Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
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Query: UMLS:C0029713 (immaturity)
 4,335 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

In infants and children, the absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion of drugs may differ considerably in comparison with these factors in adults; consequently, differences exist in therapeutic efficacy and toxicity of various antibiotic agents. Because of known toxicity, certain drugs--such as chloramphenicol in high doses, the sulfonamides, and tetracycline--should not be used in neonates. Antibiotic therapy should be modified in neonates because of biologic immaturity of organs important for the termination of drug action. Because of poor conjugation, inactivation, or excretion, the serum concentrations of many antibiotics may be higher and more prolonged in neonates than in older infants; thus, lower doses and longer intervals between administration may be necessary. In this article, we suggest dosages of antimicrobial agents for severe infections in children, older infants, and neonates. Included in the discussion are the cephalosporins, especially the third-generation cephalosporins that have assumed an important role in empiric treatment of bacterial meningitis in pediatric patients because of their ability to penetrate the central nervous system and their effectiveness against beta-lactamase-positive and negative strains of Haemophilus influenzae type b, Streptococcus pneumoniae, Neisseria meningitidis, and many gram-negative bacteria in the Enterobacteriaceae group. In patients with congenital or acquired immunodeficiencies, antifungal, antiviral, or anti-Pneumocystis agents are often added to the antimicrobial regimen for severe infections. We review the agents available for such treatment in children, the drugs used for childhood tuberculosis, and certain new antibiotics (aztreonam, ticarcillin-clavulanate, ciprofloxacin, and imipenem-cilastatin) that have proved useful in select cases but whose precise role in pediatric practice will necessitate additional clinical experience.
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PMID:Antibiotic therapy for severe infections in infants and children. 173 93

To focus attention on the problem of infant mortality in Lebanon, data were compiled on infant mortality from 1978 to 1986 at the American University of Beirut Medical Center. Causes of death are analyzed for 602 males and 398 females. 54.9% deaths occurred at 1 month of age and 77.4% died within the 1st year. Autopsies were performed on .7%. 37.7% of all neonatal deaths were due to neonatal diseases such as hyaline membrane disease, asphyxia neonatorum, immaturity, necrotizing enterocolitis, hemorrhage, hemolysis, meconium aspiration, and kernicterus. Better prenatal care would reduce this group, or the administration of corticosteroids to the mother 24-48 hours prior to delivery, as well as rapid resuscitation at birth and prevention of the 5 curses: hypoxemia, hypoglycemia, hypothermia, hypotension, and acidosis. Although unavailable in Lebanon, administration of surfactants through an endotracheal tube would also help. Infections constitute 25.1% of deaths; many are preventable through adequate public health measures and strict personal hygiene, i.e., diseases such as sepsis, pneumonia, meningitis, gastroenteritis, hepatitis, encephalitis, and 1-2 cases of the following: diphtheria, measles, peritonitis, tetanus, tuberculosis, cytomegalis inclusion, herpes, parathyphoid, pertussis, poliomyelitis, and shigellosis. Congenital diseases were 21.6%. In utero diagnosis could prevent some diseases and in utero treatment is possible for hydrocephalus and hydronephrosis. Screening programs postnatally could lead to treatment. 5.9% were malignancies such as leukemia, lymphoma, brain tumors, histocytosis, Wilm's tumor, Ewing sarcoma, and Hodgkin's disease. Early diagnosis is critical if mortality is to be reduced in this group, but medical advances are still needed. 2.9% are miscellaneous diseases such as poisoning, rheumatic diseases, marasmus, Reye's syndrome, nephrosis, rickets, and epilepsy. Most of these diseases are preventable, except for rheumatic inflammation of the heart. Recommended necessary steps to reduce infant mortality are: prenatal care, diagnosis and screening, intrauterine surgery; resuscitation and intensive care centers with modern equipment and trained personnel; national vaccination and screening programs; adequate public health measures and hygiene; parental education; and well-equipped hospitals to serve all regardless of income level.
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PMID:Pediatric mortality: an avoidable tragedy. 251 28

Previous studies have shown that recombinant interferon gamma (IFN-gamma), crude T cell supernatants, or appropriate T-cell lines can cause total inhibition of the growth of M. tuberculosis inside murine peritoneal macrophages. In similar experiments with human monocytes much smaller effects are seen. This could be due to the relative immaturity of these cells. Because dihydroxy vitamin D3 (1,25-(OH)2 D3) can cause phenotypic differentiation of immature leukemic lines into macrophage-like cells, we have explored the possibility that exposure to cholecalciferol metabolites in vitro might increase the ability of monocytes to control proliferation of M. tuberculosis, or cause monocytes to mature into cells able to respond appropriately to IFN-gamma. Incubation of monocytes with three cholecalciferol metabolites induced anti-tuberculosis activity to an extent that correlated with their binding affinities to the intracellular receptor protein for the derivatives. 1,25-(OH)2 D3 also primed monocytes for phorbol myristate acetate-triggered reduction of nitroblue tetrazolium. The effects were additive rather than synergistic with those of IFN-gamma. Monocytes incubated with IFN-gamma developed 25-OH D3 1-hydroxylase activity, detected by conversion of tritiated 25-(OH) D3 to a more polar metabolite which coeluted with 1,25-(OH)2 D3 on straight and reverse-phase HPLC. The latter is a more active form in vivo. These findings help to explain claims for the efficacy of vitamin D in the treatment of some forms of tuberculosis, and also the occasional finding of raised serum calcium, and disturbed vitamin D metabolism in these patients.
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PMID:Vitamin D3, gamma interferon, and control of proliferation of Mycobacterium tuberculosis by human monocytes. 300 68

The mortality rates (MRs) of children under 5 years of age in the various population groups of the RSA were calculated as deaths/10(5) for various causes of death and groupings of causes of death as classified by the International Classification of Diseases. In 1970 the ten leading causes of death among Coloured and Black children under 5 years of age in the RSA were similar to those among children in developing countries. The rank order of causes of death (in MRs/10(5] among Coloured children was as follows: gastro-enteritis (1 733), pneumonia (725), immaturity (405), ill-defined causes of death (168), nutritional deficiencies (167), measles (126), anoxia (97), 'other bacterial diseases' (91), inflammatory diseases of the nervous system (55) and tuberculosis (48). The ten leading causes of death among White children in the RSA were characteristic of children in Western developed countries. The rank order (in MRs/10(5] was as follows: immaturity (144), anoxia (94), pneumonia (46), gastro-enteritis (41), congenital heart disease (32), other accidents (19), birth injury (19), ill-defined causes of death (12) and inflammatory diseases of the nervous system (11).
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PMID:Leading causes of death among children under 5 years of age in the various population groups of the RSA in 1970. 649 19

Immune status was examined in 231 patients facing pneumoconiosis and coniotuberculosis so as to observe a dependence on pneumoconiosis type (silicosis, electric welder's pneumoconiosis), severity of the process, activity of tuberculosis. Markedly changed T and B immunity, having already appeared at initial stage of the disease, were revealed. Those changes due to the tuberculosis activity were characterized by lymphocytosis, marked functional immaturity of T lymphocytes, depressed B lymphocytes count, elevated serum Ig level.
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PMID:[Immune reactivity in pneumoconiosis and coniotuberculosis in machine builders]. 807 27

We report a male infant with congenital tuberculosis who developed cerebral hemorrhage associated with vitamin K deficiency during treatment with isoniazid and rifampin. Despite an absence of risk factors for vitamin K deficiency, the severe hemorrhagic disorder occurred at 4 months of age. We speculate that vitamin K deficiency in the present case may have resulted from a synergic effect of antituberculosis agents and immaturity of vitamin K metabolism and/or its absorption.
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PMID:Cerebral hemorrhage associated with vitamin K deficiency in congenital tuberculosis treated with isoniazid and rifampin. 1245 78

The easiness of pathological process spreading and difficulties with disease confinement are the most characteristic features of tuberculosis in childhood. These are mainly due to immaturity of both respiratory and immune systems. The infection with Mycobacterium tuberculosis gives rise to formation of granuloma, a product of macrophage accumulation, which develops due to proliferation of mycobacteria and remains a prominent pathogenic finding in Tbc. A functional equilibrium between the efficacy of cell-mediated immunity (necessary for eradication of the pathogens) and tissue-destructive delayed-type hypersensitivity reaction are observed in Tbc-infected individuals. IL-12 and IFN-gamma, as strong activators of the Th1-driven immune response, are considered as crucial for successful eradication of Mycobacteria. The functional predominance of humoral immune response is a distinctive mark of immune response in childhood and is regarded as the risk factor associated with poor clinical outcome. The determinants have been shown of immune response against Mycobacteria with a special consideration of childhood Tbc.
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PMID:[Immune mechanisms in children with tuberculosis]. 1464 95

Epidemiology of tuberculosis (TB) in childhood is closely related to TB in adults. Serious manifestations are often observed in children with TB. Immunological immaturity and social dependence facilitate the spread of infection. Paediatricians account in practise both primary TB, with hilar lymphadenopathy, and subacute or chronic pulmonary complications, in TB disease. Children appear to have a higher risk of having extrapulmonary TB involving any organ. The diagnosis of tuberculosis reactivation/re-infection, is based in the isolation of the agent in the sputum . Primary TB is difficult to diagnose, usually established by indirect signs of low epidemiological specificity, symptoms, chest radiography and the intracutaneous tuberculin test. In this context, one can understand the importance of correct interpretation of the chest radiograph. Chest CT is recommended if the chest radiograph is equivocal. In addition, an overview of extrapulmonary cases of TB - of the spine, bone and lymph nodes - including the role of other imaging modalities (Us and MR) will be presented .
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PMID:Tuberculosis in children. 1595 Apr 20

Musculoskeletal infections in children present a diagnostic challenge because they are difficult to recognize in the early stages of the disease and can be confused with other pathology such as tumors or trauma. The severity of disease may be associated with the primary tissue of involvement with bone greater than joint, greater than muscle, greater than soft tissue. The incidence of musculoskeletal infection is higher in infants and young children, and risk factors include premature birth, umbilical catheterization, urinary tract infection, immunodeficiency, and other preexisting disease. Neonates are at greater risk for infection with less virulent organisms due to immaturity of the immune system. The epidemiology of musculoskeletal infection is evolving, and the incidence of musculoskeletal infections in children, especially gram-positive infections, are increasing. Staphylococcus aureus continues to be the leading cause of musculoskeletal infection in children, and the emergence of resistant bacteria such as methicillin-resistant S. aureus is associated with a higher rate of complications. Atypical infections such as tuberculosis have also shown resurgence in the last few decades, whereas other infections such as Haemophilus influenzae are much less prevalent due to widespread immunization. Recent advances in earlier diagnosis and treatment help to reduce complications. However, even when musculoskeletal infection is successfully treated, there may be significant long-term effects on growth.
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PMID:Imaging of pediatric musculoskeletal infection. 1972 94

Childhood cutaneous tuberculosis is a common, yet understudied problem. Besides lupus vulgaris, scrofuloderma and tuberculosis verrucosa cutis which are frequently seen in adults, miliary tuberculosis, gumma and tubercular chancre are more often observed in children. Due to immaturity of immune system in children, chances of systemic tuberculosis are also more and warrant a thorough look for underlying systemic focus. Treatment of cutaneous tuberculosis includes short course antitubercular regimen consisting of rifampicin, isoniazid, ethambutol and pyrazinamide. Residual complications and ugly deformities affecting quality of life of a child can easily be prevented by ensuring early diagnosis. In late presentations, which are often the case, deformities should also be appropriately dealt with after the treatment for tuberculosis is completed.
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PMID:Clinical profile of cutaneous tuberculosis in pediatric age. 2046 1


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