[The incidence of iron deficiency in Hungary among children aged 4-6 years]. / A vashiánybetegség gyakorisága Magyarországon a 4-6 éves gyermekek között.

The authors found, that the incidence of hypochromic, microcytic anaemia was 4 percent, and more than half of the children were suffered from iron deficiency. The causes are the inadequate daily iron uptake and/or increase iron requirement. It is very important to increase the iron content of the food and/or the prophylactic or therapeutic iron treatment.

Measurement of the inflammatory activity by the help of serum acute-phase proteins in juvenile chronic arthritis.

We measured the level of serum haptoglobin, transferrin, alfa-I antitrypsin, orosomucoid, beta-2-microglobulin, ferritin in the case of 30 children (aged 11-16 years) with juvenile chronic arthritis. We divided the patients into two groups. In the first group there were 15 patients with active disease under continuous treatment and in clinical remission (We 20 mm/hour). In the second group there were 15 patients without active disease and they were not given continuous treatment for two Years. These groups were studied, by a control one. If we measure more phase-proteins together, they are suitable for the demonstration of the inflammatory activity in juvenile chronic arthritis. We made a points system for the evaluation of activity.

High IgE levels in diabetic children without atopy or insulin allergy.

The combined occurrence of atopy and diabetes of type I in childhood is extremely rare; this is explained in the literature by the different genetic backgrounds. In the present work, a study was made whether juvenile diabetes can be accompanied by symptom-free atopy. In 67 insulin-dependent diabetic children, the total and the specific IgE, and the IgG, IgA and IgM levels were determined, and cutaneous prick test was performed. In 23 of the examined children, the total IgE level proved to be higher than the age-related normal mean + 2 SD; the prick test revealed various degrees of positivity in 30% of these same children, with a complete lack of atopic symptoms. The total IgE levels were found to be elevated not only in the first year of the disease, but also in the following 5-10 years. The results indicate the existence of symptom-free atopy in insulin-dependent diabetes; additionally, the possibility of a genetically determined disturbance of IgE synthesis is suggested. Data are provided on the autoimmune pathogenesis of insulin-dependent diabetes.

Investigation of subclinical signs of autonomic neuropathy in the early stage of childhood diabetes.

It has been suggested that subclinical signs of neuropathy appear earlier than microvascular complications of diabetes. To evaluate the occurrence of autonomic nervous system dysfunction in the early stage of childhood diabetes, subclinical signs of autonomic neuropathy (resting heart rate, hyperventilatory arrhythmia, standing/lying heart rate ratio, orthostatic decrease in blood pressure, and increase in blood pressure during sustained handgrip) were investigated in 54 children with type 1 diabetes divided into three groups: 14 recent-onset diabetics (3 weeks after the diagnosis), 20 diabetics in the remission phase, and 20 patients after the remission phase. 30 healthy age-matched children were used as control group. The mean resting heart rates of the diabetic groups in the remission phase and after the remission phase were significantly higher than those in the healthy control group (81.7 +/- 5/min and 88.5 +/- 6/min vs. 72.2 +/- 8/min; p less than 0.01). The hyperventilatory arrhythmia in the group of diabetic children after the remission phase in comparison with the control group was significantly decreased (29.1 +/- 4/min vs. 22.7 +/- 3/min; p less than 0.01). In a few cases of the recent-onset diabetic group, the increase in resting heart rate, the decrease in hyperventilatory arrhythmia, and the standing/lying heart rate ratio proved to be significant. In the remission phase, the same parameters showed abnormal values in one third to one fifth of the children.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Peripheral blood lymphocyte subpopulations in children with juvenile chronic arthritis.

Peripheral blood lymphocyte subset levels were analyzed in 28 patients with active, polyarticular, juvenile chronic arthritis and in 12 healthy control children. The patients with a similar treatment were divided into two groups, at the beginning of disease and after five years course. Ten children with juvenile chronic arthritis were treated by glucocorticosteroid. After five years the percentage of active T cells, T suppressor cells and active (total T cells ratio were significantly elevated and there was a same decrease in the T4/T8 ratio. Glucocorticosteroid increased proportion of active T cells but it did not change the percentage of other lymphocyte subsets. It is concluded that during the course of disease a drug-induced or spontaneous effect appears which corrects the initial immunological disturbances.

Metabolic relations of serum lipids and lipoproteins in diabetic children.

Serum lipids and lipoproteins of 29 insulin dependent diabetic children have been determined and related to the metabolic status of the patients. The findings were compared to results obtained in 30 healthy children. The diabetic children showing unsatisfactory metabolic parameters had significantly higher total lipid and total triglyceride levels than did the healthy children (p less than 0.01). All diabetic children, independently of their metabolic status, exhibited an increased low density lipoprotein cholesterol level (p less than 0.01). On the other hand, high density lipoprotein cholesterol levels found in diabetics did not differ from normal values and showed no relationship with their metabolic status. Prevention of vascular complications of diabetes must be started in childhood by attentive care directed to all details of the pathomechanism.

Peripheral blood lymphocyte subpopulations in children with juvenile chronic arthritis.

Peripheral blood lymphocyte subset levels were analyzed in 28 patients with active, polyarticular, juvenile chronic arthritis and in 12 healthy control children. The patients with a similar treatment were divided into two groups, at the beginning of disease and after five years' course. Ten children with juvenile chronic arthritis were treated by glucocorticosteroid. After five years the percentage of active T cells, T suppressor cells and active/total T cells ratio were significantly elevated and there was a decrease in the T4/T8 ratio. Glucocorticosteroids increased the proportion of active T cells but did not change the percentage of other lymphocyte subsets. It is concluded that during the course of disease a drug-induced or spontaneous process appears which corrects the initial immunological disturbance.