Consecutive glioblastoma and B cell non-Hodgkin's lymphoma in a young child with von recklinghausen's neurofibromatosis

A young child with neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) is reported who developed two primary malignancies: a glioblastoma, followed 6 months later by an abdominal B cell non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. The child is now 4.5 years off treatment and disease free, but has developed progressive and severe psychomotor retardation as sequelae. The NF1 gene is known to act as a tumor suppressor gene. The possible mechanisms leading to the occurrence of a second primary tumor in this child are discussed. © 1995 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

Abbreviated oesophageal pH monitoring in infants

The results of 24 h oesophageal pH monitoring, performed in 129 infants aged 6–10 weeks, were compared to those in the same patients after shorter periods (3, 6, 9 and 12 h). In the investigated population there was no significant difference between the reflux index (percentage of time with a pH<4.0) after 12 or 24 h. Moreover, the correlation coefficient between the reflux index after 12 and 24 h was excellent (r0.95). However, the intra-individual difference in reflux index after 12 and 24 h was 5% in 19% of the infants, and even exceeded 10% in more than 5% of the infants, making the interpretation of the results unreliable. Even in this particular population of infants in whom a 24-h period could be divided into almost identical periods (including a feeding and a sleeping period), 24-h registrations provided the most reliable results. However, if for some reason the investigation had to be interrupted after a minimum of 12 h, the risk for erroneous interpretation of the data appeared to be acceptable. The results of this study must not be extrapolated to older children.     

Structural and functional outcome in infants treated with cryotherapy for threshold retinopathy between 1989 and 1999

PURPOSE: To assess visual outcome, funduscopic appearance, and refraction for infants treated with cryotherapy for threshold retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) between 1989 and 1999. METHODS: Retrospective analysis of the medical records of premature infants with threshold ROP who were treated with cryotherapy. RESULTS: A total of 2,146 premature infants were screened for ROP during the study period. Of the 66 infants who were subsequently treated for threshold ROP with cryotherapy, 58 infants had at least 1 year of follow-up and comprised the study population. After correcting for improved survival, the overall incidence of treated infants with cryotherapy increased during the study period. Comparison of infants treated from 1989 through 1995 (group 1; n=26) and 1996 through 1999 (group 2; n=32) showed group 2 infants had improved visual outcome, better funduscopic anatomic appearance, and decreased myopia. CONCLUSION: Although the incidence of treated premature infants increased during the study period, visual outcome improved. The literature attributes improved visual and anatomical outcome to the use of the diode laser in the treatment of threshold ROP. In this study, the improved visual and anatomical results obtained with cryotherapy could be attributed in part to the development over the years of a milder type of retinopathy of prematurity and to earlier treatment of threshold ROP.     

Transient fetal hypothyroidism due to direct fetal administration of amiodarone for drug resistant fetal tachycardia

Amiodarone, an anti-arrhythmic drug that contains 39% iodine, is rarely known to cause negative effects on fetal thyroid function after gestational exposure, when given orally to a pregnant woman. Two cases of fetal hypothyroidism after gestational exposure to amiodarone by direct fetal intravenous route are described here.