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BackgroundPeritoneal dialysis (PD) is the most common kidney replacement therapy in children. Complications associated with PD affect treatment success and sustainability. The aim of this study was to investigate the frequency of PD-related non-infectious complications and the predisposing factors.MethodsRetrospective data from 11 centers in Turkey between 1998 and 2018 was collected. Non-infectious complications of peritoneal dialysis (NICPD), except metabolic ones, in pediatric patients with regular follow-up of at least 3 months were evaluated.ResultsA total of 275 patients were included. The median age at onset of PD and median duration of PD were 9.1 (IQR, 2.5–13.2) and 7.6 (IQR, 2.8–11.9) years, respectively. A total of 159 (57.8%) patients encountered 302 NICPD within the observation period of 862 patient-years. The most common NIPCD was catheter dysfunction (n = 71, 23.5%). At least one catheter revision was performed in 77 patients (28.0%). Longer PD duration and presence of swan neck tunnel were associated with the development of NICPD (OR 1.191; 95% CI 1.079–1.315, p = 0.001 and OR 1.580; 95% CI 0.660–0.883, p = 0.048, respectively). Peritoneal dialysis was discontinued in 145 patients; 46 of whom (16.7%) switched to hemodialysis. The frequency of patients who were transferred to hemodialysis due to NICPD was 15.2%.ConclusionsPeritoneal dialysis-related non-infectious complications may lead to discontinuation of therapy. Presence of swan neck tunnel and long duration of PD increased the rate of NICPD. Careful monitoring of patients is necessary to ensure that PD treatment can be maintained safely.

Predicting vesico-ureteral reflux (VUR) ≥3 at the time of the first urinary tract infection (UTI) would make it possible to restrict cystography to high-risk children. We previously derived the following clinical decision rule for that purpose: cystography should be performed in cases with ureteral dilation and a serum procalcitonin level ≥0.17 ng/mL, or without ureteral dilatation when the serum procalcitonin level ≥0.63 ng/mL. The rule yielded a 86% sensitivity with a 46% specificity. We aimed to test its reproducibility. A secondary analysis of prospective series of children with a first UTI. The rule was applied, and predictive ability was calculated. The study included 413 patients (157 boys, VUR ≥3 in 11%) from eight centers in five countries. The rule offered a 46% specificity (95% CI, 41-52), not different from the one in the derivation study. However, the sensitivity significantly decreased to 64% (95%CI, 50-76), leading to a difference of 20% (95%CI, 17-36). In all, 16 (34%) patients among the 47 with VUR ≥3 were misdiagnosed by the rule. This lack of reproducibility might result primarily from a difference between derivation and validation populations regarding inflammatory parameters (CRP, PCT); the validation set samples may have been collected earlier than for the derivation one. The rule built to predict VUR ≥3 had a stable specificity (ie. 46%), but a decreased sensitivity (ie. 64%) because of the time variability of PCT measurement. Some refinement may be warranted.

Objective The objective was to investigate the clinical features and metabolic and anatomic risk factors for kidney stone formation in our patient group. Methods Between 1998 and 2005, 179 children (94 girls, 85 boys) followed in our department because of urolithiasis were enrolled to participate in our study. Clinical presentation, urinary tract infection, stone localisation, positive family history, stone composition, presence of anatomic abnormalities and urinary metabolic risk factors, and treatment modality were evaluated retrospectively. Results The mean age at diagnosis of stone disease was 4.5 years (range 0.25–15.3 years). The mean follow-up duration was 8 months (range 1–98). The major clinical presentations of our patients were abdominal pain and/or flank pain in 100 children (55.9%) and macroscopic hematuria in 25 (14%). Urinary tract infection was detected in 20% of patients on admission. Forty-three children (24%) had a urinary tract abnormality and ureteropelvic junction obstruction was the most common abnormality. A family history of stone disease was recorded in 98 patients (54.7%). Stones were located within the renal parenchyma in 90 patients. Hypercalciuria and hyperuricosuria were detected in 42.3 and 54.8% respectively. Stone analysis was performed in 63 children and calcium oxalate was a major mineral. Surgical treatment was performed in 49 children and extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL) in 41 children. Conclusion We think that urolithiasis remains a serious problem in children in our country. Family history of urolithiasis, urologic abnormalities (especially under the age of 5 years), metabolic disorders and urinary tract infections tend to indicate childhood urolithiasis.

There was a spelling error in the fifteenth author's name. (2012) Correction: Prediction of High-Grade Vesicoureteral Reflux after Pediatric Urinary Tract Infection: External Validation Study of Procalcitonin-Based Decision Rule.

This prospective study, performed in 76 children with a urinary tract infection (UTI), evaluates the diagnostic value of procalcitonin (PCT) and proinflammatory cytokines (IL-1beta, IL-6 and TNF-alpha) in children with acute pyelonephritis documented by dimercaptosuccinic acid scintigraphy (DMSA). Renal parenchymal involvement was assessed by (99m )Tc-DMSA scintigraphy within 7 days of admission. The diagnosis of acute pyelonephritis was confirmed only in patients with reversible lesions on scintigraphy. According to DMSA scan results, patients were divided into two groups, lower UTI or acute pyelonephritis. In acute pyelonephritis, serum PCT level was found to be significantly higher than it is in the lower UTI (p <0.001). Also, significantly higher serum proinflammatory cytokines (IL-1beta, IL-6 and TNF-alpha) levels were detected in those with acute pyelonephritis than those with lower UTI (p <0.001). We conclude that both serum PCT and proinflammatory cytokine levels may be used as accurate markers for diagnosis of acute pyelonephritis.

Iron and selenium are trace elements necessary for the maintenance of life and health. Iron deficiency is the most common nutritional deficiency among children in the world. The purpose of this study was to evaluate plasma selenium concentrations in children with iron deficiency anemia (IDA). Plasma selenium levels were investigated in 56 children with IDA and in 48 control subjects aged 1–8 years. A spectrofluorometric method was used for the determination. Plasma selenium concentrations in children with IDA (33.6±8.2 μg/l) were significantly lower than in the control group (56.0±17.0 μg/l) ( p < 0.001 ). However, there was no relation between plasma selenium, iron and hemoglobin concentrations.