Cerebral Atrophy in a Vitamin B12-deficient Infant of a Vegetarian Mother

In developed countries, vitamin B12 (cobalamin) deficiency usually occurs in children, exclusively breastfed ones whose mothers are vegetarian, causing low body stores of vitamin B12. The haematologic manifestation of vitamin B12 deficiency is pernicious anaemia. It is a megaloblastic anaemia with high mean corpuscular volume and typical morphological features, such as hyperlobulation of the nuclei of the granulocytes. In advanced cases, neutropaenia and thrombocytopaenia can occur, simulating aplastic anaemia or leukaemia. In addition to haematological symptoms, infants may experience weakness, fatigue, failure to thrive, and irritability. Other common findings include pallor, glossitis, vomiting, diarrhoea, and icterus. Neurological symptoms may affect the central nervous system and, in severe cases, rarely cause brain atrophy. Here, we report an interesting case, a 12-month old infant, who was admitted with neurological symptoms and diagnosed with vitamin B12 deficiency

Successful Treatment of Hemorrhagic Bullous Henoch-Schönlein Purpura with Oral Corticosteroid: A Case Report

Henoch-Schönlein purpura (HSP) is a vasculitis of small-sized blood vessels, resulting from immunoglobulin-A-mediated inflammation. It is the most common acute systemic vasculitis in childhood and mainly affects skin, gastrointestinal tract, joints, and kidneys. The characteristic rash of HSP consists of palpable purpuric lesions 2 to 10 mm in diameter concentrating in the buttocks and lower extremities. The occurrence of hemorrhagic bullae in children with HSP is rarely encountered. This report describes a 4.5-year-old female patient with HSP associated with hemorrhagic bullous lesions

Relationship between cord blood levels of IGF-I and ferritin in healthy term neonates

Objective: We hypothesize that the balance of maternal and fetal insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) concentrations contributes to the regulation of substrate distribution between mother and fetus, and may thus mediate the maintenance of blood ferritin concentration in the fetus. Therefore, the relationship between cord blood IGF-I to ferritin concentration was investigated. Infants and Methods: Twenty-six term neonates were recruited. Anthropometric measures were recorded and umbilical cord blood samples were collected at birth. We studied serum concentrations of IGF-I in relation to blood ferritin and anthropometric data in term neonates. To assess the importance of the correlation of ferritin with both IGF-I and all other parameters, multiple linear regression analysis was carried out, with ferritin as the dependent variable and IGF-I and anthropometric parameters as independent variables

Iodine deficiency in pregnant women and in their neonates in the central Anatolian region (Kayseri) of Turkey

Severe iodine deficiency disorders may have been eradicated in many parts of the world, but milder forms still exist and may escape detection. The aim of this study was to assess the iodine nutritional status of pregnant women and their newborns, and the prevalence rates and severity of iodine deficiency in the Kayseri region, which has appeared to be iodine deficient in previous studies. A cross-sectional voluntary screening study was performed in the Maternity Unit of the University Hospital. Seventy pregnant women and their babies participated in this study. Iodine deficiency with high prevalence of goiter, low urinary iodine excretion and high serum thyroglobulin concentrations were recognized among pregnant women and their babies in Kayseri. Regular administration of iodine, starting at preconception or in early pregnancy and continuing during the period of nursing, is recommended in these regions