Dyslipidaemia in overweight children and adolescents is associated with an increased risk of kidney stones.

AIM: There is conflicting evidence about the role of obesity in paediatric nephrolithiasis. This Polish study explored the influence of nutritional status and lipid disturbances on urinary lithogenic factors and the risk of kidney stone formation in children and adolescents from three to 18 years of age. METHODS: We carried out serum lipid profile evaluations and 24-h urine chemistry analyses on 493 overweight/obese paediatric participants (mean age 13 years) without nephrolithiasis and 492 healthy normal weight sex and age-matched controls. RESULTS: A third (33%) of the study group had blood lipid disturbances, with more acidic urine, lower urinary citrate excretion and a higher fraction of ionised calcium and higher Bonn Risk Index than the controls. The participants' body mass index standard deviation score (BMI Z-score) was positively correlated with urinary oxalate and uric acid and negatively correlated with citrate excretion. Total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and triglycerides correlated negatively with citraturia, while high-density lipoprotein cholesterol correlated positively. CONCLUSION: The main factor that predisposed overweight and obese children to kidney stones was hypocitraturia. Urinary citrate excretion was related to both BMI Z-scores and all lipid fraction abnormalities. However, hypercholesterolaemia and particularly low-density lipoprotein hypercholesterolaemia seemed to play a major role.

Urinary calcium excretion in children with monosymptomatic enuresis.

BACKGROUND: Among many factors predisposing to monosymptomatic enuresis (MNE) disturbances in urinary electrolites excretion play an important role. Because of many controversies in this field there is a need to debate the role of hypercalciuria in MNE. The aim of our study was to determine the urinary calcium in children with MNE. METHODS: The investigation was conducted on 204 children (83 MNE children and 121 reference group). Urinary calcium excretion (in 24-h collection and per kg of body mass), Ca/creatinine ratio, Ca(2+) in urine sample and in 24-h collection of urine were estimated. RESULTS: Hypercalciuria in MNE group was diagnosed in 18/83 (21.69%) patients. We found statistically significant differences between children with MNE in Ca(2+) in urine sample and 24-h collection and Ca/creat. ratio. Median urinary calcium excretion (mg/kg/24-h and mmol/24-h) was significantly higher in hypercalciuric enuretic patients. The urinary total calcium (mmol/24-h), urinary bound calcium and urinary calcium concentration (mmol/L) demonstrated a significant positive correlation with height, weight and age in reference group but not in MNE group. CONCLUSION: Urinary calcium excretion was significantly disturbed and further studies are needed to assess the role of hypercalciuria in the pathogenesis of MNE.

Bonn Risk Index based micromethod for assessing risk of urinary calcium oxalate stone formation.

PURPOSE: The Bonn Risk Index has been used to evaluate the risk of urinary calcium oxalate stone formation. According to the original method, risk should be determined based on a 200 ml urine sample taken from a 24-hour collection. We evaluated whether the Bonn Risk Index can also be effectively determined in small urine samples. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We studied 190 children and adolescents with nocturia and calcium oxalate urolithiasis. Initially Bonn Risk Index was determined according to the original method of Laube. Subsequently Bonn Risk Index was calculated using a computer program controlling a specially designed system to define the time point of induced crystallization based on consecutive urine samples of 1.5, 2.0 and 3.0 ml. RESULTS: No significant differences were found in Bonn Risk Index between values obtained from 200 ml samples and those based on the micromethod with urine samples of 2 and 3 ml. CONCLUSIONS: Assessment of risk of urinary calcium oxalate stone formation with Bonn Risk Index in small urine volumes, based on prototype equipment controlled by specialized computer software, is comparable to the original method. This finding facilitates the procedure and improves Bonn Risk Index determination in children.

[Lymphocyte subpopulations of peripheral blood in children with Schönlein-Henoch purpura and IgA nephropathy]. / Subpopulacje limfocytów krwi obwodowej u dzieci z choroba Schönleina-Henocha i nefropatia IgA.

The main lymphocytes' subpopulations of peripheral blood in 21 children (mean age--9.8 +/- 3.3 y) with permanent proteinuria and haematuria, 11 with IgA nephropathy (IgA) and 10 with nephropathy in course of Schonlein-Henoch purpura (Sch-H) during intensification of symptoms were assessed on flow cytometer f. Coultier, using monoclonal antibodies. The control group consisted of 21 healthy children at the same age. The results showed decreased percentage of CD4 and increased percentage of CD8 with decreased CD4/CD8 ratio in both groups of examined children. In most cases also increased percentage of B lymphocytes (CD19) were noticed and especially in children from N IgA group increased concentration of immunoglobulin A in serum. Only in some patients increased percentage of natural cytotoxic cells NK were noticed. The results were similar either in N IgA or Sch-H groups.

[The course of post-streptococcal glomerulonephritis depending on methods of treatment for the preceding respiratory tract infection]. / Przebieg popaciorkowcowego klebuszkowego zapalenia nerek w zaleznosci od sposobu leczenia poprzedzajacego zapalenia dróg oddechowych.

UNLABELLED: The aim of our work was to assess the course of post-streptococcal glomerulonephritis (APSGN) in children according to the way of preceding respiratory tract infection treatment. The examinations were carried out in a group of 26 children aged 5-15 years, who were divided into two subgroups: I--12 children, who did not receive antibacterial treatment, and II--14 children who were shortly treated with different antibiotics (3-5 days). All the children had full symptomatic picture of post-streptococcal glomerulonephritis with haematuria, oedemas, hypertension and hypocomplementemia. The etiology was diagnosed retrospectively during observation of ASO titer dynamics and additionally in 18 after finding pathogenic Streptococcus strains in pharyngeal swab. The differences in the course of illness was shown only during first weeks. In children from the group I the course of acute APSGN was a little more serious, because haematuria, proteinuria and hypertension were observed longer. Symptoms of nephrotic syndrome were observed in two children, acute renal insufficiency in two children, and one with hypertensive encephalopathy. After 3 and 12 months no children had pathological signs. Erythrocyturia was observed in 19 of 26 children after 3 months and in 10 of 26 children after 12 months after illness with similar frequency in both groups. In 5 children with proteinuria renal biopsy showed mesangialis proliferative glomerulonephritis--1st degree. CONCLUSION: All observed children with APSGN were not cured properly during the respiratory tract infection preceding the disease, however even short antibacterial treatment caused the moderation of symptoms.

[Urinary calcium/creatinine excretion in children with isolated hematuria]. / Wydalanie szczawianów w moczu dzieci z izolowanym krwikomoczem.

The aim of this study was to assess the oxalate excretion (Ox) in 23 children aged 3-17 years with haematuria (I), using the enzymatic method. Control group (II) consisted of 21 healthy children. The results showed out that in children with haematuria both mean oxalate excretion (Ox/ker) and mean calcium excretion (Ca) and calcium/creatinine ratio (Ca/ker) were higher than in control group. However, the differences were not significant important (p > 0.05). Significantly higher oxalate and calcium excretion was diagnosed in 5 children with renal stone disease and 8 children without stones but with paroxysmal abdominal pain and positive family history.

[Immunoglobulin E and eosinophils in urine of children with bronchial asthma]. / Immunoglobulina E oraz eozynofile w moczu dzieci chorych na dychawice oskrzelowa.

Excretion IgE and eosinophils was assayed in the urine of 25 children with bronchial asthma during attack (I) after regression of symptoms (II) and in a group of healthy children aged 4-15 years. Three healthy children (12%) excreted trace amounts of IgE and single eosinophils to urine. In the group of sick children during attack (I), 20 children (80%) excreted IgE in urine, 10 children (40%) excreted eosinophils. Thirteen children (52%) had nocturia, dysuria or erythrocyturia of unknown cause. After regression of acute symptoms of asthma (II) IgE in urine was excreted in smaller amounts than in (I) by 60% of the children, while eosinophils by 24% children. In the II investigation, 8 children (32%) still had nocturia. It was found that IgE and eosinophils are present in the urine of children with bronchial asthma, regardless if symptoms from the urinary tract are present or not.

Isolation, purification, and characterization of glucosamine-6-phosphate-N-acetylase from pig liver.

The procedure of isolation, purification, and characterization of glucosamine-6-phosphate acetylase from the pig liver is described. The steps of purification were as follows: adsorption on hydroxylapatite, fractionation with ammonium sulfate, chromatography on cellulose phosphate, electrofocusing, and preparative gel electrophoresis. A highly purified (about 3000-fold) preparation of GlcN-6-P acetylase, with a yield of 23%, was obtained. It was found that GlcN-6-P acetylase from pig liver is heterogeneous and exists in two active forms. The characteristic features of the preparation were established: Mr, about 24 kDa; temperature optimum at 37 degrees; pH optimum at 7.45; and Km (GlcN-6-P) 3.7 x 10(-3) M and Km (AcCoA) 1.4 x 10(-3) M. The ions K+, Na+, NH4+, Mg2+, Mn2+, and CH3COO- do not stimulate the acetylase activity. The product of acetylase reaction (GlcNAc-6-P) inhibits this reaction according to the feedback process. The highly purified preparation of GlcN-6-P acetylase is unstable during storage and it is protected by ampholine or glycine from enzyme inactivation, but it is not protected by 2-mercaptoethanol.

The degradation of glycoconjugates in the human gastric mucous membrane.

Autolysis of a homogenate from the human gastric mucosa results in the release of the reducing substances into the supernatant. The activities of the six glycosidases from the human gastric mucosa, N-acetyl-beta-glucosaminidase, N-acetyl-Beta-galactosaminidase, alpha-fucosidase, beta-galactosidase, alpha-mannosidase and alpha-glucosidase were determined. Certain properties of the enzymes are described. The significance of these enzymes in glycoprotein catabolism in the human gastric mucosa is discussed.