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Summary. Twenty-one child patients with thalassaemic major (TM) and 83 healthy control children were examined for dental caries and gingivitis. Stimulated parotid gland secretions were collected from each child. Parotid saliva flow rate was measured and the saliva samples were tested for calcium, phosphorus, potassium, sodium, urea, lysozyme and immunoglobulin levels (IgA, IgG, IgM). The results showed that dental caries experience was significantly higher in the TM group. Parotid saliva flow rates in TM patients were not signiticantly different from those in the healthy controls. However, the median saliva concentrations of phosphorus and IgA were significantly lower in the patients than in the controls. The concentration of lysozyme was also lower in the TM group, but the difference was not statistically significant. The findings could provide an explanation for the higher dental caries experience and gingivitis observed in the TM group. Résumé. Vingt et un enfants souffrant de Thalassómie majeure et quatre-vingt trois enfants d'un groupe de contrôle ont été examinés en ce qui concerne les caries dentaires et la gingivite. La glande parotide a été stimulée et la salive recueillie chez chaque enfant. Le flux salivaire parotidien et le taux de calcium, phosphore, potassium sodium, urée, lysozyme et immunoglobulines (ig a, ig b, ig, m) ont été mesurés. Les résultats ont montré un taux significativement plus élevé de caries dentaires dans le groupe malade. Le flux parotidien n'était pas statistiquement différent dans ce groupe par rapport au groupe de contrôle mais la concentration moyenne salivaire en phosphore et ig a était plus basse de façon significative chez ces patients; de plus la concentration en calcium et lysozyme était également plus basse mais de façon non statistiquement différente; Les résultats pourraient expliquer le nombre plus important de caries et de gingivites observées dans le groupe souffrant de Thalassémie. Zusammenfassung. 21 Kinder mit Thalassaemia Major (TM) und 83 gesunde Kindern einer Kontrollgruppe, wurden auf Karies und Gingivitis untersucht. Von jedem Kind wurde die stimulierte Sekretion der Parotisdüse gesammelt. Die Speichelflussrate wurde gemessen, und Speichelmuster wurden auf den Inhalt von Kalzium, Phosphor, Potassium, Sodium, Harnstoff, Lysozyme und Immunglobulin (HgA, JgG und JgM). Das Resultat ergab, dass der Kariesbefall signifikant höher war bei den TM-Patienten. Der Parotis-Flow bei diesen Patienten war nicht signifikant unterschieldlich von der Kontrollgruppe. Aber die durchschnittliche Konzentration von Phosphor und JgA was signifikant niedriger bei den TM-Patienten. Bei der Konzentration von Kalzium und Lysozyme wurde kein wesentlicher Unterschied gemessen. Diese Ergebniss können eine Erklärung geben für den höheren Befall von Karies und Gingivitis bei der TM-Gruppe. Resumen. Un total de 21 niños con Talasemia Mayor (TM) y 83 niños sanos controles fueron examinados para evaluar caries y gingivitis. De cada niños se recolecto secreciones estimuladas de la glándula parótida. El nivel del flujo salival de la parótida fue medido y las muestras salivales analizadas para detectar los niveles de calcio, fósforo, potasio, sodio, urea, lisoenzima e inmunoglobulina (IgA, IGg IgM). Los resultados mostraron que la experiencia de caries dental fue significativamente mayor en el grupo con TM. La velocidad del flujo de la parótida en los pacientes con TM no fue estadisticamente significative comparado con el del grupo control. Sin embargo, la concentración salival media de fósforo y de la IgA fue significativamente menor en los pacientes con TM. Además, las concentraciones de calcio y lizoenzima tambien fueron menores, pero las diferencias tampoco fueron significativas. Estos resultados proveen una explicacion a la mayor caries dental y gingivitis observada en el grupo con TM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The outcomes of 419 pregnancies of 154 unselected patients with various auto-immune diseases, including 390 pregnancies before the disease onset, were studied retrospectively. The patients comprised 40 with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), 72 with rheumatoid arthritis, 21 with primary Sjögren's syndrome (1 degree SS), 14 with progressive systemic sclerosis (PSS), and seven with mixed connective tissue disease. The histories of 267 pregnancies of 98 healthy, age matched women served as controls. Our data indicate that compared with healthy controls autoimmune patients do not experience a higher incidence of fetal loss. The incidence of fetal loss before disease onset in the various groups of autoimmune patients (as well as after disease onset in patients with SLE and RA) was not significantly different from that of controls. Spontaneous abortions in patients with 1 degree SS and PSS before disease onset occurred significantly more frequently (p less than 0.05) than in controls. Nevertheless, it should be noted that this was not the case when the incidence per woman was considered. On the other hand, patients with SLE, both before and after disease onset, experienced a higher incidence of premature deliveries (p less than 0.05). Finally, the analysis of autoantibody profiles, including antibodies to nuclear antigens, to Ro(SSA) cellular antigen, to double stranded DNA, and to cardiolipin, could not demonstrate any association of autoantibodies with any particular pregnancy outcome. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

We report herein the results of the cross-cultural adaptation and validation into the Greek language of the parent's version of 2 health related quality of life instruments. The Childhood Health Assessment Questionnaire (CHAQ) is a disease specific health instrument that measures functional ability in daily living activities in children with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA). The Child Health Questionnaire (CHQ) is a generic health instrument designed to capture the physical and psychosocial well-being of children independently from the underlying disease. The Greek CHAQ CHQ were fully validated with 3 forward and 3 backward translations. A total of 143 subjects were enrolled: 82 patients with JIA (28% systemic onset, 24% polyarticular onset, 10% extended oligoarticular subtype, and 38% persistent oligoarticular subtype) and 61 healthy children. The CHAQ clinically discriminated between healthy subjects and JIA patients, with the systemic, polyarticular and extended oligoarticular subtypes having a higher degree of disability, pain, and a lower overall well-being when compared to their healthy peers. Also the CHQ clinically discriminated between healthy subjects and JIA patients, with the systemic onset, polyarticular onset and extended oligoarticular subtypes having a lower physical and psychosocial well-being when compared to their healthy peers. In conclusion the Greek version of the CHAQ-CHQ is a reliable, and valid tool for the functional, physical and psychosocial assessment of children with JIA.

The aim of this study was to investigate sera of Greek patients with juvenile chronic arthritis (JCA) for the presence of autoantibodies and correlate these antibodies with the clinical picture and disease activity. Sera from 69 JCA patients and sera from 66 healthy children matched for sex and age, were tested for antinuclear antibodies (ANAs), antibodies to extractable cellular antigens (ENAs), rheumatoid factor (RF), immunoglobulins (IgG, IgM), antibodies to double stranded (ds) DNA and anticardiolipin (CL). Our results indicate that: (a) autoantibodies to dsDNA are a not uncommon finding in JCA sera; (b) these autoantibodies have a low affinity for the antigen since they are found in low titers only by ELISA, while the Farr assay and Crithidia lucilliae immunofluorescence assay (IF) are negative; and (c) active JCA patients express many autoantibodies.

Chorea has been related to the presence of antiphospholipid antibodies (a-PL) in the context of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Here we report the case of a 13-year-old girl with a-PL antibodies, who had developed thrombophlebitis at the age of 11 years and chorea two years later, in the absence of clinically evident SLE. Serological tests revealed a false positive test for syphilis, a prolonged activated partial thromboplastin time, hypocomplementaemia and positive anti-DNA antibodies.

We present herein clinical, serological and genetic findings on 27 Greek, subacute cutaneous lupus erythematosus (SCLE) patients. Twenty-three (85 p. 100) presented with a psoriasifom rash in a photosensitive distribution. Two patients (7.5 p. 100) had an annular rash in a polycyclic pattern. Two other patients exhibited both types of lesions. The majority of our patients also had other skin manifestations, including butterfly rash, discoid lesions and maculopapular rash. Systemic manifestations were: arthralgias or arthritis in 50 p. 100, low grade fever in 35 p. 100, central nervous system involvement in 15 p. 100, Sjögren's syndrome in 18 p. 100 and serositis in 8 p. 100. Anti-nuclear antibodies were found in 93 p. 100; antibodies to Ro (SSA) and/or La (SSB) in 70 p. 100. Twenty-one (78 p. 100) satisfied the ARA criteria for systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). No HLA-DR3 antigen association was found in the 16 patients tested. These findings are somewhat different from those reported previously: a) the frequency of the psoriasiform rash rather than the annular one is the highest in Greek SCLE patients; b) most patients also have other skin manifestations mimicking the full spectrum of SLE with prominent cutaneous lesions; and c) no HLA-DR3 antigen association was found in Greek patients. Environmental, ethnic or genetic factors may be responsible for these differences.

Two different tape measurement techniques were tested for anterior spinal flexion in 393 children varying in age from 7 to 14 years. With one technique the skin distraction was found to be more than 6 cm and with the other one more than 4.7 cm. Both were age-dependent but were independent of height and weight.