[Abused children].

After a description of child abuse and neglect among young children in the literature, the authors focus on the recognition of the problem by professionals. They describe the clinical symptoms which are found among battered and neglected children. When faced with this non specific and polymorphic symptomatology, they provide means to reach the diagnosis.

[Neonatal hemolysis secondary to congenital poikilocytosis].

Hereditary pyropoikilocytosis is a congenital haemolytic anaemia recently described. A new case is reported in which the condition was diagnosed by a study of erythrocyte membrane proteins in the parents. The unusual clinical features of this case lead to a discussion of the relationship between hereditary pyropoikilocytosis and other rare forms of elliptocytosis in children.

[Venous thrombosis, circulating anticoagulant and systemic lupus erythematosus. Two cases reported in two identical HLA sisters (author's transl)].

The observation of two cases of thrombophlebitis of the calf which occurred in two sisters within a period of three years is reported. The investigation revealed in both cases the presence of a circulating anticoagulant with anti-prothrombinase activity in association with biological signs of systemic lupus erythematosus (L.E.

[Lack of ACTH responsiveness in children and paroxysmal central nervous system manifestations. (Study of nine cases of isolated ACTH deficiency) (author's transl)].

Study of ACTH responsiveness to oral metyrapone and insulin hypoglycemia in children with repetitive nervous system manifestations (convulsions, coma, mental confusion apathy, tremor) has led to diagnosis of isolated ACTH deficiency in nine children within a three year period. Hypoglycemia was ascertained in five children; in four cases no hypoglycemia was proved, possibly because of promptly disappearance or because of other mechanisms accounting for clinical symptoms (occurrence of intracellular overhydratation associated with corticol deficiency is considered). The incidence of isolated ACTH deficiency in children is possibly undervalued.

[ACTH response to 24 hours oral metyrapone test in normal children (author's transl)].

A study of ACTH response to orally given metyrapone were carried out with 32 normal subjects aged 18 months to 15. Effectiveness of adrenal inhibition was supported by delta F > 5 microgram or cortisol level after metyrapone < 3 microgram/100 ml. The strong positive correlation between delta F and delta ACTH indicates the high sensibility of delta ACTH as an index of the responsiveness.

[Relapsing infections associated with high serum IgE levels Buckley's syndrome (author's transl)].

An 8-year old girl suffering from chronic relapsing staphylococcal skin infection since the first days of life was found to have extremely high (up to 26,500 units/ml) serum IgE levels and impaired polymorphonuclear chemotaxis. The other immunological tests appeared to be normal. There seemed to be a correlation between impaired chemotaxis and rise in IgE, the latter perhaps being related to a deficiency in some thymus-dependent lymphocyte functions.

[Blood pressure in the child and the adolescent. Effect of age, sex, height, weight and heart rate].

6,391 school children in the department of Seine-Saint-Denis were studied to determine the normal limits of blood pressure, its variations with age and sex, and its correlations with height, weight and heart rate. Blood pressure has a nearly perfect Gaussian distribution. Average blood pressures increase linearly with age according to sex.

[Myocardial infarct due to diffuse arteriopathy of the coronary trunk in a 13-year-old child].

A case of antero-septal myocardial infarction in a child of 13, presenting as syncopal attacks, is reported. Selective coronary angiography showed severe diffuse lesions of the anterior descending artery and the right coronary artery. Clinical progress was satisfactory over an 18 month follow-up period.