A Systematic Approach to Evaluate Sudden Unexplained Death in Children.

Objective: To evaluate in the Netherlands the national outcomes in providing cause of and insights into sudden and unexplained child deaths among children via the Postmortem Evaluation of Sudden Unexplained Death in Youth (PESUDY) procedure.

Study Design: Children aged 0-18 years in the Netherlands who died suddenly were included in the PESUDY procedure if their death was unexplained and their parents gave consent. The PESUDY procedure consists of pediatric and forensic examination, biochemical, and microbiological tests; radiologic imaging; autopsy; and multidisciplinary discussion.

Early daycare is associated with an increase in airway symptoms in early childhood but is no protection against asthma or atopy at 8 years.

Rationale: Daycare exposes young children to more infections early in life and may thereby prevent the development of asthma and allergy.

Objectives: To prospectively study the effect of daycare on the development of asthma and allergic sensitization during the first 8 years of life.

Methods: In the Prevention and Incidence of Asthma and Mite Allergy birth cohort 3,963 newborn children were followed prospectively for 8 years.

Polymorphisms in the mannan-binding lectin gene are not associated with questionnaire-reported respiratory tract infections in children.

Background: Low mannan-binding lectin (MBL) levels, caused by MBL2 polymorphisms, are suggested to contribute to susceptibility to respiratory tract infections (RTIs), particularly early in life. Large-scale replication of previous associations is needed, however. We investigated the association between MBL2 polymorphisms and the frequency of RTI in a large population-based birth cohort of white children.

Mannose-binding lectin and upper respiratory tract infections in children and adolescents: a review.

Objective: To review the literature on mannose-binding lectin (MBL) polymorphisms and susceptibility for upper respiratory tract infection (URI) in children and adolescents.

Data Sources: We searched PubMed from 1966 and EMBASE from 1974 to July 2005, using the terms respiratory tract infection, respiratory infection, upper respiratory infection, MBL, and mannose-binding lectin.

Study Selection: Initially, 110 studies were identified.

Treatment of fetal tachycardia with sotalol: transplacental pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to investigate the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of sotalol in the treatment of fetal tachycardia.

Background: Maternally administered, intrauterine therapy of fetal tachycardia is dependent on the transplacental passage of the antiarrhythmic agent.

Methods: In a prospective study of patients treated for fetal tachycardia with sotalol, concentrations of sotalol were determined in maternal and umbilical blood and in amniotic fluid, and the relationship between these concentrations and the occurrence of conversion to sinus rhythm was investigated.

Drug treatment of fetal tachycardias.

The pharmacological treatment of fetal tachycardia (FT) has been described in various publications. We present a study reviewing the necessity for treatment of FT, the regimens of drugs used in the last two decades and their mode of administration. The absence of reliable predictors of fetal hydrops (FH) has led most centers to initiate treatment as soon as the diagnosis of FT has been established, although a small minority advocate nonintervention.