The purpose of this study was to evaluate the hypothesis that the nasopharyngeal anatomy has influence in the risk of recurrent acute otitis media (AOM) attacks. We analysed the occurrence of acute otitis media in 238 healthy schoolchildren who were X-rayed for orthodontic purposes. Six measurements reflecting the size and shape of the bony nasopharynx were recorded from lateral cephalograms. The means for almost all the dimensions of the bony nasopharynx measured were smaller in the children with two or more attacks of AOM in their history than in those with no attack or only one attack. Logistic multivariate modelling showed the distance from the posterior nasal spine to the sella-basion line to be a significant risk factor for recurrent otitis media in girls (difference 1.0 mm; 95 per cent confidence interval 0.1-2.0 mm; p = 0.04) and the shape of the nasopharynx (roundness) in boys (difference 1.9 mm; 95 per cent confidence interval 0.1-4.0 mm; p = 0.01). Measuring the nasopharyngeal bony dimensions may help to identify those children with a risk of recurrent otitis media, at whom prophylactic therapies should be targeted.
In the Finnish Multicentre Study of the risk factors of coronary heart disease serum immunoreactive insulin (IRI) was measured in 3,486 children and adolescents aged 3-18 years. Serum IRI increased with age till the age of 15 years in both sexes. The increase in serum IRI levelled off with the progression of pubertal development. Serum IRI levels were higher in girls than in boys from the age of 6 years onwards. Comparison of serum IRI gave identical results from eastern and western parts of the country. Serum IRI correlated positively with skinfold thickness, weight, relative weight and body mass index in all age groups except the 3-year-old children.
A comprehensive study of coronary heart disease (CHD) risk factors and their determinants in children and adolescents in Finland was initiated in the late 1970's. The main cross-sectional study was undertaken in 1980, with 3596 subjects aged from 3 to 18 years participating. The first follow-up study was carried out in 1983, and the second in 1986. The present report describes briefly some findings in 2746 children and young adults, aged 9, 12, 15, 18, 21 and 24 years, participating in 1986. Serum total cholesterol concentrations, mean (SD), ranged between 4.31 (0.73) and 4.91 (0.81) mmol/l in boys, and between 4.73 (0.85) and 5.09 (0.82) mmol/l in girls, respectively. Mean serum cholesterol values had fallen from 1980 to 1986 by 5.4% in such age cohorts, which had been included in all three studies. Fat content in the diet remained unchanged (38 E %), whereas the mean P/S ratio increased from 0.24 in 1980 to 0.31 in 1986. Young Finns from East Finland had a higher somatic risk index than those from West Finland (P greater than 0.001). The clustering of somatic risk factors was stable between 1980 and 1986. Further follow-up of the cohorts will, we hope, provide the tools for implementing primary prevention of CHD in Finland.
To examine whether a physical activity program could improve physical fitness and glycemic control, 32 children and adolescents with insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM) were examined before the program and 3 mo later. Fifty percent of the subjects (n = 16) participated in the training for 1 h/wk (exercise group), whereas the remaining subjects were engaged in nonphysical activities for an equal amount of time (nonexercise group). Age of the subjects ranged from 8.2 to 16.9 yr, (mean 11.9 yr), with mean duration of diabetes 0.6-13.1 yr (5.2 yr). During the 3-mo program peak oxygen consumption (VO2) rose from 40.0 to 43.8 ml.min-1.m-2 (P less than .01) in the exercise group but only by 1.3 ml.min-1.m-2 in the nonexercise group (NS). Metabolic control did not improve in either group, with glycosylated hemoglobin level rising from 9.8 to 10.5% (P less than .01) in the exercise group and from 9.4 to 9.7% (NS) in the control group. When subjects were stratified according to their participation, metabolic control was significantly better among diabetic subjects participating frequently (greater than or equal to 11 of 13 sessions) than among those participating infrequently (less than 11 of 13 sessions), regardless of the type of activity. It was concluded that a training program of 1 h/wk for 3 mo does improve physical fitness but not the metabolic control of diabetes. On the other hand, glycemic control appears to be best among diabetic subjects who are motivated to participate in any kind of program related to the treatment of their disease.
Epidemic nephropathy, a form of hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome, caused by the Puumala serotype of hantaviruses and occurring endemically in northern Scandinavia, was studied in 13 children. The clinical symptoms and signs were somewhat different from those reported in adults; none of our patients had hemorrhagic manifestations despite low thrombocyte counts. The most common presenting symptoms were fever, abdominal pain, and renal tenderness with oliguria followed by polyuria. The predominant laboratory findings were proteinuria and/or hematuria and elevated serum creatinine levels. Thrombocytopenia was a constant finding in the children in whom thrombocyte count was obtained. Most children had a decreased serum sodium concentration during the oliguric phase of the disease. All the children recovered, with no long-term renal disease. Epidemic nephropathy is an important alternative for differential diagnosis in children with findings suggesting nephritis, especially in endemic areas. An awareness and knowledge of this syndrome and an ability to diagnose it by means of a specific antibody measurement will probably improve our understanding of its epidemiologic features in children.
We describe a 12-year-old girl who died due to hypertensive encephalopathy and a 7-year-old boy with a favorable outcome after bilateral nephrectomy. Both had end-stage renal disease. Nephrectomy should be considered as a possible treatment of severe hypertension even without end-stage renal disease, if the patient has symptoms of hypertensive encephalopathy.
To evaluate the role of growth hormone-releasing hormone (GHRH) in the physiologic release of growth hormone (GH) we studied the nocturnal secretion of immunoreactive GHRH (ir-GHRH) and its relationship to GH release and various stages of sleep in six prepubertal (three boys) and six pubertal children (two boys) with normal stature. Their ages ranged from 8.1 to 14.9 yr and their bone ages from 6.8 to 14.8 yr. Blood was withdrawn continuously between 2200-0600 h at a constant rate of 5 mL/20 min. The EEG was simultaneously registered. The ir-GHRH and GH data were analyzed by a discrete-pulse detection algorithm (Pulsar). The number of nocturnal ir-GHRH pulses varied from 0-8 (median 7) and the number of GH peaks from 2-6 (median 3). Pubertal children had significantly more (p less than 0.05) ir-GHRH pulses and the pulse amplitude was higher (p less than 0.05) than in the prepubertal children. There were no significant differences in the GH parameters between the two groups. The ir-GHRH peaks were not significantly related to any specific sleep stage. The majority of the GH pulses (71%) were associated with slow wave sleep (p less than 0.001). Two-thirds (69%) of the GHRH peaks preceded closely or coincided with GH pulses (p less than 0.02). Pubertal subjects had more isolated ir-GHRH peaks than prepubertal children (p less than 0.05).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
A cross-sectional study in 80 insulin-dependent diabetic patients born 1963-1968 who experienced the onset of diabetes before 15 years of age showed that at a mean age of 21.6 (range 17-25) years and after a mean duration of diabetes of 13.3 (range 6-24) years, 80% of the patients had retinopathy: 70% had background and 10% proliferative changes. Retinopathy correlated with the duration of the diabetes and poor glucose control at 15 years of age but not with the actual level of glycated haemoglobin. The severity of retinopathy was worse in women than in men. One patient (1.2%) was blind. Two patients had had cataract operations and 66% had myopic refraction in one or both eyes. In 61 patients a further period of ophthalmological follow-up of 3-4 years was included. After 20 years of diabetes, all had retinopathy and 29% had proliferative changes: 33% had received laser treatment after 8-27 (mean 16.1) years of diabetes. Altogether, 2 patients (2.5% of the original series) were blind. For prevention of diabetic retinopathy and blindness, good glucose control from puberty and careful ophthalmological follow-up after transfer of the patient from paediatric to adult diabetes care play major roles.
