Bronco Alveolar Lavage (Bal): Use in Pediatrics

Abstract

". Nutricion. Be. As. Argentina. Recurrent hypoglycemia (H) may lead to cortical brain injury by altering both neurological develo!>DCnt and intelectual funtion. 5lxtyseven children aged 0-14 year" r ange suffering H from different etiologies (except tranaient H of newborn) were evaluated_ Six patients died after diagnosis; 18 d id not come for follow-up. Out of 43 patients studied, 13 had ketotic H,S had hiperinsulinism, 16 had H due to enzymatic defects, 3 to hypopituitarism and 2 of unknown cause. Neurological examination and KEg were performed at 3-94 months after diagnosis. Cognitive level of children under 2 years (n:8) " as determined with the Bayley Scale of Child Developnent (IIIi), values above 68 were considered normal. Terman-Merrill teet 'WaB used to measure IQ in children over 2 years; values below 59 were cODSidered as mental retardation; the range 59-80 was taken as boNier line. Neurol ogical sequelae were: s econdary epilepey (4), cerebral palay (1), and microcephaly (2). Hean IQ of the """,ple " as 87.5 (5. 0. 18). Hental retardation was present in 8 (18%). IQ 80 "as significantly more prevalent in both hyperinaulini am and glycogenosis II I than in the ketotic group. The mean delay in achiving the diagnosis was 16 (S.D .lS) months; being tbe longer the delay the lower the IQ (r:-0. 54). IQ below 80 WaB