Inflammatory processes may predispose children to high-altitude pulmonary edema.

We investigated retrospectively whether the preexistence of inflammation-producing illnesses such as viral respiratory tract infections contributed to the development of high-attitude pulmonary edema in children. We found that the large majority of native low-attitude children, but not adults, who had this form of edema after traveling to high altitude also had evidence of a preexisting illness. We speculate that the release of inflammatory mediators associated with these illnesses may be tolerated at sea level but may predispose children to increased capillary permeability when superimposed on hypoxia and, possibly, cold and exercise.

Insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-I and IGF-binding activity in normal and fast-growing chickens.

Insulin-like growth factor(IGF)-binding activity were characterized in sera normal, fast growing, and very fast growing chicken strains. In contrast to a previous report, specific IGF-binding activity was observed in this nonmammalian species. Age-related IGF-binding activity levels did not differ between strains. IGF-I levels were significantly higher for the normal as compared to the 2 fast growing strains. Chromatographic studies show that IGF-I is associated with acid-dissociable high MW complexes in chicken serum, and the MW patterns are similar to human serum. Circulating levels of IGF-I or IGF-binding activity do not account for accelerated somatic growth in inbred large-bodied chicken strains.