Respiratory function tests of healthy Turkish children in Southern Turkey and their relationships with anthropometric measurements

Purpose: The purpose of this study was determine the respiratory function tests (RFT's) for Turkish children in Southern Turkey. Methods: This study was conducted on 1359 healthy nonsmoking children (727 boys, 632 girls) with a mean age of 11.7 ± 3.4 years (6-17 years). Their RFT's were measured with a spirometer. Results: RFT values were regressed with age and height. The relative increase of RFT's in boys was found to be significantly higher in puberty (p < 0.01). The normal values of Turkish children were found to be similar to those of Europeans. It is concluded that; although found to be similar to those of Europeans in this study; the 'normal ranges' for RFT values should be determined for Turkish children. Conclusions: We conclude with the suggestion that; parallel to carrying out other studies to establish standarts for the RFT of the Turkish children; our curves may be used as guidelines for the normal values of our 6-17 years old

Rhabdomyolysis caused by hypernatremia.

PubMedID: 17202646Rhabdomyolysis is a clinical picture which is rarely seen in children. In this case report here it is presented a patient who has biochemical and clinical signs of rhabdomyolysis and admitted to our clinic with hypernatremia. The authors think that it is necessary to be alert for rhabdomyolysis in severe hypernatremia cases

Risk factors affecting prognosis in infantile spasm

PubMedID: 28140735Aim: To assess risk factors that affect epilepsy prognosis and neurodevelopmental outcome and response to treatment in patients diagnosed with infantile spasm. Methods: In this study, demographics, treatment modalities, etiologies, risk factors affecting neurodevelopmental outcome and epilepsy prognosis were assessed retrospectively at the end of a minimum 24-months follow-up of 104 patients diagnosed with infantile spasm from May 2012 to October 2015. Results: Neonatal seizure during neonatal period, abnormal head circumference, young age at the time of presentation and early gestational age, symptomatic etiology, abnormal initial examination and abnormal development test at the time of diagnosis, consanguinity, the medical center where treatment was started in the second center or beyond and magnetic resonance imaging finding were found to be statistically significant for poor prognosis in terms of neurodevelopment (p < 0.05). Abnormal initial examination and abnormal development test both at the time of diagnosis and at the end of follow-up, consanguineous parents, young age at the time of presentation, symptomatic etiology, a family history of mental retardation and epilepsy were found to be statistically significant for poor prognosis in terms of epilepsy. Administration of adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) for seizure control was statistically significant compared to other antiepileptic drugs (p < 0.05). Conclusion: Infantile spasm is an age-related epileptic encephalopathy, and it was observed that it is still catastrophic, and that the most important factor affecting prognosis of epilepsy is etiology, age at the time of presentation and the medical center where treatment was started in the second center or beyond. © 2017 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group

Hashimoto's encephalopathy: Four cases and review of literature

PubMedID: 23967879Hashimoto's encephalopathy is a rare clinically heterogenous condition consisting of encephalopathy, seizures and variable neurological and psychiatric manifestations, accompanied by high titres of serum antithyroid antibodies. We described the clinical and laboratory findings of four children (aged 8-17 years) with Hashimoto's encephalopathy. The clinical features of three patients at presentation included refractory epilepsy, and confusion, and one patient presented with behavioral and cognitive changes. During their presentation, two of them were in euthyroid, and the others were in hypothyroid status. All patients manifested increased antithyroid antibodies. Two patients improved with steroid treatment. The others responded to plasmapheresis instead of corticosteroid treatment. Physicians' awareness of this complication is of great importance because most patients respond dramatically to the treatment. Copyright © 2014 Informa Healthcare USA, Inc