The right circumscript populations.
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Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to N J G Jansen.
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BACKGROUND: A study was undertaken to evaluate the efficacy of dexamethasone in patients mechanically ventilated for lower respiratory infection caused by respiratory syncytial virus (RSV-LRTI). METHODS: In a multicentre randomised controlled trial patients were randomised to receive either intravenous dexamethasone (0.15 mg/kg 6 hourly for 48 hours) or placebo. End points were the duration of mechanical ventilation, length of stay (LOS) in the pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) and in hospital, and the duration of supplemental oxygen administration. RESULTS: Thirty seven patients received dexamethasone and 45 received placebo. There was no significant difference in any of the end points between the two groups. In a post hoc analysis patients were stratified into those with mild gas exchange anomalies (PaO(2)/FiO(2) >200 mm Hg and/or mean airway pressure </= 10 cm H(2)O, bronchiolitis group) and those with severe gas exchange anomalies (PaO(2)/FiO(2) </=200 mm Hg and mean airway pressure >10 cm H(2)O, pneumonia group). In the 39 patients with bronchiolitis the duration of mechanical ventilation was 4.3 days shorter in the dexamethasone group than in the placebo group (4.9 v 9.2 days, 95% CI -7.8 to -0.8, p=0.02) and the duration of supplemental oxygen was 3.6 days shorter (7.7 v 11.3 days, 95% CI -8.0 to -0.1, p=0.048). No differences in end points were found in the pneumonia group. CONCLUSIONS: Dexamethasone had no beneficial effect in patients mechanically ventilated for RSV-LRTI but was found to have a beneficial effect in patients with bronchiolitis.
Oesophageal atresia (OA) is often associated with anomalies of other systems. The genetic contribution to the formation of the VACTERL association is not clear. The objective of this study was to evaluate the incidence of associated anomalies in two different racial populations. The associated anomalies in neonates with OA managed in an Asian and a European paediatric surgical centre from 1982 to 1998 were reviewed. Non-Asian and non-European patients were excluded from the respective centres. The incidence of anomalies was compared using Fisher's exact test, taking #E5/E5# below 0.05 as statistically significant. Forty-eight consecutive Asian (25 boys and 23 girls) and 34 consecutive European patients (20 boys and 14 girls) were included in the analysis. The percentage of patients with at least one associated anomaly was 50% and 74% in the Asian and European populations, respectively, which was significantly different (#E5/E5#=0. 04). There was no statistically significant difference in the incidence of associated cardiovascular (29% vs 39%), anorectal (11% vs 18%), and musculoskeletal (16% vs 22%) anomalies, duodenal atresia (4% vs 3%), or Down's syndrome (3% vs 6%) between the two populations. However, the European patients had a significantly higher incidence of urogenital (UG) anomalies (26% vs 4%, #E5/E5#=0.006), the most common being agenesis (n=4) and dysplasia (n=3) of one or both kidneys. Hereditary factors may influence the incidence of associated anomalies in children with OA, particularly of the UG system. However, environmental factors cannot be excluded.