[Testicular and paratesticular tumors during childhood and adolescence]. / Tumores testiculares y paratesticulares en la infancia y adolescencia.

INTRODUCTION: Testicular and paratesticular tumors represent 1-2% of the solid tumors in children. We present a retrospective series of 15 cases in patients less than 18 years of age. RESULTS: The mean age of the patients was 9.7 yrs, 6 of them prepubertal (mean age: 2.08 ± 1 yrs) and 9 pubertal (mean age: 15.1 ± 1.3 yrs). The most common clinical form of presentation was a painless testicular mass. The α-fetoprotein levels were high in 5 patients (yolk-sac tumors and embryonal carcinomas). The pathological study showed 11 primary testicular tumors and 4 paratesticular tumors (rhabdomyosarcomas), with 60% being germinal tumors and the rest non-germinal. Around 60% were malignant tumors (2 from the yolk-sac tumors, 2 embryonal carcinomas, one seminoma and 4 rhabdomyosarcomas). Among the benign tumors, the most common was the mature cystic teratoma. Surgery was the initial treatment in all of the cases (radical orchiectomy in 13 tumors and enucleation in 2 teratomas, with retroperitoneal lymphadenectomy in 4 cases). In 11 patients the tumor was in stage I, while 4 cases (2 embryonal carcinomas and 2 rhabdomyosarcomas) were in stage IV with pulmonary metastasis. Chemotherapy whether or not combined with radiotherapy was applied in 7 patients (4 rhabdomyosarcomas, 2 embryonal carcinomas and one seminoma). CONCLUSIONS: Testicular and paratesticular tumors in prepubertal children show epidemiological, histological, therapeutical and evolutional characteristics well differentiated from postpubertal or adult subjects.

[Kawasaki disease in 76 patients. Risk factors for coronary artery aneurysms]. / Enfermedad de Kawasaki en 76 pacientes. Factores de riesgo de aparición de aneurismas coronarios.

INTRODUCTION: Kawasaki disease is an acute systemic vasculitis of childhood, of unknown origin, and is considered the leading cause of acquired heart disease in children. Therefore, it is important to know clinical manifestations and complications in children with Kawasaki disease in our environment and to look for risk factors for the development of cardiac complications. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Retrospective review of 76 children with Kawasaki disease evaluated from January 1997 to May 2008. RESULTS: Of the patients studied, 64.5% were males. The mean age was 3 years and 4 months. The main clinical findings were fever (mean of 8.13 days), rash, bilateral non-exudative conjunctivitis, changes in lips and oral cavity, changes in the extremities, cervical lymphadenopathy and arthralgias. The most important laboratory findings were leucocytosis, thrombocytosis, elevated C-reactive protein and erythrocyte sedimentation rate, hypoalbuminaemia, hyperbilirubinaemia, elevated serum transaminases and sterile pyuria. Twelve of the patients (15.7%) developed coronary artery aneurysms, two patients had a mild mitral insufficiency and one patient with a mild pericardial effusion. There was one case of cholestatic hepatitis. All the complications were resolved without sequelae. Male sex (OR = 1.24), an urticarial exanthem (OR = 10.53) and a C-reactive protein > 10mg/dl (OR = 4.20) were identified as risk factors for coronary aneurysms. CONCLUSIONS: Our patients had the typical clinical and laboratory findings of Kawasaki disease. Mild coronary artery complications were observed in 15.7% of the patients. Male sex, an urticarial exanthem and an elevated C-reactive protein are risk factors for coronary aneurysms.