Ghrelin is a newly discovered orexigenic peptide originating from the stomach. Circulating ghrelin levels reflect acute and chronic energy balance in humans. However, it is not known whether ghrelin also plays a role in energy homeostasis during fetal life. Forty-one small-forgestational age (SGA) and 34 appropriate-for-gestational age (AGA) infants were studied in order to determine whether cord blood ghrelin concentrations were different in SGA infants compared with AGA infants and the relationship to anthropometric measurements at delivery. The cord blood ghrelin concentrations of SGA infants (means S.E.M.; 15·20 3·08 ng/ml) were significantly greater than of AGA infants (2·19 0·24 ng/ml) (P,0·0001). They were negatively correlated with the infants' birth weights (r= 0·481, P,0·0001) and with body mass index values (r= 0·363, P,0·001). The higher ghrelin concentrations were found in female infants (20·42 4·55 ng/ml) than in males (7·05 2·27 ng/ml) in the SGA group (P=0·042). These data provide the first evidence that cord ghrelin levels of SGA infants are greater than those of AGA infants and it is suggested that ghrelin is also affected by nutritional status in the intrauterine period.

The presence of abnormal urinalysis was not more common in patients with psoriasis than in controls. However, the increased prevalence of pathologic albuminuria and its positive correlation with psoriasis severity may suggest subclinical glomerular dysfunction in these patients.

NO and MDA levels are elevated in psoriasis patients, which may indicate that oxidative stress plays an important role in the aetiopathogenesis of psoriasis.

SummaryAlthough narrowband ultraviolet B (NB UVB) phototherapy is a well-established treatment in many dermatosis, there is little evidence of efficacy of this method for alopecia areata (AA) treatment in the literature.We undertook a retrospective review of the 25 AA patients treated with NB UVB. Intramuscular triamcinolone acetonide injections per month were used as concomitant treatment in some patients who did not have any contraindication. Eight patients (32%) received monthly intramuscular corticosteroid injections. Four (22.2%) and two (20%) patients achieved excellent response in extensive patchy hair loss patients and entire scalp hair loss patients, respectively. Four of six patients who achieved excellent response also received monthly intramuscular corticosteroid injections. When patients receiving systemic corticosteroid injections were compared with patients given only NB UVB with respect to the treatment responses, a statistically significant difference was seen in patients who achieved excellent response. NB UVB is not an effective treatment with only 20% excellent treatment responses in patients with severe AA, most of whom were also treated with systemic corticosteroids.

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