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UNLABELLED Using an investigation protocol, the aim of this study was to determine the frequency of organic abnormalities in children with recurrent abdominal pain, as new diagnostic approaches may reveal a higher prevalence of organic disease in this group than has been found in most studies. Included in the study were 44 children (mean age 8.3 y; 2-15) with more than three bouts of abdominal pain severe enough to affect the daily activities of the child and lasting more than 3 mo. The investigation covered a detailed medical story, a physical examination, blood, urine and stool samples. The somatic investigation was completed by abdominal X-ray and ultrasound, lactose-breath-hydrogen test and 24-h pH monitoring in the lower oesophagus. A Child Behaviour Checklist was completed to assess psychosocial aspects of the illness. The blood, urine and stool samples were normal, and abdominal ultrasound did not give any results related to the symptoms. Constipation was diagnosed in 7 patients (16%); 9 patients (21%) had gastro-oesophageal reflux and oesophagitis was found in another 3 children. One child had nodular antral gastritis with colonization by Helicobacter pylori, and three children had pathological lactose-breath-hydrogen tests. Twenty-four children (55%) did not have any signs of organic disease. The total score for the CBCL was in the normal range in 89%. CONCLUSION Our observations indicate a higher proportion of organic abnormalities in recurrent abdominal pain than has been found in most previously reported studies, though a multicausal approach seems important.

Aim This study aimed to evaluate the reproducibility of macronutrient measurements of domestic pooled human milk from mothers with preterm infants and to see how the results affected human milk fortifications. Methods We asked 28 new mothers to express their breast milk for 24 h on two consecutive days and repeat the process at weekly intervals. The samples were analysed using mid-infrared technology to calculate the differences between the milk collected on two consecutive days for reproducibility and the total protein supply with standard fortification. Results There was a significant linear correlation between the two consecutive days with regard to protein (r = 0.94, p

To explore the long-term prognosis for children referred for recurrent abdominal pain (RAP), 44 children investigated for RAP 5 y ago were compared to a group of controls (n=88). The former RAP patients reported RAP, headache and school absence more frequently than controls. Conclusion: A high proportion of children referred with RAP have persistent symptoms, with more headache and school absence than controls. The diagnostic subgroup did not predict persistence of abdominal pain.

Primary cutaneous aspergillosis is a rare diagnosis. Predisposing factors are immunodeficiency and macerated skin. The mortality of infections with Aspergillus species is high, especially in neonatal intensive care units (NICUs). We present a premature (24 wk of gestation) infant with primary cutaneous aspergillosis appearing on the sixth day of life. Predisposing factors in this patient were prematurity, extremely vulnerable skin, treatment with antibiotics and renovation in the radiology department nearby. The patient was treated with amphotericin B intravenously for a total of 40 d. He did not have, nor develop, disseminated aspergillosis, and suffered no side effects from the treatment. The only remaining trace of his infection was scarring in the affected area.After having treated this patient successfully and having gone through the available literature, we conclude that treating primary cutaneous aspergillosis with intravenous amphotericin B prevents disseminated aspergillosis and is the treatment of choice.

To explore the long-term prognosis for children referred for recurrent abdominal pain (RAP), 44 children investigated for RAP 5 y ago were compared to a group of controls (n=88). The former RAP patients reported RAP, headache and school absence more frequently than controls. A high proportion of children referred with RAP have persistent symptoms, with more headache and school absence than controls. The diagnostic subgroup did not predict persistence of abdominal pain.

Since Apley, more than 40 years ago, concluded that less than 10% of cases with recurrent abdominal pain (RAP) are of organic origin, medical technology has improved, the knowledge has expanded and new methods of investigation have been developed. The lack of organic findings in many children with RAP has led to the conclusion that psychological factors are important.Forty-four children with RAP underwent an investigation programme to find organic abnormalities that might explain the symptoms. Current criteria for irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) in children were used to find out what proportion fulfilled these criteria, irrespective of the organic findings on clinical investigation. A standardized questionnaire, the CBCL (Child Behaviour Checklist), was used to evaluate emotional and behavioural disturbances in children referred for RAP.Thirteen out of 26 (50%) children with no signs of organic disease fulfilled the IBS criteria as opposed to 7 out of 18 (39%) children in the group with organic findings (P = 0.68). The total score for the CBCL was in the normal range for 32 out of 36 of the children.We found a high proportion of children fulfilling the IBS criteria in both groups, thus organic abnormalities have to be excluded before making the IBS diagnosis. The results of the CBCL forms did not show any difference between children with organic versus those with non-organic abnormalities, both groups within the normal range.

UNLABELLED Primary cutaneous aspergillosis is a rare diagnosis. Predisposing factors are immunodeficiency and macerated skin. The mortality of infections with Aspergillus species is high, especially in neonatal intensive care units (NICUs). We present a premature (24 wk of gestation) infant with primary cutaneous aspergillosis appearing on the sixth day of life. Predisposing factors in this patient were prematurity, extremely vulnerable skin, treatment with antibiotics and renovation in the radiology department nearby. The patient was treated with amphotericin B intravenously for a total of 40 d. He did not have, nor develop, disseminated aspergillosis, and suffered no side effects from the treatment. The only remaining trace of his infection was scarring in the affected area. CONCLUSION After having treated this patient successfully and having gone through the available literature, we conclude that treating primary cutaneous aspergillosis with intravenous amphotericin B prevents disseminated aspergillosis and is the treatment of choice.