Plasma Beta-Glucuronidase Activity: A Novel Tool to Distinguish Type 1 from Type 2 Amiodarone-Induced Thyrotoxicosis?

Background: Amiodarone-induced thyrotoxicosis (AIT) is a common and deleterious side effect of amiodarone use. There are two types of AIT, characterized by distinct pathogenic mechanisms and, hence, different treatments. Discriminating between type 1 (AIT1) and type 2 (AIT2) AIT is often very challenging.

Effect of prenatal tobacco smoke exposure on fetal growth potential.

Aim: to determine the independent effect of prenatal tobacco smoke exposure on fetal growth using customized birthweight norms.

Methods: demographic characteristics and data on exposure to tobacco smoke during pregnancy were obtained from singleton neonates ≥ 34 weeks' gestation. Centile Calculator software v62.

The insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) generation test as an indicator of growth hormone status.

Objective: The aim of the study was to evaluate the IGF-I generation test (IGF-I gen) as a possible indirect test of Growth Hormone (GH) secretory status.

Methods: Sixty-five GH deficient (GHD 1 and 2) and 86 control children were studied. Children in the GHD-1 subgroup (n=33) had low GH values (<10 microg/L) after clonidine and levo-dopa while those in the GHD-2 subgroup (n=32) had normal GH values after pharmacologic provocation but low 24-hour GH secretory rates compared to 187 Normal Statured (NS) children.

Effect of maternal smoking on cord blood estriol, placental lactogen, chorionic gonadotropin, FSH, LH, and cortisol.

Aim: To determine the effect of maternal cigarette smoking on cord blood concentrations of E3, hPL, beta-hCG, FSH, LH, and cortisol.

Methods: Hormone concentrations were measured in term neonates of 100 smoking and 100 non-smoking mothers.

Results: The median E3, hPL, beta-hCG, FSH, LH and cortisol cord blood concentrations in the non-smoking mothers' offspring were 212 ng/mL, 2.

Impact of maternal smoking on birth size: effect of parity and sex dimorphism.

Background: Maternal smoking during pregnancy causes a delay of intrauterine growth.

Objective: To examine the effect of maternal smoking during pregnancy on fetal growth in relationship to maternal parity, age and number of cigarettes smoked/day, and offspring's gender.

Subjects: We studied 2,108 term newborns (1,102 male, 1,006 female) delivered at the General University Hospital of Patras from 1994 to 2004.

Combined growth hormone-releasing hormone and growth hormone-releasing peptide-6 test for the evaluation of growth hormone secretion in children with growth hormone deficiency and growth hormone neurosecretory dysfunction.

Background: The combined growth hormone-releasing hormone and growth hormone-releasing peptide-6 (GHRH + GHRP-6) test is most potent in evaluating GH secretion.

Aims: To assess its capability in children with GH deficiency and low spontaneous GH secretion (GH neurosecretory dysfunction).

Methods: 35 children with GH <10 microg/l after levo-dopa/clonidine (GHD), 15 with normal provocative tests but abnormal 24-hour spontaneous GH secretion (GHND), and 20 controls (C) were given 1 microg/kg of GHRH and GHRP-6 i.

Association of secondary sex ratio with smoking and parity.

Objective: To assess the sex ratio in offspring of smoking and nonsmoking mothers in relationship to parity.

Design: Prospective study.

Setting: University hospital.

Course of growth during the first 6 years in children exposed in utero to tobacco smoke.

Objectives: Postnatal growth in children exposed in utero to tobacco smoke is not well understood. This study investigated growth during the first 6 years in children whose mothers smoked during pregnancy.

Materials And Methods: Weight, length, and head circumference were measured annually for 6 years in 100 children in each group of smoking (study) and nonsmoking (control) mothers.

Increased cortisol concentrations in the cord blood of newborns whose mothers smoked during pregnancy.

Aim: To investigate the effect of tobacco smoke on cord blood cortisol concentrations.

Methods: Cortisol concentrations were measured in cord blood from 211 term newborns of smoking and 211 term newborns of nonsmoking mothers; 48 and 36 newborns were delivered by cesarean section, respectively. In 16 cases, in addition to cord blood, maternal venous blood was obtained at delivery.

Growth hormone/JAK-STAT axis signal-transduction defect. A novel treatable cause of growth failure.

Primary cultured fibroblasts of four patients with idiopathic short stature and severe growth delay, which displayed normal growth hormone receptor expression presented a reduced ability for activation of signal transducer and activator of transcription-3 (STAT3). Impaired STAT3 activation was accompanied by cell-cycle arrest at the Go /G1 phase. Increased levels of the cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor, p21(WAF/CIPI), and reduced levels of cyclins were also detected in these patients.

Vibroacoustic stimulation in abnormal biophysical profile: verification of facilitation of fetal well-being.

Objectives: To verify the effect of vibroacoustic stimulation on biophysical profile score, with a prospective randomised study.

Study Design: All women with singleton pregnancy, gestational age >or=30 weeks, intact membranes and biophysical profile score View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Effects of two nebulization regimens on heart rate variability during acute asthma exacerbations in children.

Analysis of heart rate variability (HRV) has been used to evaluate changes in sympathovagal balance. The present study was designed to investigate the influence of two therapeutic regimens on autonomic cardiovascular regulation during acute asthma exacerbations (AAE). Twenty children, 7-13 years of age, with moderate or severe AAE were randomized in two equal groups to receive either 0.

Two dosages of clarithromycin for five days, amoxicillin/clavulanate for five days or penicillin V for ten days in acute group A streptococcal tonsillopharyngitis.

Background: Short course antimicrobial therapy is suggested for group A streptococcal tonsillopharyngitis.

Methods: The bacteriologic and clinical efficacies of clarithromycin [30 or 15 mg/kg/day twice daily (b.i.

Correlation of cerebrospinal fluid beta-glucuronidase activity with plasma methotrexate concentrations in leukemic children receiving high-dose methotrexate.

Background: The activity of lysosomal enzymes is increased in body fluids during inflammation, in which cellular malfunction and cellular death occurs. Because chemotherapy also causes cell malfunction and death, for identifying a neurologic effect, we studied the activity of beta-glucuronidase in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of leukemic children during treatment.

Procedure: The beta-glucuronidase activity in CSF was determined in 13 patients with B-precursor acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) treated with the medium risk arm of ALL Berlin-Frankfurt-Munster (BFM) 95 protocol.

Growth up to 2 years in relationship to maternal smoking during pregnancy.

Smoking during pregnancy causes intrauterine growth retardation, but the subsequent growth of these children is not well understood. Two hundred four newborns of mothers who smoked during pregnancy and 204 control neonates were studied. Children were re-examined at 1 and 2 years.

Antimicrobial susceptibility and macrolide resistance inducibility of Streptococcus pneumoniae carrying erm(A), erm(B), or mef(A).

Erythromycin-resistant Streptococcus pneumoniae isolates from young carriers were tested for their antimicrobial susceptibility; additionally, inducibility of macrolide and clindamycin resistance was investigated in pneumococci carrying erm(A), erm(B), or mef(A). Of 125 strains tested, 101 (81%) were multidrug resistant. Different levels of induction were observed with erythromycin, miocamycin, and clindamycin in erm(B) strains; however, in erm(A) strains only erythromycin was an inducer.

Antimicrobial use and serotype distribution of nasopharyngeal Streptococcus pneumoniae isolates recovered from Greek children younger than 2 years old.

The serotype distribution of 781 nasopharyngeal pneumococcal isolates recovered from 2448 unselected children aged 2-23 months was studied. Only 3.9% of the children for whom cultures were performed attended day care centers.

Increased activity of lysosomal enzymes in the peritoneal fluid of bacterial peritonitis.

Objective: The activity of lysosomal enzymes is increased in the cerebrospinal fluid of bacterial meningitis, suggesting that inflammation may cause leakage of lysosomal enzymes into the extracellular fluid. Our objective was to study the activity of 3 lysosomal enzymes in cell-free peritoneal fluid of patients with peritoneal inflammation.

Methods: The beta-galactosidase, beta-glucuronidase, and alpha-mannosidase activity (nmol 4-methylumbelliferone/mL/h); the total, polymorphonuclear, and mononuclear cell number; and chemical parameters were determined in the peritoneal fluid of 26 patients with culture-positive acute bacterial peritonitis, 13 patients (under antibiotic treatment) with culture-negative bacterial peritonitis, 6 patients with acute mesenteric lymphadenitis, and 26 control subjects who were operated on for surgical conditions without peritoneal inflammation.