Continuous renal replacement therapy in neonates and young infants during extracorporeal membrane oxygenation.

Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) is a therapy that ensures adequate tissue oxygen delivery in patients suffering cardiac and/or respiratory failure that are unresponsive to conventional therapy. During ECMO, it is common to see a decrease in urine output that may be associated with acute renal failure. In this context, continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT) should be considered. Our aim is to evaluate a pioneer experience in Latin America, related to the use of CRRT in a group of neonatal-pediatric patients during ECMO. We conducted a retrospective review of patients treated with ECMO at our institution between May 2003 and May 2005. Twelve infants were treated with ECMO, six of them also underwent CRRT. The main reasons for CRRT initiation were fluid overload and progressive azotemia. Observed complications were clots in the filter and excessive ultrafiltration. CRRT was successful in fluid management and solute clearance in all patients. Discharge survival rate was 83%, all of them with normal renal function. Concurrent CRRT with ECMO is technically feasible and efficacious in the management of fluid overload and solute clearance. We report the first experience with these therapies in a Latin American neonatal-pediatric ECMO program associated with the Extracorporeal Life Support Organization.

Hemolytic uremic syndrome in a child with leukemia and cytomegalovirus infection.

A 2-year-old boy had a severe cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection with multi-organ involvement, while on maintenance therapy for acute lymphoblastic leukemia. The patient was treated with intravenous gancyclovir, with a marked improvement in his clinical status, with the exception of a progressive deterioration of the renal function. He also developed hemolytic anemia and thrombocytopenia, suggesting a diagnosis of atypical hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS). A percutaneous renal biopsy showed lesions consistent with HUS, but no evidence of CMV infection. The patient had a good clinical outcome with no evidence of renal sequelae. We report a rare association of CMV infection and HUS in the pediatric age-group, which suggests a possible cause-effect relationship that deserves further evaluation.

A suicide attempt with an oral calcium channel blocker.

Calcium channel blockers are widely used in all-aged populations. The drugs are generally safe in therapeutic dosage, but severe side effects with elevated intake are increasingly described, mainly in adult patients. We report an adolescent girl who intentionally ingested an overdose of nifedipine.

Peritonitis as a risk factor of acute renal failure in nephrotic children.

Idiopathic acute renal failure (IARF) is an uncommon but severe complication in children with relapsing nephrotic syndrome and may require long-term dialytic support until recovery of renal function takes place. Due to limited understanding of the pathophysiology of IARF, specific guidelines for its prevention and therapy have not been developed. Among triggering factors, peritonitis was present in half of all pediatric patients with this complication described in the English literature over the past 15 years. We report an additional nephrotic child who developed IARF following spontaneous bacterial peritonitis. The renal biopsy showed tubular epithelial changes consistent with acute tubular necrosis. A discussion of related literature and possible pathogenesis of this association is presented.

Diuretic MAG3 scintigraphy (F0) in acute pyelonephritis: regional parenchymal dysfunction and comparison with DMSA.

UNLABELLED: 99mTc-DMSA late static planar imaging or SPECT is being used for the investigation of focal acute pyelonephritis (APN), especially in children with urinary tract infection (UTI). Diuretic 99mTc-mercaptoacetyltriglycine (MAG3) dynamic scintirenography has been applied in the evaluation of kidney function and structure, frequently to exclude obstruction. However, in children and adults with a clinical picture of APN, diuretic MAG3 scintigraphy with zero time injection of furosemide (MAG3-F0) was observed to display focal parenchymal abnormalities; regional dysfunction (focal parenchymal decrease in early uptake; slow filling in and prolonged late retention of activity); or, less frequently, fixed defects. This observation was further studied both retrospectively and prospectively, and its sensitivity and specificity for APN were compared with those of dimercaptosuccinic acid (DMSA). METHODS: In the retrospective study, for 36 children with UTI and regional parenchymal findings on MAG3-F(0), data were reviewed, analyzed, and compared with the results of concurrent DMSA studies. In the prospective study, for 57 children with clinical and laboratory findings suggestive of APN, the 2 radiopharmaceuticals were used for imaging sequentially and the results of the 2 studies were compared. The criteria for abnormal findings compatible with the diagnosis of APN were, for MAG3-F(0), regional parenchymal dysfunction and fixed focal defects and, for DMSA, focal defects without parenchymal loss. RESULTS: In all groups of patients, most abnormal MAG3-F(0) studies (80%) showed regional parenchymal dysfunction, but in some (20%) a fixed defect was found. Compared with DMSA and when both regional dysfunction and focal defects were considered, MAG3-F(0) was as sensitive as DMSA. Some patients had only MAG3-F(0) abnormalities, suggesting a slightly lower specificity for MAG3-F(0) compared with DMSA (86%); this finding needs further study, because it also raises questions about the sensitivity of DMSA, considering that only a small percentage of patients with clinically suggestive findings had abnormal study findings. In most patients with fixed defects on both DMSA and MAG3-F(0), follow-up studies showed no resolution, suggesting that a fixed defect on MAG3-F(0) may indicate either more severe APN or preexistent scars and that regional dysfunction may be a sign more specific for APN and prognostic of potential recovery. In addition, a pattern more specific for a scar--a fixed defect with a dilated regional calyx--was seen on follow-up MAG3-F(0). CONCLUSION: A fast (25-min) planar dynamic MAG3-F(0) study was found to be as sensitive at depicting focal parenchymal abnormalities in APN as was the 3- to 4-h DMSA routine procedure. The sensitivity and specificity of both studies need further evaluation.

Chronic renal failure in pediatrics 1996. Chilean survey.

The Nephrology Branch of the Chilean Pediatric Society has greatly influenced the development of government health plans regarding the management and care of patients under 18 years with chronic renal failure (CRF). In order to assess the status of children with CRF in Chile up to 1996, a questionnaire was sent to all pediatric nephrologists in charge of those children. The total sample was of 227 patients under 18 years, giving a national prevalence of 42.5 and an incidence of 5.7 per million inhabitants; of these patients, 50.7% were male, 58.6% over 10 years and 15% younger than 5 years. The most frequent etiologies of CRF were: obstructive uropathy, 18.1%; hypo/dysplasia, 16.7%; reflux nephropathy, 16.7%; and glomerulopathies, 16.3%. Although 48% of patients were on conservative medical treatment, 42.2% of these were in end-stage renal disease, 22.9% were on dialysis, and 29.1% had undergone renal transplantation. Of the dialysis group, 75% were on peritoneal dialysis. Of the transplanted children, 78.8% had normal renal function, but 16.7% returned to dialysis. Three-year graft survival and patient survival were 68% and 94%, respectively.

[Crescentic glomerulonephritis with anti neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody in children. Cases report]. / Glomerulonefritis crescéntica con anticuerpos anticitoplasma de neutrofilos (+) en niños. Casos clínicos.

Anti neutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies are associated to vasculitis and crescentic glomerulonephritis in adults. However, this association has been seldom reported in children. We report two girls aged 12 and 15 years old with ANCA + glomerulonephritis. Both were subjected to a percutaneous kidney biopsy. One girl had to enter a chronic hemodialysis program. The other patient recovered her renal function and after 12 months of treatment with steroids and cyclophosphamide microscopic hematuria and proteinuria persist but with normal kidney function. ANCA should be measured in children with vasculitis and glomerulonephritis.

[Prevention of infections in patients with lymphoproliferative syndromes and myeloma by nebulization of an IgA concentrate]. / Prevención de infecciones en pacientes con síndromes linfoproliferativos y mieloma por nebulización de un concentrado de IgA.

Infection of the upper respiratory tract is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in patients with lymphoproliferative syndromes and multiple myeloma. Nebulizations with IgA tested in a randomized double blind trial to evaluate its efficacy to prevent respiratory infections in patients with lymphoproliferative syndromes and multiple myeloma. Forty nine patients were evaluated (chronic lymphocytic leukaemia, 22; multiple myeloma, 11; lymphoma, 8; HCL, 6; Waldenström and lymphoepiteliod tymoma, 1 patient each) were randomized to receive nebulizations every 12 hours during 3 months of IgA or placebo. Seven infectious episodes (4 respiratory tract infections) in 25 IgA treated patients and 25 episodes (16 respiratory tract infections) in 24 control patients were recorded (p <0.0002). Eighteen patients belonging to the treated group remained free of infections against only 5 from the control group (p < 0.001). No difference related to the grade of infections was observed between groups. The arithmetic media for the first infection observed in each group was 45.6 +/- 22.0 days for the IgA treated and 28.6 +/- 17.5 days for the placebo (p < 0.025). According to this study, IgA nebulization therapy was useful to prevent respiratory tract infections and also delay the onset of infection in patients with lymphoproliferative syndromes and myeloma.

Evaluación cintigráfica de patología nefrourológica diagnosticada en período antenatal / Scintigraphic assessment of nephrourologic pathology with prenatal diagnosis

Desde el advenimiento de la ecografía obstétrica, el diagnóstico antenatal (DA) de patología nefrourológica (PNU) es relativamente frecuente. El objetivo de este trabajo es evaluar retrospectivamente la cintigrafía renal dinámica (CRD) y estática (CRE) en 30 pacientes (pac) entre 2 días y 13 meses de vida, 19 de los 30 pacientes eran recién nacidos, de los cuales siete fueron estudiados durante la primera semana de vida. Se realizó CRD con Tc99n DTPA ó 13, CRE con Tc99m DMSA en 17 pacientes y ambos estudios en 14 pacientes. Trece de las 60 unidades (UR) (21.7 por ciento) estaban excluídas, uno de las cuales bilateral, secundaria a valvas de la uretra posterior. La causa más común de exclusión fue riñón multicístico. Siete de los doce pacientes con exclusión unilateral presentaron patología del riñon contralateral (EPU). En ninguno de estos siete pacientes existía compromiso significativo de la función renal al momento del cintigrama. En diez UR la CRD mostró un patrón obstructivo, siendo en la mayoría (6UR) secundaria a EPU. En 17 UR la CRD mostró retención pielocaliceal con respuesta normal al diurético, 14 UR eran hidronefrosis transitoria del recién nacido. En 11 niños se realizó seguimiento cintigráfico, siete postquirúrgico, en 5 de estos pacientes se observó una mejoría de la curva de excreción (71,4 por ciento). En tres de los 4 pacientes no operados el seguimiento cintigráfico demostró un deterioro en la función renal y/o en la curva de excreción, lo que motivó una corrección quirúrgica

An update of two randomized trials in previously untreated multiple myeloma comparing melphalan and prednisone versus three- and five-drug combinations: an Argentine Group for the Treatment of Acute Leukemia Study.

An update of two consecutive randomized studies in previously untreated multiple myeloma was performed. The first study (10-M-73) began in 1973; 150 patients were treated with melphalan and prednisone (MP) or semustine, cyclophosphamide, and prednisone (MeCP). In a second randomized study (3-M-77), begun in 1977, 260 patients were treated with MP or melphalan, prednisone, cyclophosphamide, semustine, and vincristine (MPCCV). A total of 27 of the 67 patients (40%) treated with MP and 33 of the 83 patients (40%) treated with MeCP showed a good response in protocol 10-M-73; 48 of 145 patients (33%) treated with MP and 51 of the 115 patients (44%) treated with MPCCV in protocol 3-M-77 obtained a good response (P is not significant). Median survival in protocol 10-M-73 was 30 months for MeCP and 38 months for MP. At 84 months, 19% and 9% remain alive, respectively. Median survival for protocol 3-M-77 was 44 months for those treated with MPCCV and 42 months for MP. At 60 months, 9% and 11% remain alive; this difference was not significant. Also, there was no survival difference for favorable or unfavorable prognostic groups among the four treatment arms of both protocols. It can be concluded, with a long-term follow-up of both protocols, that the combination of MP is as effective as the three- and five-drugs combinations, and in view of its simplicity and cost-saving advantages, it should be favored for initial therapy of multiple myeloma patients.

Estudio histologico con inmunoperoxidasa en mieloma multiple. / Histological study with immunoperoxidase in multiple myeloma

Utilizando el metodo inmunohistoquimico de anticuerpos libres peroxidasa-antiperoxidasa, se realizo la caracterizacion de inmunoglobulinas intracitoplasmaticas, en material de biopsia de medula osea incluida en parafina de once pacientes portadores de mieloma multiple. Se obtuvo franca correlacion entre la inmunomarcacion plasmocitaria y el componente "M" serico, demostrandose la eficacia de la tecnica a pesar de los procedimientos agresivos que sufre el tejido medular para su procesamiento histologico. Esta marcacion inmunologica realza su valor en los casos de plasmocitomas no secretores, o con bajo componente plasmocitario proliferante y el diagnostico diferencial de plasmocitosis reactivas, al ser altamente especifica para la demonstracion de mono o policlonalidad celular

Estudio histologico con inmunoperoxidasa en mieloma multiple. / Histological study with immunoperoxidase in multiple myeloma

Utilizando el metodo inmunohistoquimico de anticuerpos libres peroxidasa-antiperoxidasa, se realizo la caracterizacion de inmunoglobulinas intracitoplasmaticas, en material de biopsia de medula osea incluida en parafina de once pacientes portadores de mieloma multiple. Se obtuvo franca correlacion entre la inmunomarcacion plasmocitaria y el componente "M" serico, demostrandose la eficacia de la tecnica a pesar de los procedimientos agresivos que sufre el tejido medular para su procesamiento histologico. Esta marcacion inmunologica realza su valor en los casos de plasmocitomas no secretores, o con bajo componente plasmocitario proliferante y el diagnostico diferencial de plasmocitosis reactivas, al ser altamente especifica para la demonstracion de mono o policlonalidad celular