteristics and their outcome after nine years of follow-up. RESULTS: There was no significant difference between both populations for sex ratio, gestational age, birth biometry, percentage of homozygotes delta F508, and mean age of children. Age at diagnosis was lower in Brittany (37 vs 372 days, P < 10(-7)), as was the delay for starting pancreatic supplementation (1.5 vs 14.3 months, P < 10(-7)). Percentage of children hospitalized at least once was higher in Loire-Atlantique (84.4 vs 40.3%, P < 10(-4)). There was no significant difference for colonization with Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Z-scores for weight and height were better in Brittany, as were Shwachman's and Brasfield's scores. CONCLUSION: The homogeneity of both populations and their follow-up points out that even if the numbers of children are small and the study is retrospective, some benefits of neonatal screening appear, which are already found in other countries where it is partly practiced. This leads us recommend its general use in our populations, which should be associated with the follow-up of the screened children in cystic fibrosis centers to achieve the most of its benefits.
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UNLABELLED: The frequency of Mycoplasma pneumoniae infection among community-acquired pneumonia, underestimated for a long time, is now better known. Severe evolution is yet uncommon. Differential diagnosis with Streptococcus pneumoniae is often difficult. CASE REPORT: A 4-year-old child was admitted for a right lower lobe pneumonia, with very high values of white blood cell count and CRP, worsening despite a treatment with high doses of amoxicillin, then with cefotaxime and vancomycin. Diagnosis of M. pneumoniae infection was considered only on the tenth day after admission and confirmed on the thirteenth day. Clinical outcome rapidly improved with macrolide antibiotherapy. Radiologic outcome consisted, two months after the beginning of the pneumonia, in abscess of the right lower lobe, which recovered in one month with continuing oral antibiotherapy. CONCLUSION: Lung abscess is very rare in M. pneumoniae pneumonia, as only two other cases were described in the literature. In all three cases, macrolide therapy was delayed. Those cases highlight the importance of considering M. pneumoniae infection in a beta-lactams-resistant community-acquired pneumonia, whatever its severity may be, and to start macrolide antibiotherapy. Our case also shows the possibility of a conservative treatment in case of pulmonary abscess, if clinical tolerance is good.
The variability at three microsatellites in the Cystic Fibrosis Transmembrane Conductance Regulator Gene (CFTR) locus has been studied for frequent mutations encountered in an isolated population of "Grande Brière", a small region located in Southern Brittany. Fluorescent multiplex PCR of these microsatellites were assayed in 16 Cystic Fibrosis (CF) families carrying 5 different mutations. The four most frequent haplotypes on df508 chromosomes were the same as those found in Northern France and Europe but the distribution of these haplotypes provides new enlightenment on the population origin of this insular community.
BACKGROUND: The duration of breast feeding has not yet been thoroughly described in France. A prospective survey has been performed on 150 breast feeding mothers to determine its duration. The objective of this study was to analyse predicting factors of this duration. METHODS: A questionnaire including sociological, psychological and medical variables was completed by the mothers and fathers. After discharge, the mothers were contacted every month by a physician until the completion of weaning. RESULTS: The median duration was 10 weeks. By univariate analysis, several variables were associated with a longer duration: decision to breast feed before pregnancy (12 weeks vs 9 weeks; P < 0.01), multiparity (17 weeks vs 12 weeks, P < 0.05), high paternal social level (14 weeks vs 9 weeks, P < 0.001), high maternal education level (12 weeks vs 9 weeks; P < 0.05), mother's idea of "bad" milk (9 weeks vs 30 weeks; P < 10(-6), satisfied mothers (11 weeks vs 2 weeks; P < 0.001), motivation to breast feed (P < 0.05), baby and mother in the same room during the night (13 weeks vs 10 weeks; P < 0.05), and formula supplementation (6 weeks vs 13 weeks; P < 0.01). The mother's return to work was related to a decline in the breast feeding rate at 12 weeks, yet working women generally breast fed the most frequently before returning to work, and many women breast fed and worked concomitantly. A Cox multivariate analysis took into account six significant variables: "bad" milk (lower duration), mother who had been fed, mother satisfied with breast feeding, multiparity, high maternal education, closer proximity of baby to mother (longer duration). DISCUSSION: The duration in our study is longer than in other studies in France. Predictive factors are sociological, linked to maternal education, and psychological, with antecedent of mother breast feeding and decision before pregnancy. The role of the mother's occupation was not very important because working women are generally at a higher social level. The role of the father was analysed, as well as the role of professional workers, family and breast feeding women's associations. CONCLUSION: Factors of breast feeding duration can be somewhat modified, but it is necessary to respect the plans of both the mother and the father. However, early assistance in the hospital and after discharge can help parents realize their plans for prolonged breast feeding and helps obviating the cessation of 20% of mothers during the 1st month.
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The rate of neonatal referral from the site of birth to a special care centre is generally related to the conditions of the pregnancy and the status of the neonate. The purpose of this study was to investigate other factors affecting referral including obstetric procedures, and equipment and personnel environment. A prospective survey of the neonatal population in 9 maternity hospital in the Loire-Atlantique area in France was conducted. There were, 1.316 births and the referral rate was 10.3% with a range of 1 to 24% depending on the originating hospital. After adjustment for gestational age, multivariate analysis revealed that the medical variables were the main factors affecting referral rate (positive gastric smear, adjusted odds ratio, ORa = 62.6; disease, ORa = 37.7; Apgar score 1 min < 7, ORa = 9.4; monitoring abnormality, ORa = 3.2; coloured amniotic fluid, CORa = 2.7; birthweight, ORa = 0.3). A high risk of referral was observed in only one maternity hospital (ORa = 9.4) related to a poor environment index. This center was in close vicinity to another maternity hospital. In a regional referral programme, high risk neonates should be delivered in maternity hospitals near a special care centre. But, in order to keep the rate of referral, with its adverse effect on the mother-baby relation, low, care for neonates with minor disease or only slightly underweight at birth should be cared for in these centers without referral.
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