[Craniosynostosis: is prenatal diagnosis possible?].

The authors report a case which demonstrates how an interdisciplinary collaboration between the obstetrician and pediatrician may be activated in the event of a suspected fetal malformation, in this case craniosynostosis, although it is important to recognise the diagnostic limitations of ultrasonography regarding this type of pathology.

Phase contrast microscopy of the urine sediment for the diagnosis of glomerular and nonglomerular bleeding-data in children and adults with normal creatinine clearance.

In a pediatric and in an adult group of patients with hematuria and normal creatinine clearance overnight urine examination was carried out on 2 nonconsecutive days by means of phase contrast microscopy by two independent observers working in two different institutions. In this way it was possible to distinguish between patients on the basis of dysmorphic (glomerular) and isomorphic (nonglomerular) red cells in urine and to correlate the findings with the final diagnosis. A clear-cut indication (more than 80% of isomorphic and/or dysmorphic red cells) was obtained in 163 patients (102 of pediatric age) and final diagnosis of hematuria correlated with red-cell microscopy findings in 96.

Acute renal failure due to cisplatin.

A case of acute renal failure associated with cisplatin therapy for a stage IV neuroepitelioma of the chest wall is described. This case was associated with a normal magnesium concentration and with presence of fibrinogen in the Tubular Basement Membrane and of IgG in the interstitial infiltrates. Immunological activation was evidentiated by fine needle aspiration biopsy (FNAB) at the time of renal biopsy.

Cyclosporin A in nephrotic syndrome of childhood--a 14 month experience.

Cyclosporin A (CsA) in combination with 6-methylprednisolone was administered over a six-month period to 10 children with nephrotic syndrome (6 frequently relapsing and 4 steroid resistant) at a dose providing blood CsA concentrations of 200-400 ng/ml. In frequent relapsers 6-methylprednisolone was given initially at a dose of 60 mg/m2/day and subsequently at a dose of 35 mg/m2/48 h. In steroid resistant cases the steroid was given at an initial dose of 1 mg/kg tapering to 0.

Sequential fine needle aspiration biopsy in glomerulonephritis.

Cellular immune mechanisms have been shown to play a prominent role in glomerulonephritis. Cellular mediators of inflammation cause both acute and progressive glomerular and tubular injury. Understanding the mediation pathways offers the opportunity for therapeutic manipulation.