Pneumothorax following feeding tube placement: precaution and treatment.

Nasojejunal feeding tubes are being used at an increased frequency, but it is not without complications that could be life-threatening. We report two cases of pneumothorax following small-bore feeding tube insertion into the pleural cavity, resulting in pneumothorax. We further discuss the potential measures that can be taken to prevent and treat this serious complication.

Current maternal-infant micronutrient status and the effects on birth weight in the United Arab Emirates.

Micronutrient deficiencies exist among women of childbearing age in the United Arab Emirates but the effects of maternal micronutrient deficiency on fetal growth are not well documented. To investigate the association between micronutrients and birth weight, we measured maternal and cord blood micronutrients (vitamin A, C, D, and E) and ferritin in 84 term, singleton infants born to healthy Arab and South Asian women at Al-Ain hospital. Median serum ascorbic acid and 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25-OHD) concentrations were low in mothers and infants.

Dilated cardiomyopathy secondary to nutritional rickets.

Two 9-month-old breastfed infants presented with congestive heart failure secondary to dilated cardiomyopathy. No underlying aetiology was found, except for the presence of advanced rickets. Following treatment with vitamin D and calcium supplements, both infants quickly recovered normal myocardial function.

Isolated orbital pseudotumor as the presenting sign of systemic lupus erythematosus.

A 9-year-old girl presented with an orbital pseudotumor a few years prior to developing clinical features of systemic lupus erythematosus. Because the few similar cases previously reported were all adults, this patient is the first pediatric case described. The authors also review the relevant literature, especially in the pediatric age group.

Levels of cholesteryl esters and other lipids in the plasma of patients with end-stage renal failure.

Background: The importance of plasma lipid abnormalities in chronic renal failure (CRF) is well recognized, but surprisingly little attention has been given to the study of some plasma lipid fractions, including cholesteryl esters (CE) and phospholipids, which might be expected to be important factors in the pathogenesis of the disease.

Materials And Methods: Fasting blood samples were taken from 25 control subjects and 53 CRF patients (29 predialysis and 24 on hemodialysis). Samples were analyzed for urea nitrogen, creatinine, triacylglycerols, total and individual phospholipids, total and free cholesterol, as well as cholesterol bound to very low-, low- and highdensity lipoproteins (VLDL, LDL and HDL).