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Biomedical subjects

K Taudorf

Publications and source records attributed to K Taudorf.

12 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1991

Upper extremity function in spina bifida.

Poor upper extremity function is often recorded in meningomyelocele patients. Only 2 of the 25 patients we assessed, 5 to 19 years old, showed normal upper extremity function in the clinical neurological examination and a timed hand function test simulating daily activities. Slow performance with unsystematic variability was typical. Poor hand function correlated strongly with hydrocephalus. A trend towards better performance with increasing age may indicate that the difficulties are overcome in some patients. While patients without hydrocephalus showed a near-normal distribution in the seven subtests, patients with hydrocephalus needed more time than normal children. Patients with shunt-treated hydrocephalus did not cope as well as patients without a shunt. Mean age in the three groups differed and may partly explain the differences.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1991

Bowel and bladder control of children with myelomeningocele: a Nordic study.

The urinary and bowel control was studied of 527 children with myelomeningocele aged between four and 18 years. Information was obtained from medical records and by parent questionnaire. 44 had normal urinary control, 50 had a urinary diversion and the remaining 433 had neuropathic bladder without urinary diversion, of whom 31 per cent expressed their bladder manually and 40 per cent used clean intermittent catheterisation (CIC). 60 per cent needed assistance emptying their bladder. Children using CIC were more continent and needed less help, but were more often treated with antibiotics. Of the 527 children, 412 had disturbed bowel control. 212 evacuated their bowels manually, of whom 90 per cent needed assistance. Parents judged urinary incontinence to be very stressful for 37 per cent of the children and faecal incontinence for 33 per cent. The authors conclude that social urinary continence should be defined as the ability to keep dry for three hours or more.

Activities of Daily Living↗
PubMed1990

Intravenous immunoglobulin: a single-blind trial in children with Lennox-Gastaut syndrome.

The antiepileptic effect of intravenous immunoglobulin (Sandoglobulin, Sandoz) was investigated in Lennox-Gastaut syndrome by an add-on, placebo-controlled, single-blind trial. Ten patients, aged 4-14 years, with insufficient response to conventional anticonvulsive therapy received placebo and Sandoglobulin 400 mg/kg two times each with an interval of two weeks. The washout period was four weeks and the total observation period 14 weeks, during which parents daily registered number and type of seizures. EEG, in vitro lymphocyte transformation tests and concentrations of immunoglobulins including IgG subclasses were evaluated before and after active treatment. Two children showed an immediate reduction in their high-frequency and invariable seizure activity from 42% to 100% and a less abnormal EEG. In addition, general well-being and intellectual performance was improved. The strongest response was observed in one child with a concomitant finding of a low level of IgG2, the only abnormal immunologic test in this study. The remaining 8 children, who had either a high or a low but variable seizure frequency showed no immediate change as EEG and their general condition was unaffected. We conclude that intravenous immunoglobulin had an immediate and pronounced effect on break-through seizure activity and a simultaneous neurophysiologic effect in 20% of our patients with Lennox-Gastaut syndrome. The effect was not confined to patients with immunologic abnormalities.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1989

Cerebral blood flow abnormalities in cerebral palsied children with a normal CT scan.

Cerebral palsy (CP) is often a consequence of a hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy and/or intracerebral hemorrhage secondary to pre- and peri-natal asphyxia. Hypodense lesions on the CT-scan are found in about 70 to 80% of CP-patients. In the present study, regional cerebral blood flow (CBF) was measured in CP-patients having a normal CT-scan. The aim was to correlate the CBF changes with the clinical and the etiologic findings. CBF was measured by xenon-133 inhalation and single photon emission computer tomography. The mean CBF value in 20 CP-patients, age 6-19 years, was 67 +/- 11 (1 SD) ml/100g/min, the same value as found in the 9 normal children. However, 16 of the 20 CP-patients had focal hypoperfused areas on the tomographic flow map. In the preterm infants (n = 7) the hypoperfused areas were mainly located in the posterior watershed areas, often in one hemisphere only. In the term infants (n = 13) both asymmetrical and symmetrical hypoperfused areas were observed in the anterior and posterior watershed areas. In addition, several children had larger low flow areas in the frontal and fronto-parietal lobes. In both groups, a relatively poor concordance was observed between the clinical findings and the expected location of the low flow area.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1989

Disability in children with myelomeningocele. A Nordic study.

This study was carried out to evaluate the medical impairments and disability among 527 children with myelomeningocele living in four Nordic countries. The information was extracted form questionnaires and data based on case records. The level of intellectual functioning was fairly high with 76% within normal range (IQ greater than 90). Shunt operations were performed in 68% of the children and 1/3 had had four or more shunt revisions. Twenty-three per cent walked without support. Bladder incontinence was found in 60% of the children whereas 4% were entirely continent. Intermittent catheterisation was used in 36% with higher frequency among girls (48%) than boys (24%). We found a higher incidence of bacteriuria among those who used catheterisation than among those who used manual compression. Bowel control was experienced by 112 (21%) of the children. The overall disability is classified according to Lorbber's 5-graded handicap scale and Lagergren's 3-graded scale. According to Lagergren's scale, 70% suffered form severe overall disability.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1986

Spontaneous remission of cerebral palsy.

Among 2100 children with a diagnosis of cerebral palsy (CP) twenty carried the diagnosis: Previous CP, now normalized. Seventeen patients could be traced and were reevaluated. Cerebral palsy was diagnosed in these seventeen children (ten boys, seven girls) between the ages of three months and three years (average eleven months). They were found to be normal when reexamined between the ages of one year and five years (average two years two months). Two patients had tetraplegia, three diplegia, nine paraplegia ("paraplegia" were cases of diplegia with minimal affection of the upper limbs - now called "diplegia type I"), and one hemiplegia. One patient had atactic diplegia, and one was athetotic. The records of these seventeen patients were evaluated with respect to aetiology and symptomatology. Upon reexamination seven patients were found to be completely normal. Five patients had no motor symptoms but showed signs of specific neuropsychological difficulties. Two patients were intellectually retarded without motor symptoms. One showed signs of neuropathy, and one had fetal alcohol syndrome. Signs consistent with CP could be demonstrated in one patient only. This study shows that signs of CP may in rare cases disappear altogether.

Brain↗
PubMed1986

Alloimmune neonatal thrombocytopenia and hydrocephalus. Platelet antigen Zwa, ABO-antigens and HLA-antigens in mothers to infants with hydrocephalus.

In 27 mothers to infants with hydrocephalus determinations of platelet antigen Zwa, HLA-typing and ABO-typing were performed in order to evaluate whether undiagnosed alloimmune neonatal thrombocytopenia (AINT) could be an aetiological factor in hydrocephalus. All mothers were Zwa-positive, and the frequency of HLA-antigens and ABO-antigens was as in the normal population. Though sporadic cases of hydrocephalus following AINT are reported, this is not a common cause of intracranial haemorrhage and hydrocephalus.

ABO Blood-Group System↗
PubMed1986

Prophylactic treatment with valproic acid or diazepam in children with febrile convulsions.

The purpose of this study was to limit prophylactic treatment of children with febrile convulsions to patients who have the highest risk of recurrence. Two hundred and thirty-one children with a first febrile seizure were divided into high- and low-risk groups according to estimated risk of recurrence. All high-risk children were offered treatment with valproic acid. If this was declined they were offered treatment with diazepam instead. Low-risk children were untreated. Valproic acid and diazepam were found to be equally effective in reducing the risk of recurrence of febrile convulsions. By selecting for prophylactic treatment according to estimated risk of recurrence it is possible to reduce the rate of recurrence of febrile seizures in children at high-risk (60%) to the same level as that of untreated low-risk children (23%). Only about half of all children with febrile convulsions need treatment and follow-up according to these criteria.

Child↗
PubMed1978

Varicose veins in congenital angiodysplasias.

Three cases of Klippel--Trenaunay--Weber's syndrome are presented. The syndrome is characterized by cutaneous hemangioma, hypertrophy of an extremity and varicose veins. It is combined with angiodysplasias, either in the form of aplasia/hypoplasia of deep veins and/or in the form of arteriovenous shunts. The varicose veins will frequently be the dominant symptom, and it is emphasized that surgical treatment should not be instituted until the patient has been examined angiographically, with both phlebography and arteriography. The methods and the classification are discussed and the possibilities of treatment are outlined.

Adult↗