EXPERIENCES ON THE USE OF DIPROPYLACETATE IN THE TREATMENT OF CHILDHOOD EPILEPSY

ABSTRACT. The antiepileptic efficiency of dipropylacetate (DPA) was studied in 80 epileptic children who suffered either from seizures resistant to previous medication, so-called idiopathic epilepsy or progressive myoclonus epilepsy. The average peroral daily dosage of DPA was 21 mg/kg divided into 2 to 3 doses. DPA was most effective in cases with 1) so-called idiopathic epilepsy (genuine petit mal, photogenic epilepsy, myoclonic petit mal in older children), 2) seizures beginning in later childhood years, 3) photosensitive and hyperventilation-sensitive seizures, 4) EEG showing symmetric generalized spike-slow wave complexes provoked by photostimulation, 5) EEG without generalized disturbance or focal findings, 6) normal neurological and mental status, 7) progressive myoclonus epilepsy. DPA may thus be recommended for the treatment of the above-mentioned cases and, due to good treatment results, also tried in other types of epilepsy.     

Trioxsalen baths plus UV-A in the treatment of lichen planus and urticaria pigmentosa

Local photochemotherapy with trioxsalen baths and long-wave ultraviolet radiation (UV-A) was used in nineteen patients with lichen planus and five patients with urticaria pigmentosa. Widespread papular lichen planus healed totally in all sixteen patients. Hypertrophic lichen planus was more resistant to therapy; two out of three patients recovered completely and in one the result was good. The average total UV-A dose in papular lichen planus was only 6 J/cm^2. In urticaria pigmentosa good results were gained in all five patients treated with respect to whealing, itching and dermographism, and in one patient the lesions disappeared completely.     

Late Mucosal Relapse in a Boy with Coeliac Disease and Cow's Milk Allergy

ABSTRACT. A case of coeliac disease where exceptionally long gluten challenge was needed to produce mucosal relapse is presented. An initial diagnosis of intestinal cow's milk allergy with total villous atrophy was made at the age of 3.5 months. The lesion healed after the child was put on a diet free of cow's milk and gluten. After 4.3 years on a normal diet his jejunal structure was still normal but at the age of 10.9 years, after 8.7 years of gluten ingestion, total villous atrophy was again observed. On a gluten-free diet the small intestinal structure is completely normal at the age of 17.1 years.     

Type VII collagen is expressed but anchoring fibrils are defective in dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa inversa

A patient with dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa inversa was studied using electron microscopy and indirect immunofluorescence using antibodies to matrix macromolecules of the dermoepidermal junction zone. There was splitting below the lamina densa with an apparently normal basement membrane, but a lack of intact anchoring fibrils and with a disarranged papillary connective tissue. Indirect immunofluorescence examination with antibodies to type VII collagen, the major structural protein of anchoring fibrils, showed a normal linear staining pattern. Synthesis of type VII collagen which is unable to form stable, resistant anchoring fibrils may be a distinct feature of this subtype of recessive dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa.     

Familial and Sporadic Medullary Thyroid Carcinoma: Clinical and Immunohistological Findings

We have studied the clinical and thyroid immunohistologicalfeatures of 19 patients with sporadic medullary thyroid carcinomaand 16 patients with the hereditary syndrome multiple endocrineneoplasia 2a (MEN 2a). Both groups were identified by familyscreening using serum calcitonin determinations before and afterpentagastrin stimulation. Pheochromocytoma and hyperparathyroidismwere associated both with multiple endocrine neoplasia 2a andsome cases of sporadic medullary thyroid carcinoma. Hereditarymedullary thyroid carcinoma was invariably associated with C-cellhyperplasia, but C-cell hyperplasia was also associated withsome sporadic tumours. All tumours were positive for calcitoninand carcinoembryonic antigen (by immunohistological staining)(CEA) and most tumours stained for somatostatin. C-cell hyperplasiaalso stained for calcitonin, CEA and somatostatin. We concludethat sporadic and familial medullary thyroid carcinoma cannotalways be discriminated by clinical or immunohistological methods.Family screening is essential in the diagnosis of hereditarymedullary thyroid carcinoma.     

Skin test reactivity to molds in pre-school children with newly diagnosed asthma

BACKGROUND: The aim of the present study was to evaluate the prevalence of sensitization to molds and to house dust mites (HDM) in pre-school children with newly-diagnosed asthma. METHODS: From 1996 to 2000, 122 children 1 to 6 years of age with fresh asthma treated in the Kuopio University Hospital, Kuopio, Finland, were recruited in the study; 94% attended. Skin prick tests were performed to common inhalant allergens and to 10 molds. The homes were surveyed for moisture damage. RESULTS: A majority of the houses had signs of dampness and moisture. One-third of the children reacted to inhalant allergens. There were 11 positive reactions to molds in five children who all reacted to at least one animal dander or seasonal pollen. Aspergillus fumigatus, Botrytis cinerea, and Cladosporium herbarum were the most common mold allergens. There were only two children with positive reactions to HDM, and none of them reacted to molds. No associations were found between the presence or degree of moisture problems at home and mold or HDM allergy. CONCLUSION: Sensitization to molds seems to play only a minor role in pre-school children with newly-diagnosed asthma in a northern climate where the incidences of mold and HDM allergies are rather low.     

DTP AND DTP-INACTIVATED POLIO VACCINES: COMPARISON OF ADVERSE REACTIONS AND IgG, IgM and IgA ANTIBODY RESPONSES TO DTP

Abstract. Ruuskanen, O., Viljanen, M. K., Salmi, T. T., Lehtonen, O.-P., Kouvalainen, K. and Peltonen, T. (Departments of Paediatrics and Medical Microbiology, University of Turku, and Department of Paediatrics, University of Oulu, Finland). DTP and DTP-inactivated polio vaccines: comparison of adverse reactions and IgG, IgM and IgA antibody responses to DTP. Acta Paediatr Scand, 69:177, 1980.—Adverse reactions and anti-DTP antibody responses were compared between DTP- or DTP-inactivated-polio-vaccinated children. The material consisted of 380 children whose adverse reactions were registered by detailed questionnaires given to the parents. IgG-, IgM- and IgA-anti-DTP antibodies of 42 children were quantified using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Fever, restlessness and local reactions were the most frequent adverse reactions observed. DTP-polio vaccine induced significantly more restlessness than DTP. This was the only significant difference in adverse reactions between the vaccines. An enhancement of IgG-anti-DTP antibody responses at the age of 6 months was observed in the DTP-polio group. The enhancement was transient in antitoxin responses but still present in pertussis antibodies at 8 months of age. Very low and mostly undetectable levels of IgM- and IgA-anti-DTP antibodies were observed in both groups.