Severe nocturnal and postexercise hypoxia in children and adolescents with sickle cell disease.

Hypoxia is a common feature in children with sickle cell disease (SCD) that is inconsistently associated with painful crises and acute chest syndrome. To assess the prevalence and risk factors of hypoxia, we recorded daytime, nocturnal, and postexercise pulse oximetry (SpO2) values in 39 SCD patients with a median age of 10.8 years.

Thrombotic microangiopathy and Purtscher-like retinopathy as a rare presentation of juvenile dermatomyositis.

Juvenile dermatomyositis is a rare systemic vasculopathy that may sometimes present with acute complications. We report here the case of a 7-year-old boy with severe dermatomyositis associated with thrombocytopenia and blurry vision. The presence of schistocytosis and the secondary occurrence of hemolytic anemia were consistent with a diagnosis of thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP).

Matrix metalloproteinase gene polymorphisms and bronchopulmonary dysplasia: identification of MMP16 as a new player in lung development.

Background: Alveolarization requires coordinated extracellular matrix remodeling, a process in which matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) play an important role. We postulated that polymorphisms in MMP genes might affect MMP function in preterm lungs and thus influence the risk of bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD).

Methods And Findings: Two hundred and eighty-four consecutive neonates with a gestational age of <28 weeks were included in this prospective study.

Influence of intraocular lens material on the development of acute endophthalmitis after cataract surgery?

Purpose: To investigate the causal relationship between acute postoperative endophthalmitis (POE) after cataract surgery and the biomaterial properties of the intraocular lens (IOLs) implanted.

Methods: This retrospective cohort study included all patients who had undergone cataract surgery with IOL implantation at the Lyon Croix-Rousse University Hospital between 1st January 1994 and 31st December 2004. Details respecting the type of IOL implanted (material and manufacturer) were meticulously recorded.