Pulmonary tuberculous children and the Euthyroid Sick Syndrome.

This study was designed to investigate changes in the thyroid hormones in children with active pulmonary tuberculosis [TB] before and three months after starting antituberculous therapy. It was observed that the mean hemoglobin level was significant and lower in patients than controls. The mean serum albumin level was significantly lower in cases before treatment than three months after treatment and the control group. The mean serum level of AST and ALT was significantly higher in patients after treatment than before treatment and the control group. It was observed that the mean serum level of T3 was significantly lower in patients before treatment than after three months of antituberculous treatment or the control group. There were no significant differences in the serum levels of T4 or TSH between the control group and cases before and three months after starting antituberculous treatment. Cases with decreased serum T3 level had more severe clinical manifestations than those with normal serum T3 level

Bcl-2 oncoprotein and sphingolipids blood levels in childhood lymphoma and leukemia

In this work, BCL-2 oncoprotein and sphingolipids levels were determined in blood of 60 children including 27 children with non- Hodgkin's lymphoma[NHL], 20 children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia [ALL] and 13 children with acute monoblastic leukemia [AML]. The study also included 11 healthy controls with comparable ages to patients. The study revealed significant increase in BCL-2 oncoprotein levels in patients compared with the controls; where levels in cases with AML were lower than cases with ALL or NHL. All patients had BCL-2 levels higher than cut-off levels i.e. 100% sensitivity. Children with enlarged liver and/or spleen showed higher BCL-2 oncoprotein levels compared with those without this enlargement. There was significant positive correlation between BCL-2 oncoprotein levels and splenic size. The levels of sphingolipids were significantly increased in patients compared with controls. Patients with ALL and NHL had significantly higher levels than cases with AML. Among cases with lymphoma and leukemia, 53.3% had levels above the cut-off levels. Children with liver and/or splenic enlargement had higher sphingolipid levels than children without enlargement. Sphingolipid levels correlated significantly in a positive manner with the size of the liver and spleen

Insulin-like growth factor-I, insulin-link growth factor binding protein-3 and insulin in normal and high risk neonates

This study included ten preterm infants, ten infants with respiratory distress [RD], eight infants of deliveries with premature rupture of membrane [PROM] and septicemia, eight infants with intrauterine growth retardation [IUGR] and sixteen infants of diabetic mothers together with ten normal full term infants representing the control group. Blood sample was obtained within 12 hours after delivery, sera were used for determination of IGF-I, IGFBP-3 and insulin. The study revealed significantly decreased levels of IGF-I, IGFBP-3 and insulin in preterm infants, infants with RD, PROM and septicemia compared with control group. However, in infants with IUGR IFF-I showed slight increase, while IGFBP-3 exhibited slight decrease and insulin was significantly decreased compared with controls. In infants of diabetic mothers, both IGF-I and insulin levels were significantly increased compared with control infants

Value of some tumor markers in CNS infiltration of childhood leukemia and lymphoma

Some tumor markers were evaluated in serum and CSF of thirty-one children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia [ALL] and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma [NHL]. Ten of the patients had clinical sings of central nervous system [CNS] infiltration. Significantly lower levels of carcinoembryonic antigen [CEA]; beta-2-microglobulin [beta-2-MG], beta- glucuronidase lysozyme and immunoglobulins IgG, IgM and IgA were detected in serum and CSF of patients compared with pretherapy levels. Children with clinical evidences of CNS infiltration [32.3%] showed higher level of all studied markers in CSF compared with those without infiltration, but the differences were significant only in beta-2-MG, lysozyme and immunoglobulins. In 29% of patients without clinical evidences of CNS involvement, high levels of these markers in CSF were detected which may indicate early infiltration. Patients with relapses [14.2%] exhibited significant increase of CSF markers. The levels were higher than pretherapy levels. It was concluded that determination of CEA, beta-2-MG, beta- glucuronidase, lysozyme and immunoglobulins in CSF and serum of patients with ALL and NHL are valuable tools in early detection of relapses

Intestinal protozoal infection in immunocompromised children in Assiut with special referrence to cryptosporidiosis

Examination of one hundred stool samples collected from immunocompromised children for intestinal protozoal parasitic infection revealed that twenty-six cases were positive. The most commonly detected parasite was Giardia lamblia [21%]. Cryptosporidium oocysts were found in 3%, Entamoeba histolytica in 3% and E. coli in 3%. Chilomastix mesnili was found in 2% and Trichomonas hominis in 1% of the cases. Mixed infections were detected in 6%. The opportunistic character of Cryptosporidium and non-opportunistic habits of other intestinal protozoa encountered were discussed

study of some biochemical indices of early complications in diabetic children in Assiut

A study of some biochemical indices of early complications in diabetic children, was done. Plasma and urinary N-acetyl-B-glucosaminidase [NAG], B2-microglobulin [B2-MG], sialic acid as well as plasma fibronectin and lipid peroxides were determined in 23 children with insulin dependent diabetic children as well as 16 healthy children of matchable age and sex. Thirteen of these children had recently diagnosised disease while 10 were previously known to be diabetic. Urinary NAG and B2-MG excretions were significantly increased in diabetic compared to healthy children. Both indices were significantly intercorrelated and correlated with both blood glucose and whole blood glycosylation, which are indices of short and long term glycaemic control. These changes suggest the presence of reversible proximal renal tubular dysfunction. Plasma NAG activity was also significantly increased in diabetic children and correlated with urinary NAG and blood glucose as well as whole blood glycosylation levels. Plasma fibronectin and lipid peroxides levels were significantly increased in diabetic compared with control children. Both indices correlated significantly with whole blood glycosylation, and lipid peroxides correlated also with blood glucose levels. Plasma and urine sialic acid were significantly increased in diabetic compared with healthy children, both biomarkers were significantly correlated with blood glucose levels as well as whole blood glycosylation. No significant differences in the levels of the previous markers could be observed in diabetic children with a disease duration more than 1 year versus those with less than 1 year. The present results suggest that diabetic complications could occur early in the course of disease especially in poorly controlled subjects. These complications are not clinically manifest and could be in the reversible pre-clinical stage. These children should receive more strict observation and be screened by determination of urinary or plasma NAG together with plasma sialic acid and lipid peroxides, based on sensitivity, cost and stability of various indices

Thyroid hormones and lipid propofol in nephrotic children before and after steroid therapy

Thyroid hormones and serum lipids, Apolipoproteins and kidney function tests were determined in 20 children with lipoid nephritis in comparison to 10 healthy controls of matchable age. Children were studied during an active phase of the disease and in a remission phase following prednisolone therapy for 2-4 weeks. Before therapy cases showed significantly lower levels of Tetraiodo-Thyronine [T4] and insignificantly lower level of triiodothyronine [T3] than controls, after therapy these levels raised. The post treatment level of T4 was significantly higher than its pretherapy level and the post treatment level of T3 was significantly higher than that of controls. Thyrotropin [TSH] was insignificantly higher in cases before treatment than in controls and decreased significantly after treatment to become insignificantly lower than controls. Before treatment cases showed significantly higher levels of cholesterol, low density lipoprotein [LDL-C] and insignificantly higher apolipo protein -B [apo-B] than controls. After treatment cholesterol level was significantly lower than pretreatment level and became significantly higher compared to controls, LDL-C showed no significant change after treatment and remain significantly higher compared to controls, apo-B showed insignificantly change after treatment. Before therapy the levels of high density lipoprotein [HDL-C] and apo-A were insignificantly lower than these of controls. After therapy HDL-C rised significantly than the pretreatment level and became significantly higher than that of controls. Apo-A significantly rised than pretreatment levels and remained different from that of controls. In the cases the levels of serum albumin before treatment was significantly lower than controls, it rised significantly after treatment to be similar to that of controls