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Biomedical subjects

W Borkowsky

Publications and source records attributed to W Borkowsky.

At least 91 records · Page 5Linked to original sources

Outcome after assisted ventilation in children with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome.

Twenty-two pediatric patients with AIDS required assisted ventilation during 27 pediatric ICU (PICU) admissions. Patients were retrospectively divided on the basis of whether they required assisted ventilation for acute respiratory failure (ARF) or for another reason. Sixteen (59%) courses of assisted ventilation were for ARF. The PICU mortality rate was 81% for the ARF group. Eleven (41%) courses of assisted ventilation were for reasons not involving ARF. The PICU mortality rate for the group without ARF was 9%, significantly lower (p less than .01) than for the ARF group. Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia (PCP) was documented during 48% of admissions. Occurrence of PCP did not affect mortality, nor was it more likely in those with than without ARF. Two patients with ARF survived to discharge from the hospital. Both died within 1 yr of ARF. Thus, the short-term prognosis for pediatric AIDS patients requiring assisted ventilation for ARF is extremely poor.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗

Pediatric human immunodeficiency virus infection: an otolaryngologist's perspective.

Children with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) frequently have recurrent otitis media, chronic rhinorrhea, parotitis, cough and other common pediatric otolaryngologic problems. As these complaints often occur before more unusual opportunistic infections or pulmonary conditions prompt a diagnosis of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), members of our specialty are liable to see HIV-positive children before infection with the virus has been recognized. Children with HIV infection are also likely to be referred to us after diagnosis, as is any immunosuppressed child with otolaryngologic infections. These children may require procedures such as bronchoscopy, sinus irrigations or tympanocentesis. The subject of this review is the natural history of pediatric HIV infection with special emphasis on otolaryngologic manifestations and recommendations for safe techniques of examination and treatment.

Bronchoscopy↗

Measles and measles immunity in children infected with human immunodeficiency virus.

The development of measles vaccination recommendations for immunodeficient children infected with human immunodeficiency virus requires assessment of disease risk and the risks and benefits of vaccination. Measles in 4 such children resulted in 3 severe pneumonias and 1 death despite previous immunization in 2. Antibody to measles as determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was present in 3 (12.5%) of 24 children studied retrospectively and developed in only 2 (25%) of 8 children immunized and followed up prospectively. The sera of 9 of 24 children had antibody when tested by sensitive hemagglutination inhibition. Measles developed in 2 of 6 children who had negative enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay results and positive hemagglutination inhibition results. No adverse consequences of measles immunization were detected. Although the immunogenicity of measles vaccine in children infected with human immunodeficiency virus was low and vaccine failure occurred, the apparent safety provides the rationale for immunization in the face of a potentially fatal disease. Since neither documented immunization nor low-level antibody guaranteed immunity to measles, we recommend passive postexposure immunoglobulin prophylaxis for all children infected with human immunodeficiency virus.

Adolescent↗

Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 antigenemia in children.

Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) core antigen was assayed in the plasma of children at risk for infection with HIV to determine its usefulness in the diagnosis of infection and to correlate it with the clinical stage of disease. Antigen was detected in the plasma of all children less than 15 months of age with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). Two thirds of children with AIDS-related illnesses and half of children with asymptomatic infection had antigen. Although 53% of plasma specimens originating from HIV-infected children younger than 6 months of age contained antigen, only 25% of plasma specimens from children younger than 6 months who had no symptoms and none of the 10 specimens from HIV-infected newborn infants contained antigen. Half of the specimens containing core antigen also contained anticore antibody. Quantitative mean antigen levels were more likely to be elevated in children with AIDS (516 pg/ml) than in children with AIDS-related illnesses (295 pg/ml) or in those who had no symptoms (70 pg/ml). Antigen levels tended to increase over time in children with advancing clinical illness, but they tended to decrease over time after a diagnosis of AIDS was made. Antigen was detected in the plasma of 4 of 14 children without symptoms who subsequently reverted to an HIV seronegative state. We conclude that the detection of core antigen occurs with high frequency in children, even young infants, with symptomatic HIV infection. Plasma core antigen was less frequent in children without symptoms and was not detected in 10 infected children when they were tested at birth.

AIDS-Related Complex↗

Antibodies to human immunodeficiency virus type 1 in the urine specimens of HIV-1-seropositive individuals.

Specific antibodies to human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) were detected in 200-fold concentrated urine samples, but none were detected in unconcentrated urine specimens, from 100 randomly selected HIV-1--seropositive individuals by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and Western blot techniques using the manufacturer's recommended procedures. Using modified methods for both the ELISA and Western blot tests, antibodies to HIV-1 have also been detected in the unconcentrated urine specimens from the same HIV-1--seropositive individuals. No difference in the frequency of antibodies to HIV-1 were found between unconcentrated and 200-fold concentrated urine samples when tested by the modified methods. HIV-1 core antigen (p24) was not detected in either the concentrated or the unconcentrated HIV-1--seropositive adult urine samples; none of these individuals showed overt clinical or laboratory evidence of renal dysfunction. The titer of the antibodies to HIV-1 found in the urine specimens was found to be parallel with the titer of antibodies to HIV-1 in the corresponding individual's serum. Further elucidation of the pathophysiology and the nature of the specific antibodies to HIV-1 observed in the urine of HIV-1--seropositive individuals is under investigation in our laboratories.

Adolescent↗

Varicella-zoster virus infections in children infected with human immunodeficiency virus.

Primary varicella-zoster (VZ) infection in eight children with perinatally acquired human immunodeficiency virus infection tended to be severe, prolonged, complicated by bacterial infections and in one case fatal. Depletion of CD4-lymphocytes was associated with chronic and recurrent VZ infection. In some patients convalescent VZ antibody titers were low and did not correlate with recurrence of VZ lesions. Administration of acyclovir appeared to be beneficial in suppressing VZ in human immunodeficiency virus-infected children with primary or recurrent VZ infection.

Acyclovir↗

Prognosis of human immunodeficiency virus infection in children and adolescents.

The prognosis of 111 children and adolescents (from 2.5 months to 19.5 years of age) infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) was assessed by survival analysis based on risk factors and clinical status. Risk factors included: maternal HIV infection 93; transfusion 12; both maternal HIV infection and transfusion 2; sexual abuse 1; and intravenous drug use and/or sexual activity 3. Children with perinatal infection survived from 2.5 months to 10.25 years (median, 1.87 years) and had inapparent infection from 6 weeks to 7.3 years (median, 0.75 years). Children who acquired HIV infection via transfusion had inapparent infection from 4 months to 5.7 years (median, 3.6 years). Actuarial survival following infection was not significantly different from maternally and transfusion-acquired infection; however, survival from infection was longer for children infected by transfusion beyond 2 years of age (mean, 7.5 years) than for children infected perinatally (mean, 5.6 years). The case-fatality ratio was 32%, with 25% of subjects succumbing within 1 year of developing an HIV-associated illness. Opportunistic infection was the most common acquired immunodeficiency syndrome-defining illness and the cause of death in 22 of the 35 children who died. Pneumocystis carinii and fungal pneumonias had the worst prognosis. Cryptosporidiosis and other opportunistic infections had a better prognosis. Because of difficulties in case finding, diagnosis of infection and variable survival of HIV-infected children, arge longitudinal studies and pooling of data among centers will be necessary to have an accurate understanding of the prognosis of individual clinical syndromes.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗

Bacterial infections in human immunodeficiency virus-infected children.

A retrospective review of 71 children infected with human immunodeficiency virus cared for over a 3.5-year period revealed that 44 of 71 (63%) required a bacterial culture and 27 of 71 (37%) had bacteriologically documented infection. There were 125 episodes in 27 patients. Pneumonia (24 of 125 (19%)), upper respiratory tract syndromes (23 of 125 (19%)), urinary tract infection (24 of 125 (19%)) and wound infection (12 of 125 (10%)) were the most common syndromes identified. Bacteremic infections occurred in 35 of 125 (28%), and in 17 of 125 (14%) no other primary source could be identified. Pneumococci (11 of 35 (31%)) and Salmonella (4 of 35 (11%)) were the most common blood isolates; however, a wide spectrum of Gram-positive and Gram-negative pathogens were recovered. Bacterial pneumonia directly contributed to the death of 4 patients, in whom pneumonia caused by Pneumocystis carinii (2), cytomegalovirus (1) or varicella-zoster virus (1) also coexisted, respectively. Absolute T4 counts less than 400 and depressed lymphocyte-proliferative responses to diphtheria and tetanus toxoids, Candida antigen and pokeweed mitogen correlated with the occurrence of bacterial infection in human immunodeficiency virus-infected children. Although bacterial infections are a frequent cause of morbidity in human immunodeficiency virus-infected children, they are usually treatable.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗

Human-immunodeficiency-virus infections in infants negative for anti-HIV by enzyme-linked immunoassay.

Of 85 children with human-immuno-deficiency-virus (HIV) infection based on clinical (opportunistic infection), epidemiological (mother a drug addict or known to be HIV infected), and immunological (helper-T-cell deficiency and impaired proliferative response to pokeweed mitogen) features, 9 were found to lack antibody to HIV as measured by a commercial enzyme-linked immunoassay (ELISA). All 9 children had detectable levels of HIV antigen in simultaneous plasma specimens, measured by a sensitive antigen-capture ELISA. The use of the western blot assay and an ELISA with recombinant HIV antigens was able to identify HIV infection in 4 of the 9 children.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗

Treatment of cryptosporidiosis with oral bovine transfer factor.

Cryptosporidia are intestinal protozoans long known to cause diarrhea in humans, especially those with acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS). When transfer factor prepared from calves which possessed delayed-type hypersensitivity to Eimeria bovis was given to nonimmune calves and mice it conferred protection against clinical infection (coccidiosis). Recent studies with oral bovine transfer factor have shown that it can confer cell-mediated immunity to humans. Based on these findings we decided to treat eight AIDS patients suffering from Cryptosporidium-associated diarrhea with transfer factor prepared from calves immune to Cryptosporidium. Prior to treatment with transfer factor, three patients had been treated with spiramycin, one patient with alpha-difluoromethylornithine (DFMO), and one patient with furazolidone for greater than 1 month without clinical or laboratory improvement. Following administration of transfer factor, five or eight patients exhibited a decrease in the number of bowel movements and the development of formed stools. Cryptosporidium was eradicated from the stools of four patients but two of these patients subsequently relapsed and one patient continued to have diarrhea despite the absence of Cryptosporidium in the stool. One patient has been free of diarrhea and Cryptosporidium for 2 years after discontinuation of transfer factor therapy.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗

A multicentre trial of live attenuated varicella vaccine in children with leukaemia in remission.

Two hundred forty children with acute leukaemia in remission for at least 1 year were immunized with live attenuated varicella vaccine. All were susceptible to varicella before immunization. There was a seroconversion to varicella-zoster virus in approximately 85% after 1 dose, and in 97% after 2 doses. The major side effect was mild to moderate rash, seen mainly in children with maintenance chemotherapy suspended for 1 week before and 1 week after vaccination. Vaccinees with rash were at some risk (10%) to transmit vaccine virus to varicella susceptibles with whom they had close contact. Twenty-nine vaccinees were subsequently exposed to varicella in their households. The attack rate of clinical varicella in these vaccinees was 21%, which is significantly lower than the 80%-90% attack rate occurring in varicella susceptibles after household exposure. All these breakthrough cases of varicella were mild, even in leukaemics receiving chemotherapy. Varicella vaccine was approximately 80% effective in preventing clinical varicella in children with leukaemia and completely effective in preventing severe varicella in this high-risk group.

Acute Disease↗

Live attenuated varicella vaccine. Efficacy for children with leukemia in remission.

One hundred ninety-one varicella-susceptible children with leukemia in remission were immunized with live attenuated varicella vaccine. There was serological evidence of an immune response in approximately 80% after one dose and in more than 90% after two doses. The major side effect was mild to moderate rash, seen especially in children with maintenance chemotherapy suspended for one week before and one week after vaccination. Children with rash had higher antibody titers than those without rash, but those with rash were also at risk (10%) to transmit vaccine virus to others. Twenty-two vaccinees subsequently had household exposures to varicella or zoster. The attack rate of clinical varicella in these vaccinees was 18%, significantly lower than the attack rate of approximately 90% in varicella-susceptible persons with household exposures. All cases of clinical illness were extremely mild, with an average of about 50 vesicles. The mild character of the illness was clearly different than varicella in unimmunized children receiving chemotherapy for leukemia. Varicella vaccine was approximately 80% effective in preventing clinical varicella in children with leukemia and completely effective in preventing severe varicella in this high-risk group.

Antibodies, Viral↗

Juvenile laryngeal papillomatosis with pulmonary spread. Regression following transfer factor therapy.

A 6-year-old girl with a history of juvenile laryngeal papillomatosis since 6 months of age and progressing pulmonary extension of the tumor for two years was treated with transfer factor prepared from her mother. Within one month of the onset of therapy, she exhibited marked clinical improvement. A computed tomographic scan performed after four months of therapy revealed almost complete resolution of her pulmonary lesions.

Child↗