The tendency of BC to underestimate TSB limits its usefulness in neonates with relatively high TSB. In this population, most infants would have required additional evaluation to ensure that TSB was not >10 mg/dL or >15 mg/dL. It seems that the discrepancy between this study and previous studies of BC is related to our relatively large number of TSB values > or =15 mg/dL.

Aim-To compare patient triggered, with conventional fast rate, ventilation in a randomised controlled trial using the incidence of chronic lung disease as the primary outcome measure. Methods-Three hundred and eighty six preterm infants with birthweights from 1000 to 2000 g, and requiring ventilation for respiratory distress syndrome within 24 hours of birth, were randomised to receive either conventional or trigger ventilation with the SLE 2000 ventilator. Results-There were no significant diVerences in the incidence of chronic lung disease (28 day and 36 week definitions), death, pneumothorax, intraventricular haemorrhage, number of ventilator days, or length of oxygen dependency between groups. Conclusions-Patient triggered ventilation in preterm infants with respiratory distress syndrome is feasible. No significant diVerences, when compared with conventional fast rate ventilation in important medium and longer term outcome measures, were evident. (Arch Dis Child Fetal Neonatal Ed 2000;82:F14-F18)

SUMMARY. Near patient testing for glucose is now a widely accepted procedure in hospital wards and clinics. However, in a neonatal ward where the detection of hypoglycaemia rather than hyperglycaemia is of paramount importance, it is more difficult to find a suitable glucose monitoring instrument. We compared two Hemocue blood glucose analysers (Hemocue Ltd) in our special care baby unit (SCBU) with the laboratory procedures and found that the Hemocue may overestimate the glucose by as much as 2·5 mmol/L, In addition, Hemocue analysers are costly to run. We feel these analysers may be more useful in a general ward rather than in a SCBU. Additional key phrases: near-patient testing; point of care testing; paediatrics; hypoglycaemiaNear-patient testing of blood glucose by ward staff can be difficult, involving in-house training, stringent adherence to protocols, quality assurance and maintenance of instruments.

Distal bowel evacuation was studied by cinedefecography in 85 women with obstinate constipation, tenesmus, and incomplete evacuation in whom a diagnosis of internal rectal intussusception was clinically suspect. Sixty-five patients showed radiographic evidence of intussusception--mostly of the distal rectum, without rectosacral separation. Patients with distal intussusception who did not respond to nonoperative measures were treated by Delorme's transrectal excision with excellent results. Internal rectal intussusception is a real and demonstrable entity which may be symptomatically disabling and whose documentation may be integral to effective and anatomically specific treatment. The syndromes of perineal descent, solitary rectal ulcer, levator syndrome and so-called recurrent hemorrhoids may be diagnostic intermediaries in the evolution of internal rectal intussusception.

Obstinate constipation is a frequent but elusive gastrointestinal symptom. Increased understanding of defecation physiology and recent availability of simple, ready-to-use tools have increased specificity of both diagnosis and treatment. This patient series includes over 700 severely constipated patients with over 70 percent overall therapeutic success. Cinedefecography, pelvic floor electromyography, and determination of rectoanal inhibitory reflex were performed with simple and readily available equipment to document outlet anatomy and dynamics. Colonic transit time was examined in patients whose defecography and electromyography results were nondiagnostic and/or whose response to medical management was suboptimal, using a commercially available marker capsule, followed by abdominal x-rays. Retention of markers throughout the colon suggested colonic hypomotility or "inertia"; rectosigmoid retention confirmed functional outlet obstruction. With careful history, physical examination, and exclusion of organic causes, orderly application of readily available techniques can afford rapid, objective, and anatomically specific evidence upon which treatment of disordered defecation may be based.