[Urokinase in a premature infant: its use in a case of right atrial thrombosis secondary to catheterization of the umbilical vein]. / Urochinasi nel prematuro: utilizzo in un caso di trombosi atrial destra secondaria a cateterizzazione della vena ombelicale.

Newborns with vascular catheters must be investigated by echocardiogram for intracardiac thrombosis. We report the use of urokinase to treat an asymptomatic right atrial thrombus in a 31 weeks' gestation newborn; the thrombosis occurred after placement of a catheter in the umbilical vein. We obtained a safe and successful thrombolysis using urokinase 4000 U/kg/h in continuous infusion.

Nephrocalcinosis in children and adolescents: sonographic evaluation during long-term treatment with 1,25-dihydroxycholecalciferol.

In order to study the presence of possible renal damage, 12 patients who had been chronically treated with 1,25-dihydroxycholecalciferol therapy, 1,25(OH)2D3, for hypoparathyroidism, pseudohypoparathyroidism, and hypophosphatemic rickets were examined by renal ultrasound. Two patients had normal values while 10 subjects showed nephrocalcinosis (NC) of mild, medium, or severe degree. The echographic results have been related to some calcium-phosphorus metabolism and therapeutic parameters. In those subjects with medium to severe NC, the age at the beginning of therapy was significantly younger and the dose of 1,25(OH)2D3 was significantly higher, than in the other patients. Laboratory data were not predictive of NC. Renal ultrasound is, therefore, a useful means of screening to detect even early stages of NC; its use in the follow-up is also recommended.

Bone mass in young patients with type I diabetes.

We measured bone mineral content (BMC) with single photon absorptiometry in two groups of young patients with type I diabetes: the first group (prospective study) consists of 48 patients followed from onset to the third year of diabetes and the second group (cross-sectional study) consists of 66 long-term diabetics. Bone mineral content at onset of disease was lower than normal in only two cases. After 3 years of diabetes no male revealed BMC below the normal range but two females (6.6%) had low BMC values. In our cross-sectional study we found a BMC reduction in 12% of the cases. We did not find a relationship between bone deficit and duration of diabetes, or bone mass values and HbA1.