Search

The present paper reviews the treatment and the outcome of a sample of 48 children with haemolytic-uraemic syndrome (HUS) hospitalized during 1972-2003 in the paediatric clinics Alfred Rusescu, Fundeni and Grigore Alexandrescu. The therapeutic approach includes several stages: 1. conservative and supportive treatment; 2. dialysis; 3. aetiopathogenic treatment; 4. the treatment of complications; 5. the treatment of recurrences; In some cases a rapid substitution of the renal function was required. A rapidly deteriorating renal function should be regarded as a major emergency, and the dialysis should be initiated with no further delay. When needed, the substitution of the renal function clearly improves the outcome in HUS children. The earlier the diagnosis of HUS is established and the sooner the therapy is initiated, the better are the outcome and the prognosis. The outcome in the typical form of HUS was generally toward restitutio ad integrum, with a favourable prognosis and no recurrence. In the atypical form of HUS, the recovery is usually flawed with sequelae: 1. persistent proteinuria; 2. high blood pressure; 3. chronic renal failure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper presents the ethical and methodological issues of the scientific research in children. The ethic requirements for a scientific research are: its importance for health, scientific validity, subjects selection, favourable risk-benefit ratio, independent review, informed consent and respect for the enrolled subjects. Confidentiality is very important for subjects protection. The research Ethics Committees are the forum approveing the research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Infant mortality is the most sensitive indicator for the health status of child population, being also a global parameter for economical and social development as well. Despite its slow decreasing, this indicator maintains Romania on the last place in Europe (11‰). The main causes of infant mortality are perinatal diseases, respiratory diseases and malformations. There is a strong relationship between the infant mortality and the low weight at birth, due to health and nutrition problems of the pregnant women. The mortality under one year is higher in rural areas (14‰) and among children belonging to mothers with a low educational level. High-rate for the deaths at home due to respiratory diseases indicates the lack of parental skills and the failure of primary care as well. Specialized medical services are not able to provide surgical solutions for all congenital heart diseases. In order to improve the children health, the investment in early childhood is needed. This is the key for the development of humanity, because it is based on the development of a sustainable resource wich is the human capital. To improve children health condition is necessary a mean-term strategy, coherent and wide-open, versus only narrow individual interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]