A. Zamora-Ustaran, R.O. Escarcega-Alarcón, M. Garcia-Carrasco, E. Faugier, S. Mendieta-Zeron, C. Mendoza-Pinto, Á. Montiel-Jarquin, M. Muñoz-Guarneros, A. Lopez-Colombo and R. Cervera
Background: Data on pediatric antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) are very sparse.
Objectives: To describe the main clinical characteristics, laboratory data and complications of pediatric APS patients, and to analyze the differences between primary APS and APS associated with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).
Methods: We retrospectively reviewed clinical and laboratory data of 32 children at “Federico Gomez,” the children’s hospital of México. Nineteen patients had SLE, 12 (37.5%) had primary APS and 1 (3%) had immune thrombocytopenic purpura. We collected information on sociodemographic variables, vaccinations, age at onset, and family history of rheumatic disease, hematological disorders, skin disorders and non-thrombotic neurological disorders. Immunological features included immunoglobulin (Ig) G and M aCl antibodies, IgG and IgM b2 glycoprotein I, lupus anticoagulant, anti-dsDNA and antinuclear antibodies.
Results: The patients included 24 females and 8 males. The most common thrombotic events were small vessel thrombosis (44%), venous thrombosis (28%) mainly deep venous thrombosis (DVT) in lower extremities, and arterial thrombosis (25%). The most common clinical non-thrombotic manifestations were hematological (53%) and neurological disorders (22%). There were no significant differences between groups with regard to the site of thrombosis, non-thrombotic clinical manifestations or laboratory features.
Conclusions: There were some important differences between the clinical manifestations of APS in children compared with adults, but we found no significant differences between patients with primary and APS associated with SLE. Larger studies in Latin American APS children are necessary to determine whether there are differences between ethnic groups.
D. Antonelli, D. Peres and Y. Turgeman
Background: Alcohol consumption in Israel has increased over the last 20 years. Patients with alcohol use disorder (AUD) who present at a hospital enable early intervention. Objectives: To examine, for the first time, the characteristics of AUD patients in an Israeli general hospital, including whether their alcohol use is documented in their file.
Methods: A group of 178 consecutive patients referred for psychiatric consultation was compared to a second group of 105 hospitalized patients who were not referred. These two groups were studied to compare risk factors for AUD. Patients in both groups were prospectively interviewed using a CAGE questionnaire, demonstrated as an effective screening instrument for AUD. Patients’ files in both groups were examined for documentation of alcohol use.
Results: There was no significant difference between the prevalence of AUD in the two groups. The groups were then merged since no significant difference in the risk factor effects between the two groups was found. The risk factors for AUD in the final statistical analysis were lower educational status, living alone, being born in the Former Soviet Union and weaker religious observance. Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), cigarette smoking and substance use were found to be independent risk factors. Soldier status was associated with significant alcohol misuse and AUD (CAGE1–4). Alcohol consumption was documented in the files of AUD patients in 48% of the first group and 21% of the second.
Conclusions: Physicians often neglect to take a history of alcohol consumption. Routine use of the CAGEquestionnaire is recommended in Israeli general hospitals. Special attention should be given to PTSD patients and to soldiers.
S. Jaworowski, D. Raveh, J.-L. Golmard, C. Gropp and J. Mergui
Background: Alcohol consumption in Israel has increased over the last 20 years. Patients with alcohol use disorder (AUD) who present at a hospital enable early intervention. Objectives: To examine, for the first time, the characteristics of AUD patients in an Israeli general hospital, including whether their alcohol use is documented in their file.
Methods: A group of 178 consecutive patients referred for psychiatric consultation was compared to a second group of 105 hospitalized patients who were not referred. These two groups were studied to compare risk factors for AUD. Patients in both groups were prospectively interviewed using a CAGE questionnaire, demonstrated as an effective screening instrument for AUD. Patients' files in both groups were examined for documentation of alcohol use.
Results: There was no significant difference between the prevalence of AUD in the two groups. The groups were then merged since no significant difference in the risk factor effects between the two groups was found. The risk factors for AUD in the final statistical analysis were lower educational status, living alone, being born in the Former Soviet Union and weaker religious observance. Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), cigarette smoking and substance use were found to be independent risk factors. Soldier status was associated with significant alcohol misuse and AUD (CAGE1–4). Alcohol consumption was documented in the files of AUD patients in 48% of the first group and 21% of the second.
Conclusions: Physicians often neglect to take a history of alcohol consumption. Routine use of the CAGEquestionnaire is recommended in Israeli general hospitals. Special attention should be given to PTSD patients and to soldiers.
C. Nalli, S. Piantoni, L. Andreoli, M. Motta and A. Tincani
A. Mahamid, I. Ashkenazi, N. Sakran and A.R. Zeina
G.K. Malhotra, M.S. Malhotra, R. Kobayashi and J.A. Poole
I. Berger, O. Peleg and N. Ofek-Shlomai
E. Moisseiev, D. Goldenberg, D. Gold, M. Neuderfer and Z. Habot-Wilner
L. Barski, R. Nevzorov, E. Rabaev, A.B. Jotkowitz, I. Harman-Boehm, M. Zektser, L. Zeller, E. Shleyfer and Y. Almog
Background: Diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) is a common and serious complication of diabetes mellitus (DM).
Objectives: To evaluate the clinical characteristics, hospital management and outcomes of patients with DKA.
Methods: We performed a retrospective cohort study of patients hospitalized with DKA during the period 1 January 2003 to 1 January 2010. Three groups were compared: patients with mild DKA, with moderate DKA, and with severe DKA. The primary outcome was in-hospital all-cause mortality. The secondary outcomes were 30 days all-cause mortality, length of hospital stay, and complication rate.
Results: The study population comprised 220 patients with DKA. In the mild (78 patients) and moderate (116 patients) groups there was a higher proportion of patients with type 1 DM (75.6%, 79.3%) compared with 57.7% in the severe group (26 patients, P = 0.08). HbA1C levels prior to admission were high in all three groups, without significant difference (10.9 ± 2.2, 10.7 ± 1.9, and 10.6 ± 2.4 respectively, P = 0.9). In all groups the most frequent precipitating factors were related to insulin therapy and infections. The patients with severe DKA had more electrolyte abnormalities (hypokalemia, hypomagnesemia, hypophosphatemia) compared with the mild and moderate forms of the disease. While 72.7% of the entire cohort was hospitalized in the general medical ward, 80.8% of those with severe DKA were admitted to the intensive care unit. The in-hospital mortality rate for the entire cohort was 4.1%, comparable with previous data from experienced centers. Advanced age, mechanical ventilation and bedridden state were independent predictors associated with 30 day mortality: hazard ratio (HR) 1.1, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.02–1.11; HR 6.8, 95% CI 2.03–23.1; and HR 3.8, 95% CI 1.13–12.7, respectively.
Conclusions: Patients with DKA in our study were generally poorly controlled prior to their admission, as reflected by high HbA1c levels. Type 2 DM is frequently associated with DKA including the severe form of the disease. The most common precipitating factors for the development of DKA were related to insulin therapy and infections. Advanced age, mechanical ventilation and bedridden state were independent predictors of 30 day mortality.