Frequency of complications in image guided percutaneous nephrostomy.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the frequency of complications in image-guided percutaneous nephrostomy and to identify common sources of error. METHODS: The study was carried out at the Sindh Institute of Urology and Transplantation, Karachi, between November 2006 and May 2007. Patients of all age groups between 1 and 80 years were included using nonprobability convenience sampling technique. Those suffering from obstructive uropathy due to various causes were diagnosed by imaging modalities like ultrasound, computed tomography scan, conventional X-ray and contrast studies. It also included cases where percutaneous nephrostomy was used to temporarily divert urine in the presence of urinary tract leaks and fistula so that healing may occur. Patients with uncorrectable bleeding diathesis were excluded. Nephrostomies performed for supplementary procedures were also excluded. One-month follow-up was performed by means of direct communications and using various imaging modalities. SPSS 12 was used for statistical analysis. RESULT: Three hundred patients enrolled in the study. The procedure was successful in all encounters. The complications were categorised as early and late complications. Early complications were sepsis in 6 (2%) patients, retroperitoneal haematoma in 5 (1.6%) patients, bleeding in 2 (0.6%), and urinoma in 1 (0.3%). Late complications included catheter blockage in 15 (5%) patients, and dislodgement of catheter in 7 (2.3%). Total early complications were noted in 14 (4.66%) patients, and there were 22 (7.33%) late complications. CONCLUSION: Percutaneous nephrostomy is a safe, simple and cost-effective technique with low morbidity and no major life-threatening complications.

Association of the ACE-II genotype with the risk of nephrotic syndrome in Pakistani children.

Nephrotic syndrome is a common pediatric glomerular disease associated with heavy proteinuria. Since, the angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) gene insertion/deletion (I/D) polymorphism is a putative genetic risk factor for NS, in this study, ACE (I/D) polymorphism was analyzed in 268 NS and 223 control samples by a PCR-based method. The genotypic and allelic frequencies were determined and the association between ACE I/D polymorphism and NS was evaluated. The frequency distribution of the II, ID and DD genotypes was 82 (30.6%), 128 (47.8%) and 58 (21.6%) in the NS patients and 9 (4.0%), 171 (76.7%) and 43 (19.3%) in the control samples respectively. In the Pakistani pediatric NS population, the II genotypic and allelic frequencies were found to be significantly associated with the disease (OR=6.755; C.I=3-14.9). No significant association was found between this polymorphism and the response to standard steroid therapy. Thus, in contrast to reports from other parts of the world, the II genotype was found to be significantly associated with NS in the Indian and Malay populations and in the Pakistani population described here. To our knowledge, this is the first report from Pakistan describing the association of the ACE I/D polymorphism with pediatric NS. On the basis of these results, it is suggested that analysis of the ACE (I/D) polymorphism should be performed for the early diagnosis in the high risk NS patients in South Asia.

Range for normal body temperature in the general population of Pakistan.

OBJECTIVES: To determine the range for normal body temperature in the general population of Pakistan and to determine if any age, sex and ambient temperature related variations exist in body temperature. Moreover, to compare how much axillary temperature differs from oral temperature measurements. METHODS: Oral as well as left and right axillary temperature recordings were made using an ordinary mercury-in-glass thermometer in 200 healthy individuals accompanying patients at various clinics at the Sindh Institute of Urology and Transplantation (SIUT) between mid-May to mid-June 2006. Data analysis was done using Epi Info version 3.3. RESULTS: The range for Normal Oral Temperatures fell between 97 degrees F to 99.8 degrees F (mean 98.4 degrees F). There were no significant age related (p=0.68) and ambient temperature related variations (p=0.51) in body temperature, but women had slightly higher normal temperatures than men (mean 98.5 degrees F vs. 98.3 degrees F; p=0.01). A wide variation existed in the difference between oral and axillary temperatures, with axillary temperatures ranging up to 2.6 degrees F lower or up to 1.1 degrees F higher than the oral temperatures (mean difference = 0.85 degrees F). The correlation between oral and axillary temperatures increased at higher oral temperatures (p=0.009). CONCLUSION: There is a range for Normal Body Temperature and any temperature above 98.6 degrees F/37 degrees C is not necessarily pathological. Women appear to have higher body temperatures. As there is no uniform oral equivalent of axillary temperature, the latter should be interpreted with caution.