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In children with iron deficiency anemia, bactericidal capacity of polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMN) and serum opsonic activity were studied. Nitroblue tetrazolium test (NBT), hexose monophosphate (HMP) shunt activation, and myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity of PMN of these cases were also examined. Bactericidal capacity and HMP shunt activation were found to be decreased in iron deficiency anemia (p > 0.001). MPO activity, NBT test, and serum opsonic activity were found to be within normal limits. After 1¹/₂ months of iron therapy there was an improvement in bactericidal capacity and it returned to a normal level after 3 months of therapy.

The aim of this study was to determine the relative frequency of type Ia in glycogen storage disease (GSD) with prominent liver involvement and to determine its clinical and laboratory findings and prognosis in Turkish children. From 1980 to 1998, 45 out of 100 GSD patients (27 male) with liver involvement had been diagnosed for type Ia. The files were retrospectively evaluated and clinical and laboratory features were documented. In addition to routine laboratory evaluations, urine albumin, calcium excretions, and plasma biotinidase activity were measured. Breast-feeding was continued in all infants. After 6 months of age, uncooked cornstarch was administered to the patients. The relative frequency of type Ia in GSD with liver involvement was 45%. The diagnosis was made in 71% of patients before 2 years of age (median 1 year). Main complaint was abdominal protruding (57.8%), and main physical finding was hepatomegaly (100%). Forty percent of the patients had growth retardation at diagnosis. Among laboratory parameters, hypertriglyceridemia (97.8%) and hypertransaminasemia (95.6%) were the most frequent findings following plasma biotinidase activity, which was elevated in all patients. Microalbuminuria was determined in 52.8% of the patients and hypercalciuria in 23.8%. Histopathological findings of the liver included fibrosis (75.6%), steatosis (37.8%), mosaicism (24.4%) and nuclear hyperglycogenation (15.6%). During follow-up period, the ratio of patients with growth retardation did not change. Transaminases were decreased in 48.7% of the patients. Although triglyceride and cholesterol levels decreased in the majority of the patients, they did not normalise. The prevalence of type Ia in GSD with prominent liver involvement was found higher than the other reports. Microalbuminuria was also higher than the previous reports.

Serum selenium concentration was investigated in 40 children with iron deficiency anemia and in 40 control subjects matched for age, sex and geographical origin. A spectrofluorometric method was used for determination of the selenium level. It was found to be significantly lower (p < 0.001) in the patient group, which consisted of both normally developed and malnourished children. Patients also having pica had higher levels of selenium compared to patients without pica. There was no relation between the serum selenium concentration and hematological parameters such as hemoglobin, serum iron, serum iron binding capacity and unsaturated iron binding capacity. However the results of 15 patients followed during iron therapy indicated that the duration of the anemic period may affect the selenium concentration. This study also suggests the effectiveness of iron and selenium administration.

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