[The quantitative analysis of thyroid hormones and thyrotropin in children critically ill with septicemia]. / Cuantificación de hormonas tiroideas y tirotropina en niños críticamente enfermos con septicemia.

The function of the hypothalamus, hypophysis, and thyroid glands was studied in 23 critically-ill septicemic children and 15 other healthy children used as controls. A comparison in the quantification of 3,3'5-triiodothyronine (T3), 3,3',5'triiodothyronine (T3r), thyroxine (T4) and thyrotropin (TSH) from those in the control group with the initial values from the patients showed a notable decrease of T3 and T4 and a rise in T3r and TSH in the septicemic children, with a statistical significant difference (P less than 0.001). These biochemical changes which translate into a homeostatic command to avoid catabolism through the conservation of energy, spontaneously returned to normal in 18 of the surviving septicemic children once they recuperated.

Comparacion de dos pruebas para determinacion de productos liticos de fibrina. / A comparison of two tests for detection of fibrinogen fibrin degradation products

Se estudiaron 19 ninos con edades comprendidas de 5 dias a 18 meses, con factores desencadenantes o sospecha clinica de coagulacion intravascular diseminada. Se hicieron para su comparacion, 50 pares de determinaciones para productos liticos de fibrina mediante la tecnica de aglutinacion por estafilococo y aglutinacion con particulas de latex (25 para cada una). La cifra media para la primera fue de 18.24 mcg/ml. El analisis estadistico mediante la correlacion de Pearson dio como resultado una "r" de 0.80 que equivale e una "p" menor de 0.01

Ventajas de la oximetria transcutanea en el paciente pediatrico criticamente enfermo. / Advantages of transcutaneous oxymetry in the critically ill pediatric patient

Se estudiaron 38 pacientes con edades comprendidas entre 48 horas a 10 anos, que ingresaron al Servicio de Terapia Intensiva Pediatrica, con insuficiencia respiratoria aguda, a quienes se les determino simultaneamente la presion transcutanea de oxigeno (PtO2) y presion arterial de oxigeno (PaO2), para comparacion. Se estudiaron los efectos de diferentes factores como: temperatura corporal, edema de piel, sitio de colocacion del electrodo, aspiracion de secreciones, etc. Se compararon 37 pares de determinaciones y se encontro una correlacion significativa: r=0.907, p < 0.001 para los valores de PO2

[The value of the staphylococcal clumping test in the diagnosis of disseminated intravascular coagulation in the infected infant]. / Valor de la aglutinación por estafilococo en el diagnóstico de CID en el lactante infectado.

The staphylococcal clumping test for measurement of fibrin split products is a simple, rapid and trustworthy method in the diagnosis of disseminated intravascular coagulation. Three groups of patients were studied, a) with anatomicopathological findings of DIC, 26 cases; b) with predisposing factors for DIC, 50 cases and c) control group, 50 cases. The p value was less than 0.001 for the staphylococcal clumping test, equivalent to 100% trustworthiness in confirming the diagnosis of DIC.

[Fanconi syndrome with hepatic cirrhosis. Presentation of a case]. / Síndrome de Fanconi con cirrosis hepática. Presentación de un caso.

A male infant with clinical and radiological manifestations of hypophosphatemic rickets is presented. He had dysfunction of the renal tubular mechanisms of reabsorption manifested by: glycosuria, hyperaminoaciduria, hyperphosphaturia and high alkaline phosphatase plasma levels; associated with hepatic cirrhosis. Biochemical screening discarded most of the main known causes of Toni-Debré-Fanconi syndrome. Unfortunately, due to the low incidence of the syndrome and the patient's death, it was impossible to reach an accurate diagnosis. A review of the syndrome is presented.

Sindrome de Fanconi con cirrosis hepatica. Presentacion de un caso. / Fanconi's syndrome with liver cirrhosis. Presentation of a case

Se presenta el caso de un lactante masculino, con manifestaciones clinicas y radiologicas de raquitismo; alteraciones de la funcion tubular renal manifestadas por: glucosuria, hiperfosfaturia, hiperaminoaciduria, acidosis tubular, hipofosfatemia con calcio normal y fosfatasa alcalina elevada en plasma; asociados a cirrosis hepatica. Se realizaron estudios bioquimicos mediante los cuales se descartaron la mayoria de las causas conocidas del sindrome de Toni-Debre-Fanconi. Sin embargo, debido a la baja frecuencia del sindrome y al fallecimiento del nino, fue imposible llegar a un diagnostico de certeza

Valor de la prueba de aglutinacion por estafilococo en el diagnostico de CID en el lactante infectado. / Value of the agglutination test, by staphylococcus in the diagnosis of DIC in infected infants

La determinacion de productos liticos de la fibrina mediante la tecnica de aglutinacion por estafilococo, ofrece un indice de seguridad elevado en el diagnostico de coagulacion intravascular diseminada (CID). Se formaron 3 grupos de estudio para valorar su confiabilidad: a) anatomopatologico, 26 autopsias de pacientes con CID; b) clinico prospectivo, 50 pacientes con factores desencadenantes de CID y c) grupo control, 50 pacientes "sanos". Se encontro una confiabilidad muy alta (p menor de 0.001) al comparar los 3 grupos para la prueba de aglutinacion por estafilococo, lo cual proporciona practicamente un 100% de seguridad en la confirmacion de CID en lactantes infectados

[Determination of sodium and potassium in feces of infants with diarrhea disease]. / Determinación de sodio y potasio en heces de lactantes con enfermedad diarreica.

Two male infants, with second degree malnutrition and diarrhea were the subjects of this study. Samples of stools were collected in eight periods of eight hours each to determine: dry and moist weight, concentration of sodium and potassium in each sample. The correlation fluid volume against concentration of sodium and another one of lost volume expressed in milliliters per kilogram per period against concentration, corresponded to r = 0.83 and 0.86 with p less than 0.01. As expected, no correlation was found for the potassium ion when behaving as independent variable.