Serap Karasalihoğlu

Factor V Leiden Mutation and Other Thrombophilia Markers in Childhood Ischemic Stroke

The aim of this study was to evaluate the association between ischemic childhood stroke and thrombophilia. The prevalence of thrombophilia risk factors in 30 unrelated children with ischemic stroke were compared with 33 age-matched control subjects. Patients and control group were tested for the presence of activated protein C (APC) resistance, antiphospholipid antibodies (APLA), increased factor VIII levels, and for the deficiency of protein C (PC), protein S (PS), and antithrombin. When APCR was detected in patients or in controls, factor V Leiden (FVL) mutation was also tested. Seventeen of 30 patients (56.6%) had at least one thrombophilia marker compared with only 5 of 33 control subjects (15.1%). Three children with ischemic stroke (10%) were affected with a combination of two or more thrombophilia markers whereas none of the children in the control group had a combination of risk factors. Seven of 30 children with ischemic stroke (23.3%) and one of 33 control subjects (3.03%) had APC resistance and in all of them FVL mutation were found. The prevalence of FVL mutation was higher among pediatric stroke patients than among control subjects (p < 0.05). None of the patients but one child from the control group (3.03%) had PS deficiency. Antithrombin and PC deficiencies and the presence of APLA and increased factor VIII levels were more frequent in the pediatric stroke patients than in controls but the difference was not statistically significant (p > 0.05). These data confirm that stroke in children is commonly associated with a combination of multiple risk factors and especially the prevalence of FVL mutation is increased in children with ischemic stroke compared with control subjects.

Clinical utility of dorsal sural nerve conduction studies in healthy and diabetic children

OBJECTIVE Monitoring of the dorsal sural sensory nerve action potential (SNAP) is a sensitive method for detection of peripheral neuropathies. We tried to determine the normal dorsal sural nerve conduction values of the childhood population and assessed the clinical utility of this method in diabetic children who have no clinical sign of peripheral neuropathy. METHODS In the study, 36 healthy and 27 diabetic children were included. In all subjects peripheral motor and sensory nerve studies were performed on the upper and lower limbs including dorsal sural nerve conduction studies. RESULTS The dorsal sural SNAP mean amplitude was 8.24+/-3.08 microV, mean latency was 2.47+/-0.48 ms, mean sensory conduction velocity was 41.63+/-5.43 m/s in healthy children. Dorsal sural SNAPs were absent bilaterally in one diabetic patient. In the other 26 diabetic patients, the mean dorsal sural nerve distal latency was longer (2.93+/-0.63 ms, P = 0.004), mean SCV was slower than in healthy subjects (36.68+/-7.66 m/s, P = 0.005). However, dorsal sural nerve amplitude was not different between the groups. A dorsal sural nerve latency of more than 2.9 ms had a sensitivity of 50% and a specificity of 75%. A dorsal sural nerve velocity of less than 36 m/s had a sensitivity of 54% and a specificity of 92%. CONCLUSIONS We designated the reference values of the dorsal sural nerve in healthy children. In addition, our findings suggest that dorsal sural nerve conduction studies may have value to determine neuropathy in the early stages in children with diabetes. SIGNIFICANCE The dorsal sural nerve conduction studies in diabetic children may have value to determine the neuropathy in its early stages.

Spontaneous spinal epidural hematoma after seizure: a case report.

A 14-year-old girl applied to our pediatric emergency department with loss of consciousness and a generalized tonic-clonic seizure. Her seizure was treated with midazolam (0.1 mg/kg, a total of 5 mg). The seizures ceased right after the midazolam injection. To exclude possible intracranial abnormality as a cause of the seizure, cranial computed tomography was performed, and she was hospitalized for further evaluation. Cranial computed tomography scan showed no signs of intracranial abnormality. Twenty minutes after the cessation of seizures, she regained consciousness. Two hours later, she noticed sensory loss in her lower limbs and progressive back pain. Neurologic evaluation revealed paresis of the upper limbs, diplegia of the lower limbs, and urinary retention. Her body temperature, pulse, respiration, and blood pressure were 36.2°C (97.2°F), 78 beats/min, 22 breaths/min, and 150/90 mm Hg, respectively. Cranial nerves were intact. Deep-tendon reflexes were hyperactive on both upper extremities and absent on both lower extremities, and there were no pathologic reflexes. She had no sensation below the level of T6. Other clinical findings were tenderness in the upper thoracic region and absence of sphincter tone. There were no other pathologic physical examination findings. The medical history was negative for anticoagulant therapy, vascular abnormality, trauma, and bleeding disorders. Initial investigations including a complete blood cell count, serum electrolytes, liver function tests, Introduction

The relationship between 99mTc-HMPAO brain SPECT and the scores of real life rating scale in autistic children

Childhood autism is a developmental disability of unknown origin with probable multiple etiologies. The purpose of this study was to compare the changes of regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) in autistic and non-autistic controls, and to determine the relationship between rCBF on 99mTc-hexamethylpropylene amine oxime (HMPAO) brain SPECT and the scores of the Ritvo-Freeman Real Life Rating Scale (RLRS), IQ levels, and age of autistic children. Eighteen autistic children (four girls, 14 boys; mean age: 6.13 +/- 1.99 years) and 11 non-autistic controls (five girls, six boys, mean age: 6.5 +/- 3.39 years) were examined using 99mTc-HMPAO brain SPECT. All the children satisfying DSM-IV criteria for autistic disorder were taken into evaluation, and scored by the Ritvo-Freeman RLRS. IQ levels of these children were determined by Goodenough IQ test. Six cortical regions of interest (ROIs; frontal (F), parietal (P), frontotemporal (FT), temporal (T), temporo-occipital (TO), and occipital (O)) were obtained on transaxial slices for count data acquisition. The ratio of average counts in each ROI to whole-slice counts for the autistic children was correlated with the scores of Ritvo-Freeman RLRS. Hypoperfusion in rCBF in autistic children compared with the control group were identified in bilateral F, FT, T, and TO regions. We found no relationship between rCBF on 99mTc-HMPAO brain SPECT and the scores of the Ritvo-Freeman RLRS. There was a relationship between bilateral F regions perfusion on 99mTc-HMPAO brain SPECT and the age of autistic children. There was also a negative correlation between IQ levels and the scores of sensory responses, social relationship to people, and sensory-motor responses. Our results suggest that 99mTc-HMPAO brain SPECT is helpful to locate the perfusion abnormalities but no correlation is found between rCBF on 99mTc-HMPAO brain SPECT and the scores of Ritvo-Freeman RLRS.

Nucleated red blood cell counts and erythropoietin levels in high‐risk neonates

Background : The presence of increased numbers of nucleated red blood cells (NRBC) and increased levels of erythropoietin (EPO) in the circulation of neonates has been associated with states of relative hypoxia. The aim of this study is to assess the pattern of NRBC counts and EPO levels in a group of high‐risk neonates under stress conditions and determine the short‐term outcome for these babies by using these parameters.

Scalds in pediatric emergency department: a 5-year experience.

Scald injuries are the most common type of burn in childhood. The authors’ aim in this study was to determine the characteristics of scald burns and to identify clinical signs and symptoms which help to predict the indications for hospitalization after scalding burn injury. All patients were retrospectively evaluated according to gender, ages, cause of burn, burn size and depth, distribution of burn area, first aid given, management, and patient’s outcomes. The factors affecting indication for hospitalization were retrospectively analyzed in 165 patients, 95 males and 70 females aged 1 month to 13 years (mean 2.74 ± 2.44 years), with scalding burn injury. The most common cause of scald injuries were hot water (106 patients) or hot tea and coffee (39 patients). The mean percent of TBSA burned was 10.26 ± 7.26%. Sixty-nine patients had required hospitalization. In the multivariate logistic regression analyses, among study subjects, only age and TBSA were risk factors significantly correlated to hospitalization (P < .001, P < .01, respectively). Prevention of scald injuries will require a two-prolonged approach: educating families and changing the traditional methods of preparing soup, milk, and tea in Turkey and elsewhere. To create effective programs for preventing scald injuries, it is essential to consider ethnic, cultural, socioeconomic, and environmental factors based on these characteristics.

Validity of serum tau protein levels in pediatric patients with minor head trauma

BACKGROUND The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between intracranial injury and serum tau protein levels in pediatric patients with minor head trauma (MHT). METHODS We included 60 pediatric patients with MHT (Glasgow Coma Scale [GCS], 14-15) and 28 control patients. The patients were divided into 3 groups as follows: those without (group 1) and with (group 2) intracranial lesions shown on cranial computed tomography (CCT) and the control group (group 3). RESULTS The mean serum tau protein level was 96.06 +/- 70.36 pg/mL in group 1, whereas it was 112.04 +/- 52.66 pg/mL in group 2, with no statistically significant difference between the groups (p = .160). The mean serum tau protein levels between the study groups (group 1 and group 2) and control (38.52 +/- 29.01) were statistically significant (P < .001 and P < .001, respectively). The GCS score and pathologic condition in CCT were only influential variables on tau protein levels. CONCLUSIONS We found that serum tau protein increased after MHT but did not distinguish between those with and those without intracranial lesions demonstrable on CCT.

Protective effects of S-methylisothiourea sulfate on different aspiration materials-induced lung injury in rats

OBJECTIVES The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficiency of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) specific inhibitor, S-methylisothiourea sulfate (SMT) in preventing lung injury after different pulmonary aspiration materials in rats. MATERIAL AND METHODS The experiments were performed in 80 Sprague-Dawley rats, ranging in weight from 220 to 250 g, randomly allotted into one of the eight groups (n=10): normal saline (NS, control), Biosorb Energy Plus (BIO), sucralfate (SUC), hydrochloric acid (HCl), NS+SMT treated, BIO+SMT treated, SUC+SMT treated, and HCl+SMT treated. NS, BIO, SUC, HCl were injected in to the lungs in a volume of 2 ml/kg. The rats received twice daily intraperitoneal injections of 20 mg(kg day) SMT (Sigma Chemical Co.) for 7 days. Seven days later, rats were killed, and both lungs in all groups were examined immunohistochemically and histopathologically. RESULTS Our data show that SMT inhibits the inflammatory response significantly reducing (p<0.05) peribronchial inflammatory cell infiltration, alveolar septal infiltration, alveolar edema, alveolar exudate, alveolar histiocytes, interstitial fibrosis, granuloma, and necrosis formation in different pulmonary aspiration models. Furthermore, our data suggest that there is a significant reduction in the activity of iNOS and arise in the expression of surfactant protein D in lung tissue of different pulmonary aspiration models with SMT therapy. CONCLUSION It was concluded that SMT treatment might be beneficial in lung injury, therefore shows potential for clinical use.

Risk factors of status epilepticus in children.

Abstract Background : Although there is abundant literature about the morbidity and mortality rates of status epilepticus (SE), little is known about the risk factors of this medical emergency. The aim of the present study is to assess the risk factors of SE in children.

Thrombocytopenia: an important indicator for the application of partial exchange transfusion in polycythemic newborn infants?

Abstract Background: The conventional therapeutic approach in polycythemic newborn infants is to apply partial exchange transfusion (PET) when hematocrit value exceeds 70% or when the infant develops symptoms with the exception of plethora.