[Comparison of long-term pH-metry and radiological studies in the diagnosis of gastroesophageal reflux]. / pH-metria di lunga durata ed esame radiologico a confronto nella diagnosi di reflusso gastro-esofageo.

The authors examined 28 children, mean age 12 months (26 days to 5 years), for a suspected gastro-esophageal reflux (GER), by two method of diagnosis: 24 hours continuous pH-monitoring and radiology. They found a first group (11 cases) with both of these methods negative; a second group (7 cases) with GER confirmed by pH-monitoring, but with negative radiology: a third group (6 cases) where both of these methods resulted positive and eventually a fourth group (4 cases) where radiology showed the presence of GER, not confirmed by pH-monitoring. The Authors conclude that continuous pH-monitoring for its accuracy, would have to be only first degree method in diagnosis of GER. In some cases the second level method is endoscopy whereas radiology is a third level one, to show associated malformations.

[Immunostimulating therapy in chronic non-specific diarrhea]. / Terapia immunostimolante nella diarrea cronica aspecifica.

The authors describe 9 children affect by chronic aspecific diarrhea treated with levamisole; the drug was effective in reducing diarrhea episodes during the period of administration in respect to the untreated group. Follow-up of 3-5 months did not show auxological or nutritional differences in the two groups.

[Clinical study on the efficacy of a sustained-release theophylline-based preparation in infants with chronic asthma]. / Studio clinico sull'efficacia di un preparato a base di teofillina a cessione controllata in lattanti con asma cronico.

Authors describe 9 infants aged between 3 and 17 months, affected by recurrent episodes of bronchial asthma (at least one crises even month for three following months) and treated with sustained-release theophylline. During the 6 months of follow-up a total of 8 episodes of bronchial asthma in 7 subjects were observed. Seven out of 8 of these episodes occurred during the period of suspension of the therapy with the sustained-release theophylline. In each subjects, after 6 hours from the drug administration on average of 4-8 determinations of the theophylline blood levels were performed. More than 70 percent of the theophylline blood values has been found within the normal therapeutic range (6-20 micrograms/ml).

[Retrograde cholangiopancreatography in the diagnosis of Alagille's syndrome]. / La colangiopancreatografia retrograda nella diagnosi della sindrome di Alagille.

The present report deals with an 11-year-old boy affected by Alagille's Syndrome. He presented hepatic ductular hypoplasia without any other associated malformation and with forward evolution to cirrhosis. The diagnosis was made by hepatobiliary scanning with Tc99 HIDA and by Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography (ERCP), because it was impossible to execute liver biopsy.

[Atherosclerosis: a childhood problem]. / Aterosclerosi: un problema infantile.

The project "Precursors of Atherosclerosis (ATS) in Children" following the protocol of WHO started in Modena in 1981/82. A total of 527 schoolchildren of 6, 9, 12 and 15, living in the area around Modena, Emilia Romagna Region, were examined, sampled from whole schools or classes. Each group exceeds the minimum of 100 children with the exception of the group including subjects of 15. The population sampled is fairly homogeneous. There are no immigrants to the area and the intra-population differences due to social-classes are minimal. The standard of life is very high: the rate of income is one of the highest in Italy and the incidence of ATS manifestations is very high. The children will be reexamined each year for three years at the same season and the study will be over in 1984. A questionnaire with family story has been filled by the parents and the parents were directly examined about: height, blood pressure, cholesterolemia, triglyceridemia, smoking habit. Following the protocol in each child are determined: height, weight, Quetelet's index (kg/m2), skinfold thickness, blood pressure, cholesterolemia, triglyceridemia, sexual maturity and smoking habit. The statistical elaboration methods of data are chosen in cooperation with the "Centro di Calcolo" of the University of Modena, and elaborated with the Statistical Package for the Social Science (SPSS) method.