Serum carnitine levels in patients with homozygous beta thalassemia: a possible new role for carnitine?

Unlabelled: Carnitine (beta-hydroxy-gamma-trimethylaminobutyric acid) facilitates the transfer of activated long-chain fatty acids from the cytoplasm to the mitochondria, the site of their beta-oxidation. Carnitine deficiency results in a reduced usage of fatty acids in energy production and therefore the appearance of clinical symptoms such as myalgia and muscle weakness. In the present study, serum carnitine levels were measured in 45 children and 20 adults with homozygous beta thalassemia.

Invasive meningococcal disease presenting as Henoch-Schonlein purpura.

Henoch-Schonlein purpura (HSP) is an acute systemic form of vasculitis that has been associated with a number of viral and bacterial infections. Described here are the cases of two children with invasive meningococcal disease who presented with clinical and laboratory findings typical of HSP. Meningococcal infection may have been the trigger for the manifestation of HSP in these patients.

Human Metapneumovirus as a causative agent of acute bronchiolitis in infants.

Background: Human Metapneumovirus (hMPV), has been recently isolated from children with acute respiratory tract infections (RTIs), including bronchiolitis, and classified in the Pneumovirinae subfamily within the Paramyxoviridae family.

Objectives: Since most bronchiolitis studies fail to detect any viral pathogen in part of the samples, we sought for the presence of hMPV in a well characterized bronchiolitis cohort.

Study Design: Nasal washes were obtained from 56 children admitted to the hospital for acute bronchiolitis.

Application of a ketogenic diet in children with autistic behavior: pilot study.

A pilot prospective follow-up study of the role of the ketogenic diet was carried out on 30 children, aged between 4 and 10 years, with autistic behavior. The diet was applied for 6 months, with continuous administration for 4 weeks, interrupted by 2-week diet-free intervals. Seven patients could not tolerate the diet, whereas five other patients adhered to the diet for 1 to 2 months and then discontinued it.

Cat scratch disease in 2 siblings presenting as acute gastroenteritis.

The cases of 2 siblings with cat scratch disease are described who presented with symptoms suggestive of acute febrile gastroenteritis. The first patient, a 7.5-y-old girl, developed mesenteric lymphadenitis, hepatosplenic granulomas and osteolytic bone lesions only late in the course of her protracted illness.