[Varicocele in childhood and adolescence and other testicular anomalies: an epidemiological study]. / Il varicocele in età pediatrico-adolescenziale ed altre anomalie testicolari: studio epidemiologico.

Although in the last years varicocele has being recognized with increasing frequency in the adolescents, it is still neglected in pediatric age. Recently several epidemiologic studies revealed an increasing incidence of varicocele in patients between 10 and 16 years, as high at the end of puberty as that of the adult male population. Our study has been carried out on 9861 students, aged between 11 and 18 years, in order to evaluate the effective incidence of the varicocele in pediatric and adolescent age and, at the same time, disclose other possible testicular anomalies in so called "normal" boys. Our study showed that the incidence of varicocele is related to sexual maturation and is time-related with a final incidence of 16%. Left testicular hypotrophy is rather common in primary varicocele and is also time and grade related. Cryptorchidism has been found in 2% of the examined students; 0.4% of them have not been yet operated on. We have been able to discover a rather high incidence of retractile testes (4.7%), always associated with testicular hypotrophy. Finally 7.5% of our examined students presented an unilateral testicular hypotrophy (volume less than 30% of the contralateral normal testis) in complete absence of local pathology.

[Care of the newborn infant with respiratory distress syndrome using continuous negative pressure. 5 years' experience]. / Assistenza al neonato con sindrome di distress respiratorio (RDS) mediante la pressione negativa continua (CNP). 5 anni di esperienza.

Continuous Negative Pressure (CNP) was utilized as sole form of respiratory assistance in the treatment of 40 newborn infants with Respiratory Distress Syndrome (RDS). The average duration of CNP therapy was less than 7 days in all cases. 38 of these infants survived without sequelae (95%); an infant developed severe bronchopulmonary dysplasia (2.5%); another infant died from intracranial hemorrhage (2.5%). CNP appears to be an effective respiratory support in the treatment of neonatal RDS, when used early in spontaneously breathing infants weighing greater than 1500 grams.

[Therapy with high-dose intravenous gamma globulin in the newborn infant with thrombocytopenia from passive immunization]. / La terapia con alte dosi di gammaglobuline endovena nel neonato affetto da trombocitopenia da immunizzazione passiva.

High doses of gammaglobulin intravenously have been found useful in controlling thrombocytopenia of a neonate born to a mother who developed acute idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura during pregnancy. Administration of 0.4 gm/kg/day of intact gammaglobulin intravenously for five days was followed by dramatic rise of platelet count without any side-effect. After 1 month the platelet count was still normal. Passively-acquired immune thrombocytopenia of the newborn consequently is another indication for intravenous gammaglobulin therapy.

[Effect of phototherapy on the plasma levels of antidiuretic hormone in the newborn infant]. / Effetto della fototerapia sui livelli plasmatici di ormone antidiuretico nel neonato.

The purpose of this study was to assess the influence of prolonged phototherapy on plasmatic levels of Anti Diuretic Hormone (ADH) in jaundiced newborns. 13 hyperbilirubinemic, otherwise healthy full-term newborns submitted to the phototherapy, were compared to 12 healty, full-term nursery newborns as a control group. No statistical difference was found in ADH levels in 3rd day of life between jaundiced and normal newborns. ADH levels before and after phototherapy do not present any statistical difference, in the jaundiced neonates receiving adequate water and caloric intakes. There was no positive correlation between ADH and bilirubin levels neither in 3rd nor in 5th day of life. Prolonged phototherapy, constant covering of the eyes, deprivation of the day-night rhythm, in absence of gross environmental alterations or of pathological findings, are lacking of effect on the ADH levels in hyperbilirubinemic neonates.

[A case of transient congenital hypoaldosteronism]. / Un caso di ipoaldosteronismo congenito transitorio.

A case of temporary congenital hypoaldosteronism with normal production of other hormones of the adrenal is described. During early infancy the patient showed low blood aldosterone levels, increased ACHT and Hyponatraemia. Replacement therapy needed sodium chloride and mineralcorticoid drug administration (Florinef) until the baby was 9 month old. Later, spontaneous recovery occurred, confirmed by laboratory tests.

[Congenital malformations in the newborn infant of mothers with gestational diabetes and mothers with insulin-dependent diabetes]. / Embriofetopatia nei nati di madri con diabete gravidico e di madri con diabete insulino-dipendente.

Infants of diabetic mothers have an increased morbidity and mortality in the perinatal period. Nevertheless, there are differences in opinions about the exact incidence of malformations, metabolic disturbances, fetal macrosomia and respiratory distress syndrome. This study was designed to investigate the incidence of embriofetopathy in those of mothers with gestational diabetes. The incidence was highest in the group of mothers on insulin at the time of conception. Major fetal malformations of the cardiovascular and central nervous system were over-represented.

[Screening for neonatal hypothyroidism by estimation of T4 and TSH. Experience of three years on 6.340 new-borns (author's transl)]. / Lo screening neonatale dell'ipotiroidismo mediante la determinazione del T4 e TSH. Esperienza di 3 anni su 6.340 neonati.

Since June 1977 to June 1980 screening program for neonatal hypothyroidism was carried out in the area of Vicence. 6.340 newborns were screening, in the fifth day of life, primarily by measuring T4 levels, later by measuring both T4 and TSH levels in the blood serum. Three babies were proved to have neonatal hypothyroidism: two cases showed athyreotic hypothyroidism, and one case was due to familial thyroid dyshormonogenesis. The incidence of this condition in our area is much higher than 1:3.000 newborns. Two cases of familial deficit of thyroxine-binding globulin and two subjects with partial enzymatic deficiency were also detected.