Effects of short-term exposure to genistein and overfeeding diet on the neural and retinal progenitor competence of adult zebrafish (Danio rerio).

Neurogenesis is a process that occurs throughout the life of a vertebrate. Among the different factors that may affect the natural occurrence of neurogenesis, obesity seems to decrease the proliferation capacity of progenitor neuronal cells. Conversely, the phytoestrogen genistein is known to attenuate some obesity effects beyond its neuroprotective action. Aiming to improve the understanding of how obesity and genistein trigger an impact on the neural and retinal progenitor competence of adult zebrafish, fish were exposed to genistein (GEN - 2 µg L-1) alone or combined with two dietary groups (control and overfeed - OFD) for up to 9 weeks. Zebrafish were fed once per day with Artemia sp. in the control and GEN (2% of BW, control diet), and three times per day in the OFD and OFD + GEN groups (12% BW, overfeeding diet). To assess obesity induction, BMI, biometric parameters, and PPAR-γ protein were quantified. Afterwards, qRT-PCR and immunohistochemistry were performed to determine the cell proliferation and the presence of stem cells through PCNA and Sox-2. Our findings proved that overfeeding adult zebrafish increased the general growth and induced the development of fatty liver. However, for OFD + GEN, this effect was assuaged through the anti-adipogenic effect of GEN. This finding suggests that phytoestrogens could be beneficial to reduce the negative effects of obesity. Moreover, OF induced negative effects on retinal and brain homeostasis, decreasing the proliferation capacity of progenitor neuronal cells. With regard to retinal progenitor competence, genistein seems to mitigate the negative impacts of obesity, whereas the effects of obesity on the brain were exacerbated by this phytoestrogen which negatively influenced the homeostasis of zebrafish neural progenitor competence. This study highlighted the fact that the effects of phytoestrogens in adult neural progenitor competence are complex and could exhibit dissimilar effects depending on the tissue.

Thiamine-responsive acute severe pulmonary hypertension in exclusively breastfeeding infants: a prospective observational study.

OBJECTIVES: Severe pulmonary hypertension (PH) causing right heart failure can occur due to thiamine deficiency in exclusively breastfeeding infants. This study describes the clinical profile and management of thiamine-responsive acute pulmonary hypertension. METHODS: A prospective observational study of infants presenting with severe PH without any other significant heart or lung disease. History of symptoms, clinical examination, echocardiography and basic investigations were performed. Dietary patterns of mothers were recorded. Thiamine was administered and serial echocardiography was performed. RESULTS: A total of 250 infants had severe PH and 231 infants responded to thiamine. The mean age was 3.2±1.2 months. Fast breathing, poor feeding, vomiting and aphonia were the main symptoms. Tachypnoea, tachycardia and hepatomegaly were found on examination. Echocardiogram revealed grossly dilated right heart with severe PH. Intravenous thiamine was administered to all the babies based on clinical suspicion. Clinical improvement with complete resolution of PH was noticed within 24-48 hours. Babies were followed up to a maximum of 60 months with no recurrence of PH. All the mothers consumed polished rice and followed postpartum food restriction. CONCLUSION: Thiamine deficiency is still prevalent in selected parts of India. It can cause life-threatening PH in exclusively breastfeeding infants of mothers who are on a restricted diet predominantly consisting of polished rice. It can contribute to infant mortality. Thiamine administration based on clinical suspicion leads to remarkable recovery. High degree of awareness and thiamine supplementation in relevant geographical areas is required to tackle this fatal disease.

Comparative efficacy of a 12 week yoga-based lifestyle intervention and dietary intervention on adipokines, inflammation, and oxidative stress in adults with metabolic syndrome: a randomized controlled trial.

The present randomized controlled trial (RCT) evaluated the comparative efficacy of 12 week yoga-based lifestyle intervention (YBLI) and dietary intervention (DI) alone on adipokines, inflammation, and oxidative stress in Indian adults with metabolic syndrome (Met S). A parallel, two arm, RCT was conducted in Integral Health Clinic (IHC), All India Institute of Medical Sciences, India from 2012 to 2014. IHC is an outpatient facility conducting YBLI programs for prevention and management of chronic diseases. Two hundred sixty men and women (20-45 years) visiting the outpatient department of a tertiary care hospital were diagnosed with Met S and randomized 1:1 to receive 12 week YBLI (n = 130) or DI (n = 130). Primary outcomes were change in plasma levels of adipokines (leptin, adiponectin, and leptin:adiponectin ratio), markers of inflammation (tumor necrosis factor [TNF]-α, interleukin [IL]-6), markers of oxidative stress (thiobarbituric acid reactive substances [TBARS], 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine [8-OHdG], and superoxide dismutase [SOD]) measured at baseline, 2 weeks, and 12 weeks. YBLI group showed a significant decrease in leptin, leptin:adiponectin ratio, IL-6, 8-OHdG, and TBARS levels, whereas there was a significant increase in adiponectin and SOD levels. No significant changes were noticed in DI alone group. YBLI showed significantly greater reduction in TBARS levels than in DI group, suggestive of reduced oxidative stress in adults with Met S. A 12 week YBLI had a positive impact on oxidative stress versus DI alone in adults with Met S.

[THE POSSIBILITY OF DIET THERAPY AND TYPICAL ERRORS IN THE NUTRITION OF PATIENTS WITH BILIARY TRACT DISEASES].

This lecture for the doctors considered the possibility of using power to influence the basic mechanisms of pathogenesis in diseases of the biliary: cholestatic syndrome, impaired physical-chemical properties of bile, inflammation, biliary tract and intestines motor activity disfunction. The clinical case analyzed typical mistakes in nutrition of patients with disorders of the biliary tract.

Which CAM modalities are worth considering?

This review-with a handy at-a-glance guide-examines 8 modalities, the level of evidence behind them, and the adverse effects you'll need to keep in mind.

Non-nutritional effects of food: an underutilized and understudied therapeutic tool in chronic gastrointestinal diseases.

The use of diet has traditionally been used to improve the nutrition of patients. However, diet also can be utilized to modify disease processes and manage symptoms independently of its nutritional role. There are few chronic gastrointestinal conditions where dietary modification is utilized therapeutically and backed by a high degree of evidence. This is not due to a lack of ideas but is more likely to lie in the difficulties associated with translating those ideas into evidence-based practice. Long lead-in times and low incidence hinders interventional studies of prevention for many conditions. The design and execution of dietary clinical trials is challenging and funding them even more so. The knowledge base of doctors in nutrition and food composition is often poor, and attitudes toward the success of and adherence to dietary therapies create additional problems. However, ideas can be successfully translated into evidence-based practice, as exemplified but the low fermentable, oligo-, di-, and mono-saccharides and polyols (FODMAP) (poorly-absorbed short-chain carbohydrates) diet for patients with functional bowel symptoms. Showing efficacy is, however, insufficient for non-nutritional dietary manipulations. Adverse effects, such as nutritional adequacy of the diet and effect on pathogenesis of other diseases, must also be carefully addressed. The physiological principles upon which the diet is based should be matched to the physiology associated with the condition being targeted, as it can be hazardous to extrapolate findings in healthy persons. There is a need for greater attention to the evaluation of dietary therapies for many chronic gastrointestinal disorders.

Protection against diarrhea associated with Giardia intestinalis Is lost with multi-nutrient supplementation: a study in Tanzanian children.

BACKGROUND: Asymptomatic carriage of Giardia intestinalis is highly prevalent among children in developing countries, and evidence regarding its role as a diarrhea-causing agent in these settings is controversial. Impaired linear growth and cognition have been associated with giardiasis, presumably mediated by malabsorption of nutrients. In a prospective cohort study, we aim to compare diarrhea rates in pre-school children with and without Giardia infection. Because the study was conducted in the context of an intervention trial assessing the effects of multi-nutrients on morbidity, we also assessed how supplementation influenced the relationship between Giardia and diarrhoea rates, and to what extent Giardia modifies the intervention effect on nutritional status. METHODS AND FINDINGS: Data were collected in the context of a randomized placebo-controlled efficacy trial with 2×2 factorial design assessing the effects of zinc and/or multi-micronutrients on morbidity (n=612; height-for-age z-score <-1.5 SD). Outcomes measures were episodes of diarrhea (any reported, or with ≥3 stools in the last 24 h) and fever without localizing signs, as detected with health-facility based surveillance. Giardia was detected in stool by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Among children who did not receive multi-nutrients, asymptomatic Giardia infection at baseline was associated with a substantial reduction in the rate of diarrhea (HR 0.32; 0.15-0.66) and fever without localizing signs (HR 0.56; 0.36-0.87), whereas no such effect was observed among children who received multi-nutrients (p-values for interaction 0.03 for both outcomes). This interaction was independent of age, HAZ-scores and distance to the research dispensary. There was no evidence that Giardia modified the intervention effect on nutritional status. CONCLUSION: Although causality of the Giardia-associated reduction in morbidity cannot be established, multi-nutrient supplementation results in a loss of this protection and thus seems to influence the proliferation or virulence of Giardia or associated intestinal pathogens.

[Substitutive and dietetic approaches in childhood autistic disorder: interests and limits]. / Approches substitutive et diététique du trouble autistique de l'enfant : intérêts ou limites ?

INTRODUCTION: Autism is a developmental disorder that requires specialized therapeutic approaches. Influenced by various theoretical hypotheses, therapeutic programs are typically structured on a psychodynamic, biological or educative basis. Presently, educational strategies are recommended in the treatment of autism, without excluding other approaches when they are necessary. Some authors recommend dietetic or complementary approaches to the treatment of autism, which often stimulates great interest in the parents but also provokes controversy for professionals. Nevertheless, professionals must be informed about this approach because parents are actively in demand of it. LITERATURE FINDINGS: First of all, enzymatic disorders and metabolic errors are those most frequently evoked in the literature. The well-known phenylalanine hydroxylase deficit responsible for phenylketonuria has been described as being associated with autism. In this case, adapted diet prevents mental retardation and autistic symptoms. Some enzymatic errors are also corrected by supplementation with uridine or ribose for example, but these supplementations are the responsibility of specialized medical teams in the domain of neurology and cannot be applied by parents alone. Secondly, increased opoid activity due to an excess of peptides is also supposed to be at the origin of some autistic symptoms. Gluten-free or casein-free diets have thus been tested in controlled studies, with contradictory results. With such diets, some studies show symptom regression but others report negative side effects, essentially protein malnutrition. Methodological bias, small sample sizes, the use of various diagnostic criteria or heterogeneity of evaluation interfere with data analysis and interpretation, which prompted professionals to be cautious with such diets. The third hypothesis emphasized in the literature is the amino acid domain. Some autistic children lack some amino acids such as glutamic or aspartic acids for example and this deficiency would create autistic symptoms. However, for some authors, these deficits are attributed to nutritional deficits caused by the food selectivity of children. A fourth hypothesis concerning metabolic implication in autism is the suspicion that a food allergy phenomenon could interfere with development, and it has been observed that Ig levels are higher in autistic children than in control children. Autistic children with a positive reaction to food Ig would have a more favourable outcome with diet excluding some kinds of food; but most of those diets are drastic and ethically debatable. Fifth, glucidic catabolism could be deleterious with an excess of ketonic products that will initiate comitial seizures. Few studies with ketogenic diet have been conducted but, as it has been described with epileptic subjects, those diets would diminish autistic symptoms. Not enough studies have been conducted that would allow one to draw any firm conclusions. The sixth hypothesis is linked with vitamin deficiencies that are a notably important area of research in the treatment of autism. Vitamin B12 or B6 deficiencies have been studied in several articles, and many of them were controlled studies. French teams also emphasize an interest in supplementation with B12 or B6. The two last hypotheses concern auto-immune patterns and the toxic effects of heavy metals like mercury. There is a paucity of methodologically satisfying studies that support these two hypotheses and diet recommendations. Following these assumptions, some dietetic approaches have been recommended, even though the methodological aspects of supporting studies are poor. The most famous diet is the gluten-free and/or casein-free diet. Only two controlled studies attracted our attention. Even if for some autistic children such a diet was positive, for others, gluten-free or casein-free diets were poorly tolerated and, for some authors, not without considerable side effects, the more prejudicial of which was the Kwashiorkor risk. Ketogenic diets have been studied in one non controlled study, but even if positive results have been noted by the authors, the ketogenic diet is very restricting and the long term effects have not been evaluated. Vitamin supplementation is the one and only diet domain where there have been many repeated and placebo-controlled studies. Side effects are rare and mild even if high doses of vitamin B6 are advocated in these studies. In total, as evoked by Rimland, 11 controlled placebo-blind studies have been conducted and 50% of autistic children with this supplementation had improved autistic signs. However, these results still remain debated. Finally, more rarely, enzymatic abnormalities need specific diets which have some positive consequences, but such diets could not be applied by parents alone and are the responsibility of specialized teams. For discussion purposes we can emphasize that, in spite of the amount of studies concerning the effects of specialized diets, few are methodologically satisfying. We can not ignore that some side effects are possible with such approaches and parents need to be informed of them. Some are even potentially serious, such as diets with metal chelators. In spite of those results, vitamin supplementation seems to be the only one that some specialized teams in autism could apply, always with parent agreement. In conclusion, within this scientific field, studies on eating habits of autistic children should be conducted because of their food selectivity or avoidance.

Fatty acid deficiency profile in children with food allergy managed with elimination diets.

AIM: To evaluate plasma fatty acid (FA) composition of children with food allergy undergoing elimination diets that avoided the offending antigens. METHODS: Twenty-five children (14 male, 11 female) aged 3.8 +/- 1.6 years (range 2-7 years) affected of multiple food allergy and managed with elimination diets participated in a cross-sectional study. Results of plasma fatty acids were compared with data obtained in 61 healthy children. RESULTS: The patients had significantly lower values for plasma content in total polyunsaturated fatty acids, omega3 polyunsaturated fatty acids and long-chain omega3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (p < 0.001) and particularly, in eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) (20:5omega3) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) (22:6omega3) (p < 0.001). Moreover, all established indices (essential fatty acid [EFA] index ((omega3 +omega6)/(omega7 +omega9)) (p < 0.001) and sufficiency of docosahexaenoic acid index (C22:6omega3/C22:5omega6) (p < 0.001)) confirmed the presence of EFA deficiency. CONCLUSION: Children with food allergy managed with restricted intake of foods such as milk, egg, fish and vegetables are at risk of developing a deficiency in EFA and particularly in omega3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids, which are especially necessary for adequate growth, neurological development and cardiovascular health.

Complications and consequences of epilepsy surgery, ketogenic diet, and vagus nerve stimulation.

Children with medically intractable epilepsy may be candidates for nonpharmacologic therapies such as resective and disconnection epilepsy surgery, the ketogenic diet and its variants, and vagus nerve stimulation. Each of these therapies offers unique advantages and disadvantages, and careful consideration of the risk-benefit analysis must be tailored to each child. The hopeful outcome from each of these therapies is seizure freedom or at least a very significant improvement in seizure control, with few or no adverse effects. However, unfortunate adverse consequences can and do occur. These may be serious and irreversible or more commonly mild and transient. An appreciation of these complications and consequences is necessary for the comprehensive management of these complex patients.

The ketogenic diet in children with epilepsy.

Children with epilepsy, especially those facing intractable seizures, experience a great impact on the quality of their lives. Effective treatment is essential, and although new anti-epileptic drugs have shown an improved profile of action, still a substantial number of children look for more efficacious ways of treatment that are far away from potential toxicity and ineffectiveness. The ketogenic diet is a dietary therapy for epileptic children based on manipulation of metabolism principles and brain energetics. This regimen aims to produce a controlled ketonaemia through excessive dietary fat intake, little carbohydrates and adequate (for growth) protein. The present paper is a review of previous and current papers regarding the proposed mechanisms of the ketogenic diet's action, and the efficacy of the regimen on epileptic children. Unfortunately, a few small studies in sample size and duration tried to evaluate the potential risks of this regimen and their results were rather inconclusive. Further research needs to be done in order for the exact mechanism of the ketogenic diet to be clarified which will help to improve the diet's application, especially for vulnerable epileptic children as far as their growth is concerned.

Alimentación temprana en cirugía / Early feeding in surgery

La alimentación temprana en postoperatorios de cirugía abdominal y sobre todo en cirugía del intestino delgado y del colon, es un tema controvertido, pero poco a poco se va imponiendo en los servicios de cirugía general aún sin una adecuada valoración del beneficio que ello brinda para los pacientes y las instituciones. Aplicamos los conocimientos actuales en la fisiología del comportamiento postoperatorio del peristaltismo intestinal con distintos sistemas anestésicos, e implementamos en nuestro servicio un protocolo de alimentación oral y movilización precoz, evaluamos los resultados y la existencia o no de factores que pudieran influir sobre la evolución del proceso. En el período 1999 - 2000 seleccionamos 587 cirugías abdominales programadas, en cuyos protocolos terapéuticos postoperatorios incorporamos regímenes de alimentación adecuados en las primeras 24 horas. El análisis aislado de distintas variables nos ofrece los siguientes datos : la relación mujer/varón fue de 6/4, con una edad superior a los 30 años en el 61,5 por ciento; en lo que respecta a la técnica de abordaje, la incisión mediana fue de elección en 481 casos (82,3 por ciento), con un tiempo promedio de cirugía de 114 minutos, y el dato más importante lo aporta el hecho de que no debieron establecerse modificaciones en el cronograma ni en el esquema nutricional habitual de nuestro hospital. Considerando los distintos tipos de cirugía; la deambulación precoz del paciente y la tolerancia a la alimentación líquida dentro de las 24 hs. del postoperatorio se logró en 546 pacientes (93 por ciento) externando los mismos a las 48 hs.. Manifestaron signos de intolerancia 41 pacientes (7 por ciento), siendo las náuseas el síntoma predominante en 36 casos (6,2 por ciento del total). La persistencia de náuseas, vómitos y epigastralgias después de la primera ingesta, se produjo en 21 casos (3,7 por ciento), todos estos mejoraron con tratamiento médico y retrasaron la aplicación del programa durante 72 horas. Concluimos que la alimentación oral temprana es segura y confiable; su empleo rutinario reduce los tiempos de internación postoperatoria, es recomendable aún sin la aparición de signos de peristaltismo intestinal; las manifestaciones adversas, son poco frecuentes, pasibles de tratamiento médico y no se ha registrado mortalidad. (AU)

Elimination diet in cow's milk allergy: risk for impaired growth in young children.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to evaluate the nutritional impact of therapeutic elimination diets and to identify risk factors predisposing infants with food allergy to poor growth. STUDY DESIGN: We studied 100 children (mean age 7 months) with atopic dermatitis and challenge-proven cow's milk allergy and evaluated their growth during the symptomatic period before diagnosis and during the therapeutic elimination diet. RESULTS: Clinical control of symptoms was achieved in all patients. The mean length SD score and weight-for-length index of patients decreased compared with those in healthy age-matched children, p < 0.0001 and p = 0.03, respectively. Low serum albumin was present in 6% of the patients, 24% had an abnormal urea concentration, and 8% had a low serum phospholipid docosahexaenoic acid. The delay in growth was more pronounced in a subgroup of patients with early onset than in those with later of symptoms (F = 6.665, p < 0.0001). The duration of breast-feeding correlated positively with the sum of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (r = 0.39, p = 0.001) and with the relative amount of docosahexaenoic acid (r = 0.36, p = 0.002). CONCLUSION: A delicate balance exists between the benefits and the risks of elimination diets.

Metabolismo protéico em pacientes com trauma encefálico submetidos à hiper-alimentaçäo, via enteral, com e sem suplementaçäo parenteral de glicose - Estudo cinético com 15N / Protein metabolism in cranial injury patients submitted to enteral hyperalimentation, with and without parenteral glucose suplementation

Nos últimos anos têm havido inúmeras referências aos benefícios de uma intervençäo nutricional, efetiva e precoce, sobre a mortalidade e morbidade de pacientes traumatizados de crânio. A composiçäo e forma de administraçäo das dietas, ainda é objeto de polêmicas. Foi feita uma proposta de estudo a partir de dieta enteral padräo constituída de 131 gramas de proteína/dia e 1200 kcla de glicose, via enteral, em torno de 7 dias após a lesäo (M1). Os pacientes receberam em um segundo momento, cerca de 4 dias após, (M2), uma suplementaçäo de 1200 kcal de glicose pela via enteral, voltando a receber dieta padräo, com nova avaliaçäo 3 a 4 dias após (M3). Em um período de 2 anos, foram selecionados 28 pacientes do sexo masculino, com trauma encefálico grave, escala de gravidade de Glasgow entre 3 e 6, sem comprometimento pulmonar que implicasse em pressäo parcial de O2 inferior a 70 mmHg, e peso corporal acima de 60 Kg. Dentre os 28 pacientes, 6 complementaram o estudo prosposto. Os pacientes foram acompanhados clinicamente durante toda a fase do experimento. Em cada um dos momentos de análise, M1, M2 e M3, foram feitas análises da excreçäo nitrogenada, proteínas de fase aguda e estudo cinético com 15N-glicina, administrada por via oral e avaliada em um período de 9 horas. Da mesma forma foram feitas determinaçöes da glicemia plasmática, N-amínico e triglicerídeos. Os resultados do estudo demonstraram que a suplementaçäo de glicose no ponto médio do experimento, näo provocou modificaçöes no balanço nitrogenado, cinética protéica ou no comportamento das proteínas de fase aguda. Ficou evidenciado, outrossim, que acompanhando a melhoria do quadro clínico-neurológico, houve normalizaçäo dos valores das proteínas de fase aguda, bem como das taxas de síntese e catabolismo protéicos, incluindo a taxa fracional catabólica e percentual de síntese protéica. A partir dos resultados do experimento, é possível concluir que o hipermetabolismo, a basear-se na análise da cinética protéica, näo persiste além do 13§ dia do período de recuperaçäo pós-trauma. Sugere-se que a dieta enteral, mesmo a volumes reduzidos, deve ser instituída o mais precocemente possível, visando atingir volumes e constituiçäo adequadas, ao final da primeira semana do período de recuperaçäo, e que a suplementaçäo de glicose e.v. à dieta enteral é dispensável para a reduçäo do catabolismo protéico.

Metabolismo protéico em pacientes com trauma encefálico submetidos à hiper-alimentação, via enteral, com e sem suplementação parenteral de glicose - Estudo cinético com 15N / Protein metabolism in cranial injury patients submitted to enteral hyperalimentation, with and without parenteral glucose suplementation

Nos últimos anos têm havido inúmeras referências aos benefícios de uma intervenção nutricional, efetiva e precoce, sobre a mortalidade e morbidade de pacientes traumatizados de crânio. A composição e forma de administração das dietas, ainda é objeto de polêmicas. Foi feita uma proposta de estudo a partir de dieta enteral padrão constituída de 131 gramas de proteína/dia e 1200 kcla de glicose, via enteral, em torno de 7 dias após a lesão (M1). Os pacientes receberam em um segundo momento, cerca de 4 dias após, (M2), uma suplementação de 1200 kcal de glicose pela via enteral, voltando a receber dieta padrão, com nova avaliação 3 a 4 dias após (M3). Em um período de 2 anos, foram selecionados 28 pacientes do sexo masculino, com trauma encefálico grave, escala de gravidade de Glasgow entre 3 e 6, sem comprometimento pulmonar que implicasse em pressão parcial de O2 inferior a 70 mmHg, e peso corporal acima de 60 Kg. Dentre os 28 pacientes, 6 complementaram o estudo prosposto. Os pacientes foram acompanhados clinicamente durante toda a fase do experimento. Em cada um dos momentos de análise, M1, M2 e M3, foram feitas análises da excreção nitrogenada, proteínas de fase aguda e estudo cinético com 15N-glicina, administrada por via oral e avaliada em um período de 9 horas. Da mesma forma foram feitas determinações da glicemia plasmática, N-amínico e triglicerídeos. Os resultados do estudo demonstraram que a suplementação de glicose no ponto médio do experimento, não provocou modificações no balanço nitrogenado, cinética protéica ou no comportamento das proteínas de fase aguda. Ficou evidenciado, outrossim, que acompanhando a melhoria do quadro clínico-neurológico, houve normalização dos valores das proteínas de fase aguda, bem como das taxas de síntese e catabolismo protéicos, incluindo a taxa fracional catabólica e percentual de síntese protéica...(AU)

Human infection with Salmonella dublin.

Twenty-seven cases of human infection with Salmonella dublin were identified over a 12-year period at the University of California at San Diego-affiliated hospitals. Important epidemiologic risk factors were the ingestion of unpasteurized dairy products or treatment with nutritional therapy that included raw calf-liver extracts. Nearly all patients had underlying chronic diseases. Like Salmonella choleraesuis, S. dublin infections were associated with a high incidence of bacteremia (91%), metastatic sites of infection (30%), and mortality (26%) relative to other non-typhoidal Salmonellae. This pattern of disease expression may be related to a plasmid-encoded virulence factor common to both of these organisms.

Potentially life-threatening cardiac dysrhythmia in a child with selenium deficiency and phenylketonuria.

Selenium deficiency is a frequent finding in children with phenylketonuria (PKU) receiving dietary treatment. We report the occurrence of episodic ventricular tachycardia in a 9-month-old infant with PKU. Serum selenium (Se), 0.13 mumol/l (normal range 0.28-1.12 mumol/l, mean +/- 2 SD), and whole blood glutathione peroxidase (GSHPX), 16 U/g Hb (normal range 19.5-34.3 U/g Hb, mean +/- 2 SD), were low. Auscultation of cardiac rhythm is recommended during the routine follow-up of young children with PKU. Se deficiency should be considered in the aetiology of a dysrhythmia and corrected with Se supplementation.