Liver glycogenosis as early manifestation in type 1 diabetes mellitus.

Clinical symptoms and biochemical findings related to liver dysfunction are not generally reported among the presentation features of Type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) in infancy and childhood. To our knowledge this is the first paper reporting two children with a clinical and biochemical picture of hepatic glycogenosis at the presentation of T1DM. In both cases at beginning of insulin therapy liver function and dimensions were absolutely normal, even though glycometabolic status had been severely altered for many days at T1DM onset. Both hepatomegaly and aminotransferase abnormalities were first found only some days after the institution of treatment with supraphysiological insulin doses. In both patients the improvement of glycometabolic control under insulin therapy was followed within some weeks by a complete physical and biochemical recovery, as typically reported in hepatic glycogenosis. These case reports demonstrate that hepatic glycogenosis can occur at any stage of T1DM and may even be one of its earliest manifestations, together with those classically reported at the onset of T1DM. Since long-standing hyperglycaemia and overinsulinisation are metabolic pre-requisites for hepatic glycogen storage, liver glycogenosis should be expected to be not uncommon during the first phases of T1DM, especially in the cases who are initially treated with supraphysiological insulin doses.

Characterization of early presentation idiopathic ovarian failure in girls and adolescents.

This study focused retrospectively on a selected cohort of 20 adolescents with early onset premature ovarian failure (POF) and no apparent underlying cause, in order to characterize the idiopathic ovarian failure at pediatric age. This characterization was based on medical history, pedigree analysis, phenotypical and audiological evaluation, final and target heights, pelvic ultrasonography, endocrine assessment, routine hematochemical analyses and complete autoimmune screening. We found that: a) idiopathic POF presented either before or after puberty onset and also with secondary amenorrhea; b) final height prognosis was impaired only in patients with prepubertal presentation of POF; c) ovarian pattern at ultrasonography and endocrine picture were similar those previously reported in patients with adult onset POF; d) clinical history and pedigree analysis, phenotypical and audiological examination and complete autoimmune screening failed to highlight the existence of any possible cause for POF in 15/20 patients; e) no alterations of total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol serum levels were detected in any patient. On the basis of these results we concluded that: a) final height of the adolescents with POF may be impaired only in patients in whom POF presents as a pubertal delay; b) other parameters do not generally differ from those described by previous reports on young adults with POF, except for serum lipid levels which were normal in the present cohort.

[Brucellosis and splenic infarction: a case in pediatric age]. / Brucellosi ed infarto splenico. Descrizione di un caso pediatrico.

Splenic infarction has been associated with haematologic and tromboembolic disorders and, more rarely, with infectious diseases. A case of splenic infartion during an attack of brucellosis is reported. Symptoms included persistent left upper quadrant pain and fever. An abdomen scan confirmed the presence of a triangular area of hypodensity in the spleen. Serum and culture exams confirmed the diagnosis of brucellosis. The patient recovered once a course of antibiotic therapy was completed, after 2 and half months.