The Anthropometric Measurements and Percentile Curves of Children Aged 0-5 Years in Eastern Turkey

ABSTRACT Objective: To determine the growth reference value of children in our province and to compare these values with current values of the USA and other local values of our country. Methods: A total of 615 boys and 586 girls with different socioeconomic levels and ages of 0-5 years were included in the study. In all children, weight, height, head circumference, abdominal circumference, hip circumference, mid-arm circumference, and lower segment length were taken. All measurements were performed by the same paediatrician. The lambda-mu-sigma method was used for the preparation of percentile curves. Results: The body weight, head circumference and chest circumference measurements of boys were significantly higher than those in girls. Anthropometric measurements of children in high-income groups were higher than those in the low-income group. All of the anthropometric parameters except upper mid-arm circumference were higher in children fed with breast milk and formula milk than in children who only fed with breast milk. The relation between the mother's education level and anthropometric parameters was insignificant. Conclusion: Our results showed that the anthropometric measurements of our children were similar to those of west Turkey as well as those of the United States. On the other hand, our children's anthropometric measurements were higher than other local values. Relatively high values of height have been interpreted as a genetic feature.

Vitamin D deficiency rickets in infants presenting with hypocalcaemic convulsions / Raquitismo por deficiencia de vitamina D en lactantes que presentan convulsiones por hipocalcemia

AIM: Hypocalcaemia evaluation of the clinical, biochemical and radiological features of 91 infants with rickets who presented as hypocalcaemic convulsions. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Ninety-one hypocalcaemic infants who were brought to hospital with convulsion and diag-nosed with rickets related to vitamin D deficiency according to their clinical, biochemical and radio-logical features were retrospectively reviewed. RESULTS: Mean values of the laboratory data were as follows: calcium 5.55 ± 0.79 mg/dL, phosphorus 4.77 ± 1.66 mg/dL, alkaline phosphatase 1525.5 ± 925.4 U/L and parathormone 256.8 ± 158.3 pg/mL. Serum 25-OH vitamin D levels were below normal (< 20 ng/mL) in 37 infants. CONCLUSION: Vitamin D deficiency should be considered in infants presenting with hypocalcaemia. To avoid complications such as convulsions, clinicians should give vitamin D supplementation to such infants.

OBJETIVO: Evaluación hipocalcémica de los aspectos clínicos, bioquímicos y radiológicos de 91 lactantes con raquitismo, que presentaron convulsiones por hipocalcemia. PACIENTES Y MÉTODOS: Noventa y un lactantes hipocalcémicos llevados al hospital con convulsiones y a quienes se les diagnosticó raquitismo asociado a la deficiencia de vitamina D de acuerdo con sus características, bioquímicas y radiológicas, fueron revisados retrospectivamente. RESULTADOS: Los valores medios de los datos de laboratorio fueron los siguientes: calcio 5.55 ± 0.79 mg/dL, fósforo 4.77 ± 1.66 mg/dL, fosfatasa alcalina 1525.5 ± 925.4 U/L, y paratohormona 256.8± 158.3 pg/mL. Los niveles séricos de la vitamina 25 (OH) D estuvieron por debajo de lo normal en 37 lactantes (< 20 ng/mL). CONCLUSIÓN: La deficiencia de vitamina D debe considerarse en los infantes que se presentan con hipocalcemia. A fin de evitar complicaciones tales como convulsiones, se les debe dar suplementos de vitamina D.

Dural arteriovenous malformation: a rare cause of epilepsy in childhood.

A 3 year and 6 month old girl with epilepsy associated with dural arteriovenous malformation (DAVM), diagnosed on the MRI, is presented to emphasise the importance of DAVM in the aetiology of childhood epilepsy.

Serum immunoglobulins and immunoglobulin G subclasses with recurrent wheezing.

In this study serum immunoglobulins (Ig) and IgG subclasses were measured in 42 patients (ranging 9 month-6 year) with recurrent wheezing and in 37 healthy children determined the relationship between serum Igs and recurrent wheezing. Patients were divided into two groups according to the age [9 month-2 year (n: 15), and 2-6 year (n: 27)]. In the patients placed in 9-24 month age group, serum IgG4 level was found to be lower than controls (p < 0.05). But there was not a significant difference in mean serum concentrations of total IgG, IgA, IgM, IgE, IgG1, IgG2 and IgG3 subclasses between the groups (P > 0.05). In the 25 month-6 year age group the mean IgE level was increased compared to the control while IgG3 and IgG4 levels were decreased (p < 0.05). On the other hand, in the 9-24 month age group there was no significant difference between the patients and controls for IgG subclasses deficiency (P > 0.05). However, significant difference in IgG subclasses deficiency was present between the patients and controls in the 25 month-6 year group (P < 0.001). In conclusion, our findings suggest that wheezing in childhood may be associated with low IgG3 and/or IgG4, and in older children high IgE level may be a part of pathogenetic mechanism in patients with recurrent wheezing.