[Serum triiodothyronine and thyroxine levels in children with celiac disease]. / Stezenie trijodotyroniny i tyroksyny w surowicy u dzieci chorych na celiakie.

The study was aimed at determining relationship between thyroid function and the type and degree of malabsorption. Serum triiodothyronine (T3) and thyroxine (T4) levels were determined in children with celiac disease and the secondary malabsorption. Hundred fifty five children aged between 6 months and 7 years were followed up 3 years. Coeliac disease was diagnosed with classic Interlaken criteria. All children were divided into three groups: group I--57 children aged between 6 months and 3 years with suspected celiac disease; group II--55 children aged between 2.5 and 6 years after gluten-free diet therapy; group III--52 children aged between 3 and 7 years after gluten provocation test. Serum T3 and T4 levels for each group were compared with those in children with normal gut mucous membrane. Blood serum T3 and T4 were assayed with OPIDI kit (manufactured in Swierk). Serum T4 levels were significantly lower in children with mucous membrane atrophy in comparison with dystrophic children and normal gut mucous membrane. Both serum T3 and T4 were significantly lowered in the youngest children upto 12 months of life with mucous membranes atrophy. Serum T3 and T4 concentrations were below the normal values in 4 youngest children. Blood serum T3 and T4 levels did not depend on the morphology of the intestinal villi in children treated with gluten-free diet (some children did not observe the diet and had atrophic lesions to the mucous membrane of the small intestine). Blood serum T3 level was relatively increased in children of group II with mucous membrane regeneration; in comparison with the value determined in the period of active disease.

[Diagnostic and therapeutic errors in the early period of anorexia nervosa in children]. / Bledy diagnostyczne i terapeutyczne we wczesnym okresie anorexia mentalis u dzieci.

In the years 1976-1988 in the Department of Paediatrics and Haematology, Silesian Medical Academy in Zabrze 22 children aged 12 to 17 years were diagnosed and treated for mental anorexia. The purpose of the analysis was evaluation of diagnostic and therapeutic errors made in primary health care units referring the patients to the Department. The most frequent errors were: misdiagnosis, symptomatic treatment and absence of psychotherapy.

Granulocyte viability test in children from an environment with heavy metal pollution.

In a group of 43 school-children living near a zinc plant, the test of granulocyte viability by the method of Cocchi et al, the lead level by flame atomic absorptiometry, and the level of erythrocyte zinc-protoporphyrin by the fluorimetric method were determined in peripheral blood. The mean result of the granulocyte viability test was 6.49%. In 18 children, the proportion of abnormal granulocytes was raised abnormally above 6.0%. The lead level was in the range from 14.1 to 53 micrograms/dl, and the level of erythrocyte ZPP was from 0.3 to 2.1 micrograms/g Hb. No correlation was found between the results of the granulocyte viability test and the blood lead level. The result of a comparison with the ZPP value was of borderline significance (p = 0.05).

[Current therapeutic problems in the treatment of infectious diarrheal diseases in children]. / Aktuelle Therapieprobleme bei der Behandlung infektiöser Diarrhoeerkrankungen bei Kindern.

82 children, not older than 2 years, with enteritis are divided in two groups. Fluid- and electrolyte therapy is the same in both groups. In one group the usual antibiotic treatment was given, the other group get a combination drug: metabolic substances of physiologic enteric bacteria and a sulfonamide with very low absorption rate. The efficiency is nearly the same in both groups. In regard to the side effects of antibiotic therapy, it seems necessary to give preference to this compound drug.

Cyclic 3',5'-adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) in a 42-month-old child with clinical evidence of multiple hormonal disturbances.

In a boy aged 42 months, small stature, retarded psychomotor development, dry skin, excessive thirst, polyuria, cryptorchidism, and rickets were signs of multihormonal disturbances. Contrary to the clinical manifestations, laboratory investigations showed normal or raised levels of hormones (hGH, insulin, T3RU, T4, TSH, PTH). The cAMP level in the plasma was low and its urinary excretion was reduced. After administration of hGH, adrenaline, T3, T4, pitressin, vitamin D3 and aminophylline there was no rise in the cAMP concentration in plasma and urine. In the light of these results it may be assumed that deficient function of the adenyl cyclase system led to development of a clinical syndrome of tissue insensitivity to multiple hormonal factors in this case.