[Neurological and psychological sequelae in children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia who had received radiotherapy and intrathecal methotrexate]. / Secuelas neurológicas y psicológicas que deja la radioterapia o el metotrexate intratecal en niños con leucemia linfoblástica aguda.

UNLABELLED: Our objective was to compare the neurologic and psychological sequelae of children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) after three or more years without antineoplasic treatment who underwent cranial irradiation plus intrathecal methotrexate (Group 1) or just intrathecal methotrexate (Group 2). In both groups, a neurologic evaluation, electroencephalogram (EEG) and cranial computed tomography (CCT) were performed. Intellectual quotient and the Bender test were done for the psychological evaluation. Investigators did not know the kind of treatment of each patient. STATISTICS: Fisher's exact test and Mann-Whitney U. There were fourteen patients in group 1 and eight patients in group 2. Intellectual quotient was statistically lower in the first group (median 83.5) than in the second (90.5). Neurologic impairments were found in one patient of each group, alterations of the EEG were found in 6 and 4 in group 1 and 2, respectively, and in the CCT of two patients in group 2 without statistical difference. Children with ALL after cranial irradiation have a greater alteration of intellectual performance than children with intrathecal methotrexate. Neurologic alterations were seen in both groups.

Improved metabolic control does not change plasma lipoprotein(a) levels in adolescents with type 1 diabetes mellitus.

BACKGROUND: It has been found that lipoprotein(a)[Lp(a)] is an independent risk factor for coronary heart disease. Studies on the influence of metabolic control on plasma Lp(a) levels in Type 1 diabetics have reported conflicting results. The aim of this study was to investigate Lp(a) levels in carefully selected adolescents with Type 1 diabetes mellitus before and after improved metabolic control achieved during a 2-week Juvenile Diabetes Training Camp. METHODS: Patients with conditions that affect plasma Lp(a) concentrations were not included. Metabolic variables were determined at the beginning and at the end of the camp. Diet was designed to supply 40-60 Kcal/Kg/day. Physical exercise was performed in two 60-minute daily sessions. Intermediate action insulin was given twice daily, and rapid acting insulin was also administered to some patients. RESULTS: On the last day of the camp, fructosamine declined from 430-362.7 mg/dL (p < 0.001), mean levels of total cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol, and triglycerides also declined significantly (p < 0.001), and HDL-C increased (p < 0.05). In contrast, no significant changes in plasma Lp(a) concentrations were observed. CONCLUSIONS: The findings of this study in this relatively large group of well-defined adolescents with Type 1 diabetes mellitus suggest that improved metabolic control does not reduce plasma Lp(a) levels.

Hiperparatiroidismo primario en ninos Informe de dos casos y revision de la literatura. / Primary hyperthyroidism in childreen. Report of 2 cases and review of the literature

Se informa acerca de dos pacientes menores de 15 anos con hiperparatiroidismo primario de caracteristicas clinicas poco frecuentes: uno sufria tumores en el femur derecho y hemicara izquierda asociados a desnutricion grave y el otro artritis importante de ambas rodillas y poca repercusion osea. En este ultimo se localizo un adenoma paratiroideo por medio de la ultrasonografia. Se revisaron 67 casos publicados hasta 1981, 40 en ninos y 27 en ninas; 57 tenian adenomas y 10 hiperparasia-glandular. Los sintomas y signos referidos con mayor frecuencia en el nino son: fatigabilidad, anorexia, vomito, perdida de peso, detencion del crecimiento, osteoporosis y artritis, mientras que en los adultos, las manifestaciones clinicas se relacionan con litiasis de vias urinarias, trastornos oseos, ulcera peptica y pancreatitis. En ninos, la etiologia mas frecuente es un adenoma paratiroideo, con dimensiones mayores a 1.5 cms, histologicamente compuesto de celulas principales. Se Sugiere que el estudio ultrasonografico de cuello sea utilizado habitualmente para la localizacion del tumor