Angular stomatitis and riboflavin status among adolescent Bhutanese refugees living in southeastern Nepal

BACKGROUND: Between 1990 and 1993, fear of ethnic persecution led 83,000 ethnic Nepalese to flee from Bhutan to refugee camps in Nepal, where they remained at the time of this study. Reported cases of angular stomatitis (AS), ie, thinning or fissuring at the mouth angles, increased 6-fold from December 1998 to March 1999, from 5.5 to 35.6 cases per 1000 per month. This increase came after the removal of a fortified cereal from rations. OBJECTIVES: The main objectives were to assess the prevalence of AS and of low concentrations of riboflavin, folate, vitamin B-12, and iron by using biochemical measures; to determine whether riboflavin status was associated with AS; and to assess the potential of AS as a screening measure for low riboflavin concentrations. DESIGN: In October 1999, we performed a survey among a random sample of 463 adolescent refugees in which we conducted interviews and physical examinations and obtained blood specimens for riboflavin assessment. Riboflavin status was assessed with the erythrocyte glutathione reductase (EC 1.6.4.2) activity coefficient. After we excluded those adolescents who had taken vitamins during the past month, 369 were eligible for analyses. RESULTS: AS was common (26.8%; 95% CI: 22.3, 31.3), the prevalence of low riboflavin concentrations was high (85.8%; 80.7, 90.9), and riboflavin status was associated with AS. Adolescents with AS had significantly lower riboflavin concentrations than did adolescents without AS (P = 0.02). The adjusted odds ratio for AS and low riboflavin concentrations was 5.1 (1.55, 16.5). CONCLUSION: Globally, riboflavin deficiency is rare. Its emergence in food-dependent populations can be a harbinger of other B-vitamin deficiencies.     

Die rheumatische Uveitis im Kindesalter

Uveitis in childhood is frequently associated with underlying rheumatic diseases, especially with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA). Chronic iridocyclitis (uveitis anterior), which is observed together with JIA-oligoarthritis, JIA-rheumatic factor-negative polyarthritis, JIA-psoriatic arthritis or sarcoidosis, is often followed by irreversible, sight-threatening iridocyclitis complications. Acute iridocyclitis, which is typical for JIA-enthesitis-associated arthritis, for juvenile spondarthritis or juvenile reactive arthritis including Reiter's syndrome, on the other hand, has a more favourable prognosis. Most important for a favourable prognosis of such cases of uveitis are the early diagnosis, that is to say a diagnosis before irreversible eye complications have appeared, and the early onset of a competent treatment. This is made possible by the use of prophylactic slit-lamp examinations which, depending on the risk of developing uveitis complications, are to be performed routinely once every 4 weeks to once every 6 months. It is the paediatrician's responsibility to identify the children at risk, to initiate the mandatory diagnostic measures and to monitor the follow-up.     

Osseous overgrowth in congenital amputations of the upper limb: report of 3 cases treated with autologous stump plasty

Osseous overgrowth is an important problem after traumatic or surgical amputations in children. It is rather exceptional in congenital amputations. We report three cases of congenital amputation of the humerus with osseous overgrowth. They were treated with an autologous stump plasty according to Marquardt's technique.     

"Patients like us": pregnant and parenting teens view the health care system

As a supplement to traditional ways of measuring health care quality, the patient's perspectve is an essential indicator, yet it is often overlooked in evaluations of health care for pregnant teenagers. This report reveals how 40 young women receiving publicly funded care viewed their physicians and the clinics and other facilities at which they received health care serv ces. Pregnant and parenting urban teens face stigmatization in many aspects of their lives. The author concludes, based on her interviews with the 40 teens, that providers and health care systems should combat such negative influences with support and respect for these patients. The data also point to the need for comprehensive health care for low-income adolescents that extends beyond prenatal care, which may focus on the needs of the fetus or infant to the exclusion of the needs of the young mother.     

Childhood problems of alcoholic women

A sample of three hundred and nine alcoholic and non-alcoholic women in South Carolina were asked three family-of-origin questions that were thought to relate to the development of alcoholism. Specifically the women were asked: "While you were growing up did anyone in your family: (1) drink a lot? (2) use drugs? or (3) serve a jail sentence?" Results of multivariate odds ratio analyses indicate that alcoholic women were 7.31 times more likely to indicate a family member who drank a lot, 3.57 times more likely to report a family member who used drugs, and 5.6 times more likely to report a family member who served a jail sentence in their families of origin. The prediction of alcoholism by any of these family of origin variables did not differ as a function of age or race. These data suggest that policy makers may contribute to improved outcome measures by providing attention to children passing through these difficulties.     

Severe hypoglycemia as a presenting symptom of carbohydrate-deficient glycoprotein syndrome

We describe clinical, biochemical, and molecular findings in a 2(1/2)-year-old girl with a phosphomannose isomerase deficiency who presented with severe and persistent hypoglycemia and subsequently developed protein-losing enteropathy, liver disease, and coagulopathy. Six months of therapy with mannose supplementation resulted in clinical improvement and partial correction of biochemical abnormalities.     

Flow cytometry in primary breast carcinomas. Prognostic impact of proliferative activity

From 1990 to 1996, 607 previously untreated, node-negative, invasive breast carcinomas were sampled by a pathologist for flow-cytometric DNA analysis. The aim of the present work was to study the correlations between flow cytometric results obtained thanks to the American Consensus (AC) guidelines of 1993 and the established clinico-pathological prognostic factors (T, grade, receptors), and despite a short global follow-up (mean of 4 years), to correlate flow cytometry with the outcome of the patients. In this study S-phase fraction (SPF) correlated strongly with tumor size, histological grade, lack of steroid receptors, histological type and was together with the mitotic activity a paramount prognostic factor even after multivariate analysis. This study compared also the technical criteria proposed by the AC with our own more stringent ones and concluded that the criteria of the AC are relevant and allow, thanks to the use of tertiles in the reporting of SPF values, a comparison of values obtained by different teams. Our review of the literature, focused on series using fresh material, enabled us to show that there is a rather wide agreement concerning the relationship between SPF and prognosis most often after multivariate analysis. This despite the lack of standardization in the design of the studies (implementation of the technical steps or reporting of results). When estimated from fresh or frozen material following ACs guidelines, SPF along with mitotic activity should become a prognostic factor used in the daily practice by oncologists in the management of breast carcinomas.     

alpha-fetoprotein levels in maternal serum during pregnancy and maternal breast cancer incidence

BACKGROUND: A full-term pregnancy is associated with a reduced risk of breast cancer, but the underlying biologic mechanism has not been elucidated. During pregnancy, maternal serum levels of alpha-fetoprotein, an estradiol-binding protein, rise sharply. In culture, alpha-fetoprotein inhibits the growth of estrogen-sensitive cells, including estrogen-sensitive breast cancer cells. Thus, we investigated whether a high level of alpha-fetoprotein in maternal serum during pregnancy is associated with a reduced risk of breast cancer. METHODS: From a population-based cohort of 42057 pregnant women in Denmark, enrolled in an alpha-fetoprotein-screening program from 1978 through 1996, we obtained a complete reproductive history, vital status, and a possible diagnosis of breast cancer (in 117 women) to the end of follow-up on September 1, 1998. RESULTS: During pregnancy, women with an alpha-fetoprotein level greater than or equal to the median value had a 41% lower risk of breast cancer than women with an alpha-fetoprotein level below the median value (relative risk [RR] = 0.59; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.41-0. 85). RRs for breast cancer by mother's age at childbirth were as follows: 29 years or younger, RR = 0.21 (95% CI = 0.08-0.56); 30-34 years, RR = 0.61 (95% CI = 0.32-1.14); 35-37 years, RR = 0.96 (95% CI = 0.49-1.89); and 38 years or older, RR = 0.71 (95% CI = 0.29-1. 75) (P for trend =.02). Further analyses suggested that high levels of alpha-fetoprotein were associated with a reduced incidence of aggressive disease. The most striking finding was that women with high levels of serum alpha-fetoprotein, compared with women with low levels of serum alpha-fetoprotein, showed a particularly reduced incidence of large tumors (>2 cm; RR = 0.24 [95% CI = 0.11-0.50]). CONCLUSION: A high level of alpha-fetoprotein in maternal serum during any pregnancy is associated with a low overall incidence of breast cancer and, in particular, with a low incidence of advanced breast cancer at diagnosis. This association appears particularly strong for a pregnancy occurring at a young age.     

Transforming growth factor-beta 2 for the treatment of full-thickness macular holes. A prospective randomized study.

BACKGROUND: Full-thickness macular holes generally cause a significant reduction in visual acuity, due in part to a rim of surrounding neurosensory retinal detachment and retinal thickening. Recent studies have suggested that flattening of this narrow rim of neurosensory detachment can result in improved visual acuity. However, the ability to flatten the neurosensory detachment is limited using current surgical techniques. METHODS: Transforming growth factor-beta 2 (TGF-beta 2) is a recently discovered potent stimulator of wound healing. The authors, therefore, performed a prospective randomized study of 60 patients to determine if the local application of TGF-beta 2 to the edge of the macular hole can reproducibly induce flattening of the surrounding neurosensory detachment. The results of a study designed to determine the effect of a pars plana vitrectomy, fluid-gas exchange, and intravitreal instillation of TGF-beta 2 in eyes with a full-thickness macular hole and reduced visual acuity are reported. RESULTS: After treatment, visual acuity improved 2 lines or more in 5 of 11 eyes treated with 70 ng, in 4 of 12 eyes treated with 330 ng, and in 10 of 11 eyes treated with 1330 ng of TGF-beta 2. In some eyes, hyaluronic acid was added. In these cases, visual acuity improved 2 lines or more in 0 of 9 eyes treated with 70 ng TGF-beta 2, in 2 of 8 eyes treated with 330 ng, and in 4 of 9 eyes treated with 1330 ng. CONCLUSION: Logistic regression analysis demonstrated a statistically significant beneficial effect of TGF-beta 2 on visual improvement (P = 0.003).     

Endophthalmitis due to Propionibacterium acnes sequestered between IOL optic and posterior capsule

A 68-year-old woman had delayed onset, persistent uveitis following routine extracapsular cataract extraction with posterior chamber intraocular lens implantation. The patient initially responded to topical steroids, but developed a whitish capsular plaque through to represent possible Propionibacterium acnes endophthalmitis. A vitrectomy and capsular biopsy yielded cultures positive for P. acnes only after nine days. The intraocular lens was left in place. Light and electron microscopy revealed bacteria sequestered within the capsular bag.