Serum Concentration of Hepcidin as an Indicator of Iron Reserves in Children.

Background: Anemia represents a significant cause of maternal and perinatal mortality, as well as child mortality. The aim of the research was to determine the serum concentration of hepcidin in children aged 6 months to 2 years and adolescents aged 11 to 19 years which suffer from iron deficiency anemia and compare it with the serum concentration of hepcidin in the control groups, as well as to determine its connection with the parameters of the iron metabolism.

Methods: The research included 173 examinees, 89 of them suffered from iron deficiency anemia and 84 did not suffer from iron deficiency anemia (the latter represented the control group).

Dystrophic calcifications and Raynaud's phenomenon in an eight-year old girl.

Introduction: Dystrophic calcifications are the most common subtype of skin calcinosis. Tumorous soft tissue calcium deposits usually contain hydroxyapatite and amorphous calcium phosphate. Differential diagnosis of skin calcinosis encompasses Thibierge-Weissenbach syndrome, systemic sclerosis, scleroderma, CREST syndrome (calcinosis, Raynaud's phenomenon, esophageal dysmotility, sclerodactyly and telangiectasia), dermatomyositis, systemic lupus erythematosus, ad myositis ossificans progressiva.