Biomedical subjects

K J van Acker

Publications and source records attributed to K J van Acker.

13 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed1997

A retrospective epidemiological study of bacterial meningitis in an urban area in Belgium.

UNLABELLED: In order to obtain epidemiological data on the incidence of bacterial meningitis (BM) before the systematic introduction of vaccination against Haemophilus influenzae type b, a retrospective study of 124 children with proven BM was performed in an urban area in Belgium. N. meningitidis was the most prevalent cause, followed by H. influenzae and S. pneumoniae. Over a period of 6 years the incidence of BM increased ten fold, mainly due to an increase in N. meningitidis. The median age of the children with BM was 17 months and 35% of those with H. influenzae were younger than 1 year. Significant risk factors for BM as a whole were: age under 1 year, male gender, non-Caucasian descent and winter time. These findings may have implications for future vaccination policy in Belgium. CONCLUSION: Future vaccination schemes in Belgium should take into account than N. meningitis was the prevalent cause of bacterial meningitis and that certain factors increase the risk for developing bacterial meningitis.

Belgium↗

PubMed1995

Aspirin versus indomethacin treatment of patent ductus arteriosus in preterm infants with respiratory distress syndrome.

Indomethacin (Indo) is commonly used for treatment of patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) but has renal failure as a main side effect. Aspirin (ASA) is an alternative, but there are no controlled trials on its efficacy. We randomly assigned 75 premature infants suffering from respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) (mean gestational age: 29.6 +/- 2.5 wk, mean birth weight: 1295 +/- 464 g) (+/- SD) and on artificial ventilation at the start of the study (mean: 3.4 d of life), to either Indo (3 x 0.2 mg/kg/12 h) or ASA (4 x 15 mg/kg/6 h). PDA and degree of shunting were evaluated by echocardio-Doppler; side effects were carefully recorded. PDA closed in 35/38 patients from the Indo group (92%) and in 16/37 patients from the ASA group (43%) (p < 0.0001). Nineteen patients needed further treatment with Indo or surgery (17 in the ASA group and 2 in the Indo group). The only side effect observed was a decrease of uresis in the Indo group during 4 d post treatment (p < 0.01). Closing of PDA was positively correlated with gestational age, but not with time of starting Indo/ASA or grade of shunting. We conclude that ASA is not as effective in closing PDA as Indo, but has no adverse effect on uresis.

Aspirin↗

PubMed1993

Protein restriction in chronic renal failure.

The aim of the study was to investigate the effect of a protein restricted diet on renal function and growth of children with chronic renal failure. In a multicentre prospective study 56 children (aged 2-18 years) with chronic renal failure were randomly assigned to the protein restricted (0.8-1.1 g/kg/day) or the control group. All children were followed up by the same paediatrician and dietitian. After a follow up period of three years there was no significant difference in glomerular filtration rate between children on a protein restricted diet and children of the control group. There was no significant difference in weight with respect to height and height SD score between the protein restricted and the control group. Compliance with the protein restricted diet, as indicated by the prospective diet diaries and the serum urea:creatinine ratio, was good. This study shows that children with chronic renal failure do not benefit from a protein restricted diet.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1993

The use of intravenously administered immunoglobulins in the prevention of severe infection in very low birth weight neonates.

In a randomized prospective study in 116 selected neonates with very low birth weight, the effect of standard doses of intravenously administered immunoglobulins (IVIG) on the occurrence of severe infections was studied. No difference in infection rate or severity of infection could be observed between the treated neonates and the control group. The lack of effect could not be explained by an insufficient increase in the IgG serum levels, or inversely, by high immunosuppressive IgG levels. It is concluded that in very low birth weight neonates the administration of IVIG, under the conditions used in this investigation, does not protect against severe infection.

Female↗

PubMed1990

Lacrimo-auriculo-dento-digital (LADD) syndrome with renal and foot anomalies.

A patient who presented with most features of lacrimo-auriculo-dento-digital (LADD) syndrome, an autosomal dominant trait, is described. There was no deafness, and anomalies of the external ear and the upper limbs were discrete. Renal anomalies, consisting of progressive caliectasis with stone formation, were revealed by macroscopic hematuria. There were also skeletal anomalies of both feet, a feature not previously described. Renal and distal limb anomalies are probably features of LADD syndrome.

Child↗

PubMed1987

Aluminum accumulation in children on chronic dialysis: predictive value of serum aluminum levels and desferrioxamine infusion test.

In 7 children on chronic dialysis the correlation between serum aluminum, aluminum after desferrioxamine (DFO) challenge and bone aluminum was studied. In children the DFO challenge test is not superior to the serum aluminum level for the estimation of aluminum body burden. A significant correlation between serum aluminum and bone aluminum content was found. In all children, except one, aluminum bone content was markedly elevated.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1984

Familial erythrophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis.

A patient is described in whom the clinical symptoms and the laboratory data suggested familial erythrophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (FEL). This diagnosis was confirmed by the findings on liver biopsy. The literature on FEL, a fatal disease with probable autosomal recessive inheritance, is reviewed. Some recently described aspects of FEL, such as hyperlipidemia and disturbances of the immune system, are stressed: the latter may play a role in the pathogenesis of the disease.

Erythrocytes↗

PubMed1974