[Protein-losing enteropathy in chronic constrictive pericarditis in children]. / Enteropatia proteino-disperdente nella pericardite cronica costrittiva del bambino.

Protein-dispersive enteropathy was noted in three children with chronic constrictive pericarditis. Increased intestinal permeability to proteins was detected by using lavelled albumin in one patient. Biopsy showed absence of mucosa lesions and normal villi in another case. Partial pericardiotomy led to rapid resolution of pseudo-cirrhosis and normalisation of serum proteins in all three cases.

[Rheumatic cardiopathy in childhood. Epidemiological aspects, and differential diagnostic problems as compared with congenital bicuspid aortic valve and mitral valve prolapse]. / La cardiopatia reumatica nell'età pediatrica. Aspetti epidemiologici e problemi diagnostico-differenziali nei confronti della valvola aortica bicuspide congenita e del prolasso della valvola mitrale.

A decrease in severity of rheumatic fever, in the number of recurrences of the disease, a relative decrease in prevalence of rheumatic heart disease compared to other forms of heart disease are well documented or suggested by the data collected in the last decades. The reasons of the decline are uncertain. Prevalence surveys in more recent years indicate that, while at one time almost all valvular heart disease was considered to be rheumatic in origin, current data suggest that a significant proportion of damaged valves may be attributed to congenital defects or to acquired disease of other etiologies. Bicuspid aortic valve and mitral valve prolapse deserve special mention. The main clinical and echocardiographic features of bicuspid aortic valve and mitral valve prolapse are discussed.