CY Yeung

It is gratifying to note in this issue contributions from visiting professors, senior paediatricians and local doctors covering a wide-range of topics.

Professor Mac Turner has provided an excellent review on "Mannose-binding lectin",¹ which is obviously a subject dear to his heart, as he is a world renowned expert in this field. Professor David Hall, in his capacity as the President of the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health, has given readers his personal views and experience in "primary health care for children",² a well-run U.K. model. Dr. CB Chow has prepared a local response, which will appear in the following issue of the Journal.

A group of local and overseas experts, with Professor Virginia Wong as co-ordinator, have drawn up "Clinical guidelines"³ for the management of febrile convulsion, a very common problem occurring in over 5% of young children. We appreciate all the efforts they have put into the document. The survey conducted by Kwong et al⁴ is a useful piece of information on whether clinicians' practice would measure up to standards using epilepsy as an example.

However selective the cases might have been, the excellent survival results among children with renal transplant⁵ in Princess Margaret Hospital must be an achievement envied by other nephrology centres in our region. Dr. MC Chiu and his colleagues must be congratulated for their effort in building up such a paediatric nephrology service for Hong Kong.

The paper by Lee et al⁶ is a useful reminder to those who have not adopted the policy to provide vitamin K prophylaxis to babies born in their hospitals. Balancing against the protective effects on "haemorrhagic disease of newborn", the potential risk of cancer is not only controversial but also remote. Chung et al⁷ provide a useful reminder of inborn error of metabolism, although it is not a common occurrence in Chinese children. Readers will find the two case reports^8,9 both interesting and educational.

The Journal acknowledges all the contributions of papers which have enriched our contents. We wish also to appeal to all child care professionals and research workers to supply us with more papers, especially those which would highlight certain unique features of Chinese children.

References

1. Turner MW. The role of mannose-binding lectin in health and disease. HK J Paediatr (new series) 2002;7:134-42.

2. Hall D. Primary health care in paediatrics. HK J Paediatr (new series) 2002;7:180-2.

3. Wong V, Ho MHK, Rosman NP, et al. Clinical guideline on management of febrile convulsion. HK J Paediatr (new series) 2002;7:143-51.

4. Kwong KL, Chak WK, So KT. Evaluation of paediatric epilepsy care. HK J Paediatr (new series) 2002;7:169-72.

5. Tse KC, Chiu MC, Lai WM, Lau SC. 10 years' experience of paediatric kidney transplantation at a paediatric nephrology center. HK J Paediatr (new series) 2002;7:173-9.

6. Lee ACW, Li CH, So KT. Vitamin K deficiency bleeding revisited. HK J Paediatr (new series) 2002;7:157-61.

7. Chung BHY, Wong KY, Lee JSK, Lam BCC. Non-ketotic hyperglycinaemia: a case report and review on treatment. HK J Paediatr (new series) 2002;7:152-6.

8. Mok GCF, Hui J. An adolescent Chinese boy with Behçet's disease. HK J Paediatr (new series) 2002;7:162-4.

9. Wong KC, Ng DKK. Water intoxication in a 7-month infant. HK J Paediatr (new series) 2002;7:165-8.