[Causes of hematuria in infants and children]

Hematuria is one of the common causes of pediatric nephrology and urology diseases and is reported in 0.5-2% of children. This study was performed to determine the causes of hematuria in infants and children. This descriptive study was done on 200 infants, children and adolescents in one month to 18 year old ages with chief complaint of hematuria in Hamadan, Iran. Patients were evaluated by urinalysis, urine culture, measurement of calcium, creatinine and uric acid in random urine sample and abdominal sonography. Microscopic and gross hematuria was detected in 79.5% and 20.5% of patients, respectively. Hematuria was idiopathic in 74 [37%] of patients. Urinary tract stones [18%], urinary tract infections [15.5%], hypercalciuria [13%], hyperuricosuria [10%], urinary tract anomalies [5.5%] and glomerulonephritis [1%] were diagnosed as causes of hematuria. In 56% of patients, hematuria was caused by three common etiologies of stone, urinary tract infections and crystalluria

[Effect of topical Mitomycin-C [0.01%] in treatment of severe vernal refractory keratoconjunctivitis]

Severe cases of vernal keratoconjunctivitis can reduce visual acuity due to corneal involvement. This study was performed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of low- dose topical mitomycin- c in patients with severe vernal keratoconjunctivitis refractory [SVKC] to conventional treatment. This clinical trial was performed on 36 refractory cases of SVKC. All of the patients were using corticosteroid and mast cell stabilizer before they entered this study but their symptoms and signs were persistent. Topical mitomycin - c 0.01% was used in both eyes of 18 patients for 14 days. The other patients [18 cases] was used saline normal drop. The symptoms and signs were checked on the day of enrollment and were compared at the end of first and second weeks. All of the patients were following up 4 week post treatment for required additional medication. There was a significant decrease in all the symptoms and signs after 2 weeks of treatment. Only papillary reaction was persistent despite treatment in 14 cases. Drug toxicity was observed in two eyes manifesting as punctate keratitis. None of the patients required any other medication during the 4 weeks post treatment. Short-term, low-dose mitomycin-c may be considered in the acute exacerbation periods of patients with SVKC refractory to conventional treatment

Cellular immunity changes after splenectomy

This study was performed on 45 patients in whom splenectomy was done for different causes. Twenty one were bilharzial with hypersplenism, twelve with blood diseases and twelve with traumatic rupture spleen, nineteen healthy individuals were included as control. Evaluation of the immunological state of splenectomized patients was done by estimation of T-lymphocyte percentage and its subpopulation T4 and T8 preoperatively and at 1, 4 and 12 weeks postoperatively. The study revealed significant rise through the follow up period postoperatively in the T-lymphocytes percentage. T4 [helper] lymphocytes showed insignificant difference from the preoperative level, while T8 [suppressor] lymphocytes was significantly increased. This means that the post-splenectomy increase T-lymphocytes was due to increase in suppressor cells. This may be a supportive evidence for the role of splenectomy as a cause of decrease immunity with increase incidence of infection