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Summary: The study was performed on 39 live donkeys that underwent gastroscopic examination. The lesions were recorded in accordance with the European College of Equine Internal Medicine Consensus Statement guidelines. The presence of Gasterophilus sp. larvae was also recorded. Larvae were collected and identified to species level. Fisher's exact test was used to compare different prevalence values for sex, age, and anatomical distribution of lesions. Gastric lesions were present in 20/39 (51.3% [35.6–67%]) donkeys; 19/39 (48.7% [95% confidence interval = 33–64.4%]) were affected only by equine squamous gastric disease (ESGD), while 1/39 (2.6% [0–7.5%]) showed both ESGD and equine glandular gastric disease (EGGD), thus 95% of positive donkeys showed lesions located in the nonglandular mucosa. The ESGD grade was 0/4 (48.7% [33–64.4%]) in 19/39, 1/4 (12.8% [2.3–23.3%]) in 5/39, 2/4 (25.6% [11.9–39.5%]) in 10/39, 3/4 in 4/39 (10.3% [0.7–19.8%]) and 4/4 in 1/39 (2.6% [0–7.5%]) donkeys, respectively. The EGGD lesion was a mild depression in the ventral glandular fundus. ESGD was primary in all the donkeys included and lesions were located around the cardia and along the lesser curvature. Gasterophilus sp. larvae were present in all animals and were identified as third‐stage larvae of Gasterophilus intestinalis. No animals showed clinical signs of equine gastric ulcer syndrome (EGUS). No significant differences relating to sex, age or breed were found in the prevalence of EGUS in this study, while the proportion of donkeys affected by ESGD was statistically higher than those affected by EGGD. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report on the gastroscopic evaluation of EGUS in live donkeys. Our results show a higher prevalence of EGUS in live donkeys than values previously reported by other authors in donkeys that were dead or had been subjected to euthanasia. The detection of third‐stage G. intestinalis larvae was not unexpected since these can be found in the stomach of equids throughout the year, and G. intestinalis has been reported as the most common Gasterophilus sp. in Italy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new formulation of omeprazole in gastro-resistant granules was tested with regard to its pharmacokinetics and tolerability. Twenty-four horses were randomly divided into three groups (8 horses/group) and treated, according a parallel study design, as follows: Group A untreated (control group), Group B received 4 mg/kg of omeprazole, and Group C received 12 mg/kg of omeprazole, both of which were treated orally once a day for 90 days. Blood samples, taken from Group B subjects during the 1st and the 29th day of treatment at pre-established time points, were used to determine the concentration-time curves of omeprazole. The treatments were found to be safe and well tolerated by the horses. The serum hematological and biochemical values were within reference ranges for the entire observational time. No accumulation of the drug was found after 29 days of treatment. Lower Cmax and AUCs were obtained at the 29th day of treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Capillary blood samples from 42930 infants born in the Italian region of Emilia-Romagna were collected for 17-hydroxyprogesterone radioimmunoassays on days 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7, or between days 7 and 15 of life. A microfilter paper method modified from that of Pang et al.1 was used for this assay. Pathologic values of 17-hydroxyprogesterone were found in 5 infants giving an incidence in this homogeneous Caucasian population of 1:8586. We also investigated 17-hydroxyprogesterone values in relation to the day of sampling and the possible correlation between 17-hydroxyprogesterone values and birthweight and gestational age. We concluded that neonatal screening for congenital adrenal hyperplasia caused by 21-hydroxylase deficiency was possible by this method and that the infants' maturity and the particular day of collection of the samples affect the values but not the validity of the screening. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Thirty-eight obese (13 prepubertal, 25 pubertal) boys, and 17 obese (16 prepubertal, 11 pubertal) girls underwent a thyroid-releasing hormone test with assay of prolactin. Obese pre-pubertal boys had prolactin levels that were significantly below those of the control group both under basal conditions and after stimulus. In the obese pubertal boys the difference was significant only after stimulus. The pituitary prolactin reserve in obese pubertal girls was lower than that of the control group. We conclude that in children and adolescents obesity may induce a hypothalamo-pituitary disorder that affects prolactin secretion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Twenty-one prepubertal children of small stature, 10 boys and 11 girls, aged from 4-3 to 12-8 years, were studied. Their height was less than 3rd centile, and during the preceding year all had a growth rate less than 4-5 cm/year. Arginine and L-dopa tests were given, and the release of growth hormone (GH) during monitored sleep was investigated. On the basis of the electroencephalogram and horizontal electro-oculogram, sleep was divided into stages 1-2-3-4 and rapid-eye-movement. All the children had a GH response greater than 8 ng/ml in at least one of the two pharmacological tests, and were therefore accepted as not suffering from GH deficiency. In all 21 children during sleep there was at least one secretory peak with GH greater than 8 ng/ml. Of a total of 46 secretory peaks recorded, 22 (48%) took place during deep, slow sleep (stages 3-4), 10 (22%) during light sleep (stage 2), 10 (22%) during REM sleep, and 4 (8%) during wakening. In 4 patients (19%) no secretory peak was observed during stages 3-4, even though there were peaks at other times. The data (a) show that it is essential to monitor GH throughout the night to ascertain with certainty the presence or absence of physiological secretory peaks of GH; (b) emphasise the rare disagreement between pharmacological and physiological tests; (c) suggest the use of this physiological test for GH secretion in those cases where the insulin test may be hazardous. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Twenty-two prepubertal children with unilateral cryptorchidism were treated. None had undergone previous medical or surgical to modify the abnormal position of the testes, all of which were located inthe inguinal canal. Treatment was with luteinising hormone-releasing hormone (LH-RH) nasal spray given for 7 days. 9 boys insufflated 100 microgram LH-RH in each nostril 6 times per 24 hours (1200 microgram/24 h); the remaining 13 boys insufflated 500 microgram 12-hourly (1000 microgram/24 h). An LH-RH test (500 microgram IV) was carried out before and after therapy. Full descent of the testis into the scrotum was obtained in 7 out of the 22 cases; in a further 6 cases the testis moved down the inguinal canal. Basal values of luteinising hormone and follicle-stimulating hormone and those for pituitary reserve remained unchanged before and after therapy, and were similar to the values of a control group. No correlation was found between response to therapy and bone age, testosterone level in serum, basal values or pituitary reserve of luteinising hormone or follicle-stimulating hormone. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]