[Growth and development during the 1st year of life in children exposed to phototherapy during the neonatal period]

Authors have studied the effects to a short and medium term of phototherapy on the growth and development and hormonal production on the hypothalamus-pituitary axis on two series of newborns: a) problems (28 term newborns and 5 preterms) treated with phototherapy during the neonatal period and, b) controls (25 term newborns and 5 preterms). In both series growth and development have been analyzed during the first year of life, including: 1) Anthropometric data: weight, length, cephalic perimeter, at neonatal period, and 3, 6 and 12 months of age; bone maturation (TW2 method) at 12 months of age. 2) Hormonal data: during the neonatal period basal estimations) and at 12 months of age. Last hormonal studies on the hypothalamus-pituitary axis have been done according to Mortimer-Savage method. Statistic analysis of results obtained on the different areas that have been studied do not shown statistic differences between the problem and the control series (p greater than 0.05). According with the results conclude that phototherapy does not have secondary effects to a short and medium term on the growth and development neither on the function of the hypothalamus-pituitary axis.

[HLA system and collagen diseases (author's transl)]

Association of histocompatibility antigen (HLA antigens) with collagen diseases is not a casual event. Even known data, the practical conclusions have a limited usefullness because there is not a definitive correspondence between HLA antigens and rheumatic diseases. With HLA typing is possible to determine risk populations. The pauciarticular type II of juvenile reumatoid arthritis (J.R.A) is associated with HLA-B27 in the 75% of cases. Also, this antigen is associated with ankylosing spondylitis, Reiter's disease, Behçet disease, psoriasic arthritis, reactive arthritis (yersinia, shigella, salmonella). Systemic lupus erythematosus has been described associated with HLA-B8 and HLA-DRw2.

[Achondrogenesis type I and II and hypochondrogenesis (author's transl)]

A study is made of achondrogenesis in relation to four observations of early fatal development. One case corresponds to type I (Parenti-Fraccaro); another to type II (Langer-Saldino); the final two, brothers, seem to come under the variation of hypochondrogenesis. In this study, authors stress the heterogenous nature of lethal, neonatal (short-limb) nanisms of which currently include: Type I and II achondrogenesis, hypochondrogenesis, homozygote achondroplasia, classical Torrance-type and San Diego-type thanatophoric dysplasia.

Follow-up hormonal controls on a HGH secreting pituitary adenoma. Pre- and postoperative study

The case of a 12 2/12-year-old boy with an HGH secreting eosinophilic adenoma is presented. The histologic investigation included conventional and ultrastructural techniques. The pre- and postoperative (1, 7, 11, and 20 months) hormonal controls are analyzed, indicating the persistence of HGH anteropituitary activity, even though surgical sectioning of the pituitary stalk was performed and the activities of thyroid, corticoadrenal and gonadotropin functions decreased. It is suggested that the hypothalamo-pituitary relationship may be maintained by extraportal venous circulations.

[Epidemiologic aspects of accidental poisoning in children in Aragón (author's transl)]

Authors have studied epidemiologic aspects of 1,363 cases of accidental poisonings in children on a total of 25,136 cases of accidents that have been observed in Aragon hospitals. The following parameters were included in the protocol: sex (males: 57.6%), age (between 1-3 years: 57.9%), day time (12.00-16.00 hours: 30.8%), year season (spring-summer: 56.5%), week day (monday: 18.0%), poisoning (drugs and domestic products: 65.9%), house place (kitchen: 38.1%) and treatment (ambulatory: 81.7%).

[Diaphysary tubular stenosis (Kenny-Caffey's syndrome): presentation of four observations (author's transl)]

Four new observations of diaphysary tubular stenosis or Kenny-Caffey's syndrome are studied, the first in the spanish literature. They belong to two unrelated families. Cases 1 and 2 are a son and his mother; cases 3 and 4 are first cousins of, apparently, normal consanguineous parents. In the last two cases hypocalcemic tetany of recurrent evolution and congenital glaucoma were verified. For the purpose of this serie a revision is made of the cases reported on the literature. They are a total of eight observations, including the cases studied in this paper. A discussion is made, especially, on the genetic mechanism of this skeletal dysplasia, which in cases 3 and 4 present remarkable peculiarities.

Modification of the Method for Vitamin A in Foods and Feeds for Use with Margarine and Butter: Collaborative Study

An adaptation of the method for vitamin A in feeds and foods to margarine and butter was studied in 1977 and 1978. The principal change was the use of 2 extractions with an ether-hexane mixture instead of one with hexane. Results of the 1977 test were not good enough to recommend adoption. The 1978 analytical samples consisted of 4 margarines, including a known, and a butter. Data were reported by 11 analysts. Averages for vitamin A (μg/g) and coefficients of variation (%) were, respectively: A (known)—7.2, 5.7; 1—8.2, 11.1; 2—11.4, 3.9; 3—7.6, 10.7; butter—8.5, 13.3; and for carotene: A—5.6, 6.4; 1—6.0, 5.5; 2—0; 3—5.8, 3.8; butter—3.1, 11.8. Carotene results were grouped reasonably closely and tended to be distributed randomly, but vitamin A results had a less random trend. Trifluoroacetic acid was studied as an alternative colorimetric reagent for determining vitamin A, with overall satisfactory results. The modification for determining vitamin A and carotene in butter and margarine, and the use of trifluoroacetic acid as an alternative colorimetric reagent have been adopted as official first action.

[Neonatal changes in relation to mother's oxitocyn administration (author's transl)]

Authors have studied in four groups of newborns the possible relationship between administration of oxitocyn to the mother during labor or during the pregnancy and appearance of neonatal jaundice, alterations of hematocrit and Na+ levels in the immediate hours post-partum. In the present study, with dosages of oxitocyn administered during true labor which never exceded 1,200 mUI, no significant differences appeared between levels of bilirubin present in newborns and those whose mothers did not receive this type of treatment (p greater than 0.05). Sodium levels in the first day of life did show significant difference when comparing control and problem series respectively (p less than 0.01).

[Peptic ulcer in children (7 cases). Importance of fiberendoscopy (author's transl)]

The authors studied 7 cases of peptic ulcers (2 gastric and 5 duodenals) in patients whose ages ranged between 3 and 13 4/12 years. They represented 0.5% of hospital inpatients. A history of acetyl salicilic acid ingestion was present in 3 of the cases. In 2 of the cases emotional factors were associated. Initial symptoms were distributed as follows: abdominal (4), hematemesis (2) and melena (1). The clinical course was favorable for 5 of the patients; in one of them signs of bulboduodenitis became evident in the fourth month; in another one the clinical signs persisted and a new ulcer appeared 4 months after the initial diagnosis. High levels of gastrin were found in this case. The importance of gastroduodenal fiberendoscopy in infancy for the diagnosis, histological confirmation and follow-up of peptic ulcer is emphasized.

[Tricho-rhino-phalangeal dysplasia type I (Giedion's syndrome) (author's transl)]

A new case of these rare entity is described. Histopathology and ultrastructure of cartilage is studied pointing out some pathogenics aspects.

[EEC syndrome: ectrodactyly, ectodermal dysplasia and cleft lip-palate (author's transl)]

Authors present a new and complete from of EEC syndrome (ectrodactyly, ectodermal dysplasia and cleft lip-palate), analysing its' clinical, genetic and therapeutic aspects. Syndrome malformations involving mainly mesenchymal tissue and with diverse clinical expression suggest a heterogenetic heredity. Participation of environmental and unknown factors is not excluded.

Bacterial infections in the newborns

In the care of 5178 live newborns from October 1971 to October 1974, 252 (4.7%) cases of bacterial infections were diagnosed. Of this number, 131 were full-term and 121 premature newborns. The three most frequent types of infections were gastroenteritis (103 cases = 40.8%), urinary tract infections (77 cases = 30.5%), and septicaemia (51 cases = 20.2%). The three organisms most frequently found were E. coli, Proteus and Enterobacter. The prevalence of gram-negative over gram-posivite germs was very remarkable. In 38 infected newborns the highest IgM levels were achieved at the acme of the illness, and they decreased when the infection subsided.

[Effect on agar on neonatal bilirubin seric levels (author's transl)]

An study on the effect of p.o. agar in neonatal bilirubin seric levels is reported. Two groups of healthy newborns, 33 terms and 22 pre-terms were studied after ingestion of agar and the results compared to those in a similar set of non-agar control groups. Agar ingestion decreased bilirubin levels in term newborns and increased fecal elimination of the pigment (p less than 0.001). p.o. agar had no effect on the levels of serum bilirubin in preterm newborns (p greater than 0.05).

[Our experience in pediatric oncology (author's transl)]

An initial statistical study on the incidence of oncologic pathology during infancy carried out in the Pediatric Department of the University of La Laguna, is presented. They study includes 33 tumors which have been collected over a period of 3.5 years.

[Nephroblastoma on a horse-shoe kidney]

A female child, 5 years 10/12 old, is presented with a nephroblastoma inserted on a horse-shoe kidney. She is in a satisfactory state 14 months after surgery. The authors emphasize the favorable outcome with a treatment of combined surgery, radiotherapy and vincristine.

[A case of hepatocarcinoma (author's transl)]

A case of hepatocarcinoma is presented in a five year old male treated with right hemihepatectomy and chemotherapy has been followed during nine months. The rarity of this histologic variety in childhood is emphasized, and so are the clinical, biological and pathological features.

[Thyroid papillary adenocarcinoma (author's transl)]

A case of papillary adenocarcinoma of thyroid is reported in a 13 years old boy. The clinical and pathological features are discussed and the pertinent literature is reviewed.

[Juvenile rheumatoid arthritis: Characterisation of its clinical variations (author's transl)]

This study of 42 patients affected with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis (JRA), in which two defined clinical forms are established: febrile and non-febrile. Patients with JRA with high temperatures for more than 3 weeks, are included in the febrile form when any other cause for the fever can be excluded. In this study, 18 patients had febrile JRA, and the main clinical features were the higher number of joints involved, the presence of rash and the higher incidence of increase in size of the liver and/or spleen. Laboratory studies in cases affected by febrile JRA are characterized by higher frequency of high white blood count (p less than 0.001) and low frequency of rheumatoid factors (0.025 less than p less than 0.05) and antinuclear antibodies (0.001 less than p less than 0.005). Another finding is the incidence of microvasculitis: 31% in a group of 38 patients with JRA. Although microvasculitis is more frequent in the form of JRA without fever. it is a statistically significant characteristic of both forms of JRA described.