Pituitary-gonadal abnormalities in Egyptian children and adolescents with chronic renal insufficiency

Delayed sexual maturation is one of the problems facing survivors with chronic renal insufficiency [CRI]. Follicle stimulating hormone [FSH], luteinizing hormone [LH], prolactin [PRL], testosterone [TEST] and estradiol [ESTR] were estimated in 34 patients with CRI as compared to 20 healthy subjects. Some patients were given drug therapy [bromocriptin or clomiphene citrate or both of them] and their hormone profiles were reevaluated after the end of the therapy. This was a trial to outline the effects of CRI on the pituitary-gonadal axis and to investigate some modalities of drug therapy in addition to hemodialysis [HD]. The study revealed low FSH level in 23.4% of patients, low LH in 26.47% of patients and hyperprolactinemia in 50% of them. ESTR was found low in 60% of female patients while TEST was low in 89.4% of male patients. The study found that the worst the rental function the lower the FSH level [p <0.05] and the higher the PRL level [p <0.05]. No significant differences were found on comparing patients under regular HD to those on conservative treatment

Serum transferrin deficiency in neonatal respiratory distress syndrome

Serum transferrin was estimated by turbidimetry in 10 neonates with respiratory distress syndrome [RDS] and also in cord blood samples from 10 preterm babies and 7 infants of diabetic mothers [IDM] as risk groups for RDS. Ten full term healthy babies were included at birth as a control group. The mean serum transferrin values were significantly low in the groups of RDS [162.6 +/- 26 mg/dL] and preterm infants [169.2 +/- 22.1 mg / dL] as compared to the IDM [210.7 +/- 18.7 mg / dL] and the healthy babies [212.7 +/- 47.1 mg / dL]. It is possible that prematurity may developmentally lead to a decreased serum transferrin level and consequently to the availability of free [unbound] iron ready to catalyze the peroxidation of surfactant in the alveoli. By follow up, infants of RDS who had afatal outcome were more transferrin deficient than those who recovered. Moreover, the preterm infants and the IDM who developed RDS later had significantly lower cord blood transferrin concentrations than those who grew normally. We recommend screening of infants at risk of developing RDS for cord blood transferrin. lron chelation in RDS is worth trial and breast feeding and plasma transfusion as sources of antioxidants may offer adjuvant lines of prevention and treatment of RDS