IRON REQUIREMENTS IN INFANCY

Iron deficiency is the commonest nutritional deficiency in paediatric practice, particularly in the first 2 yr of life. This review of iron requirements in full-term normal infants includes the findings of a survey carried out in Bristol from 1965 to 1968 on infants aged 3–24 mth (Burman, 1970). The much more severe problems of the premature are not considered here.     

胃粘膜肠化生的胃小凹变化

观察胃大部切除标本胃粘膜的胃小凹形态表现，以评价肠化生与胃小凹的关系。胃大部切除标本２０份，实体显微镜放大观察胃小凹的形态，显微镜测量胃小凹的宽度，观察病理组织学改变，并将其分为肠化生组和单纯慢性浅表性胃炎组。结果示肠化生组中ＢＣ型占１５．３８％，Ｃ型占２８．２１％，ＣＤ型占２５．６４％，Ｄ型占３０．７７％。肠化生组胃小凹的宽度比单纯慢性浅表性胃炎组明显加宽。结论：胃粘膜肠化生的胃小凹形态以Ｃ型和Ｄ型较多，且胃小凹开口明显扩大，以重度肠化生时更为明显。     

RENAL FAILURE IN INFANCY DUE TO OVER-PRODUCTION OF URATE

This report concerns a three month old infant who was failing to thrive. Renal insufficiency was demonstrated and attributed to aortic coarctation. However, surgical correction of the coarctation failed to correct the renal insufficiency completely and disproportionate hyperuricemia was noted. Excessive urinary excretion of uric acid was found and a moderate deficiency (6% of normal) of hypoxanthine-guanine phosphoribosyltransferase (HGPRT) was demonstrated. When the urate over-production was corrected with allopurinol, renal function returned to normal and the child became well. The importance of over-production of urate and the resultant excessive urinary excretion of uric acid as a treatable cause of acute or persistent renal insufficiency is stressed.     

TYPE 1 HYPERLIPOPROTEINEMIA PRESENTING AS SUDDEN DEATH IN INFANCY

A routine post-mortem investigating sudden death in an eight week old male infant revealed gross Type I hyperlipoproteinemia (triglyceride concentration 825 mmol/L). Death was attributed to generalized cerebral anoxia. Study of the family revealed the parents were first cousins both of whom had depressed postheparin lipolytic activity, as did five out of seven of the remainder of the family members tested. This family is a notable example of deficiency of extrahepatic lipoprotein lipase.