Inquérito sobre a qualidade de vida relacionada à saúde em crianças e adolescentes portadores de artrites idiopáticas juvenis

Objective: to study the impact of chronic arthritis on health related quality of life by means of two self-reported tools: the parents' version of the Childhood Health Assessment Questionnaire (CHAQ) and the Childhood Health Questionnaire PF50® (CHQ). Methods: both tools were filled in after proper instructions by 36 parents, during 1-2 clinic visits. The Disability Index (CHAQ) and the Physical and Psychosocial scores (CHQ) were compared to the core set of outcome measures, namely 1) physician's global assessment, 2) parents' global assessment, both scored by 10 cm visual analogue scale, 3) number of joints with active arthritis, 4) number of joints with limited range of motion, 5) erythrocyte sedimentation rate. Results: there was significant difference for all measures of disease activity, being higher in the polyarticular as compared to oligoarticular except for erythrocyte sedimentation rate, parents' global assessment, and psychosocial score. This leads to different parents' perceptions of disease activity and outcome. The responsiveness of the outcome measures during two follow-up visits of patients receiving active treatment indicated better responsiveness of physicians' global assessment among the subjective measures, and intermediate responsiveness of the self-reported measures in comparison to the number of active and limited joints, and erythrocyte sedimentation rate. Conclusions: the responsiveness of two health related quality of life tools indicates their relative sensitivity for assessing clinical improvement during active treatment in Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis patients. Copyright © 2003 by Sociedade Brasileira de Pediatria

Inquérito sobre a qualidade de vida relacionada à saúde em crianças e adolescentes portadores de artrites idiopáticas juvenis

Objetivo: estudar o impacto da artrite crônica na qualidade de vida relacionada à saúde, por meio de dois instrumentos autoaplicáveis: a versão destinada aos pais do Childhood Health Assessment Questionnaire (CHAQ) e do Child Health Questionnaire (CHQ) PF50®. Método: os dois questionários foram respondidos por 36 pais, após instruções durante 1 a 2 visitas clínicas, sendo os índices da Capacidade Funcional (CHAQ), Físico e Psicossocial (CHQ) comparados com as medidas essenciais de atividade da doença: (1) a avaliação global pelo médico, (2) a avaliação global pelos pais, ambas em escala analógica visual de 10 cm, (3) o número de articulações ativas, (4) o numero de articulações com limitação dos movimentos, (5) a velocidade de hemossedimentação. Resultados: houve diferença significante entre os grupos oligoarticular e poliarticular, sendo os índices de atividade maiores no poliarticular, com exceção da velocidade de hemossedimentação, avaliação global pelos pais e índice psicossocial, confirmando diferentes níveis de percepção pelos pais sobre a atividade e prognóstico. A melhor responsividade estatística frente à intervenção terapêutica, em duas visitas consecutivas, foi a medida da avaliação global pelo médico entre as subjetivas, tendo as medidas avaliadas por instrumentos de responsividade intermediária, quando comparadas com o número de articulações ativas, número de articulações com limitação dos movimentos e a velocidade de hemossedimentação. Conclusão: a medida da responsividade de dois instrumentos de avaliação funcional e da qualidade de vida indicou a sua sensibilidade relativa para estimar a melhora clínica em pacientes com artrites idiopáticas juvenis, recebendo tratamento específico.Objective: to study the impact of chronic arthritis on health related quality of life by means of two self-reported tools: the parents’ version of the Childhood Health Assessment Questionnaire (CHAQ) and the Childhood Health Questionnaire PF50® (CHQ). Methods: both tools were filled in after proper instructions by 36 parents, during 1-2 clinic visits. The Disability Index (CHAQ) and the Physical and Psychosocial scores (CHQ) were compared to the core set of outcome measures, namely 1) physician’s global assessment, 2) parents’ global assessment, both scored by 10 cm visual analogue scale, 3) number of joints with active arthritis, 4) number of joints with limited range of motion, 5) erythrocyte sedimentation rate. Results: there was significant difference for all measures of disease activity, being higher in the polyarticular as compared to oligoarticular except for erythrocyte sedimentation rate, parents’ global assessment, and psychosocial score. This leads to different parents’ perceptions of disease activity and outcome. The responsiveness of the outcome measures during two follow-up visits of patients receiving active treatment indicated better responsiveness of physicians’ global assessment among the subjective measures, and intermediate responsiveness of the self-reported measures in comparison to the number of active and limited joints, and erythrocyte sedimentation rate. Conclusions: the responsiveness of two health related quality of life tools indicates their relative sensitivity for assessing clinical improvement during active treatment in Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis patients.Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP

Risk factors for wheezing in children - the role of respiratory viruses

Background: Infections with respiratory viruses, particularly human rhinovirus (HRV) and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), are major causes of lower respiratory tract (LTR) illnesses associated with wheezing in children. Asthma is the most common chronic disease in children, and it is thought that environmental factors acting early in life, including respiratory viral infections, interacting with specific genes, are key events for the development of chronic disease. Infections with both RSV and rhinovirus early in life have been associated with persistent wheezing and asthma in children, and are a known cause of exacerbations of asthma in those with established disease.Methods/Data base: A review of the literature and own studies.Results: Studies performed in different areas of the world indicate that there are differences in the distribution of viruses and in the association of viruses with wheezing in temperate areas as compared to subtropical environments.Conclusions: Preventive treatment for infections with RSV or rhinoviruses, when available, will probably have a major impact on childhood wheezing and asthma.Univ São Paulo, Sch Med, Dept Internal Med, BR-14049900 Ribeirao Preto, BrazilUniv São Paulo, Sch Med, Dept Cell Biol, BR-14049900 Ribeirao Preto, BrazilUniv São Paulo, Sch Med, Dept Pediat, BR-14049900 Ribeirao Preto, BrazilSanta Lydia Hosp, Ribeirao Preto, BrazilWeb of Scienc

Objective reduction in adenoid tissue after mometasone furoate treatment

Objective: Chronic rhinitis and adenoid hypertrophy are the main causes of nasal obstruction in children and proper treatment of these factors seem essential for controlling nasal obstructive symptoms. This study aims to evaluate the effects of topical mometasone treatment on symptoms and size of adenoid tissue in children with complaints of nasal obstruction and to compare this approach to continuous nasal saline douching plus environmental control alone. Methods: Fifty-one children with nasal obstructive complaints were submitted to a semi-structured clinical questionnaire on nasal symptoms, prick test and nasoendoscopy. Nasoendoscopic images were digitalized, and both adenoid and nasopharyngeal areas were measured in pixels. The relation adenoid/nasopharyngeal area was calculated. Patients were subsequently re-evaluated in two different periods: following 40 days of treatment with nasal douching and environmental prophylaxis alone; and after an subsequent 40 day-period, when topical mometasone furoate (total dose: 100 mu g/day) was superposed. Results: Nasal symptoms and snoring significantly improved after nasal douching, and an additional gain was observed when mometasone furoate was included to treatment. Saline douching did not influence the adenoid area, whereas a significant reduction on adenoid tonsil was observed after 40 days of mometasone treatment (P < 0.0001). Conclusion: Nasal saline douching significantly improved nasal symptoms without interfering in adenoid dimension. In contrast, mometasone furoate significantly reduced adenoid tissue, and led to a supplementary improvement of nasal symptoms. (C) 2012 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved

Prospective surveillance study of acute respiratory infections, influenza-like illness and seasonal influenza vaccine in a cohort of juvenile idiopathic arthritis patients

BACKGROUND: Acute respiratory infections (ARI) are frequent in children and complications can occur in patients with chronic diseases. We evaluated the frequency and impact of ARI and influenza-like illness (ILI) episodes on disease activity, and the immunogenicity and safety of influenza vaccine in a cohort of juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) patients. METHODS: Surveillance of respiratory viruses was conducted in JIA patients during ARI season (March to August) in two consecutive years: 2007 (61 patients) and 2008 (63 patients). Patients with ARI or ILI had respiratory samples collected for virus detection by real time PCR. In 2008, 44 patients were immunized with influenza vaccine. JIA activity index (ACRPed30) was assessed during both surveillance periods. Influenza hemagglutination inhibition antibody titers were measured before and 30-40 days after vaccination. RESULTS: During the study period 105 ARI episodes were reported and 26.6% of them were ILI. Of 33 samples collected, 60% were positive for at least one virus. Influenza and rhinovirus were the most frequently detected, in 30% of the samples. Of the 50 JIA flares observed, 20% were temporally associated to ARI. Influenza seroprotection rates were higher than 70% (91-100%) for all strains, and seroconversion rates exceeded 40% (74-93%). In general, response to influenza vaccine was not influenced by therapy or disease activity, but patients using anti-TNF alpha drugs presented lower seroconversion to H1N1 strain. No significant differences were found in ACRPed30 after vaccination and no patient reported ILI for 6 months after vaccination. CONCLUSION: ARI episodes are relatively frequent in JIA patients and may have a role triggering JIA flares. Trivalent split influenza vaccine seems to be immunogenic and safe in JIA patients