Eight years of pulmonary valve replacement with a suggestion of a promising alternative.

Unlabelled: In a retrospective study we assessed surgical results following right ventricular to pulmonary artery connection repair or replacement at a medium of 2.4 years (0-8) follow-up. Data were retrieved from hospital charts.

Childhood idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura in the Nordic countries: epidemiology and predictors of chronic disease.

Aim: To describe the epidemiology of idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP) in the Nordic countries, to define clinical subgroups and to investigate factors predicting chronic disease.

Methods: A prospective registration was done from 1998 to 2000, including all children with newly diagnosed ITP aged 0-14 y and at least one platelet count <30 x 10(9)/l.

Results: 506 children were registered and 423 followed for 6 mo.

Acute leukaemia in children with Down syndrome: a population-based Nordic study.

To determine the epidemiology and outcome of children with Down syndrome (DS) diagnosed with acute leukaemia in the Nordic countries, data registered in the Nordic Society of Paediatric Haematology and Oncology (NOPHO) population-based leukaemia registry were analysed. Of 3494 children with acute leukaemia diagnosed between July 1984 and December 2001, 136 patients (3.9%) with DS were identified.

Effect of inhaled steroids on lung function in young children: a cohort study.

The objectives of the present study were to determine the use of inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) for treating recurrent bronchial obstruction (rBO) in young children up to 2 yrs of age and to assess possible modifying effects of ICS on lung function in young children with rBO. From an observational, noninterventional birth cohort of 3,754 newborn children (3,697 with complete questionnaire data by 2 yrs of age), 306 children with documented rBO by age 2 yrs (cases) were identified along with 306 matched controls. Two tidal flow/volume measurements were taken, one at presentation of disease (children were steroid naive) and one at 2 yrs of age (mean age 11.

C2 monitoring in maintenance renal transplant recipients: is it worthwhile?

Presently, there is little knowledge regarding cyclosporine (CsA) concentration at 2 hr post-dose (C2) monitoring in maintenance patients. This study evaluates the actual C2 range in stable renal transplant recipients (who underwent transplantation >12 months ago). In addition, we investigated whether underexposure or overexposure to CsA (assessed by C2) affects graft function (as measured by serum [S]-creatinine).

Stereotactic target localization accuracy in interventional magnetic resonance imaging.

Objective: To compare stereotactic target determination, based on images obtained from interventional MRI (iMRI), conventional closed MR and CT.

Methods: Stereotactic coordinates for 55 targets in an artificial scull were derived from iMRI scans and compared using CT as the standard. Stereotactic coordinates were also derived from iMRI scans in a series of patients and compared using iMRI fused with CT as the standard.

Image-guided stereotaxy in the interventional MRI.

Background: Stereotactic procedures employing frame-based systems and utilizing pre-operative MR or CT have several shortcomings such as long procedure time, patient discomfort and transport, poor fail-safe capabilities and targeting inaccuracies due to brain shift. Conducting all procedural steps in an interventional MRI has the potential of alleviating some of these deficiencies.

Methods: A stereotactic system consisting of a skull-mounted mechanical positioning device and customized navigation software has been developed.

A virtual environment for surgical image guidance in intraoperative MRI.

Intraoperative MRI has recently entered the operating room as a new imaging modality. Customized visualization systems might further facilitate the use of this imaging technology. A visualization system for use in the interventional MRI has been developed, providing a virtual environment for surgical navigation using real-time images and for controlling the scanner.

An ecology of love: aspects of music therapy in the pediatric oncology environment.

This paper explores how music therapy can assist patients and relatives in the processes of making friendship and love audible in a child cancer ward. Four short patient histories are presented to illustrate a health-oriented, ecological music therapy practice. Two histories describe how texts, made by patients, become songs, and how the songs are performed and used.

Human endonuclease III acts preferentially on DNA damage opposite guanine residues in DNA.

The human endonuclease III homologue (hNTH1) removes premutagenic cytosine damage from DNA. This includes 5-hydroxycytosine, which has increased potential for pairing with adenine, resulting in C --> T transition mutations. Here we report that hNTH1 acts on both 5-hydroxycytosine and abasic sites preferentially when these are situated opposite guanines in DNA.

Ethical issues in parental decision-making. An interview study of mothers of children with hypoplastic left heart syndrome.

It is unclear how parents make life-and-death decisions on behalf of their children. To address this issue we interviewed 20 mothers whose children were born with hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS), 10 whose child survived the operations and 10 mothers who chose comfort care. Semistructured interviews lasting from 1.

Viral safety of blood derivatives by immune neutralization.

Despite careful donor selection and virus inactivation procedures, transmission of viruses by transfusion of blood and blood derivatives is still a threat. Outbreaks of hepatitis A among hemophiliacs having received highly purified, immune globulin depleted coagulation factor concentrates, put the importance of immune neutralization of viruses in blood derivatives in focus. Neutralizing antibodies may block several steps in the virus infection of a cell, from binding of virus to the cellular receptor to the uncoating of virus after uptake in the cell.

Patient and parent experiences with health care services in pediatric rheumatology.

The health care received from first admission to a pediatric rheumatology clinic to 9-year follow-up was assessed in 109 patients with chronic inflammatory rheumatic diseases or chronic idiopathic musculoskeletal pain. Ninety-five of the patients had received hospital care after the first admission, of whom 53 patients > or = 18 years, 21 patients < 18 years, and 33 parents of patients < 18 years rated their degree of satisfaction with the health care from 0 to 10. Mean scores of satisfaction with different aspects of care ranged from 6.

Is the use of dummy or carry-cot of importance for sudden infant death?

Unlabelled: The study was undertaken to test the significance of dummy use and carry-cots for counts of sudden infant death (SID). Based on the impression that very few SID victims have a dummy (comforter, pacifier) in their mouth at the time of death, and that a high proportion of SID babies were found dead in a carry-cot (portable crib, pram), a case-control study was performed. Questionnaires were sent to 167 parents of SID victims and to 352 parents of live-infants matched for sex and time of birth.

A population-based study of 272 children with acute myeloid leukaemia treated on two consecutive protocols with different intensity: best outcome in girls, infants, and children with Down's syndrome. Nordic Society of Paediatric Haematology and Oncology (NOPHO).

From July 1984 the five Nordic countries (Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden) have registered all children with acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) and treated them on two consecutive protocols of different intensity (NOPHO-84 and NOPHO-88). We probably have information on every child with this diagnosis in our region. We found an annual incidence of AML of 0.

Quantitative and qualitative assessments of pain in children with juvenile chronic arthritis based on the Norwegian version of the Pediatric Pain Questionnaire.

Quantitative and qualitative aspects of pain were studied using a standardized questionnaire (the Varni/Thompson Pediatric Pain Questionnaire--PPQ). Fifty-seven of 64 consecutive in- and out-patients (6-18 yrs) with juvenile chronic arthritis (pauciart. n = 27, polyart.

The effect of acute vs chronic treatment with beta-adrenoceptor blockade on exercise performance, haemodynamic and metabolic parameters in healthy men and women.

1. Variable results have been reported on the effect of beta-adrenoceptor blockers on maximal oxygen uptake (VO2 max) and exercise endurance. This may in part be due to different subject populations, but it could also be due to an adaption of metabolic and haemodynamic responses to exercise during chronic treatment with beta-adrenoceptor blockers.

Insulin gene region-encoded susceptibility to IDDM maps upstream of the insulin gene.

The gene region on chromosome 11p15.5 known to be involved in insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM) susceptibility was recently mapped to a 4.1-kilobase region including the insulin gene.

Collaboration between child psychiatry and paediatrics: the state of the relationship in Norway.

In Norway, the first paediatric department was founded in Oslo 100 years ago. The first child psychiatric department was opened in 1950. To assess qualitative and quantitative aspects of child psychiatric liaison work, questionnaires were sent to the heads of 25 paediatric departments and 53 child psychiatric units.

A bio-psychosocial evaluation of ten adolescents with fibromyalgia.

A comprehensive assessment of 10 adolescents (mean age 15.7 years) fulfilling the ACR criteria for fibromyalgia, disclosed that 3 patients also had juvenile chronic arthritis. Based on semi-structured psychiatric interviews, testing and family assessments, 6 of the patients had a psychiatric diagnosis (over anxious and/or depressive disorders).

Treatment of cancer pain in Norway. A questionnaire study.

A questionnaire study was performed in order to clarify knowledge and practice of cancer pain treatment in Norway: a 10% random sample of Norwegian physicians received a questionnaire. Of 800 correctly addressed questionnaires, 549 were returned and 306 were analyzed after exclusion of those doctors who never treated cancer patients. Their knowledge of the principles and methods of cancer pain treatment were evaluated with 8 multiple-choice and 13 open questions.

A psychosocial follow-up of ten adolescents with low anorectal malformation.

Ten adolescents, aged 12-16 (mean 14.5) years, with corrected low anorectal anomalies were assessed with regard to somatic condition, psychopathology and psychosocial functioning by semistructured interviews and questionnaires. Half of the patients still had a persistent dysfunction involving problems with constipation and/or soiling.

Prospective neuropsychological investigation of patients with supratentorial arteriovenous malformations.

Thirty-one patients subjected to direct radical excision of a supratentorial arteriovenous malformation (AVM) participated in a comprehensive neuropsychological assessment both pre-operatively and at 4 and 12 months after surgery. The sample constitutes a consecutive series of patients who could complete the neuropsychological assessment before surgery. At the pre-operative assessment the mean results of all the tests fell very close to the average performance of age-equivalent normative samples.

FACES III and the Kvebaek Family Sculpture Technique as measures of cohesion and closeness.

In a longitudinal study of psychosocial factors in children with recent onset of rheumatic disease (N = 72), it was hypothesized that FACES III cohesion sum scores would be correlated with family closeness as measured by the Kvebaek Family Sculpture Technique (KFST). A second aim was to examine how these instruments were associated with semi-structured interview assessments of child and family psychosocial function, and whether these associations were linear or curvilinear. FACES III cohesion sum scores and KFST family mean interpersonal distance were not correlated, whereas the cohesion sum scores were related to the mother-father distance on the KFST.