Most epidemiologic studies have shown a relationship between high blood pressure and socioeconomic status in childhood. Systolic and diastolic pressure were measured in 296 schoolboys and 338 schoolgirls aged 10 to 13 years. The presence of known and suspected risk factors for hypertension was evaluated by a standardized questionnaire consisting of two sections: one completed by the subjects and another by their parents. Descriptive analysis showed a lack of association between socioeconomic background, parental educational levels and childhood hypertension, a relatively strong association between a sedentary style of life and hypertension (p less than 0.001) and a statistically significant influence of maternal or paternal history of hypertension or diabetes in the sample studied (p less than 0.05). However, when all the variables were assessed by multiple correspondence analysis, two nuclei of schoolchildren were delimited. One was composed of hypertensive children with family histories of hypertension and/or diabetes mellitus who lead sedentary lives, live in large dwellings with a low crowding index and whose parents are better educated. The second nucleus was composed of normotensive subjects with opposite characteristics. The data obtained indicate that there may be a relationship between blood pressure in children and the socioeconomic status and educational level of their parents and suggest that these factors may have an impact on the child's blood pressure at a relatively young age.

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During acute HB_sAg serum positive viral hepatitis, the surface antigen was not detectable in duodenal bile but was almost always present in gallbladder and hepatic bile when cholecystokinin was intravenously administered. The immunologic nondemonstrability of HB_sAg in duodenal bile is probably due to the presence of a factor elaborated by the intestinal mucosa. The possible role played by this factor in the non transmission of type B viral hepatitis via faecal-oral route is suggested.

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Summary. A comparative study has been carried out on the reliability of methods for the determination of both GOT and GPT in serum in the diagnosis of hepatitis. The conventional spectrophotometric methods used by Karmen, Wrobletvski and LaDue and the optimum spectrophotometric methods of Bergmeyer and Bernt have been studied. In addition, the colorimetric methods of Reitman and Frankel, of Reitman modified by King, and of Tonhazy et al., have been examined. The optimum spectrophotometric methods of Bergmeyer and Bernt for GOT and GPT are the only ones that allow the enzymatic reaction to be run at optimum rate. Results obtained by these two methods are most accurate. The conventional spectrophotometric methods of Karmen, Wroblewski and LaDue give lower values than those obtained by the optimum spectrophotometric methods. The Reitman method, carried out with reagents in accordance with information supplied by many manufacturers, does not give reliable results. This is due to the low concentration of substrates in the reaction mixture and to the complex procedure for the preparation of the calibration curve. The method of Tonhazy et al. gives reliable results with a wide range of sensitivity. The advantages of this colorimetric method over Reitman's is due to the high concentration of the substrates, to the decarboxylation of the oxaloacetate to pyruvate in the GOT tests, and to the selective extraction by toluene of the pyruvate-dinitrophenylhydrazone from the reaction mixture.