Urinary excretion of endothelin-1 in children with absorptive idiopathic hypercalciuria.

Urinary excretion of endothelin-1 (ET-1) and plasma ET-1 were measured in 21 children with absorptive idiopathic hypercalciuria (AIH) and 22 controls. The absorptive type of idiopathic hypercalciuria was determined by a calcium loading test. Daily urinary excretion of ET-1 and urinary ET-1/creatinine ratio were significantly increased ( P=0.

Effects of methylprednisolone pulses on renal function of guinea pigs.

Methylprednisolone produced a dose dependant significant increase in glomerular filtration rate, a significant decrease in sodium excretion, and a significant increase in urinary alkaline phosphatase activity in guinea pigs. The renal histology in groups with 4, 5 and 6 doses revealed mild degenerative changes in the tubular epithelial cells. The results suggest the beneficial effects of methylprednisolone pulse therapy on renal function mainly by increasing glomerular filtration rate with only minimal side effects.

Mesenteric lymphadenopathy as a cause of abdominal pain in children with lobar or segmental pneumonia.

We investigated whether mesenteric lymphadenopathy could be a cause of abdominal pain in children with lobar or segmental pneumonia. The study population consisted of 1)119 consecutive children with lobar pneumonia, older than 4 years of age, and 2) 31 healthy controls. Demographic, clinical, inflammatory, and radiographic data were recorded in all patients.

The impact of serum lipid levels on circulating soluble adhesion molecules in childhood.

Cell adhesion molecules play a rather important role in the development of atherosclerosis mediating the attachment of monocytes to the endothelium. It has also been well established that hyperlipidemia is a risk factor for atherosclerosis from childhood. The aim of this study was to investigate whether the soluble adhesion molecules correlate with the circulating lipid levels in children.

Alkaline phosphatase and its isoenzyme activity for the evaluation of bone metabolism in children receiving anticonvulsant monotherapy.

This study aimed to investigate whether carbamazepine, sodium valproate or phenobarbital as monotherapy in ambulatory epileptic children with adequate sun exposure have some effect on their bone metabolism based on the determination of total serum alkaline phosphatase (AP) levels and its bone isoenzyme activity. Blood samples were obtained from 118 epileptic children (37 on carbamazepine, 47 on sodium valproate and 34 on phenobarbital) and from corresponding healthy controls matched for age, gender and anthropometric parameters. AP and its liver, bone and intestinal isoenzyme levels, other common biochemical markers of bone and liver metabolism and drug levels were measured in the study participants.

Evaluation of E-cadherin/catenin complex in primary and secondary glomerulonephritis.

Catenins (alpha-, beta-, gamma-catenin, p120(ctn)) are cytoplasmic proteins initially identified in a complex with E-cadherin (ECD). The latter belongs to a superfamily of transmembrane glycoproteins important for cell adhesion in normal and disease states. Catenins and p120(ctn), in particular, are substrates for growth factor receptor tyrosine kinases.