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Biomedical subjects

A H Rowley

Publications and source records attributed to A H Rowley.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1995

Candidemia in a pediatric population.

Candidemia results in a mortality of > 50% among adults, but data on children with candidemia are limited. We reviewed 70 episodes of pediatric candidemia that occurred between January 1988 and October 1992. Of these episodes, 53% were caused by Candida albicans, 24% were caused by Candida parapsilosis, 16% were caused by Candida tropicalis, and 3% were caused by Candida krusei. Twenty-five percent of the patients were premature infants. Other underlying conditions included malignancy (15%); cardiac disease (14%); and short-gut syndrome (14%). A central venous catheter was in place during 61 (87%) of 70 episodes. Candiduria preceded candidemia in only 4 (8%) of 52 patients. The overall mortality rate was 19%; 36% of those with intravenous catheters that were not removed within 3 days died, whereas none of the patients from whom catheters were removed within 3 days died (P < .0001). Only two survivors had complications. Therapy with amphotericin B (with or without flucytosine) was administered to 74% of these patients. Seventeen patients were not treated medically; all were immunocompetent and survived. Of these patients, 15 were > 2 months of age; 14 had candidemia for < or = 2 days; and 15 had an intravenous catheter removed within 2 days of the onset of candidemia. No patient stopped receiving amphotericin B because of side effects. The results of this study suggest the following: that mortality associated with candidemia is lower among children than among adults; that failure to remove the indwelling intravenous catheter usually results in a poor outcome; that candiduria rarely precedes candidemia in children; and that amphotericin B is well tolerated by children.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1994

Herpes simplex type 2 in a patient with Mollaret's meningitis: demonstration by polymerase chain reaction.

We describe a patient with recurrent self-limited aseptic meningitis meeting the criteria for Mollaret's syndrome, in whom extensive serological investigation and cerebrospinal fluid analysis failed to reveal a specific cause. Using polymerase chain reaction techniques to amplify herpes simplex viral DNA, we were able to identify the presence of herpes simplex virus type 2 in the cerebrospinal fluid. The duration of clinical illness may have been shortened by treatment with intravenous acyclovir. We suggest that herpes simplex virus may be a more common cause of aseptic meningitis than has been demonstrated by current commonly available serological and culture techniques.

Adult↗
PubMed1994

Timely diagnosis of congenital infections.

The acronym TORCH has served to increase awareness of congenital infections; however, this collective term suggests that the clinical manifestations of congenital infections are not distinguishable by pathogen. Although some clinical features may be common to several of these infections, a congenital infection caused by one pathogen generally can be distinguished from infection caused by another pathogen on a clinical basis. Pediatricians need to be aware of the prominent features of each congenital infection rather than to consider them collectively. This article focuses on the prominent features of the more common congenital infections, suggests a specific diagnostic approach, and reviews the available therapeutic strategies.

Cytomegalovirus Infections↗
PubMed1994

Infectious intracranial complications of sinusitis, other than meningitis, in children: 12-year review.

Sinusitis is usually a mild illness in children, but intracranial complications can be life-threatening. We retrospectively reviewed nine cases of intracranial infections secondary to paranasal sinusitis that occurred over a 12-year period, excluding patients with orbital infection only. Cases were highly age- and sex-associated: the median age was 14 years, 89% of patients were > 9 years of age, and seven (78%) of the nine patients were male. Symptoms included fever (67%), headache (67%), eye swelling (56%), and seizure (33%). Rhinorrhea was uncommon (22%). Only two patients (22%) had had previous episodes of sinusitis. Staphylococcus aureus and anaerobes were the predominant intracranial isolates. Computed tomography scans of the head showed progression of disease in patients treated with antibiotics alone; surgical drainage was required for all patients. The duration of therapy after surgery was 3-8 weeks. Only one patient (11%) had persistent neurological sequelae. We conclude that (1) teenage males are at greatest risk of developing intracranial infections from sinusitis, (2) common symptoms of sinusitis such as rhinorrhea may not always occur, and (3) outcome can be excellent when a combined medical/surgical approach is used for therapy.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1994

Seven-year national survey of Kawasaki disease and acute rheumatic fever.

To assess the frequency of hospital encoded diagnoses of acute rheumatic fever (ARF) and Kawasaki disease (KD), the two leading causes of acquired heart disease in children in the United States, we performed a survey of the medical record departments of United States children's hospitals and of general hospitals that have at least 400 beds and a pediatric ward. With a simple questionnaire, data were gathered for the years 1984 through 1990 by ICD.9CM codes, with a 58% response rate. About 8000 diagnoses of KD and 6000 diagnoses of ARF were encoded during the study period. Encoded diagnoses of both KD and ARF showed yearly fluctuations in the earlier years (1984 through 1987). For KD there was a general trend toward increasing numbers after 1986. These data are consistent with increased physician awareness and diagnosis of KD. For ARF a gradual decline was observed between 1986 and 1990. About 80% of ARF diagnoses were reported from general hospitals. The much smaller pool of encoded diagnoses of ARF at the children's hospitals showed a 56% increase from 1985 to 1986. These data suggest that the highly publicized increase in cases of acute rheumatic fever in the United States during the mid-1980s may reflect focal rather than nationwide increased activity and that nationally the number of diagnoses of ARF actually may have continued to decline gradually from 1984 through 1990.

Analysis of Variance↗
PubMed1994

Search for highly conserved viral and bacterial nucleic acid sequences corresponding to an etiologic agent of Kawasaki disease.

The use of conventional methods to detect a possible infectious cause of Kawasaki disease (KD) has been unsuccessful. Using the polymerase chain reaction and DNA hybridization techniques, we have sought evidence that a known or new herpesvirus, parvovirus, or bacterial pathogen is related etiologically to KD. Peripheral blood DNA from acute KD patients was subjected to amplification and dot-blot hybridization to detect the presence of herpesvirus DNA, and acute KD peripheral blood and serum DNA were subjected to dot-blot hybridization for the presence of parvoviral DNA. All samples were negative for both herpesvirus and parvovirus DNA. In addition, we analyzed buffy-coat white blood cell DNA, synovial fluid DNA, and frozen autopsy and formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded myocardial tissue DNA from KD patients for the presence of highly conserved bacterial 16S ribosomal RNA gene sequences with the polymerase chain reaction, and all were negative. These results argue against a direct pathogenic role for herpesviruses, parvoviruses, and bacteria in KD. This approach to the detection of highly conserved genomic sequences among broad groups of microorganisms can be adapted for the detection of other groups of microorganisms and may yet prove useful in the search for an etiologic agent of KD.

Animals↗
PubMed1991

Rapid detection of cytomegalovirus DNA and RNA in blood of renal transplant patients by in vitro enzymatic amplification.

Cytomegalovirus infection causes significant morbidity and mortality in renal transplant patients. The only marker of CMV infection that appears to correlate with the development of symptomatic illness is viremia. However, CMV grows slowly in tissue culture, requiring 2-6 weeks of incubation for detection of characteristic cytopathic effect. The efficacy of antiviral therapy for CMV may be improved by earlier detection of viremia and institution of antiviral therapy. We performed amplification of CMV DNA and RNA from peripheral blood of renal transplant patients using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technique. We consistently detected CMV DNA by PCR earlier than CMV was detected by culture. Detection of CMV RNA in one patient confirmed the presence of actively replicating virus in peripheral blood. Amplification of peripheral blood from healthy CMV-seropositive and seronegative individuals, and from seropositive renal transplant patients without evidence of active CMV disease, was consistently negative. These preliminary data indicate that PCR may provide a means for earlier diagnosis of CMV viremia. Future prospective studies should determine if early detection of CMV DNA by PCR in peripheral blood does predict viremia and symptomatic illness, and if earlier institution of antiviral therapy based on PCR results improves outcome for the CMV-infected transplanted patient.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1990

Rapid detection of herpes-simplex-virus DNA in cerebrospinal fluid of patients with herpes simplex encephalitis.

Herpes-simplex-virus (HSV) DNA in cerebrospinal fluid was amplified by use of the polymerase chain reaction and identified by hybridisation to a specific oligonucleotide probe. Specimens of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) from 4 of 4 patients with herpes simplex encephalitis were positive for HSV DNA, whereas CSF specimens from 6 patients with other central-nervous-system infections were negative. This technique may expedite diagnosis of herpes simplex encephalitis.

Adult↗
PubMed1990

Absent or minimal cerebrospinal fluid abnormalities in Haemophilus influenzae meningitis.

A case of Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) meningitis in which the diagnosis and treatment were delayed because of normal cerebrospinal fluid analysis is presented. A retrospective review was conducted at two children's hospitals to determine the frequency and clinical characteristics of patients with Hib meningitis whose spinal fluid had a normal total white blood cell count, normal chemistries, and negative Gram stain, but subsequent growth of Hib in culture. Of 379 cases of Hib meningitis, two had completely normal CSF, and two had CSF containing small numbers of polymorphonuclear cells as the sole abnormality. In three of the four cases, the duration of symptoms was less than 24 hours, and appropriate therapy was significantly delayed because of benign-appearing CSF. Normal CSF cell counts, chemistries, and Gram stain do not exclude the possibility of bacterial meningitis, and one should remain suspicious when a child has clinical findings suggesting meningitis.

Cerebrospinal Fluid↗
PubMed1988

Prevention of giant coronary artery aneurysms in Kawasaki disease by intravenous gamma globulin therapy.

Previous studies have demonstrated the efficacy of intravenous gamma globulin in the prevention of coronary artery abnormalities in Kawasaki disease. We retrospectively reviewed our single-hospital experience with patients in whom Kawasaki disease was diagnosed from January 1979 to July 1987. Only 3 of 68 (4%) patients treated with intravenous gamma globulin in the first 10 days of illness developed coronary artery abnormalities (one of the three had abnormalities before gamma globulin therapy), in comparison with 39 of 119 (33%) patients not treated with gamma globulin (p less than 0.001). Giant coronary artery aneurysms, which are associated with the greatest morbidity and mortality rates in Kawasaki disease, developed in none of the 68 patients treated with gamma globulin but in 7 of 119 patients (6%) not treated with gamma globulin (p = 0.04). Intravenous gamma globulin appears to be effective not only in reducing the overall prevalence of coronary artery abnormalities in Kawasaki disease but, more important, in preventing the formation of giant aneurysms, the most serious form of coronary abnormality after this illness.

Child, Preschool↗