[Myotubular myopathy linked to chromosome X. Pathological and clinical case study]

We present a case of X-linked myotubular myopathy in a boy who died neonatally because of respiratory insufficiency. Five biopsy revealed predominance and hypotrophy of type 1 fibres with central nuclei in the majority of them, without perinuclear ATPasa activity. Electron microscopic study corroborated these features and showed the absence of perinuclear myofibres. In the postmortem examination there was no involvement of others organs including the central nervous system.

[Kawasaki's disease]

We described a case of Kawasaki's disease in a chilean girl, one year and 5 months old of age, who presented the oral characteristics, cutaneous and systemic manifestation of the condition, that is not very common for the dentist but that it is necessary to know due to the heart complications and the mortality associated with the disease, and it is necessary that the dentist recognize early this condition.

[Levels of blood theophylline in patients with acute bronchospasm]

Plasma theophylline levels (mcg/ml) of 93 patients with a bronchopulmonary disease (asthma and chronic obstructive lung disease) who were on theophylline (normal or retarded) treatment, were determined on admission at the emergency ward because of acute bronchospasm. Our results show that theophylline blood levels were subtherapeutical in patients treated either with normal (2.1 +/- 0.8 mcg/ml) or retarded theophylline (9.6 +/- 1.3 mcg/ml). This was probably due to insufficient dosing and/or poor patient compliance. The necessity of monitoring this type of treatment is once again evident.

Cleft lip/palate-oligodontia-syndactyly-hair alterations, a new syndrome: review of the conditions combining ectodermal dysplasia and cleft lip/palate

We report on a noninbred girl with cleft lip and palate, complete absence of deciduous teeth, hypodontia of permanent teeth, hair alterations, hypertelorism, midface hypoplasia, abnormal EEG, syndactyly, and other findings. Her mother had minor anomalies which could represent the mild expression of a gene. A review on the conditions combining ectodermal dysplasia and cleft lip/palate is presented.

Further characterization of the pulmonary ethanol metabolizing system (PET)

A postmitochondrial preparation of rat lung homogenate was able to metabolize ethanol (205.8 mumoles/g X hr) only in the presence of uridine diphosphate glucuroniate, with a Km for ethanol of about 14 mM. Lung slices from the same animals incubated in a Krebs ringer bicarbonate buffer showed a biphasic time-curve for ethanol metabolism. The amount of metabolized ethanol first increased and then decreased. The metabolic product of this system (PET-I) was sensitive to the action of betaglucuronidase. Lung slices from some animals, however, showed a monophasic time-curve for ethanol metabolism. The metabolic product of this system (PET-II) was insensitive to the action of beta-glucuronidase but sensitive to that of sulfatase. These results confirm our previous suggestion that the lung of the rat is able to metabolize ethanol by a conjugation process catalyzed by a glucuronyl-transferase. In addition, the evidence obtained in this work also suggests that in some animals PET is represented by a sulfotransferase.

The pulmonary ethanol metabolizing system (PET)

Rat lung slices incubated in a Krebs ringer bicarbonate buffer respired at a rate of 0.62 mumoles/g lung X min. Respiration was inhibited by cyanide and stimulated by dinitrophenol. PET was insensitive to the action of pyrazole, cyanide or azide. Lung microsomes metabolized ethanol at rates which were less than 1% of PET. They showed an apparent Km for ethanol of the order of 10 mM and a Vmax of about 7 nmoles acetaldehyde/mg prot X min. Oxidation of ethanol by lung slices to acetaldehyde and CO2 was less than 0.3% and 1.15% than PET, respectively. Chromatographic determination of the products of ethanol metabolism by lung slices showed that a metabolite similar to glucuronic acid was formed. It is concluded that PET is a nonoxidative process which from the evidence presented in this work, would seem to involve the formation of ethyl glucuronide.

[Congenital renal arteriovenous fistula]

On the occasion of a recent observation in our Centre of a case of congenital renal arteriovenous fistula, we make a review of the literature and give a detailed description of the clinical case presented. We stress the difficulty in differentiating between congenital and acquired fistulae and explain the course of therapy currently used.