Body composition in children with renal disease: use of dual energy X-ray absorptiometry.

Dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) is a non-invasive accurate method which estimates bone mineral content and density (BMD), as well as fat (FM) and lean (LM) body mass. This method was used in control children in order to establish normal values for BMD of lumbar spine and whole body composition ¿logistic curves, general equation E = k+K/[1+ alpha exp(- beta A)]¿. In children with chronic renal failure (CRF), LM correlated with the urinary excretion of creatinine (r = 0.97, P = 0.0001) independently from glomerular filtration rate. However, the assessment of LM by DEXA must take into account the hydration level, since there is a positive correlation between fluid loss and reduction in LM in children on hemodialysis (r = 0.98, P = 0.0001). After renal transplantation, a significant loss of BMD (median -9.2%) was observed at 6 months which returned to 95% of pretransplant values by the end of the 1st year. Maximal changes in LM and FM occurred during the first 3 months (-7.8% and +7.2%, respectively) and may be due to steroids; these should be influenced by physical activity since FM correlated inversely with maximal oxygen consumption (r = 0.69, P = 0.0001). Recombinant growth hormone treatment could also increase LM and decrease FM, as shown in 9 patients. DEXA appears therefore to be a reliable method for evaluating therapeutic interventions affecting nutritional status in children with CRF.

Epidemiology of primary hyperoxaluria type 1. Société de Néphrologie and the Société de Néphrologie Pédiatrique.

Primary hyperoxaluria type 1 (PH1) always leads to oxalate accumulation throughout the body (oxalosis). Currently available epidemiological data only concern patients with end-stage kidney disease requiring renal replacement therapy (RRT). French nephrologists have been questioned about PH1 patients who were under their care between 1988 and 1992. Exhaustive answers were obtained and 90 cases of PH1 were collected. The average prevalence rate of PH1 was 1.05/10(6) and its average incidence rate was 0.12/10(6)/year. The median age at onset was 5 years (0-63) and initial symptoms involved the urinary tract in 82% of the cases. Half the patients were younger than 10 years at the time of diagnosis on the basis of urine oxalate (89%) +/- urine glycolate (43%) +/- plasma oxalate (71%) +/- hepatic alanine:glyoxylate amino-transferase activity (48%). At the time of the survey, 36% of patients were on a conservative treatment, 37% were transplanted and 27% were on maintenance haemodialysis; the crude mortality rate was 19% (median age 36 years). Patients on dialysis started RRT at a median age of 25 years. Transplanted patients received their first transplant at a median age of 29.5 years; among those patients with more than 1 year follow-up, 15 received an isolated kidney transplant (one success), one had a isolated liver transplant (one success) and 10 combined liver-kidney transplant (eight successes). These data confirm the rarity of PH1 together with its poor prognosis; as shown in the European experience, early combined liver-kidney transplantation seems to be the best therapeutic proposal.

[Bacterial complications of nephrotic syndrome in children]. / Complications bactériennes des néphroses chez l'enfant.

OBJECTIVES: Evaluate bacterial infection epidemiology and pathophysiology in children with nephrotic syndrome. METHODS: From January 1983 to December 1992, 399 children with the nephrotic syndrome were admitted in 3 University Pediatric wards (Paris Enfants Malades, Lyon Edouard Herriot, Lyon Debrousse). Severe bacterial infection was diagnosed when the patient's condition has justified an intravenous antibiotherapy. RESULTS: Forty-eight bacterial infections were noted in 32 patients (8%); the infection was the first symptom of the disease in 10 patients (31%); one patient died shortly after admission. Severe bacterial infection concerned steroid-resistant nephrotic syndrome in 13 cases (41%), but only 7 out of them received immunosuppressive agents at the time of the infection. Eleven children (34%) experienced recurrent infections (1 to 6 recurrences), several of which under antibioprophylaxy. Half of the infections involved peritonitis and 50% of the identified germs were S. pneumoniae. However, peritonitis was not always related to S. pneumoniae (1 H. influenzae among 9 identified germs). CONCLUSIONS: These data demonstrate the importance of microbiological sampling and justify a first-line antibiotherapy using a third generation cephalosporin. The presentation of severe bacterial infections show that it is less a iatrogenic event than a consequence of immunological disturbances induced by the nephrotic syndrome itself, as suggested by the acquired deficiency of factor I and B. Despite recent advances in antibiotic strategies responsible for a significant reduction in the severity of such infections (1 death among 32 patients), preventive treatments are quite disappointing.