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In this study the authors evaluated the correlation between plasma somatomedin C (SmC) levels and auxological features in 129 short children, who have been subdivided into four groups: classical growth hormone (GH) deficiency (14 prepubertal subjects), normal responses to provocative stimuli tests, but diminished spontaneous GH secretion (40 prepubertal subjects), normal responses to provocative stimuli tests and normal spontaneous GH secretion (45 prepubertal subjects and 30 subjects at stage G2/B2-Ph2 of puberty). The following correlations with SmC are resulted, when all the subjects were considered: chronological age (r = 0.415, p = 0.0002), bone age (r = 0.557, p less than 0.0001), bone age/chronological age ratio (r = 0.493, p less than 0.0001), height SDs (r = 0.574, p less than 0.0001), height velocity SDs (r = 0.599, p less than 0.0001), but not weight variation % (r = -0.020, p: ns). In conclusion, the results of the study demonstrate a high correlation between SmC levels and auxological features, with the exception of weight.

The authors report the experience of a pediatric clinic on hydrocarbon poisoning. Among the reported cases was that of a girl showing a serious pneumonitis.

We have evaluated thyroid and thyrotropin functions before the beginning and during Growth Hormone (GH) treatment for a 2-6-year period in a group composed of 21 children (age: 6.6 +/- 1.1 years, m +/- SD) suffering from classic GH deficiency. Circulating levels of thyroxine, and basal thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) always resulted in the normal range. TSH response to thyreotropin-releasing hormone administration showed in some subjects (one out of 21 before the start of treatment, 2 out of 16 after 2 years, 3 out of 12 after 4 years and 2 out of 10 after 6 years) a delayed (after 90-120 minutes) and higher peak in comparison to that of normal subjects. All these high and delayed values have been showed in only one occasion by different children, with the exception of a child who has presented the higher values in two occasions. Growth response to GH treatment has not been modified by the change in thyrotropin response, as subjects with high TSH peak have had a height velocity similar to that of the other children in the corresponding periods of study.