Echocardiographic study of the left ventricle and interventricular septum in infants of diabetic mothers

The aim of this work was to study by means of echocardiography the septal thickness, the septal-free wall ratio, and the left ventricular performance; and to correlate the findings with the level of NBA, [glycosylated hemoglobin] in the maternal blood. The study was carried out on15 infants of diabetic mothers [IDMs] who were subdivided into subgroups A and B according to the level of [HBA2] in maternal blood and 15 normal infants of non-dibetic mothers [control group]. All IDMs and control subjects were subjected to detailed history taking, thorough clinical examination, measurement of maternal HBA1 and echocardiographic examination. The results denoted a high cardiac output in botrh subgroups of IDMs with no significant difference between them. Asymmetric septal hypertrophy and increased left ventricular mass were found in both groups of IDMs, the later being more pronounced in the poorly controlled subgroup B, A hypercontractile state was also present in subgroup B IDMs

Clinicoradiological study of the leg appearance in normal infants below one year

The physiological curve of the legs seen in the majority of infants as a lateral convex curve from knee to ankle is a great worry to parents. Eighty normal infants below one year were subjected to clinical and radiological study of their legs to assess if the bow involves bone and/or soft tissues. They were divided into three groups to see the effect of growth and age on the curve [group I from 0-<4 months, group II from 4-<8 months and group III from 8-<12 months]. The degree of curvature of the soft tissues as well as the bones were measured geometrically. The mean degree of curvature of soft tissues in the three studied groups was 7.196m-1 in group I, 6.43 m-1 in group II and 4.4 m-1 in group III and the mean degree of bone curvature was 3.7 m-1, 2.9 m-P and 1.9 m-1 in group I, group II and group III respectively. It was apparent from our study that the mean degree of soft tissues curvature was significantly higher than the mean degree of bone curvature and that the degree of curvature of both soft tissues and bone decreases significantly with age i.e. throughout growth. In conclusion, the main cause of the physiological curve is the lateral bulge of the soft tissues of the calves. This could be related to crossing of the legs early during the intra-uterine life which is expected to exert pressure on the medial sides of both legs and this pressure will be increased towards term. This pressure is expected also to deviate the growing calf muscles laterally and to interfere with deposition of fat on the medial sides allowing excess deposition of fat on the lateral sides. As to the tibias, Their rapid growth occurs earlier before the occurrence of significant crossing of the legs. However, crossing is assumed to exert some pressure resulting in mild bowing. After birth, the crossing pressure will be nullified and the continuing growth of the infant will correct all the deviation

myocardial status in neonatal hypothermia

The literature lacks information about the state of myocardium in neonatal hypothermia. This work aimed at clarifying the impact of cold on the myocardium of hypothermic neonates. The total serum CPK, LDH and LDH isoenzymes, the ECG tracing as well as the serum sodium, potassium and calcium levels have been studied in a group of cold injured neonates. The significant elevation of the total CPK, total LDH and 2 in sever hypothermia and LDH[1] in mild hypothermia suggests cold induced myocardial damage. The increased levels of the other LDH isoenzymes reflects the wide spread tissue damage incured by cold. The cold injured myocardium and /or the significant elevation of the serum potassium are probably responsible for the observed ECG anomalies

study on cell-mediated immunity in children with ascariasis

Dinitrochlorobenzene [DNCB] sensitization was evaluated in 25 children with ascariasis. The results showed some impairment in cell-mediated immunity in these children as shown by the failure of 48% of them to respond to DNCB. The study also demonstrated a correlation between the ascaris load and the degree of immune aberration. The possible causal relationship of these findings is discussed