Purpose : Interleukin-17 (IL-17) is produced by activated CD4+T cells and exhibits pleiotropic biological activity on various cell types. IL-17 was reported to be involved in the immunoregulatory response in IgA nephropathy (IgAN). Our aim was to investigate the association between single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in IL-17 receptor A (IL-17RA) gene and childhood IgAN. Methods : We analyzed the SNPs in the... |
Purpose : Cisplatin is highly effective for the treatment of solid tumors in children. However, the clinical use of cisplatin is limited by its ototoxicity. The aim of this study was to evaluate the ototoxicity in children treated with cisplatin. Methods : We performed a single institution retrospective analysis of pediatric oncology patients who received cisplatin therapy between January 2001 and... |
Purpose : Pseudomembranous colitis (PMC) occurs rarely in children, but its incidences are increasing due to frequent antibiotic use. We investigated the incidence and clinical characteristics of PMC accompanied by bacterial enteritis-like symptoms in children. Methods : Between November 2003 and July 2007 at the Department of Pediatrics, Dongsan Medical Center, we analyzed the medical records of consecutive patients who received... |
In recent years, environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) has become an important worldwide public health issue. Children are particularly vulnerable to ETS because they are still developing. ETS exposure causes a wide range of adverse health effects on childhood asthma. There is convincing evidence that ETS exposure is causally associated with an increased prevalence of asthma, increased severity of asthma and... |
Purpose : The aims of this study were to identify the clinical characteristics and determine the changes in the expression of cytokines and apoptosis-related genes in children with infectious mononucleosis. Methods : Serological examinations of 15 pediatric patients diagnosed with infectious mononucleosis were performed prospectively. Peripheral blood from the patients was used to compare the composition of T cell subsets,... |
Increasing numbers of children and adolescents prefer undertaking physical exercise to overcome overweight or obesity. Children and adolescents are in the growth stage and require adequate nutrient supply. More calories and nutrients are required especially when they are engaged in physical exercise. Exercise is the only means to increase lean body mass and decrease body fat, but adequate nutrient supply... |
Prevalence of obesity in Korean children and adolescents has dramatically increased since the last 10–20 years. It is important to initiate prevention efforts early in childhood because prevalence of obesity in adolescence is the strongest predictor of its prevalence in adulthood. Intrauterine life, infancy, and preschool years may comprise the critical periods that are essential for the long-term regulation of... |
Childhood obesity has rapidly increased in Korea during the past 20–30 years. Approximately 1 of 10 children and adolescents is obese. Appropriate prevention and intervention measures urgently need. Obesity prevention starts early in life, i.e., obesity prevention and education begins during the period of fetal development in utero. Behavioral changes are the most positively reflected during pregnancy. Infants should be... |
Purpose : Idiopathic nephrotic syndrome (NS) can be clinically classified as steroid-sensitive and steroid-resistant. The detailed mechanism of glucocorticoid action in NS is currently unknown. Methods : In this study, we investigated 3 known single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) (ER22/23EK, N363S, and BclI) of the glucocorticoid receptor gene (the NR3C1 gene) in 190 children with NS using polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment... |
Purpose : Enteroviruses (EVs) are commonly known to cause infection, especially in infants and children. This report presents an overview of enterovirus epidemiology in central Korea. Methods : From the spring of 2005 to the autumn of 2006, we collected the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and stool samples from the pediatric patients with a febrile illness or suspected meningitis who were... |
An act of children’s welfare was made in 1961 for the first time in Korea but it had been nothing but the name in view of practical impact to prevention of child abuse. Real undertakings of Child Abuse Prevention were commenced overtly since 2000 in Korea, when the law for children’s welfare was revised to put protective settings for the... |
Purpose : To characterize the pathogens and their antibiotic susceptibilities in more than 24-month-old children with urinary tract infection (UTI) and to study the Escherichia coli antimicrobial susceptibility trend. Methods : We retrospectively reviewed the record of more than 24-month-old children with UTI between January 2003 and December 2008. Positive results for 1 bacterial species with a colony count of... |
Purpose : Recently, complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) has been increasingly used in children. Studies have shown that 34% of adults and 11% of children use CAM in the USA and Canada. The purpose of this study was to investigate the prevalence and patterns of CAM use in elementary children in Korea. Methods : From July to August 2007, parents... |
Vitamin D is an important fat-soluble vitamin that functions as a prohormone and affects bone mineralization and calcium homeostasis. Vitamin D deficiency causesboth musculoskeletal manifestations, including rickets, and extra-musculoskeletal symptoms. Because vitamin D is naturally present in only some foods, intake of daily foods cannot meet the dietary reference intake for vitamin D. Sunlight is the main source of vitamin... |
Renal transplantation is the treatment of choice for children with end-stage renal disease. The outcome of pediatric kidney transplantation has improved dramatically in recent years, with lower acute rejection rates, superior graft survival, and low mortality. These improvements have allowed increased attention to other aspects of care for long-term survivors. Taking this into consideration, this review article will focus on... |
Peritoneal dialysis is a preferred modality of replacement therapy in children and adolescents with end-stage renal disease waiting for kidney transplantation. Recent development of pediatric swan-neck catheters with cuffs, novel dialysis solutions, and cyclers for automated peritoneal dialysis enabled more flexible prescriptions of dialysis with less complication, and improved patients' activities as well as the dialysis adequacy. Principles and practical... |
The treatment of pediatric patients with chronic renal disease comprises management of nutritional imbalance, fluid, electrolyte, and acid-base disturbances, mineral bone disease, anemia, hypertension, and growth retardation. The treatment also includes administration of appropriate renal replacement therapy, if required. Adequate dietary intake of carbohydrates, fats, and proteins and caloric intake must be encouraged in such patients to ensure proper growth... |
Purpose:Short attacks of headache are present in the pediatric age group. Short-lasting headaches (SLH) have been infrequently reported in children and adolescents. This study aims to assess the prevalence, clinical characteristics, treatment, and prognosis of short-lasting headaches in children and adolescents. Methods:One hundred twenty-three consecutive patients attended the Chosun University Hospital Headache Center between March 2006 and July 2007. Among 123 headache patients, 44... |
Plastic bronchitis is a rare disorder characterized by the formation of extensive, obstructing endobronchial casts. It is associated with asthma and complex cardiac defects such as those requiring the Fontan procedure. The treatment of plastic bronchitis comprises conventional therapy involving spontaneous expectoration and bronchoscopic removal and specific therapy with several new drugs. Herein, we describe the cases of 2 patients... |
Purpose : Inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) are used as first-line agents for the treatment of persistent asthma; however, their use is accompanied by apprehension of potential systemic adverse effects. This study aimed to assess the effects of ICS on bone mineral density (BMD) and bone metabolism in children with asthma. Methods : From February 2008 to September 2008, 26 asthmatic children treated... |
Purpose : We aimed to examine the effectiveness of the head-up tilt test (HUT) for the diagnosis of syncope or presyncope in children and adolescents. Methods : HUT results and clinical features of 160 children and adolescents with syncope or presyncope were studied from May 2003 through March 2008 at the Chonbuk National University Hospital. The children and adolescents were subjected... |
Purpose : We aimed to investigate the clinical manifestations of and antibiotic resistance in culture-proven childhood salmonellosis. Methods : Clinical manifestations and laboratory data of and antibiotic use in subjects with culture-proven childhood salmonellosis, who were treated at the Chonbuk National University Hospital between September 1998 and August 2008, were analyzed retrospectively. Patients with underlying diseases or concomitant illnesses were excluded. Results... |
Purpose : The objective of this study was to compare the levels of adipocytokines in obesity group with those in control group and examine their correlation with insulin resistance. Methods : We enrolled 36 obese children (male:female [M:F]=17:19; age, 9.3±1.9 yrs) with ≥95th percentile body mass indexes (BMIs) (obesity group) and 35 healthy children (M:F=16:19; age, 9.1±2.1 yrs) with 25th-75th percentile... |
Metabolic syndrome (MS) in children and adolescents has become a global public health problem. MS among Korean children and adolescents has been increasing significantly over the past decade. This paper aims to provide the currently available information on the MS in children and adolescents. This review focuses on the definition, diagnostic criteria, epidemiology and pathophysiology which may be helpful for... |
Facial palsy as the presenting symptom of leukemia is very rare, especially in acute myeloid leukemia. A review of the medical literature identified reports on 8 children with AML who had facial paralysis as the presenting sign. Whole brain irradiation (WBI) has been applied in most cases. We present the cases of 3 such children. Achieving a remission without WBI,... |
Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a multisystemic autoimmune disease characterized by the production of a wide range of autoantibodies, resulting in tissue damage. Although the susceptibility to SLE has been attributed to complex interactions between genetic and environmental factors, the influence of a genetic predisposition to SLE is supported by observations of familial aggregations. Family studies have found that siblings... |
Drug-resistant tuberculosis in children has important implications for both the patients and tuberculosis control programs. In Korea, among all new patients, the isoniazid resistance rate was 9.9% and multidrug-resistant tuberculosis rate was 2.7% in 2004 (in patients aged 10-19 yr, the multidrug-resistant tuberculosis rate reached 2.1%). Tuberculosis in pediatric patients is difficult to diagnose because many children have nonspecific clinical... |
Tuberculosis continues to cause an unacceptably high toll of disease and death among children worldwide. Whereas intense scientific and clinical research efforts into novel diagnostic, therapeutic, and preventive interventions have focused on tuberculosis in adults, childhood tuberculosis has been relatively neglected. However, children are particularly vulnerable to severe disease and death following infection, and those with latent infection become the... |
Purpose : Schizencephaly is a uncommon congenital brain anomaly characterized by congenital clefts spanning the cerebral hemispheres from pial surface to lateral ventricles and lined by gray matter. In this study, we investigated the clinical manifestation and radiologic findings of pediatric schizencephaly. Methods : The data of 13 patients who were diagnosed with schizencephaly in Severance Childrens Hospital and Yongdong... |
Purpose : Our aim was to describe the clinical features of noroviral gastroenteritis in children. Methods : This study included 22 children with noroviral gastroenteritis, as confirmed by stool RT-PCR, who were admitted to Bundang CHA Hospital between July 2006 and June 2008. Their medical records were reviewed and compared with those of 45 children with rotaviral gastroenteritis. Results : In the... |