Robert A. Campbell

Polyamine levels in normal human serum. Comparison of analytical methods.

Abstract A comparison of levels of the polyamines, putrescine, spermidine and spermine, in individual and pooled normal human serum, as determined by three independent methods, high pressure cation-exchange chromatography (HPCC), radioimmunoassay (RIA) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), has been made. Generally good correlations were found for values derived by the three different methods.

Pulmonary alveolar proteinosis and pulmonary cryptococcosis in an adolescent boy

A 14-year-old boy received massive lung lavage for pulmonary alveolar proteinosis after transtracheal catheter lavage was ineffective in alleviating progressive respiratory failure. He then developed widespread pulmonary cryptococcosis which was apparently eradicated by the administration of amphotericin B. Two years later, both lungs were again washed because of rapidly decreasing vital capacity. Presently, at age 17 years, he appears healthy although pulmonary function is less than normal.

Renal transplantation in pediatric patients.

Thirty-five transplants have been performed in 29 children, 1 week to 16 years old. Of these patients 79 per cent are surviving from 9 months to 14 years post-transplantation. Eighteen of these patients have required different surgical procedures for transplantation than adult patients. Immunosuppressive therapy has been essentially the same as in adult patients. A striking difference between the living related donor and the cadaver donor transplant functional survival as seen in this series is unexplained at the present time. Linear growth has been good in those children who have required minimal doses of corticosteroids to maintain adequate renal function.

The hemolytic-uremic syndrome in nonrelated adopted siblings

Summary Two adopted, nonrelated siblings who presented with hemolytic-uremic syndrome at about the same time are reported. Rising hemagglutination inhibition titers against Asian influenzae virus type 2 (Taiwan and Japan/170) were demonstrated in one and were suggestive in the other child. A familial or genetic predisposition is not evident since the two ill siblings were adopted and biologically unrelated. Though there was a temporally related response to heparin therapy in the more severely involved patient, spontaneous recovery occurred rapidly in the child with mild disease.

An atypical Escherichiacoli associated with cystic fibrosis of the pancreas

Summary The case of a patient with cystic fibrosis has been presented, in whom during the course of a quantitative bacteriologic analysis of the sputum a mucoid variant of E. coli appeared and persisted. Some cultural and biochemical characteristics of the organism have been presented.

Salicylism Revisited Unusual Problems in Diagnosis and Management

Salicylism remains a distressing form of intoxication. Three cases illustrate points in environmental drug control, prescription writing, diagnosis and therapy.