HOW TO EVALUATE CLINICAL PARAMETERS AT A GLANCE

Schiøtz, P.O., Beck, B. and Pedersen, M. (Paediatric Department TG, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark). How to evaluate clinical parameters at a glance. Acta Paediatr Scand 1982; suppl 301: 121-124. — A brief introduction is given to the practical approach in cystic fibrosis patient care, which is used at the Danish Cystic Fibrosis centre employing Dr. Flensborg's flowsheets.     

A SYSTEM FOR THE MEASUREMENT OF INTEGRATED CONCENTRATIONS OF HORMONES IN THE BLOOD

The study of integrated concentrations of hormones in the blood can be used to assess accurately the activity of endocrine diseases. A system for making such measurements is described, based on a new pump and double lumen catheter. The properties of this system are discussed and previous systems from the literature are reviewed.     

PAPILLARY ADENOCARCINOMA ARISING IN A THYROGLOSSAL CYST

Carcinoma arising In a thyroglossal cyst is a rare but well-recognized condition. In this paper we present a further case of papillary adenocarcinoma arising in a thyroglossal cyst, and review the published experience of this condition.     

SERUM LYSOZYME ACTIVITY IN CHILDREN WITH HEMATOLOGICAL AND MALIGNANT DISORDERS

ABSTRACT: Moe, P. J., Haneberg, B. and Finne, P. H. (Department of Paediatrics, University of Tromsø, Tromsø and Department of Paediatrics, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway). Serum lysozyme activity in children with hematological and malignant disorders. Acta Paediatr Scand, 64: 830, 1975.–Pretreatment serum lysozyme activity was high in 2 children with myelomonocytic leukemia, 800 and 1000'/ig/ml, normal in all 10 cases of acute myelocytic leukemia and subnormal in 21 of 34 cases of acute lymphocytic leukemia. Normal values were found in all but one case of acute lymphocytic leukemia during complete remission including 8 cases after all therapy had been discontinued. All 8 are still in complete remission. Low serum lysozyme activity was found in 5 patients with acute lymphocytic leukemia in complete relapse, this could possibly be helpful in the diagnosis of early relapse. Activity was subnormal in 5 of 17 children with malignant tumours, and in 3 of 65 cases of various benign hematological disorders.     

POSTNATAL DEVELOPMENT OF RENAL FUNCTION IN PRE-TERM AND FULL-TERM INFANTS

ABSTRACT. Aperia, A., Broberger, B., Klinder, G., Herin, P. and Zetterström, R. (Department of Paediatrics, Karolinska Institute, St. Göran's Children's Hospital, Stockholm and Huddinge Hospital, Huddinge, Sweden). Postnatal deveopment of renal function in preterm and full-term infants. Acta Paediatr Scand, 70:183, 1981. –This study has been designed to examine the effect of gestational age (GA) on the postnatal development of renal function and has been performed in pre-term (PT) infants (GA=30–34 weeks) and in full-term (FT) infants (GA=39–41 weeks). Postnatal age has ranged from 1–35 days. From 8 hour urine samples collected after spontaneous voiding and a capillary blood sample, determinations have been made of the clearance of creatinine (C_Cr), the fractional excretion of β₂-microglobulin (FE_β2) and the fractional excretion of sodium (FE_Na). In some infants receiving fluid parenterally, simultaneous determinations were made of the clearance of creatinine and inulin. As judged from this study, C_Cr is a reliable indicator of the glomerular filtration rate (GFR). GFR was almost the same in newborn PT and FT, but from 0.3–1 week of age GFR increased significantly more rapidly in FT than in PT. From 1–5 weeks of age GFR increased at approximately the same rate in PT and FT infants. The absolute value for GFR in 3–5 weeks old infants was lower in PT than in FT. FE_β2 was higher in PT than in FT infants during the entire first month of life and FE_Na was higher in PT than in FT infants during the first week of life, suggesting a glomerular tubular imbalance at least at the level of the proximal tubule in PT infants. It is concluded that different stages of maturation will alter the preconditions for the renal adaptation to extrauterine life during at least the first month of life. Therefore special attention must be paid to the limited renal function in PT during their entire first month of life.     

Massive pulmonary haemorrhage: a cause of sudden unexpected deaths in severely growth retarded infants

ABSTRACT. To determine aetiological factors a seven year review of massive pulmonary haemorrhage (MPH) was performed at the Mercy Maternity Hospital, Melbourne and compared with 26,208 consecutive live births. Statistically significant correlations were found between MPH and prematurity, birth asphyxia, hyaline membrane disease, breech delivery, multiple births, fetal growth retardation, Caesarean delivery, and the presence of a patent ductus arteriosus. MPH was associated with a mortality of 92.6%.
Three severely growth retarded infants with unexpected MPH are presented. These cases indicate that severe intrauterine hypoxia is a major factor predisposing to MPH. Clinicians should be alert for the possibility of MPH in severely growth retarded infants and with vigilance and anticipation a more favourable outcome may be possible.     

Hypoxaemia during mechanical ventilation for severe hyaline membrane disease following sedation with morphine sulphate

ABSTRACT. Severe hypoxaemia following sedation with morphine sulphate is reported during mechanical ventilation in an infant with severe hyaline membrane disease. The hypoxaemia was rapidly reversed with naloxone hydrochloride and was attributed to right-to-left shunting presumed secondary to pulmonary hypertension and not to alveolar hypoventilation or ventilation-perfusion imbalance.     

Retrograde ejaculation: a systematic approach to non-invasive recovery of spermatozoa from post-ejaculatory urine for artificial insemination

Summary. Retrograde ejaculation is an uncommon but treatable form of male infertility. Successful recovery of live spermatozoa from the post-ejaculatory urine for artificial insemination is dependent on careful regulation of pH and osmolarity of the urine into which ejaculation takes place, and separation of the motile spermatozoa from the debris and cells which are found in these samples. Three pregnancies established by artificial insemination of spermatozoa recovered by non-invasive means from the bladders of men suffering from retrograde ejaculation are described. The techniques for preparing the urine for spermatozoal survival, and for removal of cells and debris by sedimentation or buoyant density centrifugation are discussed.