[Value of the BUN/creatinine ratio in localizing digestive system hemorrhage in children]. / Valor del cociente BUN/creatinina (BUN/Cr) en la localización de la hemorragia digestiva del niño.

We have evaluated the usefulness of the BUN/Cr ratio in 62 children with gastrointestinal bleeding. For upper gastrointestinal hemorrhage, the calculated BUN/Cr ratios ranged from 10 to 66.6, with a mean value of 30.85. For lower gastrointestinal bleeders, the BUN/Cr ratios ranged from 12.5 to 28, with a mean value of 20.12. 18 patients with upper gastrointestinal hemorrhage had a BUN/Cr ratio greater than 30 and all patients with lower gastrointestinal hemorrhage had a ratio of less than 30. The patients with gastroduodenal peptic ulcer had the highest ratios. We concluded that the BUN/Cr ratio is useful to discriminate upper and lower bleeding sources, especially in patients with gastroduodenal ulcer.

[Protein-losing enteropathy of cardiac origin: value of intestinal clearance of alpha-1-antitrypsin]. / Enteropatía pierde-proteínas de causa cardiaca: valor del aclaramiento intestinal de alfa-1-antitripsina (alpha-1-AT).

Two patients with protein-losing enteropathy of cardiac origin, one case due to constrictive pericarditis and another as a complication of a Fontan operation, are presented. In both cases the clinical symptomatology and the analytical pattern were very suggestive of loss of protein through the intestinal lumen. This was confirmed by the determination of fecal fecal alpha-1-antitrypsin (alpha-1-AT) and its intestinal clearance. The utility of both determinations as a simple and secure method in substitution of isotopic studies is emphasized.