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The outcome of atopic dermatitis and the incidence [correction of prevalence] of asthma was ascertained in a four-year follow-up in 47 children with eczema due to egg allergy. At the end of the study, skin lesions had cleared in 32 (68%) children. Of these, 18 (38.2%) developed tolerance to egg about two years after diagnosis, while 14 (29.7%) continued an elimination diet. Fifteen children (31.9%) are still affected by eczema due to discontinuation of the egg-free diet. At the end of follow-up, 23 children had presented at least three asthma episodes. Therefore, the incidence [correction of prevalence] of asthma in children with atopic dermatitis appears to be significantly higher when egg allergy is present. Egg allergy could be a marker of an atopic condition and therefore be an unfavourable prognostic signal as to the outcome of the disease and the appearance of respiratory allergy.

One hundred-eight infants from atopic families were admitted to the study. Each had at least one first-degree relative affected by asthma or rhinitis, conjunctivitis, eczema, cow's milk protein intolerance. All infants not breast fed were hypoallergenic formula. 46 infants were breast fed, 39 were bottle fed by the ordinary formula and 23 received the hypoallergenic one. No other food was introduced up to 6 months. Cow's milk proteins, egg, poultry and fish were introduced after 6 months. All infants were followed up to 24 months. Incidence of allergic diseases up to 24 months was not significantly different among the 3 groups.

Three infants suffering from hepatosplenomegaly, pancytopenia, hyperlipidemia, low fibrinogen levels and fever are reported. Two patients died during the first year of life, the third one received allogenic bone transplantation and survives. Clinical and haematological features are consistent with diagnosis of hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis.

The Authors have studied 26 newborns suffering from anossic syndrome and/or respiratory distress. In them are valued as well as the renal function, also the behaviour of atrial natriuretic factor (F.A.N.). As a group of control 25 healthy and to term newborns were studied. In all subjects studied, but more specifically in the anossic, it became evident a net increase of F.A.N., which however was within the normal ranges about the 15th year of life. The Authors conclude that in normal newborn this behaviour of F.A.N. reflects the important circulation modification which is certified after birth, whereas in pathological newborns, in whom 69% of cases a functional renal failure is present, the increase of F.A.N. is not without significance in the shortening of time of re-establishment of renal function.

The authors describe a case of Bartter's syndrome, a variety of disease in the newborn, and they point out the most specific of the disease symptoms, that is the normal PA in presence of elevated plasma renin activity. So it was necessary to determine the ANP, the values of which, controlled for a period of 18 months, appeared above the normal ones. The authors conclude that this date would better explain the apparently contradictory date of the normotension.

The authors analysed 31 cases of an acute hypertensive glomerulonephritis. The antihypertensive efficacy of two medicines: a vasodilator (dihidralazine) and a diuretic (Furosemide) was underlibed an these patients. Their efficacy was evident not only in the stabilization of P.A. around normal values on three days, but also on the disappearance of signs of on hypertensive encephalopathy whereas these ones were present.

The authors describe a new-born form of Bartter's syndrome treated for about 6 years with Indomethacin in a quantity of 2 mg/Kg/die except short periods, during which it was given triamterene in a quantity of 2 mg/Kg/die. While with the first medicine the growth of height has had an average increase of about 9 cm a year, with the second one there hasn't been any result neither on growth nor on the rest of symptomatology. The A.A. on the base of recent experimental data think that the deficiency of height could be due to a scanty affinity of peripherical receptors and SmC, that could be removed from the provision of Indomethacin.

The acute pyelonephritis diagnosis in the infancy is often known very late or it is even underestimate that's why the general adopted criteria normally give no a certainty of the exact centre and the real damage entity. For this reason the authors have adopted a diagnostic protocol, which is based on the association of the urinary excretion dosage of beta 2 microglobulin, with sequential renal scan with Hippuran 123. In cases when the urinary beta 2 microglobulin was increasing, we could check a correspondent alteration of scintigraphic secretory phase. All that has permitted, in whale cases, of establishing with precision and at the right time the centre and the renal damage entity.

In thirty-three newborns with anoxic syndrome was valued the renal injury making use of usual parameters of renal function (Blood urea nitrogen, creatinine, FeNa, Clcr) and furthermore the rate of urinary excretion of beta 2-microglobulin, a marker of tubular damage. All the parameters at the beginning of follow-up were altered. Further monitoring of these showed that BUN, creatinine, FeNa, Clcr were normalized in a short time. Differently beta 2-microglobulin was altered up to the end of follow-up in thirty-one newborns; the values were much lower than original. These results show an high incidence of tubular suffering in the ischemic-anoxic syndrome and a tendency to protract in the time.

Prick skin allergometry is actually accepted as the best test for the diagnosis of allergic disease, being reliable and not invasive. Nevertheless questions about it use in children have been put forward. The aim of this study is to evaluate the usefulness and the reliability of prick and Rast tests for the diagnosis of atopic dermatitis due to food allergy. The correlations between Prick and Rast have been studied as well as their relation to the food challenge test. Prick and Rast tests results overlay in almost all cases, while in only 25% of cases there has been copositivity between Prick & Rast and the food challenge. This finding confirms that the pathogenetic mechanism involved in A.D. due to food allergy is not only IgE mediated, but it may also require alternative immunoreactions. Although the prick test is a simple, cheap and reliable method, the diagnosis of food allergy cannot rely solely on it. The diagnostic and therapeutic approach to food allergy borne A.D. is based upon elimination diet and food challenges.