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Biomedical subjects

K Rieske

Publications and source records attributed to K Rieske.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2002

Endogenous pro-inflammatory cytokines in children and adolescents during chemotherapy-induced neutropenia.

Monocyte-derived pro-inflammatory cytokines such as GM-CSF, IL-12, and IP-10 might protect patients with chemotherapy-induced neutropenia against infections. In settings with abundant neutrophils, G-CSF has been described as a suppressor of IL-12, but also as an inducer of GM-CSF. In 25 pediatric patients with chemotherapy-induced neutropenia the authors measured plasma levels of these four cytokines. GM-CSF was detectable in only a minority of patients (6/25). It was, however, positively correlated with high plasma levels of IL-12 and IP-10. G-CSF levels, however, were in no way correlated with the levels of any of these three cytokines.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1996

[Invasive mold infections in the university clinics of Leipzig in the period from 1992-1994].

Invasive mould infection, e. g. aspergillosis in the first place, is a common infection in immunocompromised patients. The diagnosis of invasive mould infection is difficult in the absence of confirmation by tissue biopsy and histological studies. Therefore, prevalence of invasive mould infections at the School of Medicine of the Leipzig University between 1992 and 1994 was investigated. The diagnosis of invasive mould infection was suspected on clinical, mycological, and radiological findings. The definitive diagnosis was obtained by identification of characteristic mould hyphae on stained smears, and/or positive culture, and/or the detection of Aspergillus antigen (Pastorex) in serum, bronchial secretion, or bronchoalveolar fluid, and confirmed by histopathology. In altogether 21 patients the definitive diagnosis invasive mould infection was recorded, among them 20 invasive aspergilloses. Underlying diseases were leukaemia (n = 11), aplastic anaemia (n = 2), non-Hodgkin-lymphoma (n = 1), systemic lupus erythematosus (n = 1), kidney transplantation (n = 1), peritonitis after Billroth II anastomosis (n = 1), Polymyalgia rheumatica (n = 1), AIDS plus Burkitt lymphoma (n = 1), glioblastoma (n = 1), and subarachnoid haemorrhage (n = 1). As causative fungi were isolated: Aspergillus fumigatus (n = 13), Aspergillus terreus (n = 1), Aspergillus flavus as rare simultaneous injection with the basidiomycete Coprinus spec. in a leukaemic patient (n = 1), and the dematiaceous fungus Scedosporium prolificans in an AIDS patient with Burkitt lymphoma (n = 1). In four patients the invasive mould infection was confirmed histopathologically without isolation and differentiation of the causative agent. Nineteen of the 21 patients with invasive mould infections died corresponding to a mortality rate of 90%.

AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections↗
PubMed1996

A report on pathological changes of the dipole moment in children suffering from anthracycline cardiomyopathy.

Cardiomyopathy is a severe complication of the tomour therapy with anthracyclines. Since even minor disturbances of myocardial cell membranes could influence the dipole moment of the heart the noninvasive measurements of this parameter might be useful, particularly in the paediatric population. 17 children aged 2-15 years treated clinically for various malign blood diseases were examined repeatedly with a modified Nelson lead-system up to 3 years. The dipole moment was evaluated by visual comparison of the calculated horizontal and frontal VCGs, evaluation of 3 distinctive vectors, as well as of the magnitude curves and the velocity curves, all of them compared with the normal age dependent percentiles of each respective child. Conventional 12-lead ECGs were used to confirm rhythm disturbances and alterations of P-, PQ-, QRS-, and QT-durations. Our results show that damages of the heart are different during the time of the drug administration, then consisting of acute toxic reactions such as sudden dilatation and/or rhythm disturbances, and of long-term disturbances leading to growth retardation of the heart with the danger of chronic congestive heart failure months or years after the end of the anthracycline treatment. Morphological and biochemical damages of myofibrils caused by the toxicity of anthracyclines precede functional restraints of the heart. A noninvasive method for an early and reliable diagnosis of these damages is urgently needed, particularly for children. Measurements of the dipole moment with the Nelson-lead system seem to offer this diagnostic tool which aims possible changes of the drug administration protocol. (Fig. 3, Ref. 15.)

Antibiotics, Antineoplastic↗
PubMed1993

[Haemophilus influenzae meningitis in childhood].

From January 1971 until the end of 1989, 94 infants suffering from meningitis caused by Haemophilus influenzae were treated in the Department of Pediatrics of the University of Leipzig. The anamnestic data, signs and symptoms, laboratory findings, the courses and final results of treatment are described. 88 children survived; in eight of them neurological or mental sequelae were found on discharge. Generally, a certain stagnation regarding treatment results is observed over the observation period. Therefore vaccination against Haemophilus influenzae type B should be encouraged.

Anti-Bacterial Agents↗
PubMed1989

[Clinically relevant pathogens isolated from blood cultures of inpatient treated children (1972 to 1985)].

Blood cultures are extremely useful in diagnosing various bacteremic diseases in childhood. The results obtained in this study are presented in relation to two periods of equal length (1972-1978, 1979-1985). At the present time there are about 22 relevant isolates from blood cultures per 1000 admitted children and year in the Department of Pediatrics, and about 3 isolates per 1000 admitted children and year in the Department of Pediatric Surgery, respectively. From newborns we isolated most frequently E. coli, Staph. aureus, B-Streptococci, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Klebsiella pneumoniae, and yeasts. From children beyond the first month of life Haemophilus influenzae, Streptococcus pneumoniae, other streptococci, Neisseria meningitidis, and Staph. aureus were the most frequent identified etiologic agents. The main factors influencing the spectrum of agents causing bacteremia are: age of patients, status of hospitals, and applicated diagnostic and therapeutic procedures.

Bacteria↗
PubMed1987

Evaluation of a latex agglutination test for rapid detection of rotavirus in faecal specimens.

Two methods for detecting rotaviruses (latex agglutination, electron microscopy) have been compared on 80 faecal samples. These samples were obtained from infants between the age of four and 30 months hospitalized for acute gastroenteritis in the Children's Hospital, Karl Marx University at Leipzig, in 1982. Complete agreement among the two techniques was found in 75 specimens. Sensitivity of latex agglutination could be estimated at 95%, the specificity also at 95%. Only one sample reacted nonspecifically. Performance of the latex agglutination proved quite simple. The results indicate that latex agglutination is suitable for rapid screening of rotavirus induced gastroenteritis in clinical practice thus enabling the rate of nosocomial rotavirus infections in children's hospitals to be reduced.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed1987

[Infections caused by RS virus in young infants].

We saw 5 young infants with severe pneumonias due to RS virus (diagnosed serologically). Three of these infants were born as premature babies. Artificial ventilation was necessary in two cases. After the case reports follows a discussion of the most important problems of epidemiology, diagnostics and therapy of RS virus infections in young infants.

Anti-Bacterial Agents↗
PubMed1987

[Pathogen spectrum in bacterial meningitis in childhood and subsequent therapeutic strategy].

In a total of 223 children over one month old suffering from purulent meningitis, there was a predominance (n = 96) of meningococci over hemophilus influenzae (n = 68) and pneumococci (n = 59). Crucial to therapeutic strategy for purulent meningitis is early diagnosis, in our laboratory covering both liquor and blood cultures. Initial therapy has to take account of these three chief causal agents. We have not as yet observed any resistance to penicillin from meningococci or pneumococci, and none of the liquor-cultivated hemophilus influenzae stock has been resistant to ampicillin. In the first two years of life, initial therapy for bacterial meningitis should include ampicillin, a liberal (300-400 mg/kg KM/d) dosage continuing to be important after the onset of improvement. In view of the lack of resistance of the causal agents cultivated, we had hitherto no cell to deploy modern cephalosporins in cases of bacterial meningitis in children.

Anti-Bacterial Agents↗
PubMed1986

Pneumococcal infections during childhood: serotyping of pneumococcal strains from forty-six children.

The results of serotyping of forty-six strains of pneumococci isolated from children aged 3/12 to 14 9/12 years and diagnosed as having pneumonia, meningitis, primary peritonitis, otitis media, lymphadenitis, osteomyelitis, bacteraemia and conjunctivitis are presented. The results of serotyping and the frequency distribution of the detected serotypes were compared to the particular diagnoses established and the age at which the subjects involved had become ill. Questions of epidemiology and possibilities of immunoprophylaxis are discussed. Finally, the occurrence of pneumococci that are resistant to antibiotic agents are discussed since an isolated strain was found to show reduced susceptibility to penicillin G.

Adolescent↗