Functional aerobic capacity and body size.

An endurance treadmill exercise test protocol of two minute stages of increasing speed and gradient has been designed and evaluated for children under 10 years of age. There was a significant relation between test protocol time and oxygen uptake measured in ml/kg/min in tests performed on 20 subjects. One hundred and sixty exercise tests performed in a semi longitudinal study of healthy primary schoolchildren were used to assess the relation of functional aerobic capacity with age and size. In boys functional aerobic capacity measured by predicting maximal oxygen uptake from endurance time in the treadmill test increased from 33.8 ml/kg/min at age 5 to 50.5 ml/kg/min at age 9.5 and was most closely related to age. The variables of size were not significant in predicting functional aerobic capacity for boys. In girls functional aerobic capacity increased from 34.9 to 43.5 ml/kg/min at the same ages and was related positively to lean body mass and age but negatively to weight. For girls lean body mass contributed 53.9% to the variance of functional aerobic capacity in stepwise multiple regression, weight 7.7%, and age 3.5%. A significant difference between the sexes was found.

Slow release theophylline in preschool asthmatics.

A double blind crossover trial with active or placebo slow release theophylline (Slo-phyllin) in children with asthma aged up to 4 years is described. Although no difference in symptom scores was shown, other differences in favour of active treatment were noted. We conclude that this preparation is of benefit in the management of the wheezing preschool child. The value of symptom scores as an index of clinical improvement is discussed.

Unusual angiographic appearances of the left ventricle in 2 cases of Pompe's disease (glycogenosis type II).

The angiographic and haemodynamic findings in 2 cases of Pompe's disease (glycogenosis type II) indicated an abnormal trabecular pattern, not previously reported, on the left ventricular angiogram of both patients. This feature may be helpful in distinguishing Pompe's disease from other forms of myocardial abnormality.

Ventriculitis in congenital rubella: ultrasound demonstration.

A female infant with proven congenital rubella infection was referred for cranial ultrasound examination. Intraventricular strands and debris with periventricular echogenic foci were demonstrated. These findings, typical of ventriculitis, have not previously been reported in congenital rubella. Mental retardation is the rule in symptomatic cases and therefore early recognition of central nervous system involvement is of benefit in assessing the long-term neurodevelopmental outcome.

A de novo translocation t(3;17)(q26.3;q23.1) in a child with Cornelia de Lange syndrome.

A female infant with Cornelia de Lange syndrome and severe limb reduction defects is described. Chromosome analysis showed a de novo translocation with breakpoints at 3q26.3 and 17q23.1. This is the first reported case of a de novo translocation associated with this syndrome.

Hypercalcaemia in infancy; a presenting feature of spinal muscular atrophy.

A 10 month old girl presented with a history of constipation from early life. She was found to be hypercalcaemic with hypercalciuria and nephrocalcinosis. Her mild motor delay and hypotonia were thought to be linked to chronic hypercalcaemia, but when these features failed to improve despite normocalcaemia on a low calcium diet the possibility of neuromuscular disease was explored in more detail. She was subsequently found to have spinal muscular atrophy type 2. We suspect that the hypercalcaemia with hypercalciuria observed in this case reflects altered bone turnover secondary to reduced muscular activity.

Fat as an energy supplement for preterm infants.

The absorption and utilisation of dietary fat as an energy supplement was studied in 15 healthy preterm infants. They were given two formulae for periods of one week. The standard low solute feed supplied 6 g fat and 476 kJ (114 cal) per kg. The high energy feed supplied 10 g of the same fat and 623 kJ (149 cal) per kg. Fat supplementation resulted in increased absorption (significantly higher chylomicron levels) without steatorrhoea or metabolic disturbance, apparently unchanged differential absorption of fatty acids, and a significantly higher rate of weight gain (mean 25.9 +/- 4.6 compared with 20.3 +/- 4.4 g/24 h). A high energy formula prepared with supplements of complex dietary fat is therefore of potential value in ensuring the adequate nutrition and growth of preterm infants.

Controlled study of exclusion of dietary vasoactive amines in migraine.

To assess the effects of dietary vasoactive amines in the aetiology of childhood migraine, 39 children were randomly allocated to either a high fibre diet low in these substances or a high fibre diet alone. Both groups of children showed a significant decrease in the number of headaches and there was no significant difference between the two groups. Dietary vasoactive amines have not been shown in this study to influence childhood migraine. The improvement seen in both groups emphasises the need for a control diet in studies designed to show that dietary manipulation improves disease.