Influence of knowledge, training and experience of observers on the reliability of anthropometric measurements in children.

Objective: To elucidate the impact of the observer's level of technical knowledge, training and experience with measuring height and triceps skinfold thickness on the reliability of these measurements in children. Despite of instructions and encouraging careful measurements, these factors may significantly affect measurements and lead to interpretation difficulties, especially of short term growth data.

Subjects And Methods: A cross-sectional study was designed in which 18 children, aged 2-7 years, were measured in duplo by 12 observers with different backgrounds and levels of experience, protocol knowledge and protocol training.

Guidelines for severe community-acquired pneumonia in the western world.

Background: Recently, several guidelines (ATS 1993/IDSA 1998; ERS 1998; SWAB 1998) have been issued for the initial therapy of patients with community-acquired pneumonia. In patients who fulfil the criteria for severe community-acquired pneumonia (SCAP), it was advised to start with a macrolide (active against Legionella spp. and Mycoplasma pneumoniae) in combination with an agent active against both pneumococci and Pseudomonas aeruginosa by the ATS/IDSA guidelines, while the ERS suggested starting with a second or third generation cephalosporin, in combination with either a macrolide or second generation quinolon plus or minus rifampicin.

[Pertussis in young infants].

Four infants, three girls aged 4 weeks, 2.5 months and 3 months, and a boy aged 2 months, were hospitalized because of severe respiratory distress. Apnoea spells with bradycardia and hypoxia were seen in two of the patients, one showing convulsions as well, and bronchopneumonia in the other two, of whom one eventually died.