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Biomedical subjects

J G Prinsloo

Publications and source records attributed to J G Prinsloo.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1989

Somatosensory evoked potential measures of conduction in peripheral and central pathways in children with protein-calorie malnutrition.

The effects of malnutrition on conduction in peripheral and central somatosensory pathways in humans, as measured by short-latency somatosensory evoked potentials (SEPs) have not been previously reported. A group of 28 children with kwashiorkor were compared to a control group of 35 children, aged 6-36 months. The malnourished group had longer reciprocal conduction velocities (ms/m) for pathways between the wrists and the brachial plexi (CL1 response) and between the brachial plexi and the upper cervical region (CL1-CVN). While an individual child with kwashiorkor had abnormal intracranial reciprocal conduction velocities (CVN-N1), the inter-group differences did not attain statistical significance, possibly due to inadequate indices of central pathway lengths. These findings expand the extent of conduction delays revealed by previous studies of peripheral nerve conduction velocities in PCM.

Child, Preschool↗
PubMed1987

[Aspects of juvenile rickets/osteopenia in black children].

Juvenile rickets or osteopenia in rural black children is thought to be due to low calcium intake. Characteristic findings include mild calcium deficiency, normal serum phosphate levels, increased alkaline phosphatase concentrations and normal plasma vitamin D levels. The present series consisted of 62 black children (average age 6.82 years), 41 males and 21 females. Low levels of serum calcium and phosphate were present in 34 (54%) and 18 (29%) of the patients respectively. Alkaline phosphatase concentrations were raised (greater than 350 IU/l) in 38 (61%). Serum sodium, potassium, chloride, total bicarbonate, magnesium, ceruloplasmin and albumin levels were generally within normal limits. Urinary acidification was normal and barium studies were reported as normal in all but 4 children. Malabsorption was not an important feature. Serum vitamin D levels were not determined. All 18 patients with hypophosphataemia improved. Eleven children showed no clear response after at least 8 weeks in hospital--8 remained hypocalcaemic and 2 of the 3 patients with normal biochemical values showed no radiological improvement of osteopenia after 2 and 4 months in hospital, while the 3rd showed only very slight improvement after 7 months in hospital. It is not clear why these patients did not respond and whether even longer hospitalisation would have been effective.

Black or African American↗
PubMed1986

[Aspects of typhoid fever in children].

Some aspects of typhoid fever in 77 children are discussed. There were 48 boys and 29 girls and their ages ranged from 1 month to 12 years. The patients were treated with chloramphenicol 100 mg/kg/d during the first 2 weeks and with either amoxycillin (100 mg/kg/d) or ampicillin (200 mg/kg/d) during the third week. The average duration of fever was 5.2 days. There was 1 relapse and 1 child, a baby aged 1 month, died. The correct diagnosis was not suspected by the referring doctor in 38% of the patients. On admission the commonest complaints were fever, abdominal pain, diarrhoea, headache and vomiting. The commonest findings on examination were tenderness or distension of the abdomen, apathy or delirium, rhonchi or crepitations, liver enlargement and meningism. There was anaemia (Hb less than 10 g/dl) in 23% and lymphopenia (less than 1500/microliter) in 43% of the patients. The differential white blood cell count revealed 5% or more unsegmented neutrophils in 32% of the patients, while 25% had 10% or more band cells. Two patients (sisters) failed to respond after 15 and 16 days of therapy with chloramphenicol and ampicillin because of resistant Salmonella typhi and were successfully treated with co-trimoxazole. Practitioners caring for black patients should always be on the alert for typhoid fever; some patients may not respond to chloramphenicol or amoxicillin. During the acute phase milk feeds are best replaced by soya products because of abdominal distension or aggravation of diarrhoea by milk.

Amoxicillin↗
PubMed1986

Brainstem auditory evoked potentials in severely malnourished children with kwashiorkor.

Brainstem auditory evoked potentials (BAEPs) were recorded in a group of 22 children hospitalized for the treatment of severe malnutrition (kwashiorkor). Recordings were repeated after three weeks of treatment. The control group consisted of age- and sex-matched healthy infants. Abnormal BAEP interpeak-latencies (IPLs) were found in 32% of the kwashiorkor group in the initial recording and in 40% of this group in the follow-up recording. Abnormalities were evenly distributed between the I-III, III-V and I-V IPLs and in the majority of cases were unilateral. The influence of increasing stimulus rate was investigated. The findings may reflect defects in myelination of auditory brainstem pathways, however, BAEP abnormalities were not related to several indices of growth retardation or to serum albumin and hemoglobin levels.

Auditory Pathways↗
PubMed1984

Pharmacokinetics of ceftazidime in premature, newborn and young infants.

The pharmacokinetics of ceftazidime, a new injectable broad-spectrum cephalosporin with high anti-pseudomonal activity, were studied in 50 preterm, full-term and young infants after an intravenous bolus dose of 30 mg/kg. The serum concentrations of ceftazidime were higher in the younger babies, both premature and full-term. In infants over 2 months of age blood levels were similar to those of adult volunteer subjects. No untoward effects were encountered. Considering the in vitro activity of ceftazidime against a wide spectrum of pathogenic bacteria, the present dose schedules, 25-50 mg/kg/d for babies less than 2 months of age and 50-100 mg/kg/d for those 2-12 months of age, appear to be appropriate. Until more experience is gained with ceftazidime in neonates, monitoring of trough levels to ensure adequate blood concentrations would be ideal.

Age Factors↗
PubMed1983

[Initiation of a cure for kwashiorkor patients using a whey milk product. A comparison with cows milk].

Whey milk, a side-product of cheese production, is not utilized for human nutrition. Whey protein is of good nutritional quality with a high biological value, exceeding that of whole-milk protein. A whey milk product consisting of liquid whey milk 60%, whole cow's milk 40% and skimmed milk powder 0.5% was mixed, spray-dried and prepared in instant form. After reconstitution with water, it was compared with sterilized whole cow's milk for the initiation of cure in 30 acute kwashiorkor patients randomly allocated to the two feeds. The diets were given for 3 weeks. There were no statistically significant differences between the two diets with regard to weight gain or levels of serum albumin, globulin, calcium, phosphorus, alkaline phosphatase, sodium, potassium, chloride, bicarbonate, urea or haemoglobin. Judging from this limited investigation, whey milk deserves consideration for human utilization. Should economical production be possible, it could contribute towards preventing and treating protein energy malnutrition.

Animals↗
PubMed1983

A preliminary pharmacokinetic study of ceftazidime in premature, new born and small infants.

Fifty neonates and infants with suspected or proven bacterial infection were given 30 mg/kg of ceftazidime as a single intravenous dose to investigate the pharmacokinetics of ceftazidime. The mean serum half-lives for babies aged less than 2 months was 4.18 +/- 1.60 h and for those aged 2 to 12 months 2.00 +/- 0.64 h. Dose bands of 25 to 50 mg/kg/day for those less than two months and 50-100 mg/kg/day for those aged 2 to 12 months are recommended for the treatment of suitable bacterial infections.

Bacterial Infections↗
PubMed1982

[Methylmalonic aciduria. A case report].

A Black girl aged 19 months presented with vomiting, dehydration and severe acidosis without apparent cause. Further investigation revealed urinary excretion of large amounts of methylmalonic acid. The literature on methylmalonic aciduria is briefly reviewed. Seven possible biochemical defects have been described. Our patient did not improve with vitamin B12 therapy but the response after instituting a low-protein diet was excellent. The condition may be life-threatening if left untreated.

Acidosis↗
PubMed1979

Comparison between a humanized cow's milk and a soy product for premature infants.

A soy-based infant feed was compared with a humanized cow's milk product in newborn preterm babies. Forty preterm infants appropriate for gestational age with birth weights of between 1,500 and 1,800 g were randomly allocated, as they were admitted, to either a soy feed or a humanized cow's milk formula--both commercial products. The trial lasted 35 days for each patient. With a formula intake of 180 ml/kg/day, the patients on the soy feed did not progress well, and most had to be withdrawn from the trial, whereas the group fed on cow's milk fared satisfactorily. With formula intakes of 200 ml/kg/d, progress in the group on the soy feed was improved. However, the body weights and serum albumin levels of the babies receiving the soy product were significantly lower than those of babies on the cow's milk formula at the end of the trial. Until more work has been done, we suggest that soy formulas should be employed with caution in the feeding of small preterm infants.

Alkaline Phosphatase↗
PubMed1977

Tuberculosis of the skull vault: a case report.

We describe a 3-year-old boy who had fluctuating swellings of the head and an infra-orbital sinus which were due to tuberculous osteitis. On radiological examination, the lesions may be found to be multifocal, and usually appear to be circumscribed and lytic. Definitive diagnosis depends, however, on bone biopsy.

Child, Preschool↗
PubMed1977

A microbiological investigation of acute summer gastroenteritis in black South African infants.

A microbiological investigation of Black infants suffering from severe acute summer gastroenteritis revealed enteropathogenic agents in 30 out of 37 patients (81%). Enterotoxigenic bacteria were isolated from 15 patients (41%). A total of 16 enterotoxigenic strains were isolated, comprising 9 enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli strains secreting labile and stable toxin on their own and in combination, and labile-toxin secreting strains of Klebsiella pneumoniae (4), Enterobacter cloacae (2) and Proteus vulgaris (1). In the case of the latter three species, however, 6 out of the 7 strains were isolated from patients who were excreting other enteric pathogens, whereas only 2 out of 9 enterotoxigenic E. coli patients had concomitant infections with other pathogens. No invasive bacteria were isolated except for 2 shigella strains. Salmonella and shigella strains were found in four patients. No correlation was found between the enteropathogenicity of E. coli and its serotype. Rotavirus was observed by negative staining electron microscopy in only two patients (6%) but using a reverse complement fixation test rotavirus antigen was detected in the stool of 17 out of 35 patients (49%). The low EM detection rate may well be due to the patients being admitted for treatment late in the course of their illness when the degree of viral shedding has decreased below EM detectability. No significant difference in clinical presentation was noted between the various aetiological agents. Only one patient was being solely breast-fed compared to 16% of control non-diarrhoeic infants. Evidence of malnutrition was noted in over half of our patients.

Acute Disease↗