role of urinary N-acetyl beta-D-glucosaminidase in children with urological problems

To assess urinary NAG/ urinary creatinine [NAG/ Cr] ratio in patients with urological abnormalities [normal and abnormal ultrasonography] and compare it with normal healthy children. A prospective study was conducted from November 2012 to April 2013. Urine samples were collected from 70 patients with various urological abnormalities, and from 40 healthy control groups, their age range [1 month-13 years]. Children who were admitted to Emergency Pediatric department, Children Welfare Teaching Hospital / Medical City Complex, Baghdad, Iraq. The Glomerular filtration rate was in normal range in all of them. Urine samples were tested for NAG by [ELISA, Cusabio, China] while, both Serum creatinine [S-Cr] and urine creatinine [U-Cr] were estimated by Jaffe's kinetic method. In this study 29% of the patients had normal ultrasonography and 72% abnormal ultrasonography. The current results revealed that NAG/creatinine index was significantly higher in all patients with [vesicoureteral reflux, hydronephrosis and pyelonephritis] in comparison with cystitis. The assessment of urinary NAG could be considered as a useful marker in prediction of the [vesicoureteral reflux, hydronephrosis] .Urinary NAG is elevated in children with pyelonephritis and it can be considered as a further criterion in the diagnosis of upper urinary tract infection

Etiology of chronic liver disease in Iraqi children, with special emphasis on the role of liver biopsy

Pathology of liver diseases in children differ from that of the adult. In this study we reviewed data obtained from of liver biopsies, in addition to other supplementary investigations, to determine common causes of liver diseases in Iraqi children. Eighty liver biopsies were performed, between January 2009 - March 2010, for the diagnosis of various liver related diseases in children, at the Children's Welfare hospital, in addition to other complimentary tests, as required. Various types of congenital inborn errors of metabolism formed the major part of liver diseases in the studied sample [41%], followed by various types of congenital familial intarhepatic cholestasis. Autoimmune hepatitis accounted for 7.5% of the cases, and was the most frequent diagnosis in those older than two years. Liver biopsy [with ultrasound guidance] was a safe procedure. Appropriate biopsy sample was obtained with the spring loaded needles. Heriditiry, familial causes of liver diseases were the most common, requiring efforts for the diagnosis and treatment of such diseases

Kawasaki disease: a case report from Iraq and literature review

Kawasaki disease KD is an acute self-limiting vasculitis, affects mainly children under 5 years old. Early recognition and timely treatment with gamma globulin reduces greatly the risk of grave coronary complications. We present here a case of KD, and the accompanying events that hindered proper management, facing the long list of bad complications of the disease

Chronic diarrhea in under 2 year aged children, a ten year retrospective analysis

Diarrheal diseases are still a major public health problem especially in developing countries, due to their high morbidity and mortality rates, moreover the lagest number of deaths with diarrheal diseases are due to persistent diarrheal states. We attempted to evaluate the size of the problem in our infants, and assess risk factors and outcome. A retrospective study was performed in Al-Kadheniya teaching hospital, to evaluate diarrheal cases in under 2 years of age children, admitted to hospital during the period [Dec. 1991- Dec. 2001], from a total of 863, chronic cliarrheal cases joined 286 [33.14%] that were evaluated for certain variables; epidemiology and risk factors etiology complications and the final outcome. We concluded that: chronic diarrhea formed more than 33% of admitted diarrheal cases to the hospital, of the important risk factors for diarrhea both acute and chronic types were bottle feeding, young age. Lactose intolerance, parasitic infestations and UTI were the common etiologies. Malnutrition was common in cases of chronic diarrhea together with multiple clincal and lab derrangements. The mortality rate was -4%