We conducted this prospective randomized trial of intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) treatment in children with newly diagnosed immune thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP) to compare the efficacy of IVIG to standard and higher doses of anti-D IVIG. Seventy-eight patients who were previously untreated and between the age of 1 and 18 years with newly diagnosed acute ITP and a platelet concentration less than 20×10/l were eligible for enrollment. In this study IVIG treatment was compared with two different doses of anti-D. Study patients were randomized to receive treatment according to one of the two single anti-D IVIG doses [50 μg/kg (n=19) or 75 μg/kg (n=20)] or 2 g/kg (400 mg/kg per day, 5 day) total dose of IVIG (n=39). There is a significant increase of 24th hour, 48th hour, 72nd hour, 7th day and 30th day platelet counts in IVIG (2 g/kg, total dose) group compared to anti-D IVIG 50 μg/kg and anti-D IVIG 75 μg/kg groups. However, there were no difference between 24th hour, 48th hour, 72nd hour, 7th day and 30th day platelet counts across anti-D IVIG 50 μg/kg and anti-D IVIG 75 μg/kg groups. In conclusion, this study suggests that IVIG is well tolerated and significantly more effective than standard and high-dose anti-D IVIG for the treatment of newly diagnosed ITP in children. Apart from this, we believe that IVIG might be the first-line treatment of these patients. Regarding this issue further prospective studies comparing different IVIG treatment regimens with anti-D IVIG treatment regimens are needed.

Summary Patients with restless legs syndrome (RLS) use various terms when describing their symptoms. Whether gender might influence this has not been investigated so far. The aim of this study was to evaluate possible gender differences in spontaneous descriptions of RLS symptoms. This prospective study, conducted in 100 consecutive German‐speaking RLS patients, used a single standardized question. Answers were digitally recorded and transcribed. A content‐related linguistic analysis of the transcripts was performed by two independent blinded raters. The lengths of the answers and content‐related linguistic features were compared between women and men. Ninety‐eight patients were included in the final analysis, 59 women (60.2%) and 39 men (39.8%), with a median age of 62 (23–94) and 63 (31–82) years, respectively (p = 0.602). Demographic and clinical features, including educational level and RLS treatment class, did not differ between genders (p > 0.05). Total word or sentence count showed no gender differences (p = 0.159 and 0.259, respectively), although men used more words per sentence than women (p = 0.018). More men than women described quiescegenic (i.e., triggered by rest or inactivity) symptoms (p = 0.006) and successful attempts at relief (p = 0.039). There was a non‐significant trend toward a more frequent use of the first‐person perspective in men (median times used = 5 [0–10.5] vs. 3.8 [0–17.5], p = 0.068). The more frequent mention of quiescegenic symptoms and successful attempts at relief in men could indicate differences in phenotypic presentation of RLS between genders, a more precise description of RLS symptoms or a higher experience of self‐efficacy in men compared to women.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to investigate the serum levels of selenium, zinc and copper on the etiology of idiopathic scoliosis in adolescents. Methods: Forty four idiopathic scoliosis patients between 10 and 17 years of age were considered in this study. The vertebra curvature degrees of the patients were between 28° and 82°. The idiopathic scoliosis patients were assigned to two groups based on their vertebra curvature degrees. Curvature degree of 45° and lower was labeled as group 1 and curvature of upper 45° was labeled as group 2. Total blood count, serum levels of selenium, zinc and copper were studied. Results: Thirty three of the idiopathic scoliosis patients (75%) were female. There was no statistically significant difference in serum zinc and copper levels between idiopathic scoliosis patients and the control group (p> 0.05). Serum selenium levels in idiopathic scoliosis patients were lower than that of the control group and the difference was statistically significant (p< 0.05). In terms of vertebra curvature degree and demographic characteristics of the patients, group 2 age average was significantly higher than that of the group 1 (p< 0.05). When serum selenium, zinc, and copper levels were compared based on the vertebra curvature degrees of the IS patients, no statistically significant difference was observed between group 1 and 2 in laboratory measurements (p > 0.05). Conclusion: Among the measured trace elements, selenium was lower in the serum of the IS patients. This is the first study in Turkey that we know of about this subject and we think that further studies are needed.

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