Vitamin K-deficient intracranial hemorrhage as the first symptom of cytomegalovirus hepatitis with cholestasis.

Since vitamin K2 (VitK2) syrup prophylaxis has become a routine measure for neonates and young infants, the incidence of vitamin K deficiency (VitK-D) in infancy has markedly decreased. However, we recently experienced 2 infantile cases of VitK deficiency, in whom intracranial hemorrhage (ICH) was the first clinical sign of CMV hepatitis. Case 1 is a breast-fed boy who received VitK2 syrup orally at birth and at the age of 1 month.

MR imaging and 1H-MR spectroscopy in a case of juvenile Alexander disease.

The serial MR image and MR spectroscopy in the brain were examined in a young male diagnosed as having juvenile Alexander disease. He had megalencephaly, psychomotor retardation, seizures, and increasing elevation of increasing alpha-B crystallin and heat shock protein 27 in the cerebrospinal fluid. Serial MR images demonstrated increased demyelination of the bilateral frontal region to left occipital region over several years.

Predominant expression of 950delCAG of IL-18R alpha chain cDNA is associated with reduced IFN-gamma production and high serum IgE levels in atopic Japanese children.

Background: We previously reported that serum IgE levels were negatively correlated with the amount of IFN-gamma produced by phytohemagglutinin-stimulated or IL-12-stimulated PBMCs and that one of the mechanisms of the pathogenesis of atopy was the reduced IFN-gamma production, which led to upregulated IgE production.

Objective: IL-18 is also known to be a strong inducer of IFN-gamma production. However, it has not yet been determined whether IL-18 is associated with atopic disease.