Eosinophilic airway inflammation is a main feature of unstable asthma in adolescents.

Background: Stability of asthma is a clinical phenotype of the disease based on long-term evaluation of control of asthma symptoms and its exacerbations. A relationship between airway inflammation and clinical classification of asthma based on stability criterion has not been well studied.

Objectives: The purpose of our study was to analyze the inflammation profile of stable and unstable asthma in adolescents treated with moderate and high doses of inhaled corticosteroids.

Inflammatory markers as exacerbation risk factors after asthma therapy switch from inhaled steroids to montelukast.

Background: Asthma guidelines allow anti-leukotriene medications to be used as an alternative to inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) in second-step intensity therapy. The aim of the study was to analyze the risk factors of exacerbations, particularly inflammatory markers, during the 12-month period following therapy reduction from an ICS to montelukast in young patients with mild asthma.

Methods: A total of 84 patients (aged 7-18 years old) with mild asthma controlled by low-dose ICS, had their treatment switched to montelukast.

Evaluation of step-down therapy from an inhaled steroid to montelukast in childhood asthma.

Background: Asthma guidelines allow antileukotriene medications to be used as an alternative to inhaled corticosteroids (ICSs) in second-step intensity therapy. The aim of this study was to determine whether asthma control can be maintained after reducing treatment from low-dose ICS to montelukast.

Methods: In this prospective, real-life 12-week trial, 84 young patients with asthma (7-18 years) controlled by low-dose ICS, had treatment switched to montelukast.

Impaired GH secretion in patients with SHOX deficiency and efficacy of recombinant human GH therapy.

Background/aims: Mutations of the short stature homeobox-containing (SHOX) gene on the pseudoautosomal region of the sex chromosomes cause short stature. GH treatment has been recently proposed to improve height in short patients with SHOX deficiency. The aim of this study was to evaluate GH secretion and analyze growth and safety of recombinant human GH (rhGH) therapy in short children and adolescents with SHOX deficiency.

The treatment of hypercholesterolemic children: efficacy and safety of a combination of red yeast rice extract and policosanols.

Background And Aims: The prevention of cardiovascular risk, as occurs in lipoprotein disorders, is required since childhood. Aim of the study was to evaluate, in a group of children affected by primary dyslipidemia, the efficacy, tolerability and safety of a short-term treatment with a dietary supplement containing red yeast rice extract and policosanols.

Methods And Results: 40 children affected by heterozygous Familial Hypercholesterolemia (FH) (n=24) and Familial Combined Hyperlipidemia (FCH) (n=16), aged 8-16 years, were enrolled in a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled, cross-over trial.

[Control of asthma symptoms and cellular markers of inflammation in induced sputum in children and adolescents with chronic asthma].

Unlabelled: After the GINA 2006 publication, asthma therapy is based on control of symptoms. However there are suggestions of monitoring of airway inflammation. Aim of the study was to compare clinical criteria of asthma control with cellular markers of lower airway inflammation in induced sputum in a group of young asthmatics.

Is TW3 height prediction more accurate than TW2? Preliminary data.

Background/aims: Skeletal maturation is considered a reliable variable in evaluating the 'tempo' of growth. It is important in the diagnosis of endocrinological diseases, in chronic diseases, in hormonal therapy follow-up and in computing height prediction for prognostic and therapeutic purposes. It is also used when chronological age is not available for minors without known birth dates.

Is the persistence of isolated GH deficiency in adulthood predicted by anatomical hypothalamic-pituitary alterations?

The aim of this study was to verify the persistence in adulthood of GH deficiency diagnosed in childhood and treated with hGH in childhood and to study whether anatomical hypothalamic-pituitary alterations evaluated by magnetic resonance (MR) imaging could predict it. To this goal, in six GHD adults (3 males and 3 females aged 17.2-24.

Final height in sexually precocious girls after therapy with an intranasal analogue of gonadotrophin-releasing hormone (buserelin).

Twenty-two girls affected by sexual precocity with impaired final height prognosis were followed until they achieved final height. Twelve of them were treated with an intranasal (D-Ser6)-gonadotrophin-releasing hormone (GnRH) analogue (buserelin) administered at a mean dose of 25 micrograms/kg/day (range 20-32) for a mean period of 14 months (range 8-18). Ten girls refused treatment.

[Surveillance of congenital malformations. Experiences in 1986-1987].

Epidemiological data on the congenital malformations detected in 8,723 newborns over a two year period are presented.

[Newborn infants from epileptic mothers: malformation and auxonologic risk].

A case-control study was performed to determine if newborns of epileptic mothers have a higher probability of having congenital malformations. Forty seven newborns of epileptic mothers and an equivalent number of controls with no history of epileptic disease and paired for mother's age, parity, type of education were examined. Thirty one mothers had been treated during the first term of pregnancy and 16 had not.

[Surveillance of congenital malformations. Monitoring of polydactyly using the Chen method].

The Chen method was adopted to monitor the principal congenital malformations in a large peripheric center. In 1982 two consecutive alarms showed an evident increase in the prevalence at birth of polydactylia. A retrospective analysis of the main risk factors failed to satisfactorily explain this increase.