Use of CAM in children with steady-state bronchiectasis results in laboratory improvement by reducing the inflammatory processes in the lungs. No corresponding clinical improvement could be shown but although this is possible with long-term use, trial validation is necessary.

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Reports of histologically proven low-dose methotrexate (MTX)-induced vasculitis are uncommon and mostly found for patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Herein we present a patient with ankylosing spondylitis who developed large atypical erythematopurpuric cutaneous lesions after the second oral dose of 7.5 mg MTX therapy. The histological findings of a cutaneous lesion were consistent with vasculitis. The skin lesions regressed significantly after the discontinuation of MTX therapy. As the clinical picture of the patient's rheumatological condition became progressively severe, prednisolone therapy was initiated 8 days later and the skin rash resolved completely in a couple of weeks.

Thirteen patients admitted to hospital mainly with visual disturbances (100%), retarded growth (39%) and diabetes insipidus (23%) were all diagnosed as ossified adamantinous craniopharyngioma. Tumour size was found to be large in all patients. Localization displayed a heterogenous dissemination; 8% intra-suprasellar, 69% suprasellar-extraventricular, 15% extra-intraventricular, and 8% in the suprasellar region extending bilaterally to the frontal and temporal lobes. During the early postoperative period, four patients died with hypothalamic deterioration. Three patients underwent a second operation in view of recurrence, and one died from an infection. Thus, the postoperative survival rate was 62%. All the patients who survived continued to have visual disturbances, but only one deteriorated. Five patients exhibited diabetes insipidus during the postoperative period, among them 4 after surgical intervention and 5 patients displayed panhypothyroidism, three of them after surgery. Consequently, it is confirmed by the present review that craniopharyngiomas still offer a potential dilemma in their management. Difficulties caused by adhesion or invasion of ossified craniopharyngiomas and thus the increase in morbidity and mortality during surgical intervention and in the postoperative period are discussed.