1,721,071 research outputs found
Corticosteroids in pediatric endocrinology
No full textThis comprehensive volume provides current state of the art of the use of corticosteroids in the pediatric patient. It consists of 14 chapters written by leading authors from different countries. The first chapters cover historical notes, general concepts on treatment with corticosteroids with regard to indications and side effects, and basic pharmacologic properties of these compounds. The rest of the book is devoted to the specific use of steroids in the different pediatric subspecialties. Despite advances with newer effective immunosuppressive and anti-inflammatory drugs, corticosteroids still remain the mainstay of therapy for many disorders. Leading authors in their field have summarized these concepts to provide an authoritative, comprehensive guide to help clinicians safely and effectively use corticosteroids in their pediatric patients
The molecular basis for the link between maternal health and the origin of fetal congenital abnormalities: an overview of association with oxidative stress
Full text linkThe potential role of insulin analogues in the treatment of children and adolescents with Type 1 diabetes mellitus.
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Treatment of Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD) in the Paediatric Population
No full textThe prevalence of childhood obesity as well as of the obesity-related complications is rapidly increasing worldwide in the paediatric age. Insulin resistance (IR) is a common feature of childhood obesity and a key component of its metabolic and cardiovascular complications which are already present in this age group. NAFLD is the most common cause of hepatic steatosis disease in obese children and adolescents and is a spectrum of liver diseases ranging from simple fatty infiltration of the liver (hepatic steatosis) to steato-hepatitis and fibrosis. The pathophysiology of NAFLD has been described on the basis of a "two-hit model". The "first hit" is characterized by the effect of IR and subsequent increase of fatty acids in the hepatocytes. The "second hit" is due to the contribution of increased oxidative stress, which promotes hepatic inflammation and fibrosis. On the basis of the continuous progresses in understanding the pathogenesis of NALD, new potentially applicable therapeutic strategies are being developed. Although, at the moment the standard treatment is based on the lifestyle changes, including diet and increased physical activity, several authors postulated the adoption of drugs, which can improve IR and oxidative stress. Pharmacotherapy includes lipid lowering agents, ursodeoxycholic acid, antioxidants and molecules able to improve insulin sensitivity. However, in literature no consensus on the treatment of NAFLD is available, especially in children and adolescents. The aim of this review is to summarize recent patent and what is known about paediatric NAFLD in terms of treatment. © 2009 Bentham Science Publishers Ltd
Role of growth factors in the development of diabetic complications
No full textThe structural changes characterising diabetic microangiopathy, which may be referred to as 'abnormal growth' and 'impaired regeneration', strongly suggest a role for a number of aberrantly expressed growth factors, possibly acting in combination, in the development of these complications. This initial speculation has been supported by the detection of increased concentrations of several growth factors in the target tissues of diabetic long-term complications, and by enhanced expression of these growth factors consequent to the activation of the biochemical pathways linking hyperglycaemia to microvascular changes: the polyol pathway; non-enzymatic glycation of proteins; vasoactive hormones; oxidative stress, and hyperglycaemic pseudohypoxia. As to nephropathy, insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) seems to be implicated in the earlier stages of the disease, while transforming growth factor beta (TGF beta) is involved both in the early and later stages, being responsible, at least in part, for extracellular matrix (ECM) accumulation. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) plays a pivotal role both in non-proliferative and proliferative retinopathy. Finally, deficiency of several neurotrophic factors, namely nerve growth factor (NGF) and IGF-I has been related to the degeneration or impaired regeneration occurring in diabetic neuropathy. Knowledge of the involvement of growth factors in diabetic microangiopathy opens the way to new therapeutic interventions aimed at blocking the deleterious actions of several growth factors
Evaluation of Bone Age in Children: A Mini-Review
Full text linkBone age represents a common index utilized in pediatric radiology and endocrinology departments worldwide for the definition of skeletal maturity for medical and non-medical purpose. It is defined by the age expressed in years that corresponds to the level of maturation of bones. Although several bones have been studied to better define bone age, the hand and wrist X-rays are the most used images. In fact, the images obtained by hand and wrist X-ray reflect the maturity of different types of bones of the skeletal segment evaluated. This information, associated to the characterization of the shape and changes of bone components configuration, represent an important factor of the biological maturation process of a subject. Bone age may be affected by several factors, including gender, nutrition, as well as metabolic, genetic, and social factors and either acute and chronic pathologies especially hormone alteration. As well several differences can be characterized according to the numerous standardized methods developed over the past decades. Therefore, the complete characterization of the main methods and procedure available and particularly of all their advantages and disadvantages need to be known in order to properly utilized this information for all its medical and non-medical main fields of application
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