Background: Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a chronic inflammatory skin condition. The pathogenesis of AD is still not fully understood. The association between obesity and AD suggests a potential role for adipocytes hormones, mainly leptin, which had variable immunological functions.

Background. Children with Down’s syndrome are more liable to vitamin D deficiency. Treating this deficiency with supplements is associated with the risk of intoxication. Aim. The study is aimed at comparing the effect of two exercise intensities on the modulation of vitamin D and parathormone levels in children with DS. Methods. Forty-four DS male children aged from 8 to 12 years participated in the study. They were assigned randomly into two equal groups. Group I received high-intensity treadmill aerobic exercises, and group II received moderate-intensity T-AE, three times per week for three months. The blood samples were collected from both groups before the intervention, after one month of intervention, then after three months of intervention to assess serum 25(OH)D and PTH levels. Results. Repeated measure MANOVA revealed that the high-intensity T-AE induced a significant increase in 25(OH)D after one month and after three months while it significantly decreased PTH only after three months. Moderate-intensity T-AE had a nonsignificant effect on both hormones. Conclusion. The current study concluded that the high-intensity T-AE improved both vitamin D and parathormone serum levels after three months of intervention.

Background: Large atrial septal defects (ASDs) in children cause increased volume overload of the right side of the heart which in turn lead to impairment of left ventricular (LV) performance. Aim: The aim of this study was to evaluate immediate LV rotational deformation changes in children with large ASDs post‐device closure and removal of right ventricle (RV) volume overload. Patients and Methods: Twenty children who underwent transcatheter closure (TCC) of large secundum ASDs were included in the study. LV rotational deformation was assessed pre‐ and 24 hours post‐device closure using speckle tracking imaging (STI). Results: 55% were females with mean age 6.1 ± 3.5 years. LV peak basal clockwise rotation improved significantly (−6.9 ± 2.6° before vs −10.3 ± 4.1° after TCC, P = .005), and time to peak clockwise rotation (345.1 ± 124.7 milliseconds (ms) before vs 282.2 ± 82.9 ms after closure, P = .02). There was no significant difference in apical rotational parameters including peak counterclockwise rotation (P > .05 for both). LV twist (11.3 ± 3.8° before vs 17.5 ± 7.1° after closure, P = .001) and torsion (2.1 ± 0.7°/cm before vs 3.1 ± 1.2°/cm after closure, P = .01) were significantly improved, mainly as the result of improvement of LV basal rotation. LV revealed a significant increase in LV end‐diastolic volumes (P = .02) 24 hour after TCC with no significant change (P > .05) in end‐systolic volumes after closure. Conclusion: Increased peak LV twisting and torsion were attributed to the improved peak systolic clockwise basal rotation after TCC of large ASDs in children.

Background: Bronchial asthma is a chronic airway disease. Cardiac affection in children with bronchial asthma was reported mainly in cases with severe asthma and during acute exacerbations. Aim of the Work:To study cardiac affection in children with mild and moderate bronchial asthma using conventional and tissue Doppler imaging [TDI] echocardiography.Patients and Methods: This was a prospective case control study. Study involved 160 children aged 6-14 years old who were following in outpatient pediatric clinic, Al-Hussein hospital, Al-

BACKGROUND: Low Vitamin D levels associated with obesity have reached an epidemic level all over the world. It has been supposed that the low serum level of Vitamin D3 in obese subjects may be due to an increase in the uptake of Vitamin D3 by adipose tissue. AIM: The current study aimed to investigate the effect of a specially designed exercise program for boosting lipolysis on the Vitamin D level in obese children. METHODS: Thirty obese male children participated in the study. Their age was ranged from 9 to 11 years. The participants were assigned to two groups, Group I (GI) who received endurance exercise (ENE) only and Group II (GII) who received the specially designed exercise for increasing lipolysis (ENE preceded by resistance exercise). Free fatty acids (FFA), glycerol, and 25(OH)D were assessed before and immediately after exercise. RESULTS: FFA and glycerol showed a significant increase in both groups following exercise, while 25(OH)D showed a significant increase only in GII. GII showed significantly higher levels of FFA, glycerol, and 25(OH)D following exercise when it was compared to GI. CONCLUSION: The application of resistance training before ENE could improve the Vitamin D status through increasing the lipolytic activities more than the application of endurance exercise alone.