Relationship between pancreatic morphological changes and diabetes in autoimmune pancreatitis: Multimodal medical imaging assessment has important potential.

Autoimmune pancreatitis (AIP) is a special type of chronic pancreatitis with clinical symptoms of obstructive jaundice and abdominal discomfort; this condition is caused by autoimmunity and marked by pancreatic fibrosis and dysfunction. Previous studies have revealed a close relationship between early pancreatic atrophy and the incidence rate of diabetes in type 1 AIP patients receiving steroid treatment. Shimada performed a long-term follow-up study and reported that the pancreatic volume (PV) of these patients initially exponentially decreased but then slowly decreased, which was considered to be an important factor related to diabetes; moreover, serum IgG4 levels were positively correlated with PV during follow-up.

Adenotonsillectomy outcomes regarding bone age and osteocalcin in treatment of obstructive sleep apnea syndrome in children.

Background: To investigate the effect of adenotonsillectomy (AT) on bone development, quality of life and polysomnography evaluation in children with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSA).

Methods: Preoperative and postoperative (6 months) physical examination, PSG, bone age (BA) and osteocalcin (OC) evaluation were performed on the selected OSA children (n=92) and the healthy children (n=87). The OSA children were also scored based on the OSA 18-item questionnaire.

Thioredoxin: a novel, independent diagnosis marker in children with autism.

Background: Oxidative stress increases serum thioredoxin (TRX), a redox-regulating protein with antioxidant activity recognized as an oxidative-stress marker. The aim of this study was to assess the clinical significance of serum TRX levels in Autism spectrum disorders (ASD).

Methods: Eighty patients diagnosed with ASD and 100 sex and age matched typically developing children were assessed for serum TRX content at admission.

Serum Brain-derived neurotrophic factor levels in Chinese children with autism spectrum disorders: a pilot study.

Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) plays a critical role in the pathogenesis of Autism spectrum disorders (ASD). The purpose of this study was to investigate the potential role of BDNF in Chinese children with ASD. Sixty patients (48 male, 12 female) diagnosed with ASD and 60 healthy sex and age control subjects were assessed for serum BDNF content at admission.