Serum procalcitonin, adenosine deaminase and its isoenzymes in the aetiological diagnosis of pneumonia in children.

A prospective study was undertaken to assess the usefulness of leukocyte count, serum C-reactive protein (CRP), procalcitonin (PCT), and the activities of total adenosine deaminase (tADA) and its isoenzymes ADA1 and ADA2, in the aetiological diagnosis of pneumonia in children. The study included three groups. Group A consisted of 23 children with bacterial pneumonia, group B of 50 children with viral and mycoplasmal pneumonia and group C of 46 healthy children.

Subglottic hemangioma treated with interferon alpha 2A.

Infantile subglottic hemagioma is a rare vascular malformation involving the subglottic larynx and although present from birth, symptoms will not be noted until later in infancy (due to tendency to enlarge). Typically presents with a progressive crouplike illness that begins a few weeks after birth and the infant develops inspiratory stridor, which becomes expiratory as the obstruction increases. Although benign lesions which involute spontaneously, they may demand the attention of an ENT surgeon to maintain a secure airway.

A sporadic case of Lenz microphthalmia syndrome.

We present a sporadic case of colobomatous microphthalmia associated with multiple congenital anomalies. Our purpose is to add a new case of Lenz microphthalmia syndrome to the literature and to draw attention to the typical pattern of facial features of this disease.

Smith-Lemli-Opitz syndrome in female, monozygotic twins.

A pair of monozygotic female twins with SLO syndrome is presented. We have found only one paper in the literature that referred to twins with this rare syndrome. The multiple congenital defects in these cases, consist of limb and genital abnormalities, retardation of growth, mental deficiency, craniofacial defects and abnormal neurological status.

Response of blood and bone marrow neutrophils to the nitroblue-tetrazolium test in children.

The ability of blood and bone marrow neutrophils to reduce nitroblue-tetrazolium both before and after stimulation with Escherichia coli endotoxin was investigated. The polymorphonuclear cells of the bone marrow are less able to reduce the dye than blood cells. This difference is maintained after stimulation by endotoxin.