Ultrasound markers for prediction of gestational diabetes mellitus in early pregnancy in Egyptian women: observational study.

INTRODUCTION: Excess visceral adipose tissue (VAT) is associated with insulin resistance in early pregnancy and VAT measurement better explains the association between obesity and insulin resistance than the body mass index. First trimester homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) or the insulin sensitivity index proved to have positive correlation with late development of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) in late pregnancy. Greater VAT depth in the first trimester of pregnancy will be associated with hyperglycemia at 24-28 weeks' gestation. OBJECTIVES: To study the relationship between abdominal visceral adiposity and insulin resistance in early pregnancy as a predictor for development of GDM in late pregnancy. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This prospective cohort study included 83 pregnant women at 11-14-week gestation subjected to abdominal adiposity measurement through VAT and subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT) measurements, then at 16-22 completed a two-hour 75 g OGTT and fasting one-hour and two-hour serum insulin concentration. The HOMA-IR and insulin resistance index (IRI) were calculated. Patients were divided into two groups: group I: pregnant women who did not developed GDM; group 2: pregnant women who developed GDM. RESULTS: Significant statistical difference in both groups as regarding VAT (p = .001). With mean ± S.D. of VAT increase in Group 2. Mean ± S.D. of HOMA-IR increase in group 2 with significant statistical difference in both groups (p =.001). Also mean ± S.D. of ISI increase in group 2 with significant statistical difference in both groups (p = .001). There was positive relationship between visceral adiposity and HOMA-IR and negative relationship between visceral adiposity and insulin sensitivity. Also, in this study, there was no significant relation between SAT and HOMA-IR. CONCLUSIONS: From our study, we concluded that measurement of VAT during a routine 11-14 weeks' gestation ultrasound might improve the performance of screening for GDM and correlates with metabolic risk factors even better than BMI.

Factors affecting graft survival among patients receiving kidneys from live donors: a single-center experience.

INTRODUCTION: The aim of this report is to study the graft and patient survival in a large cohort of recipients with an analysis of factors that may affect the final outcomes. METHODS: Between March 1976 and March 2008, 1967 consecutive live-donor renal transplants were carried out. Various variables that may have an impact on patients and/or graft survival were studied in two steps. Initially, a univariate analysis was carried out. Thereafter, significant variables were embedded in a stepwise regression analysis. RESULTS: The overall graft survival was 86.7% and 65.5%, at 5 and 10 years, respectively. The projected half-life for grafts was 17.5 years and for patients was 22 years. Five factors had an independent negative impact on graft survival: donor's age, genetic considerations, the type of primary immunosuppression, number of acute rejection episodes, and total steroid dose during the first 3 months after transplantation. CONCLUSIONS: Despite refinements in tissue matching techniques and improvements in immunosuppression protocols, an important proportion of grafts is still lost following living donor kidney transplantation, presumably due to chronic allograft nephropathy.

Spinal compression by brown tumor in two patients with chronic kidney allograft failure on maintenance hemodialysis.

Brown tumors with non-neoplastic process are noticed in patients with end-stage renal disease suffering from a severe form of secondary hyperparathyroidism. Herein, we report a patient with chronic kidney allograft failure returned back to hemodialysis who experienced manifestations of cauda equina compression secondary to a lumbar brown tumor. Also, we had another patient on hemodialysis with a demineralized lesion affecting the cervical vertebrae. Although brown tumor is a rare complication, these two cases highlighted the importance of neurological symptoms in uremic patients. Spinal decompression surgery, in order to alleviate pressure on neurological structures, together with subtotal parathyroidectomy, were highly indicated.

Long-term results of two unconventional agents in steroid-dependent nephrotic children.

Children with steroid-dependent minimal change nephrotic syndrome are prone to serious steroid side effects. Alternative therapies, such as oral cyclophosphamide, may also have serious side effects. We conducted this novel prospective study to compare the long-term efficacies of levamisole and I.V. pulse cyclophosphamide as therapies with potentially fewer side effects. This study included 40 children with idiopathic steroid-dependent minimal change nephrotic syndrome (age 3-15 years; 31 boys and 9 girls). The patients were randomized into two equal groups. One group received levamisole 2.5 mg/kg on alternate days (levamisole group) while the other group received I.V. cyclophosphamide 500 mg/m2/month for six months (cyclophosphamide group). Prednisolone was gradually withdrawn. After stopping treatment, the number of patients that maintained remission was five (25%) in each group at six months, four (20%) versus two (10%) at one year and three (15%) versus one (5%) at two years in the levamisole and cyclophosphamide groups respectively, and one (5%) in each group at three and four years. The overall side effects were mild and both drugs were well tolerated. In view of the results, we recommend trial of levamisole before adopting other therapies with more serious side effects in such patients.