Bacteriology and Antimicrobial Susceptibility Patterns of Childhood Acute Bacterial Conjunctivitis in Western Greece.

Acute bacterial conjunctivitis is a common, highly contagious infection in children and is usually treated empirically with broad spectrum topical antibiotics. In the current study we investigated bacteriology and antibiotic susceptibility patterns in childhood acute bacterial conjunctivitis in Western Greece. We conducted a retrospective analysis of presumed acute bacterial conjunctivitis cases in ''Karamandaneio'' Pediatric General Hospital of Patras, Western Greece, between February 1, 2013 and January 31, 2018.

Plasma Beta-Glucuronidase Activity: A Novel Tool to Distinguish Type 1 from Type 2 Amiodarone-Induced Thyrotoxicosis?

Background: Amiodarone-induced thyrotoxicosis (AIT) is a common and deleterious side effect of amiodarone use. There are two types of AIT, characterized by distinct pathogenic mechanisms and, hence, different treatments. Discriminating between type 1 (AIT1) and type 2 (AIT2) AIT is often very challenging.

Effect of Omega-3 Fatty Acids Dietary Supplementation on Ocular Surface and Tear Film in Diabetic Patients with Dry Eye.

Objective: The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of dietary supplementation with omega-3 fatty acids on ocular surface and tear film in patients with type 2 diabetes suffering from dry eye.

Methods: Thirty-six patients suffering from type 2 diabetes and moderate to severe dry eye syndrome were included in the study. Patients were assigned to receive omega-3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids for 3 months.

Diplopia due to systemic lupus erythematosus in a child: a rare clinical presenting sign of the disease.

We present the case of a 14-year-old girl who was admitted to the hospital with the complaint of horizontal diplopia for 48 hours. Initially, she was diagnosed with idiopathic intracranial hypertension. During hospitalization she developed fever, macular facial rash, and chest pain, and because of abnormal laboratory findings the diagnosis of systemic lupus erythematosus was established.

Periorbital and orbital cellulitis: a 10-year review of hospitalized children.

Purpose: Periorbital cellulitis is often difficult to distinguish from orbital cellulitis, which is a potentially lethal infection involving the contents of the orbit. A delay in diagnosis and appropriate treatment may result in serious complications. We studied the predisposing factors, microbiologic data, clinical features, complications, and treatment of periorbital and orbital cellulitis in childhood.

Decreased contrast sensitivity in children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes mellitus.

Purpose: To evaluate contrast sensitivity in children and adolescents with diabetes mellitus without evidence of diabetic retinopathy.

Methods: Sixty patients with insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (age range: 8 to 18 years) were studied. Their contrast sensitivity scores were obtained using the CSV-1000 device (Vector Vision, Dayton, OH) for four spatial frequencies and were compared with v scores of 45 age-matched and gender-matched "healthy" patients.

Use of Doppler ultrasonography in the assessment of bronchodilator response in acute bronchiolitis.

Measurement of the response of acute bronchiolitis (AB) to bronchodilators relies on clinical signs and pulse oximetry. We hypothesized that Doppler ultrasonographic indices of hepatic venous flow may prove to be an objective tool in the assessment of the effect of inhaled salbutamol in infants hospitalized for AB. Previously healthy infants hospitalized for their first episode of AB were prospectively studied.

Presentation of childhood brucellosis in Western Greece.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate clinical and laboratory findings, treatment modalities and final outcomes of brucellosis in children and to compare our data with those of other studies performed in Greece. Fifty-two children treated for brucellosis in the Department of Pediatrics during the decade 1995-2004 were analyzed. Of the 52 children, 47 were reexamined during July 2005.

Correlation of cerebrospinal fluid beta-glucuronidase activity with plasma methotrexate concentrations in leukemic children receiving high-dose methotrexate.

Background: The activity of lysosomal enzymes is increased in body fluids during inflammation, in which cellular malfunction and cellular death occurs. Because chemotherapy also causes cell malfunction and death, for identifying a neurologic effect, we studied the activity of beta-glucuronidase in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of leukemic children during treatment.

Procedure: The beta-glucuronidase activity in CSF was determined in 13 patients with B-precursor acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) treated with the medium risk arm of ALL Berlin-Frankfurt-Munster (BFM) 95 protocol.

Increased activity of lysosomal enzymes in the peritoneal fluid of bacterial peritonitis.

Objective: The activity of lysosomal enzymes is increased in the cerebrospinal fluid of bacterial meningitis, suggesting that inflammation may cause leakage of lysosomal enzymes into the extracellular fluid. Our objective was to study the activity of 3 lysosomal enzymes in cell-free peritoneal fluid of patients with peritoneal inflammation.

Methods: The beta-galactosidase, beta-glucuronidase, and alpha-mannosidase activity (nmol 4-methylumbelliferone/mL/h); the total, polymorphonuclear, and mononuclear cell number; and chemical parameters were determined in the peritoneal fluid of 26 patients with culture-positive acute bacterial peritonitis, 13 patients (under antibiotic treatment) with culture-negative bacterial peritonitis, 6 patients with acute mesenteric lymphadenitis, and 26 control subjects who were operated on for surgical conditions without peritoneal inflammation.