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From the Editor:

This week the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced that it has become aware of a possible association between cochlear implants and the occurrence of bacterial meningitis. Read about it here http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/439279. You will find links to our latest articles on other topical pediatrics isssues below.

We're always trying to make our site better meet your needs. Please send comments and suggestions to me at PediatricsEditor@WebMD.net (if your concern is technical, please contact our customer support staff at CustomerSupport@WebMD.net).

Jean Lin, MD
Site Editor, Medscape Pediatrics

 

NEW FEATURES THIS WEEK

NEUROLOGY JOURNAL SCAN, JULY 2002
The clinician's guide to the latest research findings on the topics of neurology and neurosurgery, including the management of craniopharyngiomas, stroke, and more.
Medscape Neurology & Neurosurgery 4(2) 2002


NEW DRUGS AND NEW INDICATIONS FOR CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS
Currently there are 194 medicines in clinical trials for children, 11 of which are for psychiatric disorders. Nine of the 11 are old drugs seeking approval for new indications, including attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, schizophrenia and acute bipolar disorder.
Brown University Child and Adolescent Psychopharmacology Update 4(7) 2002


EVALUATION GUIDELINES FOR ADULT AND PEDIATRIC KIDNEY TRANSPLANT PROGRAMS: THE MISSOURI EXPERIENCE
Transplant teams should periodically review their kidney transplant recipient evaluation criteria for similarities to and differences from the current state-of-the-science and surrounding programs.
Prog Transplant 12(1) 2002


PERTUSSIS DEATHS - UNITED STATES, 2000
Clinicians should consider pertussis as a cause of illness, especially among vulnerable infants who present with cough illness, respiratory distress, or apnea. Timely diagnosis of pertussis in caregivers and other contacts of infants could prevent infant pertussis fatalities.
MMWR 51(28) 2002


PUBLIC HEALTH DISPATCH: POLIOMYELITIS - MADAGASCAR, 2002
Surveillance for acute flaccid paralysis (AFP) in Madagascar has detected a cluster of four cases of paralytic poliomyelitis from which type-2 vaccine-derived polioviruses have been isolated.
MMWR 51(28) 2002
 

ROLE OF CORPECTOMY FOR MANAGING CERVICAL SPONDYLOSIS Surgical advances have expanded the role of corpectomy for managing cervical spondylosis. Review indications, techniques, complications, and outcomes in "Role of Corpectomy in Cervical Spondylosis," available in the Spine Surgery area of the Medscape Spine Disorders Resource Center at http://www.medscape.com/mp/rc/spine

 

NEWS

FDA WARNS OF POSSIBLE MENINGITIS RISK WITH COCHLEAR IMPLANTS
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) warned that it has become aware of a possible association between cochlear implants and the occurrence of bacterial meningitis.


STEROIDS NOT USEFUL FOR CHILDHOOD MENINGITIS IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES
In contrast to the experience in developed countries, steroid therapy does not improve the outcomes of children with bacterial meningitis in developing countries.


NEW STRATEGIES FOR NEONATAL GROUP B STREP
Because a conjugated vaccine for the common types of group B strep is effective and already available, the development of an immunization program is recommended.


NEONATAL ERYTHROMYCIN USE INCREASES PYLORIC STENOSIS RISK EIGHTFOLD
Exposure to erythromycin between 3 and 13 days of life is associated with an eightfold risk of infantile hypertrophic pyloric stenosis (IHPS) developing shortly thereafter, according to the results of a retrospective cohort study.


SUCCESSFUL STENTING OF FETAL POSTERIOR URETHRAL VALVES REPORTED
A German clinician has for the first time performed successful in utero stenting of posterior urethral valves, a procedure that he says could save the lives of thousands of infants each year.


INCLUSION CYSTS AND SPINAL CORD TETHERING REPORTED AFTER IN UTERO SURGERY
Three girls who underwent in utero surgery for myelomeningocele later experienced a loss of functioning in their legs or bladder during infancy.


ENDOSCOPIC PROCEDURE FOR CRANIOSYNOSTOSIS SHOWS PROMISE
A new minimally invasive surgery involving endoscopic dissection for craniosynostosis is safe, effective, and associated with much less blood loss and a shorter hospital stay than traditional repair methods.


INTRATHECAL METHOTREXATE WORSENS COGNITIVE FUNCTION IN CHILDREN TREATED FOR MEDULLOBLASTOMA
While cognitive deficits are often seen in children who receive chemotherapy and radiotherapy for medulloblastoma, new study findings suggest that the impairment is even worse with adjuvant intrathecal methotrexate.


DESIPRAMINE HELPFUL IN CHILDREN WITH TIC DISORDER AND ADHD
Desipramine was well tolerated and effective in reducing symptoms in children with both chronic tic disorder and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), according to the results of a recent double-blind, placebo-controlled trial.


FINDINGS SHED LIGHT ON BRAIN DEVELOPMENT IN AUTISTIC PATIENTS
In patients with autism, the brain appears to grow rapidly in childhood and then decreases slightly in size, so that the volume is similar to that of normal brains once adolescence is reached.


EARLY HAART FOR INFANTS EFFECTIVE BUT VIROLOGIC FAILURE, DRUG RESISTANCE COMMON
Highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) is safe in the short term and suppresses viral progression, but residual viral replication is common and is associated with the emergence of drug resistance.


HIV-1 HYPERIMMUNE GLOBLULIN MAY LOWER MOTHER-TO-CHILD HIV TRANSMISSION RATES
HIVIGLOB, an HIV-1 hyperimmune globulin produced in Uganda, appears safe and may prevent vertical transmission of HIV infection.


INHALED STEROIDS HELPFUL IN EMERGENCY TREATMENT OF ASTHMA
Inhaled steroids benefit asthmatics who are treated and discharged from an emergency department, according to results of an observational trial.


SALBUTAMOL VIA MOUTHPIECE MAY HAVE EDGE IN PEDIATRIC ASTHMA EMERGENCIES
Using a mouthpiece to supply nebulized salbutamol (albuterol) appears to achieve better results in children with asthma exacerbation than does delivery of the agent via a facemask.



 

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