Serum IL-6 and CRP levels are elevated in children with HI and there is a relation between the severity of HI and the levels of these proteins. There was no correlation between IL-6, CRP and outcomes of the patients.

Background and aims:Hepcidin is a recently discovered peptide produced by hepatocytes and macrophages in response to inflammatory stimuli. It is markedly induced during inflammation. There are only limited data on hepcidin regulation during systemic acute inflammation in children.

As an alternative to long-term ahinistration of oral cytotoxic agents, pulse intravenous nitrogen mustard (HN2) has been used in 5 patients with steroid-resistant INS (all had "early resistance") and one patient with steroid responsive INS. The dose of HN was 0.1 mg/kg/day x 4 days. All patients had minimal-lesion h?stology. The patient with steroid-responsive INS had a frequently relapsing course (4.8 relapses/year) despite treatment with cyclophosphamide (2 courses) and chlorambucil. Since HNZ, she has had no further relapses. The current status of 5 patients with steroid-resistant INS is: 3 have persistent mild proteinuria, normal excretory function and absence of overt nephrotic syndrome; 2 have persistent INS despite HN2 but subsequently remitted after cyclophosphamide and both have since had a steroid-responsive, relapsing course. No toxicity attributable to HN2 was noted. This preliminary experience suggests that HN2 may ameliorate INS in some patients with steroid-resistance. HN2 may also be a useful adjunct in the management of some patients with steroid-responsive, frequently-relapsing INS, in whom oral cytotoxic therapy may not be warranted. A controlled therapeutic trial to better assess the usefulness of HN2 is planned. (Kid Int 12:538, 1977; Ped Res 13:366, 1979). To determine whether enhancemcnt is primarily due to volume depletion, dogs were given im injections q8h for 10 days of the following: (F) alone 2 mg/kg, Grp 1; (NET) alone 15 mg/kg, Grp 2; (NET) 15 mg/kg + (F) 2 mg/kg, Grp 3. Group 4 rrccivc~l (NET) 1 5 mp/kp + (F) 2 m~/ k g + gnvngc (75 mEq NaC1+40 mEq KC1/1 in a daily volume equal to 5% of body weight). (VA) . A 184 P R E L~Y REPORT. Rizzoni G., ~w l a n u t M.