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Homoarginine and ADMA levels are decreased and associated with cardiovascular risk factors in children with T1D without being affected by atorvastatin.

Transcranial duplex scanning as a new diagnostic procedure is described for the first time. This method allows Doppler sonographic registration of flow profiles of basal cerebral arteries through the intact skull with simultaneous demonstration of pulsating vessels and cerebral structures in the B-mode scan. The exact localisation of the registered Doppler profile can be demonstrated under direct visual control in a clearly defined section of the cerebral artery. Therefore, an angle correction of the recorded Doppler-shift is possible allowing determination of true flow velocity. Occlusion of basal cerebral arteries can be diagnosed visually with this method. The use procedure in 51 children and adolescents aged 18 months to 19 years is described.

We report on new perspectives in diagnostic ultrasound of the larynx, a method that has become possible by the application of computed sonography. The examinations were performed by means of a computer sonography system (Acuson 128). For all investigations we used a 5 MHz linear transducer with a resolution corresponding to 10 MHz. The frame rate was between 20 Hz and 50 Hz and thus enabled good reproduction of dynamic processes. We could show that it is possible to visualize all significant structures of the larynx including the thyroid cartilage, the vocal ligament, the vocalis muscle, the arytenoid cartilage and the piriform fossa. With sufficient practice, good demonstration and hence assessment of the larynx can be already possible in infancy. We examined children and adults between 6 days and 35 years of age. - Masses in the laryngeal area are among the important indications for sonographic diagnosis: in infancy and childhood, these are mainly represented by laryngeal papillomatosis. In one of our patients suffering from massive laryngeal papillomatosis, laser surgery was first performed when he was 15 months of age. After a third removal procedure, interferon therapy was initiated. Sonographically it was easily possible to follow the course. Sonographic findings correlated well with laryngoscopic findings. Laryngoscopy could therefore be restricted to a minimum.

Background During pubertal development in healthy boys, increased levels of different sex steroids occur which are responsible for sexual maturation and physical changes. However, relationships between various sex hormones and pubertal development stages have not been sufficiently studied. Methods The investigation included 165 normal boys (mean age 12.7±2.8 years, mean body mass index [BMI] 19.6±4.2 kg/m2). Pubic hair (PH) stages were stratified by Tanner and testicular volume (TV) by means of the Prader orchidometer and assigned to the prepubertal, pubertal and postpubertal development phase. Four different sex steroids (testosterone [TE], dehydroepiandrosterone [DHEA]/dehydroepiandrosterone-sulfate [DHEAS], androstenedione (AE), 17-hydroxyprogesterone [17-OHP]) were measured in saliva by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and as serum total steroids by different assays (radioimmunoassay [RIA], chemiluminescence immunoassay [CLIA], electrochemiluminescence immunoassay [ECLIA]). Validation of saliva-based ELISA tests included data related to inter- and intra-assay coefficients of variation (CVs), recovery and linearity. Results Using Spearman rank correlation, salivary steroids significantly correlated (p<0.001) with pubertal development: TE (TV r=0.74 and PH stages r=0.72), DHEA (r=0.58 and 0.62), AE (r=0.38 and 0.45) and 17-OHP (r=0.42 and 0.43). Correlations between salivary and serum concentrations of steroids were also statistically significant (p<0.001). Binomial logistic regression analysis revealed significant correlations between salivary TE and pubertal maturation during the development phases of prepuberty-puberty and puberty-postpuberty. Inclusion of further salivary steroids did not improve analysis results. Conclusions Salivary TE permits a good non-invasive characterization of pubertal maturation stages. The consideration of further salivary sex steroids did not improve diagnostic accuracy.