Emergence of G186D mutation in the presence of R292K mutation in an immunocompromised child infected with influenza A/H3N2 virus, treated with oseltamivir.

An immunocompromised child with influenza A/H3N2 virus infection, treated with oseltamivir from day 1, had nasal swabs taken on days 1, 4, 7, and 10 of the illness. Pyrosequencing showed increasing proportions of viruses with R292K (neuraminidase gene) and G186D (hemagglutinin gene) mutations, resulting in a viral load rebound by day 10.

Specialist pediatric dialysis nursing improves outcomes in children on chronic peritoneal dialysis.

Chronic peritoneal dialysis (PD) for children in Singapore was instituted in 1988 at the National University Hospital with adult nurses providing dialysis services during the first 10 years. In 1998, a specialist pediatric dialysis nursing team was recruited. This study was conducted to determine the impact of dialysis nursing service on PD-related outcomes during the two nursing periods. Comparing the adult (group 1) and pediatric (group 2) nursing periods, the peritonitis rate was significantly higher in group 1 (RR 1.90; 95%CI 1.27-2.84), and this association did not weaken after adjusting for age, gender, and exit site infections. Exit site infection rate (RR 2.16; 95%CI 1.44-3.23), risk of peritonitis during the first year (RR 3.65; 95%CI 1.68-7.90), and multiple peritonitis attacks (RR 2.45; 95%CI 1.32-4.55) were higher in group 1. The peritonitis rates for adult patients cared for by the same adult nurses declined sharply from 1.05 episodes per patient-year between 1989 and 1992 to 0.41 episodes per patient-year between 1995 and 1997, however the corresponding pediatric rates did not change (1.48 to 1.06 episodes per patient-year, respectively) until the second era when specialized pediatric nurses were available. In conclusion, establishment of a specialist pediatric dialysis nursing team resulted in significant improvement in infection-related PD outcomes.

Simulating inadequate dialysis and its correction using an individualized patient-derived nomogram.

Computerized kinetic modeling is a valuable automated peritoneal dialysis (APD) prescription tool for optimizing dialysis adequacy. However, non-compliance results in failure to achieve adequacy targets. The aim of this study was to determine if a nomogram could estimate dialysis compensations for shortfalls in simulated non-compliant patients, such that total weekly urea clearance (Kt/V(urea)) targets are met. Individualized nomograms comprising a series of curves were derived from PD Adequest (ver. 2.0)-predicted Kt/V(urea) data (r (2 ) > 0.99) for different APD prescriptions. The nomogram was then used to estimate the (Nomogram-computed) average of the daily Kt/V(urea) in 14 patients. The study comprised three 1-month phases. Patients were compliant to dialysis in phase I, where Adequest-predicted Kt/V(urea) showed good agreement with both measured (r (I) = 0.72), and Nomogram-computed values (r (I) > 0.99) (p < 0.001). Conversely, in non-compliant phase II, Nomogram-computed values were lower than Adequest-predicted values (p < 0.002). In phase III, the nomogram estimated prescription adjustments required to compensate for shortfalls, such that there was significantly less difference between Nomogram-computed and Adequest-predicted Kt/V(urea) than in phase II (p = 0.005). Thus, despite non-compliance, predicted Kt/V(urea) targets were attained using the nomogram to adjust the daily APD prescriptions. This concept is potentially useful for patients desiring to compensate for inadvertent shortfalls, rather than for 'truly non-compliant' patients.

Nineteen-year experience of paediatric renal transplantation in Singapore.

INTRODUCTION: Renal transplantation is the treatment of choice for children with end-stage renal failure (ESRF). The paediatric renal transplant programme in Singapore was initiated in 1989. This study aimed to examine our outcomes over the 19-year period from 1989 to 2007. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 38 renal transplants were performed at our centre. Another 4 patients with overseas transplants who returned within 3 weeks post-transplant were included. The proportion of living donor (LD) transplants was 61.9%. Structural abnormalities and glomerulopathies were the most common aetiologies comprising 33% each. Median age at transplant was 13.9 years and median waiting time was 2.2 years. LD transplant recipients were younger and had a shorter waiting time than deceased donor (DD) recipients. RESULTS: Overall patient survival rates were 95%, 92%, 86% and 86% at 1, 5, 10 and 15 years, respectively. There were 4 deaths, of which 3 were due to infections. Graft survival rates at 1, 5, 10 and 15 years for LD and DD transplants were 100%, 89.5%, 67.3%, 67.3% and 80.8%, 56.5%, 42.2%, 28.3% respectively, and were significantly higher in LD transplants. The main cause of graft loss was rejection following non-adherence. Multivariate analysis showed male gender, late acute rejections and acute tubular necrosis as predictors of graft failure. There was a high incidence of early bacterial infections (42.9%) and cytomegalovirus disease (16.7%). CONCLUSION: Our graft survival rates for LD transplants were comparable to North American rates, although our DD transplant rates were slightly worse, probably a reflection of the prevailing transplant policies.