Pediatrics in Clinics: Highlights

Sellami et al. (1) examined the effect of the histocompatibility antigen HA-1 disparity on the incidence of both acute and chronic graft-versus-host disease in Tunisian recipients of hematopoietic stem cells in 60 patients and their 60 respective sibling hematopoietic stem cell donors. Their findings support previously reported data suggesting a significant association between HA-1 disparity and the risk of acute graft-versus-host disease following hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. Tedde et al. (2) compared bar displacement and complication rates in three retrospective series of mostly pediatric patients operated on by the same surgical team for pectus excavatus: (i) original, unmodified Nuss technique; (ii): ’’third point fixation’’ technique; and (iii) correction performed with modifications to the stabilizer and stabilizer position. With bar displacement and instability no longer significant postoperative risks, the Nuss technique should be considered among the available options for the surgical correction of pectus excavatum in pediatric patients. Dutra et al. (3) aimed to test five microsatellite markers (D7S1870, D7S489, D7S613, D7S2476, and D7S489) for the diagnosis of Williams-Beuren syndrome, to determine the size and parental origin of microdeletion, compare the clinical characteristics in 97 patients with different sizes of the deletion and parental origin. Microdeletions were present in 84 (86.6%) patients. Maternal deletions were found in 52.4%, paternal deletions in 47.6% of patients. Supraventricular aortic stenosis, ocular and urinary abnormalities were more frequent in the patients with a deletion. They conclude that the use of the five microsatellite markers was informative in all patients, and may thus be considered as an alternative method for molecular diagnosis in Williams-Beuren syndrome. Kayiran et al. (4) described the demographic, clinical, and laboratory features of 30 children, aged ,5 years. with Kawasaki disease managed at the American Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey. Coronary artery abnormalities were detected in nine patients. They claim that this study is the most comprehensive series of children from Turkey with KD included in Medline. Orlando et al. (5) analyzed the results of treating 39 deep venous malformations patients with low doses of ethanol. Patients were followed up prospectively over a median period of 18 months. All of the lesions affected limbs, and the main symptom reported was pain (97.4%). Each patient underwent fortnightly alcohol application sessions under local anesthesia on an outpatient basis. Symptoms completely disappeared in 14 patients (35.9%) and improved in 24 (61.5%). They conclude that deep venous malformation patients using ethanol at low doses was effective, with a low complication rate.