Marcelo Conrado dos Reis

Aspiração de corpo estranho em crianças: aspectos clínicos, radiológicos e tratamento broncoscópico

OBJECTIVE To describe the clinical manifestations and bronchoscopic treatment of foreign body aspiration in children under 14 years of age, correlating the clinical aspects with the bronchoscopic findings. METHODS A retrospective, descriptive study analyzing data related to children under 14 years of age undergoing bronchoscopy due to clinical suspicion of foreign body aspiration at the State University at Campinas Hospital das Clinicas from January of 2000 to December of 2005. RESULTS The sample consisted of 69 patients, ranging in age from 8 months to 12 years/7 months (75.4% under 3 years of age), 62.3% of whom were male. The principal complaint was sudden-onset cough (75.4%), auscultation was abnormal in 74%, and dyspnea was observed in 29%. Radiological abnormalities were seen in 88% of the cases. Aspirations were primarily into the right lung (54.8%), and 30.7% of the foreign bodies were of vegetal origin (principally beans and peanuts). In the follow-up period, 29% presented complications (most commonly pneumonia), which were found to be associated with longer aspiration time (p = 0.03). Mechanical ventilation was required in 7 children (10.1%), and multiple bronchoscopies were performed in 5 (7.2%). CONCLUSION A history of sudden-onset choking and cough, plus abnormal auscultation and radiological findings, characterizes the profile of foreign body aspiration. In such cases, bronchoscopy is indicated. Longer aspiration time translates to a higher the risk of complications. The high prevalence of foreign bodies of vegetal origin underscores the relevance of prevention programs aimed at children younger than 3 years of age.

Accidents involving children in the region of Campinas, Brazil

OBJECTIVE: Evaluate prospectively the frequency and cause of accidents in children seen at the Pediatric Emergency Service of a University Hospital. The main aim is to subsidize the development of education and preventive programs.METHODS: Data of all children, less than 14 years old, from March 1997 to February 1998 were collected with a standard questionnaire.RESULTS: Accidents in 3,214 children were studied, 11.4% of the total. Males predominated (62.1%). Accidents were more common in the 9 to 13 year age group (33.4%), 2 to 5 year age group (27.2%) and 5 to 9 year group (25,5%). Traumatism, mainly due to falls, was the cause in 74%. Head trauma was important in the younger than 1 year, and trauma involving the extremities in the 9 to 13 age group. Bites and stings predominated in the 5 to 13 year age group, intoxication and foreign bodies in the 2 to 5 years age group. Burns predominated in the younger than 5 years. Most accidents (89.7%) were of low complexity but 20 patients had to be admitted to an ICU and 4 died in the Emergency Room.CONCLUSIONS: The child older than 9 years, male, with trauma of the extremities due to a fall was the most frequent case of accident. Prevention programs must be targeted to specific age ranges. Accidents are responsible for a great part of the overload of Emergency Services as 89.7% were of low complexity. Primary care health facilities personnel must be trained to manage accidents that do not involve complex procedures.

Sala de emergência em pediatria: casuística de um hospital universitário

AbStRAct Objective : Describe the clinical course of pediatric patients treated at a pediatric emergency room in a university hospital. Methods : This retrospective descriptive study was conducted between January 1 st and December 31 st , 2004. Data retrieved were: demographical and clinical characacteristics, diagnostic hy-potheses, need of tracheal intubation, deaths, transfers and need of hospitalization of children between zero and 14 years old. Patients were divided in four groups: no deaths; deaths 24 hours; transfers to other hospitals after initial care. Results : 203 children were treated: 59.1% boys; mean age of 3.4 years; 65% previously healthy. The most common diag-nosis was respiratory failure (31.1%). Of the 22 deaths, 3.5% took place during the first 24 hours and 7.4% after this; 172 children (84.7%) were discharged after a mean hospital length of stay of 19.2 days. Nine children (4.4%) were transferred to other hospitals. Among the 203 children, 50 children (24.6%) were intubated after admission and 86 children (42.4%) had to be admitted to a pediatric intensive care unit.

Clinical features and outcome of children and adolescents hospitalized with influenza A (H1N1) virus infection compared with flu-like symptoms and negative rapid tests for influenza A (H1N1) admitted in the same period of time.

This report describes the clinical features and outcome of 61 pediatric hospitalized patients with influenza-like infection. Fever, cough and respiratory distress were the most common symptoms of the infection. Fifteen patients presented positive RT-PCR results for influenza A (H1N1). The group with positive results was compared with the negative one. The main significant difference was antibiotic usage and the need of mechanical ventilation in the patients with H1N1-virus infection. Among the 11 patients who required intensive care due to respiratory failure, 3 from the positive group died and none from the negative group.

Hemorrhagic shock secondary to button battery ingestion

CONTEXT Button battery ingestion is a frequent pediatric complaint. The serious complications resulting from accidental ingestion have increased significantly over the last two decades due to easy access to gadgets and electronic toys. Over recent years, the increasing use of lithium batteries of diameter 20 mm has brought new challenges, because these are more detrimental to the mucosa, compared with other types, with high morbidity and mortality. The clinical complaints, which are often nonspecific, may lead to delayed diagnosis, thereby increasing the risk of severe complications. CASE REPORT A five-year-old boy who had been complaining of abdominal pain for ten days, was brought to the emergency service with a clinical condition of hematemesis that started two hours earlier. On admission, he presented pallor, tachycardia and hypotension. A plain abdominal x-ray produced an image suggestive of a button battery. Digestive endoscopy showed a deep ulcerated lesion in the esophagus without active bleeding. After this procedure, the patient presented profuse hematemesis and severe hypotension, followed by cardiorespiratory arrest, which was reversed. He then underwent emergency exploratory laparotomy and presented a new episode of cardiorespiratory arrest, which he did not survive. The battery was removed through rectal exploration. CONCLUSION This case describes a fatal evolution of button battery ingestion with late diagnosis and severe associated injury of the digestive mucosa. A high level of clinical suspicion is essential for preventing this evolution. Preventive strategies are required, as well as health education, with warnings to parents, caregivers and healthcare professionals.

Drug Interaction Between Phenytoin and Valproic Acid in a Child With Refractory Epilepsy A Case Report

Introduction: There are no published reports on pediatric phenytoin toxicity, resulting from the drug interaction between phenytoin and valproic acid. Case description: A 12-year-old patient with refractory epilepsy syndrome presented with phenytoin toxicity, following a concomitant treatment with phenytoin, valproic acid, and lamotrigine. The phenytoin concentration detected in the capsules used by the patient was in accordance with the prescribed dose and was appropriate for the age and weight of the patient. However, a supratherapeutic phenytoin serum concentration was observed (21.92 µg phenytoin/mL of blood). Consequently, the phenytoin dose was reduced, and the patient was monitored; 24 hours later the patient did not present with any signs/symptoms of toxicity. Discussion: Despite the appropriate phenytoin concentration in the capsules, the patient presented with phenytoin toxicity. This toxicity likely resulted from the drug interaction between phenytoin and valproic acid that leads to phenytoin displacement from plasmatic proteins and inhibits phenytoin metabolism, thereby increasing the concentration of free drug in the serum.

Association between single nucleotide polymorphisms in TLR4, TLR2, TLR9, VDR, NOS2 and CCL5 genes with acute viral bronchiolitis

Abstract Background Acute viral bronchiolitis is the leading cause of hospitalization among infants during the first year of life. Most infants hospitalized for bronchiolitis do not present risk factors and are otherwise healthy. Our objective was to determine the genetic features associated with the risk and a severe course of bronchiolitis. Methods We prospectively evaluated 181 infants with severe bronchiolitis admitted at three hospitals over a 2-year period, who required oxygen therapy. The control group consisted of 536 healthy adults. Patients were evaluated for the presence of comorbidities (premature birth, chronic respiratory disease, and congenital heart disease), underwent nasopharyngeal aspirate testing for virus detection by multiplex-PCR, and SNPs identification in immune response genes. Patient outcomes were assessed. Results We observed association between SNP rs2107538*CCL5 and bronchiolitis caused by respiratory syncytial virus(RSV) and RSV-subtype-A, and between rs1060826*NOS2 and bronchiolitis caused by rhinovirus. SNPs rs4986790*TLR4, rs1898830*TLR2, and rs2228570*VDR were associated with progression to death. SNP rs7656411*TLR2 was associated with length of oxygen use; SNPs rs352162*TLR9, rs187084*TLR9, and rs2280788*CCL5 were associated with requirement for intensive care unit admission; while SNPs rs1927911*TLR4, rs352162*TLR9, and rs2107538*CCL5 were associated with the need for mechanical ventilation. Conclusions Our findings provide some evidence that SNPs in CCL5 and NOS2 are associated with presence of bronchiolitis and SNPs in TLR4, TLR2, TLR9, VDR and CCL5 are associated with severity of bronchiolitis.

Diagnóstico pouco frequente de dor abdominal em unidade de emergência infantil

Descricao do caso: Escolar de nove anos procurou pronto-socorro infantil com queixa de dor abdominal subita e palidez. Nao apresentava outros sintomas ou sinais ao exame fisico alem de mucosas descoradas e hemograma com nivel baixo de hemoglobina. Durante a observacao intra-hospitalar, apresentou episodio de melena. Foi realizada endoscopia digestiva alta, sendo observadas gastrite erosiva de antro e ulcera duodenal, com Helicobacter pylori positivo. O paciente foi tratado com esquema triplice (inibidor de bomba de protons e dois antimicrobianos) por uma semana e, posteriormente, acompanhado ambulatorialmente. Comentarios: O caso em questao descreve uma doenca rara em unidade de emergencia pediatrica. O paciente referia dor abdominal e observou-se palidez confirmada por baixo nivel de hemoglobina, que se manteve nos exa- mes subsequentes durante a observacao no pronto-socorro infantil, dificultando o diagnostico de sangramento ativo. Porem, a presenca de melena na evolucao facilitou e pro- piciou a conducao do caso para se chegar a hipotese de sangramento digestivo alto. Realizada endoscopia digestiva alta, que confirmou o diagnostico de gastrite erosiva de ABSTRACT