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Biomedical subjects

P Scheinmann

Publications and source records attributed to P Scheinmann.

At least 109 records · Page 6Linked to original sources

[Vaccinations of children allergic to eggs with vaccine prepared with egg].

BACKGROUND: The mumps, influenza, yellow fever and measles vaccines are grown in chick-embryos. Because allergic reactions to these vaccines have occasionally been reported in children who have suffered anaphylaxis from egg ingestion, it has been claimed that these children should not receive such vaccines. PATIENTS AND METHODS: 17 egg-allergic children aged 1 year 1 month to 7 years 10 months (mean 2 years 4 months) were studied. All had developed an allergic reaction less than one hour after egg ingestion. Allergy was confirmed by skin testing (prick skin test) and detection of IgE antibodies to egg (RAST). RESULTS: Seven children were immunized normally by their general practitioner, who was not aware of their allergy; 8 children having negative prick skin and intradermal tests with the vaccine were also immunized normally while 2 children who had positive intradermal test with the vaccine received divided doses following a protocol established for this study. None of these 17 egg-allergic children developed local and/or general reactions. Reintroduction of egg (yolk then white) was tested on the day of immunization in 4 children: only one developed facial edema. CONCLUSION: This protocol permits these vaccines to be safely given to egg-allergic children.

Child↗

Serum bactericidal test as a prognostic indicator in acute pulmonary exacerbations of cystic fibrosis.

The serum bactericidal test has been used for many years for optimal assessment of the efficacy of antibiotic therapy in patients with infective endocarditis and other bacterial infections. Its capacity to predict the bacteriological outcome of acute pulmonary exacerbations in patients with cystic fibrosis was evaluated. A total of 54 courses of intravenous antibiotic therapy were analyzed in 22 patients, whose ages ranged from 4 months to 24 years (mean age: 10 years). The serum bactericidal activity of blood samples, taken at expected peak and trough antibiotic levels on day 4 of therapy, were determined against the potentially pathogenic strains isolated in sputum at the time of admission. For 104 isolates (64 Pseudomonas aeruginosa, 28 Staphylococcus aureus, and 12 Haemophilus influenzae strains), the peak and trough bactericidal titers were compared to bacteriological outcome. Bacteriological success was defined as a decrease of 2 log10 units or more in the bacterial density in sputum between days 0 and 7 of therapy. At peak antibiotic levels, serum bactericidal titers of 1:128 or more were 96% (all isolates) and 89% (P aeruginosa isolates), predictive of cure, whereas serum bactericidal titers of less than 1:16 were 100% predictive of failure for all infecting bacteria. In patients aged less than 18 years, the best peak titer for predicting success was 1:64, with a predictive value of 96% for titers of 1:64 or greater. The peak titer that best predicted success in patients aged 18 years or more was 1:128, with a predictive value of only 83% for titers of 1:128 or greater.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Acute Disease↗

[The asthmatic child].

Asthma is the most frequent chronic pediatric disease. Management is based on assessment of severity and should normalize lifestyle as well as pulmonary function. Mild asthma is treated with intermittent beta-2-agonists. Moderate asthma should receive non-steroids prophylactic anti-inflammatory drugs. Immunotherapy should be considered. Severe asthma requires inhaled steroids. At each stage inhaled medications should be preferred. Therefore inhalation delivery system must be adapted for children of different ages and degree of dyspnea. The importance of environment control is well recognized. Establishing a partnership with the child and its family and with the medical staff and with the child's school is always necessary.

Asthma↗

Partial and massive lung lavages in an infant with severe pulmonary alveolar proteinosis.

Pulmonary alveolar proteinosis is a rare disease of unknown etiology, characterized by progressive respiratory failure. Lung lavage has only been applied in a few children. A 6 month old boy suffering from severe pulmonary alveolar proteinosis was treated with three lung lavages. The first two were partial (or unilateral) lavages; a 3.5 mm flexible bronchoscope was introduced adjacent to a no. 3 cuffed endotracheal tube. This procedure allowed selective ventilation of one lung, and contralateral lung lavage. Respiratory improvement was observed during 1 week after the two procedures. At the third lavage we used partial veno-venous extracorporeal circulation because of severe respiratory failure. A significant improvement during the 5 following months was achieved. These results suggest that both partial and total lung lavage can be performed even in young infants and they may control the declining respiratory status in severe pulmonary alveolar proteinosis.

Humans↗

Dissociation of symptom scores and bronchial hyperreactivity: study in asthmatic children on long-term treatment with inhaled beclomethasone dipropionate.

The aim of the study was to evaluate the effects of inhaled steroids (IS) on the improvement of clinical asthma symptoms and on the decrease in bronchial hyperreactivity (BHR). Twenty-four children with severe asthma were given 1,000 micrograms beclomethasone dipropionate (BDP) daily and compared with ten asthmatic control children. The study included the evaluation of daily clinical score, of exercise induced asthma, of bronchial obstruction (forced expiratory volume in 1 sec, FEV1), and of BHR at months 0, 1, 2-3, and 4-5 (M0, M1, M2-3, and M4-5). BHR was assessed by standardized inhaled carbachol provocation measuring plethysmographic specific airway resistance (SRaw). The carbachol dose causing a 40% decrease in specific conductance (SGaw) was determined (PD40 SGaw). Clinical scores decreased at M1 (P less than 0.01) and throughout the study. FEV1 increased at M1 (P less than 0.05), M2-3 (P less than 0.01), and M4-5 (P less than 0.05) compared to M0. PD40 SGaw only increased significantly at M1 and M2-3. No individual correlation was found between clinical scores and PD40 SGaw at any testing, or between the decrease of clinical scores and the decrease of BHR. We conclude that bronchoconstrictive challenge tests do not adequately assess the clinical efficacy of IS. In clinical practice non-specific BHR should be preferentially measured for diagnosing atypical forms of asthma.

Administration, Inhalation↗

Rejection in lung transplantation--an immunohistochemical study of transbronchial biopsies.

The number, distribution, and phenotype of mononuclear cells infiltrating the allograft lung transplant were determined immunohistochemically with monoclonal antibodies directed against cellular antigens (CD3, CD4, CD8, CD22, CD25, CD16, CD56, CD68, HLA-DR) on frozen sections of transbronchial biopsies. Seventy-two transbronchial biopsies from 21 patients undergoing lung or heart-lung transplantation were evaluated histologically and immunohistologically in a prospective study. Four major results were obtained in the graft lung parenchyma: (1) whatever the histological grading of rejection, T lymphocytes expressing CD3 were present and in a significantly higher number than in control subjects (P < 0.0005); (2) there was a positive correlation between histological rejection and the number of CD3+, CD8+, CD25+, CD16+ cells (P < 0.01); (3) the CD4/CD8 ratio was inverted (0.52 +/- 0.04), with no correlation with the histological rejection; and (4) the number and location of CD3+, CD25+ cells did not correlate with CMV identification in bronchoalveolar lavage. Immunohistochemical criteria could be used for diagnosis of rejection in the management of heart-lung transplantation.

Adolescent↗

Could saliva stand for plasma in theophylline monitoring in asthmatic children? Still a controversial problem.

Theophylline determination in saliva was proposed several years ago as a convenient and non-invasive alternative to monitoring plasma in children and adults. Published data demonstrated that theophylline saliva concentration linearly correlates plasma concentration. However, the variability found in interindividual serum/saliva ratios and the wide scattering among the data points precluded the clinical use of saliva for theophylline monitoring. The purpose of this study was to compare different standardized methods for obtaining stimulated saliva intending to reduce the variability in plasma/saliva ratios and to determine the most reliable one. A group of 150 ambulatory chronic asthmatic 4.5 to 20.83 (10 +/- 3.7; M +/- SD) year-old patients receiving theophylline 6.85 +/- 1.88 mg/kg every 12 h as slow release preparations for 4 to 100 days was studied. One ml venous blood and salivary specimens were simultaneously collected 5.15 +/- 0.36 h after the morning maintenance dose. In a subgroup of 75 patients, saliva was collected using first a new device called salivette, immediately followed by the collection of an expectorated sample 30 s after citric acid crystals stimulation. In the other patients saliva was collected using citric acid containing salivette. Theophylline concentration was determined using HPLC. For all types of saliva collection, salivary and plasma theophylline concentrations correlated significantly. However whichever method was used, based on the -2 to +2 SD interval, a large range of plasma theophylline was predicted from a single salivary theophylline concentration. Despite a further standardization of the sampling of saliva, saliva theophylline could not accurately predict plasma concentration.

Adult↗

Clinical trials on pediatric lower-respiratory-tract infection: results and comments with cefetamet pivoxil.

A total of 30 pediatric patients suffering from lower-respiratory-tract infections were admitted to a three-arm, open, randomized study comparing two different doses of cefetamet pivoxil (either 10 or 20 mg/kg b.i.d.; groups A and B, respectively) with the standard cefaclor treatment (10 mg/kg t.i.d.; group C) for 7-12 days. The 30 cases were randomly assigned to the three treatment arms which were comparable with regard to demographics as well as to diagnosis on admission and concomitant medication. The children ranged from 1.08 to 12 years in age, and comprised 18 males and 12 females, with a weight range of 11-42 kg. As is to be expected in these patients, bacteriology was mostly not assessable. The overall clinical outcome was cure in 9, 8 and 9 cases, respectively, and improvement in 1, 2 and 0 cases, respectively. In the cefaclor group 1 patient failed to respond. Signs and symptoms of disease improved significantly in the three treatment groups; there were no intergroup differences. Vital signs (morning and evening temperature and pulse rate) improved in parallel. Radiological results had improved by the end of treatment in 9/10 patients in group A, in 10/10 patients in group B, and in 9/10 evaluable patients in group C. Mild to moderate nausea or vomiting were each reported in 1 patient in group A. Platelet increase was reported as a mild adverse event in 2 patients in each of the cefetamet pivoxil groups and in 4 patients given cefaclor.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Bacterial Infections↗

Ultrathin flexible bronchoscopy in neonatal intensive care units.

Thirty seven flexible bronchoscopies were performed in 33 infants in a neonatal intensive care unit, using a 2.2 mm flexible ultrathin bronchoscope. Twenty eight procedures were performed via an endotracheal tube or tracheostomy and nine in spontaneously breathing infants. Indications for endoscopy included persistent atelectasis and/or emphysema (n = 21), unexplained acute respiratory distress (n = 10), stridor (n = 3), assessment of congenital abnormalities of the tracheobronchial tree (n = 2), and follow up of an endobronchial granuloma during the course of corticosteroid treatment (n = 1). Abnormal airway dynamics and/or abnormal structure were seen in 23 of 37 cases. In 54% of the procedures, the results of bronchoscopy had a direct effect on further management. The procedure was well tolerated and completed in less than two minutes. Our results suggest that the ultrathin flexible bronchoscope improves airway exploration and the understanding of respiratory disorders during the first months of life, particularly in ventilated infants.

Bronchi↗

The value of flexible bronchoscopy in childhood pulmonary tuberculosis.

The value of 121 flexible bronchoscopy (FB) procedures was evaluated in 54 children, aged three months to 14 years, suspected of having pulmonary tuberculosis. Specimens from FB were culture-positive for Mycobacterium tuberculosis in seven of the 13 bacteriologically confirmed cases. Bronchial abnormalities consistent with the diagnosis were found in 31 of 54 cases. Separate or coexistent findings at initial FB included airway compression (20 cases), granulation tissue (ten cases), and obstructive caseum (four cases). Chest roentgenograms underestimated bronchial involvement in 14 children. Further FB monitoring documented disease evolution. The FB was important in the management of patients, as it (1) guided the use of prednisone therapy, especially in the children with a chest roentgenogram not suggestive of bronchial involvement; (2) indicated a need for resection of granulation tissue by rigid bronchoscopy (three cases); and (3) guided the surgical decision (two children with persistent bronchial obstruction). Thus, FB is a safe and valuable procedure in the management of childhood pulmonary tuberculosis.

Adolescent↗