Study on 480 hospitalized febrile children: evaluation of the septic risk and results of the antibiotic and corticosteroid combined therapy.

The febrile child, previously healthy, represents a frequent diagnosis and management problem for pediatricians who work in private offices and those in hospital emergency departments. We are specifically interested in the identification, for the febrile child with septic risk, of severity parameters permitting to assess the likelihood of a serious bacterial infection. In the retrospective study we present, carried out on children admitted for febrile illness, two factors were mainly evaluated: 1.

[Katacalcin levels in healthy children and children with spasmophilia].

The calcitonin (CT) gene encodes at least 3 peptides: CT, the 21-aminoacid carboxyl-terminal flanking peptide (katalcin or PDN-21) and CT-gene related peptide. Normal thyroid C-cells as well as malignant ones co-secrete CT and PDN-21 in response to hypercalcemia, so assay of PDN-21 may be an usefull method to assess C-cells secretion. Because of our knowledge no data are available on PDN-21 values in children, we measured this peptide in healthy children and in spasmophilia (Sp), a disease that has been related to CT deficiency.

[Dynamic tests for calcium-regulating hormones in childhood. Evaluation of the incremental response in normal subjects].

Some tests to study the dynamic secretion of calcium-regulating hormones in childhood are presented. A low-calcium diet (less than or equal to 2 mg/kg/daily) for 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D [1.25-(OH)-2D], ASU-eel-CT i.

Evidence of increased levels of substance P in obese children.

The authors report plasma substance P levels in obese children and healthy controls. Obese children showed significantly higher substance P values in comparison with controls. A positive correlation was found between substance P levels and percentage of weight increment.

[Calciotropic hormones in osteoporosis caused by anorexia nervosa].

The authors evaluated bone mineralization by single photon absorptiometry and mineral homeostasis in 7 patients with anorexia nervosa. The patients with anorexia nervosa showed a reduction of bone mineralization in respect to age-sex matched normal values. Serum levels of calcium, ionized calcium, phosphate, magnesium, alkaline phosphatase, calcitonin and 25-hydroxyvitamin D were normal as well as phosphate and hydroxyproline urinary excretion.