Blood lead levels and childhood asthma.

Objective: To measure blood lead levels in children (5-14 y) with bronchial asthma, and correlate with asthma severity.

Design: Cross-sectional analytical.

Setting: Pediatric Allergy and Immunology Clinic of a Childrens hospital in Cairo, Egypt.

Tissue factor pathway inhibitor in paediatric patients with nephrotic syndrome.

BACKGROUND: Tissue factor pathway inhibitor is an endogenous protease inhibitor that regulates the initiation of the extrinsic coagulation pathway by producing factor Xa-mediated feedback inhibition of the tissue factor/factor VIIa (TF/VIIA) catalytic complex. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate plasma TFPI levels in paediatric patients with nephrotic syndrome and its correlation with disease activity. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Fifteen nephrotic patients in relapse (proteinuria>40mg/m2/hour, hypoalbuminemia, and edema) before initiating steroid therapy (Group I), and another15 nephrotic patients in remission after withdrawal of steroid therapy (Group II) were compared to 15 age- and sex-matched healthy children (Group III).