New data on thymus pathophysiology in children.

The results of clinical-roentgenological and hormonal-immunological studies showed that immunohomeostasis peculiarities and adaptation in children with thymomegaly and pneumonia-complicated thymomegaly are determined by prolonged 'metabolic stress' effect associated with thymomegaly and coexistent intercurrent infection. Immune control of children with thymomegaly is appreciably determined by the hormonal function of hypothalamus-hypophysis-thymus-adrenal cortex system and by optimum balance of its constituents. Hypothalamic-hypophysial-adrenal system, cAMP and cGMP as universal intracellular mediators, and, essentially, thymus hormonal function are basic contributors to immunohomeostatis and adaptive reaction control in children with thymomegaly.

[The pituitary-adrenal system and cortisol-resistant lymphocyte fraction in infants with acute pneumonia].

Changes in ACTH, STH, cortisol and in the cortisol-resistant lymphocyte fraction in the blood were studied in infants with different patterns and gravity of acute pneumonia. The dynamic changes in stressor-adaptive reactions and the magnitudes of the cortisol-resistant lymphocyte population attest to opposite changes in lymphocytes and in the adrenocortical system. The quantitative changes in the cortisol-resistant lymphocyte fraction determine the prospects of optimizing the principles of the steroid therapy in the pathology indicated.

[The efficacy of using thymalin in diabetes mellitus in children].

A possibility of the use of thymalin was studied in children with diabetes mellitus using adequate immunohormonal investigations. Clinico-metabolic investigations proved the efficacy of the use of the new immunomodulator thymalin in multimodality therapy of diabetes mellitus in children.

[Remote results of the surgical treatment of dystopia of the kidneys in children].

An analysis of results of the surgical treatment of 61 patients aged from 1 to 14 years has been made. Follow-up examinations from 1 to 18 years after treatment was performed in 53 of the 61 patients. In sacral and iliac dystopia of the kidney good outcomes were obtained after combined reconstructive plastic operations consisting of nephropexy associated with ureterolysis, resection of accessory vessels, plasty of the pyeloureteral segment and resection of the kidney pole with abnormal blood supply.

[Simulation of thymus hypo- and hyperplasia by thymalin in guinea pigs].

Potentialities of the modulation of thymus function with thymalin and the hormonal-immunological status in simulated hypo- and hyperplasia of the thymus. The advisability of the use of the drug was shown.

New evidence on the nature of hypocorticism in thymomegaly.

According to the present clinical-experimental investigations, hypocorticism at the thymomegaly (hyperplasia of the thymus) was shown to occur as the secondary phenomenon as a result of the reduction of the corticotrophin function of adenohypophysis due to the activation of dopaminergic and serotoninergic central inhibition systems.

[Characteristics of the functional systems regulating the growth and differentiation of the bony skeleton of healthy children and adolescents].

A study was made of the hypophysis, thyroid, adrenals and an x-ray appearance of hand bones in children of normal and accelerated physical development. Groups of children that were homogenous by chronological age, turned out heterogenous by morphofunctional parameters. Accelerated processes of morphological and age-sex differentiation of the body in children and adolescents with accelerated growth and development were indicative of the functional tension of the hypothalamo-hypophyseal system and gonadal, thyroid and adrenal activation.

[Hyperplasia of the thymus gland in children: physiology or pathology?].

A critical analysis of the literature data and of the results of clinicoroentgenological, hormonal and immunological studies in children with thymomegaly makes it possible to regard hyperplasia of the thymus gland at early childhood as a sign of functional incompetence of the thymus and of the secondary immunodeficient state.

[Potential reserve capabilities of the adenohypophyseal-adrenal cortex system in children with thymus hyperplasia and prospects for treatment].

The potentialities of the adrenocortical system and thymic condition after corticotropin use were studied in young children with thymic hyperplasia combined with pneumonia. The results of the hormonal status studies after zinc-corticotropin suspension load indicate the secondary adrenocortical hypofunction. Corticotropin use within 5 to 10 days in a dose of 1 E/kg body weight intramuscularly is adequate to obtain the thymic involution in thymomegaly.

[Hormonal and immunological status of children with thymus hyperplasia].

The state of the adrenocortical system, cellular and humoral immunity was studied in 152 infants, suffering from thymomegaly, associated with virus-bacterial pneumonia. The results obtained allow one of to consider the hormonal and immunological state of the patients with thymomegaly to be inhibited and the adrenocortical hypofunction to be secondary. Therefore, the infants with thymomegaly should be separated into a special "risk" group, according to their immunodeficient states, respiratory allergies, acute and chronic adrenocortical deficiency.

[Changes in the function of the hypothalamo-hypophyseo-adrenal system and the thymus as affected by corticotropin in guinea pigs].

Functional state of the hypothalamic-hypophyseal-adrenal system and the thymus was studied in thymic hypo- and hyperplasia of guinea pigs. It was detected that thymomegalia is accompanied by STH and prolactin hyperproduction in adeno-hypophysis, intensified lymphopoiesis (at the expense of T-lymphocytes) and the adrenal glucocorticoid function inhibition, resultant of the lowered ACTH secretion, as well as by the enhanced catecholamine and serotonin content in the hypothalamus. Reverse changes are seen in thymic hypoplasia following intramuscular ACTH injection in a dose 1 U/kg/day within 5 to 10 days.

[Characteristics of adenohypophseal secretory activity in children with thymomegaly].

The radioimmunological method was applied in the study of ACTH, STH, and prolactin content in thymomegaly combined with pneumonia, and in practically healthy children. A comparative analysis of hormonal parameters depending on the functional condition of the thymus demonstrated a directly proportional correlation between the STH, prolactin level, and the thymus hyperplasia; there proved to be a reverse relationship between the ACTH level and thymomegaly. Hypoadrenocorticotropinemia, hypersomatotropinemia, and hyperprolactinemia could be used as diagnostic criteria in thymomegaly.

[Somatotropic function of the adenohypophysis in juvenile (pubertal) goiter].

Patients (86) with pubertal goiter were examined. There was an increase of the somatotropic function of the adenohypophysis. The functional acitivity of the thyroid gland is not disturbed.