ABSTRACT
Serum cationic trypsinogen, a non invasive, sensitive test to evaluate the exocrine pancreatic function was measured by radioimmunoassay in 31 children with different degrees of protein-calorie malnutrition (mild, moderate, severe) in whom mean serum albumin values were 3.7 +/- 0.7 g%; 3.1 +/- 0.9 g%; 2.3 +/- 0.4 g%, respectively and in a control group of 20 well-nourished children with mean serum albumin values of 3.9 +/- 0.7 g%. Mean serum trypsinogen levels were significantly elevated in children with malnutrition (mild: 28.5 +/- 2.4 ng/ml, moderate: 31.86 +/- 3.4 ng/ml, and severe: 36.52 +/- 7.8 ng/ml) compared with the mean values in the control group (17.7 +/- 2 ng/ml). (p < 0.001). We conclude that our results suggest evidence of a pancreatic damage in malnourished children and this disfunction increases according to the degree of malnutrition, allowing to be detected with this simple test even when the patient does not present qualitative steatorrhea.
Subject(s)
Pancreatic Diseases/blood , Protein-Energy Malnutrition/blood , Trypsinogen/blood , Child , Child, Preschool , Female , Humans , Infant , Male , Pancreas/physiopathology , Pancreatic Diseases/diagnosis , Pancreatic Diseases/etiology , Protein-Energy Malnutrition/complications , Radioimmunoassay/methodsABSTRACT
Between March 1986 and March 1989, 20 children were diagnosed as having liver abscesses at the Pediatric Department of the Central Hospital in Valencia. 10 were amebic and 10 pyogenic abscesses. 85% occurred in children and 15% in infants. 15 of them (75%) were located in the right lobe, 80% of amebic abscesses had positive serological tests. An etiologic agent was found in 50% of the pyogenic abscesses (3: E. coli, 2: S. Aureus). 80 to 90% of patients presented abnormal prothrombin time. Sedimentation rate was very high in both groups, even at the discharge time. Hepatomegaly, fever, anemia and abdominal pain were the main clinical features. The macroscopic aspect of the aspirate was not helpful in the diagnosis. 60% of amebic liver abscesses needed only medical treatment but 80% of pyogenic abscesses deserved medical treatment and needle aspiration.
