Protective status of end-stage renal disease children against tetanus and diphtheria vaccination.

BACKGROUND: Vaccination against fatal viral and bacterial diseases is still the best protective way to lower morbidity and mortality rate in end-stage renal disease (ESRD) patients. It has been reported that there is high incidence of low protective levels of IgG after vaccination in ESRD adult patients. The aim of this study was to evaluate the protective status of vaccination against diphtheria and tetanus in ESRD children after completing routine vaccination. METHODS: This cross-sectional study was carried on 83 participants less than 18 years including 27 patients on hemodialysis or peritoneal dialysis and 56 normal populations from February 2008 until December 2008 at St. Alzahra hospital, Isfahan, Iran. To determine anti-tetanus and anti-diphtheria antibodies level, Tetanus IgG ELISA kit (IBL International, Germany, RE56901) and Diphtheria IgG ELISA kit (IBL International, Germany, RE56191) were used. The participants must not received immunoglobulin, blood products or immunosuppressive medication in the current 6 months. RESULTS: The mean age of case and control group were 12.5 ± 2.7 years and 11.7 ± 3.3 years, respectively, P > 0.05. According to IgG levels, 93% of hemodialysis patients and approximately 87% of peritoneal dialysis children needed booster doses of diphtheria vaccination. The results for IgG titer against tetanus revealed that in 91% of hemodialysis patients and 83% of peritoneal dialysis children booster doses of tetanus were recommended. CONCLUSIONS: Booster doses of vaccines may be required in ESRD children. Measuring serum IgG levels against vaccines to define protective levels are recommended.

Fractional excretion of magnesium (FEMg), a marker for tubular dysfunction in children with clinically recovered ischemic acute tubular necrosis.

Among the different etiologies of acute renal failure (ARF), acute tubular necrosis (ATN) is one of the most common causes. There is no consensus on the duration of follow-up needed among these patients and also on choosing a reliable screening test to recognize early signs of chronic kidney injury that may ensue. The aim of this study was to evaluate the clinical and biochemical findings in children with a history of clinically recovered ischemic ATN, to detect the patients who may be at risk of ensuing chronic kidney disease. A cross-sectional study was carried out on 20 children between six months and 10 years of age, admitted at St. Al Zahra Hospital and Amin Children's Hospital, Isfahan, Iran, with a past history of ischemic ATN. Eighteen patients were evaluated between 12 and 24 months, and two patients were evaluated at 30 months. The second sample of urine while still fasting was used for assessing urinary sodium, creatinine and magnesium. The mean ages for study and control groups were 3.4 ± 1.3 years and 4.5 ± 1.1 years, respectively. Glomerular filtration rate, urinary magnesium, fractional excretion of magnesium (FEMg), urinary sodium and fractional excretion of sodium (FENa) were significantly higher in the study group compared to those in the control group. No significant differences were demonstrated in systolic and diastolic blood pressures between the two groups. Since FEMg can reflect tubular function for both the ability of tubules for reabsorption of the filtered magnesium and for retaining the intracellular magnesium, FEMg can be used as a marker to detect early stages of chronic renal injury. However, further studies with larger number of cases are needed to evaluate the sensitivity of this test.

Infection Rate of Cryptosporidium parvum among Diarrheic Children in Isfahan.

OBJECTIVE: Cryptosporidiosis is an important enteric parasitic infection among infants and children in developing countries with significant morbidity and mortality especially among immuno-suppressed individuals. The aim of the present study was to estimate the prevalence of enteric cryptosporidiosis in children presenting with diarrhea in Isfahan. METHODS: This cross-sectional study was conducted from August 2007 to June 2008 in three university hospitals in Isfahan. Children aged 1 month to 10 years presenting with acute or persistent diarrhea were selected consecutively. The oocyst of C. parvum was investigated in stool specimens using a modified acid-fast staining method. FINDINGS: During the study period, 606 children (mean age 42.4±30.0 months, 58.1% female) were recruited. Acute and persistent diarrhea was present in 422 (69.6%) and 184 (30.4%) of the children, respectively. Twenty eight (4.6%) specimens were oocyst positive. The prevalence of Cryptosporidium infection was significantly higher in children with persistent diarrhea compared to children with acute diarrhea (12.5% vs 1.2%; P<0.001). Most of the infected children were under 5 years of age (89.2%), however, the age difference between infected and non-infected children was not statistically significant. Also, there was no significant difference between infected and non-infected children in gender. CONCLUSION: The prevalence of Cryptosporidiosis in children presenting with persistent diarrhea is considerable and we suggest routine stool examination for Cryptosporidium in this group of children.