Hypomagnesaemia of hereditary renal origin.

Cases of hypomagnesaemia of hereditary renal origin represent at least three different congenital disorders of tubular reabsorption of magnesium (Mg). Isolated familial hypomagnesaemia has been reported in a heterogeneous group of patients and an autosomal dominant pattern of inheritance has often been found to be present. Familial hypokalaemia-hypomagnesaemia, inherited as an autosomal recessive trait, has been reported in 17 patients and we now describe 3 additional cases.

Oral salbutamol vs fenoterol in childhood asthma.

A study to compare the effects of single oral doses of salbutamol (4 mg) and fenoterol (5 mg) was carried out in 22 asthmatic children aged 6-14 years. The patients received both drugs sequentially on two consecutive days within a week in a randomized, double-blind, crossover fashion. Peak expiratory flow rate, spirometry, flow-volume loops and whole body plethysmography were performed basally, at half-an-hour and hourly from 1 through 6 h.