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Electrochemical detector offers a rapid, accurate, precise and inexpensive micromethod for measuring iron in serum, in practise 50 microliters of serum is pipetted into the electrochemical cell and 60 seconds after the serum iron concentration is displayed digitally in mcg/dl. Day to day precision is 1.2%, the linearity is +/- 2% over range 0-1000 mcg/dl. Normal value in pediatric patients are 42-94 mcg/dl.

Here is presented a practical method for predicting creatinine clearance for pediatric patients from serum creatinine concentration and patients age without collection 24 h urine. Creatinine excretion rate (ER) can be predicted from the patients age, in years, by the formula: ER = (0.0463 x age) + 0.4049. Creatinine clearance can be predicted using the predicted excretion rate and serum creatinine concentration. There was a correlation (r = 0.66) between predicted and observed creatinine clearance in 101 subjects. This method allows renal function to be rapidly estimated.

In 46 breast-fed children affected with otitis or otoantrite, it was investigated on the role of seric immunoglobulines which necessarie are in e transitory lacking period. In the 50% of the tested cases in has been checked a lack of IgG particularly remarkable, beyond the limits of range of the values specific in the breastfed child. As e conclusion, the lack in gammaglobulines is a factor which favours the rising of infection.

After a short review on the topic of nutrition of very low-birth-weight infants, particularly the very small preterms, results are reported on a trial with an adapted milk for prematures. Subjects involved had a gestational age of 28-34 weeks and weighed less than 1500 g thus representing a sample of very low birth weight babies. By using levels of MCT in the milk, a protein quota of 3, 15 g/Kg/day with 40/60 casein whey-protein ratio, an electrolyte content slightly higher than in most adapted formulas (for fullterm babies) and low osmolarity, good results were obtained for body weight growth, length, head circumference and subcutaneous fat. Growth indices were similar to those typical of the terminal months of intrauterine development as well as a satisfactory overall portrayal of biochemical indices of the nutritional status of VLBW babies.

Two glycolytic enzymes, PHI and LDH, have been evaluated in 18 children affected by leukemia or solid tumors: 11 patients had just initiated therapy, 3 patients were about to initiate therapy, while 4 patients were out of therapy. The analysis of the data obtained has shown a good correlation with the course of the disease: we have found values above the normal range in patients with a favorable course of the disease (bone marrow relapse or CNS involvement in leukemic children; relapse or metastasis in solid tumors) almost always before it was possible to demonstrate by clinical and laboratory studies the inhanchement of tumoral cells growth. This was true in all patients except two children affected by neuroblastoma, who were in a favorable immunological status (presence in the serum of free specific antibodies), and who were out of therapy. In these patients the abnormal high values of PHI were interpretated as an index of necrotic phenomena of micrometastasis of tumor cells induced by specific committed T-lymphocytes. Values of PHI and LDH in the normal range were found in patients whose disease demonstrated a favorable course. The AA. suggest the introduction of these enzymatic parameters which may be a useful index of the efficacy of the chemotherapy in the follow-up of oncologic patients.