Anticardiolipin antibodies in systemic lupus erythematosus in children: clinical and laboratory relations

A cross sectional study was done to determine the prevalence of ACLs in pediatric SLE and to examine the link between ACLs and the manifestations of SLE in children. The study included 27 patients from SLE and 10 healthy controls. A complete history, physical examination and laboratory evaluation including measurements of IgG and IgM anticardiolipin antibodies were done. 74% of the patients had an elevated level of anticardiolipin antibodies. ACLs positive cases are associated with statistically significant increase in thrombocytopenia, alopecia, Reynolds phenomenon and hypertension. They are negatively associated with renal manifestations. ACLs have a low predictive value in development of vascular thrombosis

causative agents of acute respiratory infections in children requiring hospitalization

To find out the role of different respiratory pathogens in severe acute respiratory infections [ARI], 50 children with ARI requiring hospitalization by cultures were studied to detect bacterial pathogens, Mycoplasma pneumoniae and fungi. Detection of respiratory syncytial virus [RSV] antigen in respiratory secretions by ELISA and detection of a rising antibody titer against adenoviral antigens by complement fixation test were also performed. Clinically, the patients were divided into three groups: Group I included 32 patients with bronchopneumonia, group II included 13 patients with bronchiolitis and group III included 5 patients with other ARI. In all groups, the commonest isolated bacterial pathogens were Staph. aureus, E. coli, Strept. pneumoniae, Enterobacter and H. influenzae. Strept. pneumoniae and Staph. aureus infection occurred mostly in winter. Mycoplasma pneumoniae and Adeno virus were identified all over the year in all groups. RSV was more associated with bronchiolitis during winter months. Candida albicans was the most common fungus recovered in the study, followed by Aspergillus species

Biochemical and haematological changes accompanying parasitic infestations in children

Intestinal parasites are one of the public health problems in Egypt. This is particularly true in childhood period. To extend information on the biochemical and haematological changes accompanying parasitic infestations, 100 children from the tropical clinic in Boulak El Dakrour Hospital, all harbouring intestinal parasites and 20 healthy controls were studied. The children's age was between 3, 5 and 12 years. Cases and controls were subjected to clinical examination, anthropometric measurements, determination of body composition and bone age and laboratory investigations: Stool analysis, complete blood picture, estimation of total serum protein, protein electrophoresis, serum transferrin and serum zinc. The frequency of different intestinal parasites were E. vermicularis [16%], E. Histolytica [51%] H. nana [41%]. S. mansoni [32%] A. Lumbricoides [23%]. G. Lamblia [15%] A. Duodenale [2%] and strongyloides stercoralis [1%]. Our patients presented with low Haemoglobin level with varying degree of anemia and eosinophilia. Serum albumin was significantly decreased in infected cases, alpha[1] and B globulin showed no statistical significant difference between cases and controls alpha[2] globulin was significantly decreased in infected children. 8 globulin level was non significantly increased in infected patients compared to healthy controls. A statistically significant decrease in transferrin level was found in infected cases, serum zinc was significantly decreased in patients than in the controls

Random fecal alpha-1-antitrypsin excretion in children with parasitic infections

Random fecal alpha-1-antitrypsin [FA-1-AT] was used as marker of endogenous protein loss in 50 patients with parasitic infections and 20 healthy controls using the radial immunodiffusion technique. Significant loss occurred in all the parasitic cases. mean FA-1-AT was 0.7 [0.2] as compared to 0.2 [0.1] of that of the control group. This assay is non invasive and has been shown to correlate with the fecal excretion of 51-cr-albumin, a more expensive test and requiring the use of radio isotopes. Further studies are needed to determine the effect of intestinal helminthic parasites on endogenous protein loss and its contribution to the development of malnutrition in a population where round worm infections are common