Oscillometry: A substitute of spirometry in children with neuromuscular diseases?

Introduction: Spirometry plays an important role in the assessment of possible respiratory failure in children with neuromuscular diseases (NMDs). However, obtaining reliable spirometry results is a major challenge. We studied the relation between oscillometry and spirometry results.

Short-term effect and effect on rate of lung function decline after surgery for neuromuscular or syndromic scoliosis.

Introduction: Understanding the impact of scoliosis surgery on lung function is important for counseling patients about risks and benefits of surgery. We prospectively compared the trends in lung function test (LFT) results before and after scoliosis surgery in children with neuromuscular diseases or dysmorphic syndromes. We hypothesized a stabilization.

Nerve ultrasound for diagnosing chronic inflammatory neuropathy: A multicenter validation study.

Objective: To validate the diagnostic accuracy of a previously described short sonographic protocol to identify chronic inflammatory neuropathy (CIN), including chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (CIDP), Lewis Sumner syndrome, and multifocal motor neuropathy (MMN), and to determine the added value of nerve ultrasound to detect treatment-responsive patients compared to nerve conduction studies (NCS) in a prospective multicenter study.

Methods: We included 100 consecutive patients clinically suspected of CIN in 3 centers. The study protocol consisted of neurologic examination, laboratory tests, NCS, and nerve ultrasound.

Effect of mechanical insufflation-exsufflation in children with neuromuscular weakness.

Introduction: Children with neuromuscular diseases develop cough impairment. Airway clearance techniques (ACTs) may help to prevent recurrent respiratory tract infections (RTIs). A commonly used ACT is mechanical insufflation-exsufflation (MI-E), but evidence for efficacy is limited.

Cholesterol-rich domains are involved in Bordetella pertussis phagocytosis and intracellular survival in neutrophils.

Bordetella pertussis-specific antibodies protect against whooping cough by facilitating host defense mechanisms such as phagocytosis. However, the mechanism involved in the phagocytosis of the bacteria under non-opsonic conditions is still poorly characterized. We report here that B.