Body water percentage from childhood to old age

Total body water (TBW) increases with growth, but the body water percentage (TBW%) decreases with aging. The objective of our study was to delineate TBW% in males and females by bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) from early childhood to old age. Methods: We enrolled 545 participants aged 3 to 98 years (258 male, 287 female). Among the participants, 256 had a normal weight and 289 were overweight. The TBW was measured by BIA, and TBW% was derived by dividing the TBW (L) value by body weight (kg). For analysis, we divided participants into the four age groups of 3–10, 11–20, 21–60, and ≥61 years. Results: In normal-weight subjects, the TBW% was similar at 62% between males and females in the 3–10-year group. It remained unchanged in males until and through adult life, then decreased to 57% in the ≥61-year group. In normal-weight female subjects, the TBW% decreased to 55% in the 11–20-year group, remained relatively unaltered in the 21–60-year group, then decreased to 50% in the ≥61-year group. In overweight subjects, the TBW% values in males, as well as females, were significantly lower as compared to those with normal weight. Conclusion: Our study showed that the TBW% in normal-weight males changes very little from early childhood to adult life compared to that of females, who showed a decrease in TBW% during the pubertal years. In normal-weight subjects of both sexes, the TBW% decreased after the age of 60 years. Overweight subjects had significantly lower TBW% as compared to those with normal weight.

Response to cyclophosphamide therapy in Saudi children with idiopathic nephrotic syndrome

Thirty-three children with idiopathic nephritic syndrome received an eight-week course of 2.5 to 3.0 mg/kg of body weight of cyclophopsphamide. Twenty-five [76%] were in remission 12 to 28 months later [mean, 21.8 months]. Those in remission included 77% of the patients with mesangioproliferative glomerulonephritis, 70% of the patients with focal segmental glomerulosclersis, and 78% of the patients with minimal changes nephropathy. In terms of steroid sensitively, 37.5% of the patients with early steroid resistance were in remission, compared with 100% of the patients with late steroid resistance and 86% of those who were steroid dependent and had frequent relapses. Cycloposphamide therapy should be considered in patients who become resistant to corticosteroids after an initial response and in those who have frequent relapses and need a toxic dose of steroids to remain in remission. Response to such therapy correlates better with the patient's response to the preceding prednisolone therapy rather than to the renal histology

Chronic renal failure in children in Saudi Arabia

This study includes 100 children [male to female ratio, 65:35] with chronic renal failure referred to our renal unit from different parts of the Kingdom over a period of three years. Their ages ranged from 1 to 13 years with a median age of 4 years. Malformations of the urinary tract were the most common cause of chronic renal failure [N=34] followed by heredofamilial disorders [N=18], renal hypoplasia/dysplasia [N=17], glomerulopathies [N=14], and miscellaneous disease [N=5]. No diagnosis could be made in 12 patients because of late referral. Of the 40 patients treated for terminal renal failure, 22 are on maintenance dialysis, 13 on continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis, rand nine on hemodialysis; nine patients have undergone transplantations, seven died, and two were discharged home on conservative treatment