Showing papers by "Atlantic Health System published in 2006"

Quality of Life for Children With Functional Abdominal Pain: A Comparison Study of Patients' and Parents' Perceptions

Abstract: OBJECTIVE. Children with chronic abdominal pain of nonorganic origin, termed functional abdominal pain (FAP), experience school absences and social withdrawal and report impaired physical ability. The aim of this study was to assess patients9 and parents9 perceptions of health-related quality of life (QoL) for children with FAP. METHODS. Between October 2002 and November 2003, 209 children (including 125 girls; age: 11.2 ± 3.5 years) and 209 parents were recruited from a pediatric referral center. At the time of their initial evaluations, participants completed a validated, health-related QoL instrument (Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory), which was scored on a scale of 0 (poor) through 100 (best). Children with FAP (n = 65) and their families were compared with control groups of healthy children (n = 46) and children with histologically proven inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) (n = 42) or gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) (n = 56). RESULTS. Children with FAP had self-reported QoL scores (score: 78) that were similar to those for children with GERD (score: 80) or IBD (score: 84). Children with FAP had lower QoL scores than did healthy children (score: 88). Parents of children with FAP reported lower QoL scores, compared with their children9s scores (scores: 70 vs 78). CONCLUSIONS. Children with FAP reported lower QoL, compared with their healthy peers, and had the same QoL scores as did children with IBD or GERD. Parents9 perceptions of QoL for children with FAP were lower than their children9s self-reported scores. These findings highlight the clinical significance of FAP and may provide insight into one facet of the disease9s biopsychosocial etiology.

Prevalence of viral and mycobacterial co-infections in perinatally HIV-infected children

Abstract: The progression of HIV disease may be affected by co-infection with other viruses. This study investigates the prevalence of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV); cytomegalovirus (CMV); herpes simplex virus (HSV) types 1 and 2; hepatitis A, B, and C (HA, HB, HC); and tuberculosis in perinatally HIV-infected children. Electrochemiluminescence Immunoassay (EIA) against EBV, CMV, HSV 1 and 2, HAV HBV HCV, and skin testing with purified protein derivative was performed on 45 perinatally HIV-infected children. CMVwas positive in 51%, EBVin 93.3%, HSV-1 in 62.2%, HSV-2 in 48.9%, HAV in 15.6%, HBVand HCV in 6.7% and PPD in 0%. HSV-2 prevalence was higher in females and Hispanics. The prevalence of CMV, EBV HSV-1, and tuberculosis was equivalent to rates reported in the general population. Prevalence of HSV-2 was significantly higher than in the general population (p < 0.001). Higher rates of HSV-2 infection and hepatitis may be secondary to high maternal co-infection rate and subsequent vertical transmission.