Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia with Chromosomal Translocation t (5; 14) (q31; q32) and Hypereosinophilia in a Child / 대한소아혈액종양학회지

Hypereosinophilia has been associated with a variety of underlying disorders such as parasitic, fungal and mycobacterial infections, allergic disorders, collagen vascular diseases, or hypereosinophilic syndrome (HES). The association of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) and symptomatic eosinophilia is rare and only a few cases have been reported. HES probably occurs in less than 1% of all patients with ALL. The chromosomal translocation t (5; 14) (q31; q32) was cloned at the molecular level in ALL with eosinophilia. This translocation joined the immunoglobulin heavy chain region to the promoter region of the interleukin-3 (IL-3) gene in opposite transcriptional orientation. The IL-3 gene translocated with the immunoglobulin heavy chain gene may play a central role in the pathogenesis of this leukemia and the associated eosinophilia. We describe a 8-year-old boy who presented with hypereosinophilia and concurrent ALL with t (5; 14).

Effects of Growth Hormone Therapy in Children with Idiopathic Short Stature / 소아과

PURPOSE: The use of growth hormone (GH) to promote growth in normal short children without classical GH deficiency is controversial. Numerous foreign studies have shown the effects of GH therapy in children with idiopathic short stature (ISS) whereas few has been interested in Korea. Therefore, this study is designed to investigate the effects of GH therapy on ISS by observing correlations and changes among various growth parameters such as, insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) and insulin-like growth factor binding protein-3 (IGFBP-3). METHODS: This study was conducted retrospectively with 15 children with ISS in Chungbuk National University Hospital in Korea. Mean age was 11.44+/-2.81 and the children were treated with 0.66 IU/kg/wk dosage of GH for 1 or 2 years. Also, the growth parameters before and after the GH therapy were observed. RESULTS: Height standard deviation score (HT-SDS) was increased from -1.85+/-0.70 to -1.58+/-0.56 at 1 year and to -1.21+/-0.37 at 2 years after GH therapy. Predicted adult height standard deviation score (PAH-SDS) was also increased from -2.10+/-0.52 to -1.67+/-0.59 at 1 year, and to -0.96+/-0.60 at 2 years. Serum IGF-I and IGFBP-3 levels were significantly increased after 1 year and marginally increased after 2 years of GH therapy. CONCLUSION: It is concluded that GH therapy has growth promoting effect. The significant increase in IGF-I and IGFBP-3 levels during the GH therapy suggests that IGF-I and IGFBP-3 are useful predictors of response to the use of GH therapy. It is expected that larger patient samples would provide more reliable information about the effect of GH therapy.

A Case of Hypocomplementemic Henoch-Schonlein Purpura Presenting Features of Membranoproliferative Glomerulonephritis / 소아과

Henoch-Schonlein purpura (HSP) is a systemic disorder characterized by leukocytoclastic vasculitis that can affect multiple organs predominantly the skin, joints, gastrointestinal tract and kidney. Although the specific pathogenesis of HSP is not known, there are several hypotheses. Although the importance of the complement activation in glomerular injury in HSP has been suggested, the complement levels and the blood pressure in those patients are usually normal and massive proteinuria is not common. And pathologic renal changes also have been reported to show a large variety of glomerular changes. However, to our knowledge, a membranoproliferative glomerulo-nephritis (MPGN) is a rare renal clinicopathologic manifestation of HSP. We report a 6-year-old boy with HSP who developed MPGN with hypertension, massive proteinuria, and hypo-complementemia revealed activation of the classical complement pathway, although we could not exclude the possibility of other hypocomplementemic glomerulonephritis including post-streptococcal acute glomerulonephritis.

Physical Parameters of the Elderly

OBJECTIVE: To obtain the mean value of physical parameters of those over 65- years of age. METHODS: Physical parameters including body weight, height, chest circumference, length of upper limb and lower limb, hand power, and range of motion of cervical, thoracic, lumbosacral spines and other major joints were measured in two hundred fourteen elderly subjects. RESULTS: Subjects were divided into three groups according to age (group 1, 65~74 years; group 2, 75~84 years; group 3, above 85 years) and sex (male; female). Descriptive statistical analysis of data provided the following results. 1) Mean measurement in order of group 1-men, group 2-men, group 3-men followed by women of each group: Body weight (kg) - 60.2, 59.6, 54.9, 56.8, 51.6, 47.2; Standing height (cm) - 156.7, 160.8, 156.6, 151.2, 146.9, 142.2; Sitting height (cm) - 99.8, 100.8, 103.1, 100.9, 104.9, 97.0; Chest circumference (cm) - 91.5, 93.5, 91.4, 92.1, 89.5, 86.4; Upper limb length (cm) - 72.3, 72.5, 71.3, 67.1, 66.9, 65.4; Lower limb length (cm) - 82.3, 82.1, 81.4, 77.3, 76.1, 74.6. 2) The hand power of grasping, tip pinch, lateral pinch, palmar pinch showed a decreasing trend in older age group in both sexes. 3) The range of motion of cervical, thoracic, and lumbosacral spine in group 1 had limitation of about 50% compared to normal range. 4) Of the major joints, limitation of motion or deformity was most common in the shoulder and knee joints. CONCLUSION: These data and knowledge of physical parameters of the elderly can aid in design of living environment and assistive devices for elderly.