To determine observer agreement for a clinical score and oximetry in lower respiratory infection in children less than 2 yr of age, a convenience sample of 56 infants hospitalized with bronchiolitis or pneumonia was assessed independently by two observers. A total of 12 infants had chronic lung disease of prematurity or congenital heart disease. Infants in whom oxygen supplementation could not be discontinued for at least 5 min were excluded. A severity score was assigned for each of four categories (respiratory rate, retractions, wheeze, and general appearance). A total for each patient was obtained by summing the score for each category. Oxygen saturation was measured using a Nellcor oximeter. Agreement beyond chance was measured using the kappa statistic. The relationship between observers for total score and oximetry and the mean total score and mean oximetry value for each patient was expressed as a Pearson correlation coefficient. A total of 56 infants and children were studied: 2 had pneumonia, 11 had an exacerbation of pulmonary signs and symptoms with their underlying cardiac or pulmonary disease, and 43 had bronchiolitis. Kappa was 0.48 for general assessment, 0.38 for respiratory rate, 0.31 for wheeze, and 0.25 for retractions. All values were statistically significantly greater than 0 at p less than 0.01. Correlations for total score and for oximetry were 0.68 and 0.88, respectively. The median difference between oximetry readings was 1. The correlation coefficient between total score and oximetry was -0.04. The limited agreement for clinical signs makes comparison of patient illness severity between studies difficult.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

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The border area had lower coverage of and opportunity for the basic schedule of vaccines, except for MMR. Follow-up campaigns for measles eradication have increased the coverage of the initial and booster doses in all three areas, but the increase has been greatest in the urban area. A greater effort should be made to identify children with an incomplete schedule of vaccinations, with priority going to areas that have a high proportion of immigrants.

Tuberculous meningitis is a disease associated with high morbidity and mortality. Experience with this disease at the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto was reviewed to determine whether changes in prognosis have occurred in the past decade. All patients from whom the organism was recovered from the cerebrospinal fluid, or who had a positive Mantoux test in association with a compatible history, were included. Thirteen patients were identified from 1978 to 1989. The median age was six years (range 11 months to 17.5 years). Nine patients were born in Canada, but all except one were members of recently immigrant families. History of close contact with an adult with tuberculosis, or travel to an endemic area in the preceding six months, was present in seven cases. All patients had clinical manifestations and mild pleocytosis with elevated protein content in the cerebrospinal fluid. Patients were all diagnosed within 20 days after admission (median one day). Computed tomography scan of the head was abnormal in all patients within three weeks of admission. No patient died, although long term sequelae developed in five. The prognosis of tuberculous meningitis has improved in the past decade. Although a specific reason for this improvement cannot be definitively stated, earlier diagnosis and better chemotherapy may contribute.

The morbidity and mortality of patients with bacterial meningitis treated initially with cefuroxime were studied and compared with the results of a previous prospective study of patients treated initially with ampicillin plus chloramphenicol in the same institution from 1979 to 1983. A retrospective chart review was completed in all cases of microbiologically confirmed bacterial meningitis admitted to the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto, Ontario between January 1, 1984 and August 1, 1988. During this period all patients were treated initially with intravenous cefuroxime. The 167 children reviewed ranged in age from six weeks to 17.1 years (median 11.6 months). The case fatality rate was 7.8% and the rate of hearing deficit 13%. There were no statistically significant differences in abnormal neurological outcome (20 versus 20%, respectively), hearing loss (12.9 versus 13%, respectively), and case fatality rate (6.4 versus 7.8%, respectively) between the cohort of 1979-83 and the present study. The rate of hearing loss following meningitis caused by Haemophilus influenzae type b increased from 7.3 to 11.7% (P=0.26).