We examined the association between sex, age, insulin regimens and glycemic control in 133 Japanese children and adolescents, 42 males and 61 females aged 16.8 ± 7.0 yr, with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM). The patients were divided into 5 age groups and were also classified according to the insulin regimen. The annual median HbA1c level in males (7.3 ± 0.2%) was similar to that in females (7.2 ± 0.2%). In regard to the age of the patients, the median HbA1c levels in patients aged 15-19 yr (7.9 ± 0.4%) was significantly higher than those aged 5-9 yr (7.2 ± 0.1%) and those aged 20≤ yr (6.6 ± 0.4%, p<0.05, respectively). On the other hand, there were no significant relationships between the HbA1c values and the insulin regimens. In conclusion, difficulty in management of diabetes due to emotional issues and endocrinological factors during adolescence may play a possible role in the deterioration of diabetes control. On the other hand, the insulin regimen does not seem to have a major impact on the metabolic outcome in young people with T1DM.

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Hypophosphatasia is a rare inherited disorder caused by deficient tissue-nonspecific alkaline phosphatase activity. It is classified into 6 subtypes, and the perinatal lethal form of hypophosphatasia is the most severe. Patients with this form suffer from various symptoms, including respiratory failure, premature craniosynostosis, rachitic changes in the metaphyses, convulsions and hypercalcemia. This report presents 6 cases of the perinatal lethal form of hypophosphatasia. All of the patients showed shortening of the long bones in utero in ultrasonographic examinations. Two of the six patients died at birth because they could not establish spontaneous breathing. Three of the remaining four patients also died before 1 yr of age. The major cause of death was respiratory failure due to hypoplastic lung. All of the patients, except for the two who died at birth, experienced convulsions in their clinical courses. Vitamin B6 therapy effectively reduced the frequency and severity of convulsions. However, it could not always make the patients convulsion free. Three patients underwent a genetic analysis. The 1559delT mutation, which abolishes Alkaline Phosphatase (ALP) activity, was a hot spot. A homozygous 1559delT mutation was observed in two patients. However, they differed in severity of symptoms. Although a good genotype-phenotype correlation has been reported in hypophosphatasia, the genotype alone does not always predict the life span of the patients. These cases therefore suggested the importance of genetic counseling.

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We are presenting a five-year-old male with recurrent anion gap acidosis. During his last admission, it was detected that he had elevated VLCFA and the evaluation discovered that he had X-linked Adrenooleukodystrophy. He had the Addisonian only phenotype without any clinical or radiographic CNS findings. We were unable to find any other reports of this presentation of ALD. If the work-up of recurrent anion gap acidosis does not uncover an etiology, X-linked ALD should be considered in the differential diagnosis.

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Leydig cell testicular tumors are very rare in children and cause isosexual precocious puberty. Palpable testicular mass or asymmetric testes are common findings on routine examination. We report on a 5-yr-old boy with a Leydig cell tumor of the testis presented with isosexual precocious puberty but no scrotal palpable mass. To our knowledge, this is the first reported Leydig cell tumor in a boy without palpable scrotal mass.

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