Mutations in factor H (CFH), factor I (IF), and membrane cofactor protein (MCP) genes have been described as risk factors for atypical hemolytic uremic syndrome (aHUS). This study analyzed the impact of complement mutations on the outcome of 46 children with aHUS. A total of 52% of patients had mutations in one or two of known susceptibility factors (22, 13, and 15% of patients with CFH, IF, or MCP mutations, respectively; 2% with CFHϩIF mutations). Age Ͻ3 mo at onset seems to be characteristic of CFH and IF mutation-associated aHUS. The most severe prognosis was in the CFH mutation group, 60% of whom reached ESRD or died within Ͻ1 yr. Only 30% of CFH mutations were localized in SCR20. MCP mutation-associated HUS has a relapsing course, but none of the children reached ESRD at 1 yr. Half of patients with IF mutation had a rapid evolution to ESRD, and half recovered. Plasmatherapy seemed to have a beneficial effect in one third of patients from all groups except for the MCP mutation group. Only eight (33%) of 24 kidney transplantations that were performed in 15 patients were successful. Graft failures were due to early graft thrombosis (50%) or HUS recurrence. In conclusion, outcome of HUS in patients with CFH mutation is catastrophic, and posttransplantation outcome is poor in all groups except for the MCP mutation group. New therapies are urgently needed, and further research should elucidate the unexplained HUS group.

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In a male patient with a 45,X karyotype, the terminal part of the Y chromosome short arm was translocated as a single block on to the X chromosome. This rearranged X chromosome was, in every regard, the same as that present in XX males resulting from an abnormal X-Y interchange. Correlations between the phenotype of this patient and the extent of the deletions on the X and Y chromosomes allowed us to map the genes responsible for most features of the Turner syndrome between DXS432 and Xqter on the X chromosome, and the homologous Y genes either on Yp in interval 4 or on Yq. The molecular analysis of this X-Y translocation allowed us also to reduce the interval for the X-linked recessive chondrodysplasia punctata gene to a 1.5 Mb interval between DXS432 and DXS31.

A 10-year-old boy with leukaemia-associated hypercalcaemia was treated with aminohydroxypropylidene biphosphonate (AHPrBP previously APD) in a total dosage of 60 mg over 5 days, when the condition failed to respond to rehydration and frusemide and no sustained effect was produced by haemodialysis with a calcium (Ca)-free dialysate. Bone films showed no lytic lesions, and AHPrBP, which is a potent inhibitor of osteoclast-mediated bone resorption was well tolerated and induced a rapid and sustained fall in plasma Ca (from 3.42 to 2.07 mM in 5 days). Plasma magnesium and alkaline phosphatase remained normal. The results could have been affected by other drugs [vincristine, cyclophosphamide, zorubicin (Rubidazone) L-asparaginase and prednisone] which were simultaneously administered. However, the observation that: (1) the response curve of plasma Ca was similar to that reported when AHPrBP was used alone, (2) there was complete inhibition of urinary Ca excretion and (3) hypocalcaemia occurred suggests that AHPrBP was the major cause of the reduction in plasma Ca. AHPrBP should be considered a potential therapy for hypercalcaemia in childhood malignancy.

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