Kidney injury molecule-1/creatinine as a urinary biomarker of acute kidney injury in critically ill neonates.

INTRODUCTION: Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a complex disorder, means acute deterioration of renal function generally occurring over hours to days. Serum creatinine (SCr) is a suboptimal biomarker in neonates as the creatinine concentration reflects the maternal level for up to 72 h after birth, to improve the ability for early prediction of AKI and improve clinical outcomes, there has been a significant amount of research to identify novel biomarkers of damage to allow for the earlier identification of neonates with AKI. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to study the effectiveness of urinary kidney injury molecule-1/creatinine (uKIM-1/cr) in the diagnosis of AKI in critically ill neonates. STUDY DESIGN: The patients' group included 50 critically ill full-term septic neonates (39 of them developed AKI according to guidelines of AKI diagnosis), and control group including 50 healthy neonates. Full history taking, clinical assessment and laboratory testing of the renal functions (urea & creatinine), eGFR, uKIM-1 by ELISA technique and uKIM-1/cr ratio on admission, and on day 3 of admission. RESULTS: Urea, serum creatinine increased, whereas, eGFR decreased significantly in the second sample when compared to the first sample of the AKI group. uKIM-1 and uKIM-1/cr were high in the first sample, uKIM-1 concentration and uKIM-1/creatinine were higher in second sample (2.2 ± 0.6 ng/ml & 7.1 ± 2.1 ng/mg) when compared to first sample (0.6 ± 0.1 ng/ml & 2.6 ± 0.9 ng/mg) in critically ill neonates with AKI. Serum creatinine, uKIM-1 and uKIM-1/cr ratio were significantly associated with higher KDIGO stages. Applying the ROC curve at the first sample for discrimination between critically ill neonatal patients with and without AKI, uKIM-1/cr AUC was significantly higher when compared to AUCs of creatinine, eGFR, uKIM-1. Regression analysis revealed that high uKIM-1 & uKIM-1/cr are independent predictors for AKI within critically ill neonates. So, uKIM-1 & uKIM-1/cr are early biomarkers as their level increased before creatinine increases. CONCLUSIONS: uKIM-1 and uKIM-1/cr are good early indicators for AKI in neonates suffering from a critical illness.

Evaluation of TG-HDL Ratio Instead of HOMA Ratio as Insulin Resistance Marker in Overweight and Children with Obesity.

BACKGROUND: Homeostasis model assessment for insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) is widely used as a marker of insulin resistance in adults and has also been validated in children and adolescents. Triglyceride (TG) and HDL-C on the other hand is a routine test and inexpensive compared to insulin. Previous studies reported conflicting findings on the usefulness of the triglyceride to HDL-C ratio (TG:HDL-C ratio) as predictor or marker of IR. The aim of this work was to investigate the usefulness of Triglyceride to HDL-C ratio (TG/HDL-C) as an Insulin Resistance (IR) marker in overweight and children with obesity. METHODS: This study was a comparative cross sectional study which was conducted on ninety overweight and children with obesity attending National Nutrition Institute "Pediatric obesity clinic. They were classified into 2 groups as follows: group (1) included overweight and children with obesity with insulin resistance, group (2) included overweight and children with obesity with non-insulin resistance. All the subjects were subjected to history, clinical examination and laboratory investigations including total lipid profile, fasting glucose, insulin and TG:HDL-C ratio instead of HOMA ratio. RESULTS: Prevalence of IR among the studied sample was 42 (46.7%). Mean value of TG/ HDL-C ratio was greater among the insulin resistance group than non insulin resistance group (p value= < 0.001)value). TG/HDL ratio ≥1.36 had 85.7% sensitivity, 66.7% specificity. There was statistically significant positive correlation between TG/HDL ratio and HOMA-IR. CONCLUSION: TG:HDL ratio ≥1.36 is a significant early and sensitive predictor of insulin resistance in children instead of HOMA-IR.

Predictive and diagnostic value of serum intestinal fatty acid binding protein in neonatal necrotizing enterocolitis (case series).

OBJECTIVES: In this study, we aimed to investigate the value of serum intestinal fatty acid binding protein (I-FABP) in early diagnosis and predicting the severity of Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC). METHODS: This prospective study was performed on 160 preterm neonates ageing less than 35 weeks and weighting less than 2000 gm selected from the Neonatal Intensive Care Units (NICUs) of the Pediatric Department at Benha University hospital and Benha children hospital to evaluate which of them will develop NEC, after follow-up these neonates were divided into two groups: Group one compromised eighteen preterm neonates with symptoms and signs of NEC. Group two compromised ten preterm neonates as a control group. All participants were subjected to full clinical examination, abdominal X-ray and serum I-FABP. RESULTS: The 1st values of IFABP taken at birth showed that mean serum IFABP concentrations of the study group were higher than that of the control group. The 2nd values of serum IFABP taken at the start of feeding showed that mean IFABP concentrations of the study group were higher in comparison with IFABP at birth. In the 3rd values of serum, IFABP taken at the time of diagnosing NEC showed that mean serum IFABP concentrations of the study group were higher than the control group. In the 4th values of serum, IFABP taken one week after diagnosing NEC showed that the mean serum IFABP concentrations of the study group became significantly decreased in comparison with IFABP at the time of diagnosis in stage 1 and 2. CONCLUSIONS: Serial measurements of serum I-FABP levels may be a useful marker for early diagnosis and prediction of disease severity in NEC.

Significant hepatic expression of IL-2 and IL-8 in biliary atresia compared with other neonatal cholestatic disorders.

OBJECTIVES: Although the exact etiology of biliary atresia (BA) is still elusive, inflammation plays a key role. Release of proinflammatory cytokines from activated immune cells perpetuates the injury and causes biliary destruction. We aimed to study interleukin (IL)-2 and IL-8 expression in liver tissue of BA patients compared with other neonatal cholestatic disorders. METHODS: The study included 59 infants with neonatal cholestasis in two groups; BA group (n=31) and non-BA group (n=28) with cholestatic disorders other than BA as controls. Demographic, clinical, laboratory, and histopathological parameters were collected. IL-2 and IL-8 immunostaining was performed. Immunostaining in portal cellular infiltrate was scored as positive or negative and expressed as the mean cell count in three portal tracts. RESULTS: The mean value of IL-2 and IL-8 positive inflammatory cells was significantly higher in BA than in non-BA group (P-values of 0.004 and 0.002 respectively). IL-2 correlated significantly with IL-8 immunostaining in both BA and non-BA group (P<0.0001 for both). Furthermore, both cytokines in both groups correlated significantly with inflammatory activity in liver biopsy while there was no significant correlation with the other studied parameters. Yet, there was a trend of increased expression of IL-2 and IL-8 with increasing stage of fibrosis in BA group. This trend was not observed in non-BA group. CONCLUSION: The significantly higher expression of IL-2 and IL-8 in patients with BA compared to non-BA suggests a potential role for these cytokines in the pathogenesis in therapy of this devastating neonatal hepatic disorder.