Profile of intersex children in south India

Thirty five children with ambiguous genitalia admitted to our centre between January 1986 to December 1991, were followed up and their clinical, laboratory and management strategies were analyzed. Most of them presented between 1 month and 2 years of age and only 2 presented in the newborn period. Sixteen were female pseudohermaphrodites. Eighteen out of 31 children were assigned female sex. One genetic female with congenital adrenal hyperplasia was assigned male sex. We practised more than one type of clitoroplasty in our centre. Parents prefer the intersex children to be reared as male possibly because of the less social stigma attached to an impotent male than to sterile female, and because males are socially independent.

Role of granulocyte colony stimulating factor (G-CSF) in reversing neutropenia in renal allograft recipients

Neutropenia in solid organ transplant recipients may be caused by immunosuppressive therapy, antimicrobial therapy, as well as bacterial and viral infections. Filgrastim, a human granulocyte colony stimulating factor (G-CSF) is used for the reversal of neutropenia. Although its influence is principally restricted to neutrophil progenitors, the safety of G-CSF in terms of percipitating or aggravating allograft rejection and its efficacy in reversing neutropenia in kidney and combined kidney and pancreas transplant patients has not been studied or reported. In this study we retrospectively analyzed the use of G-CSF between March 1992 and May 1994 at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center, in patients who received either a kidney or a combined kidney and pancreas transplant. A total of 25 patients developed 35 episodes of neutropenia and received an average of 2.9 doses of G-CSF per episode. The mean WBC nadir was 2.6 x 10(3)/cu mm with an average peak WBC count of 15.5 x 10(3)/cu mm following treatment (p = < 0.00001). The average number of days to peak WBC after initiation of treatment was 4.6 days. The mean pre-treatment serum creatinine level was 2.3 mg/dl and the peak serum creatinine in the week following treatment remained the same. We conclude that G-CSF is an effective treatment in reversing neutropenia in renal transplant recipients and does not precipitate or aggravate allograft rejection.

Utilization pattern and cost of sedation, analgesia and neuromuscular blockade in a multidisciplinary intensive care unit

OBJECTIVES

To study the utilization pattern and the cost of sedatives, analgesics and neuromuscular blocking agents in a multidisciplinary intensive care unit (ICU).

METHODS

A prospective observational study was conducted in the ICU of the Eric Williams Medical Sciences Complex, Trinidad and Tobago, for a period of twelve weeks. All patients admitted to the ICU were enrolled. No interventions were done. Data collected included demographics, diagnoses on admission, length of stay in the ICU, status of mechanical ventilation, patient outcome, quantity of sedatives, analgesics and neuromuscular blocking agents used in every patient and their cost.

RESULTS

There were 333 patient-days encountered from 34 patients studied. Midazolam, fentanyl and cisatracurium were the most commonly used sedative, opioid and neuromuscular blocking agents respectively. The total cost of drugs used for sedation, analgesia and neuromuscular blockade was approximately US$ 19,600 per annum. Cost for this treatment alone accounted for more than 50% of the total ICU drug costs. The costs were significantly higher in patients who stayed more than two weeks in the ICU when compared to those who stayed less than two weeks (p < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

The study highlights the utilization pattern and financial burden of sedation, analgesia and neuromuscular blockade in the delivery of critical care.

Rabbit antithymocyte globulin dose and early subclinical and clinical rejections in kidney transplantation

Antithymocyte globulin (ATG) is a commonly used induction agent in kidney transplant recipients. However, the optimal dosing has not been well defined. Our protocol aims for a 5-6 mg/kg cumulative dose. It is unclear if a dose lower than 5 mg/kg is associated with more rejection. We performed a retrospective cohort study of patients who received a kidney transplant at our center between January 1, 2013 and December 31, 2016. Primary outcome was biopsy proven acute rejection (clinical and subclinical) in the first six months after kidney transplant. CMV viremia in high risk(D+/R-) recipients and BK viremia was compared as a secondary endpoint. Of the 543 patients, the Low Dose (LD) group (n = 56) received <5 mg/kg ATG and Regular Dose (RD) group (n = 487) received ≧5 mg/kg. Patients in RD were more sensitized (higher PRA and CPRA). LD received a dose of 4 ± 1.1 mg/kg ATG whereas RD received 5.6 ± 0.3 mg/kg ATG (p < 0.001). TCMR(Banff 1A or greater) was present in 34% of patients in LD vs. 22% in RD (p = 0.04) (OR 2.1;95%CI 1.12-3.81;p = 0.019). There was no difference in the incidence of CMV or BK viremia. ATG doses lower than 5 mg/kg may be associated with a heightened risk of rejection despite a low degree of sensitization. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Banff scoring of kidney allograft biopsies: "Manual" application vs software-assisted sign-out

OBJECTIVES

Pathologists interpreting kidney allograft biopsies using the Banff system usually start by recording component scores (eg, i, t, cg) using histopathologic criteria committed to memory. Component scores are then melded into diagnoses using the same manual/mental processes. This approach to complex Banff rules during routine sign-out produces a lack of fidelity and needs improvement.

METHODS

We constructed a web-based "smart template" (software-assisted sign-out) system that uniquely starts with upstream Banff-defined additional diagnostic parameters (eg, infection) and histopathologic criteria (eg, percent interstitial inflammation) collectively referred to as feeder data that is then translated into component scores and integrated into final diagnoses using software-encoded decision trees.

RESULTS

Software-assisted sign-out enables pathologists to (1) accurately and uniformly apply Banff rules, thereby eliminating human inconsistencies (present in 25% of the cohort); (2) document areas of improvement; (3) show improved correlation with function; (4) examine t-Distributed Stochastic Neighbor Embedding clustering for diagnosis stratification; and (5) ready upstream incorporation of artificial intelligence-assisted scoring of biopsies.

CONCLUSIONS

Compared with the legacy approach, software-assisted sign-out improves Banff accuracy and fidelity, more closely correlates with kidney function, is practical for routine clinical work and translational research studies, facilitates downstream integration with nonpathology data, and readies biopsy scoring for artificial intelligence algorithms.

From Infection to Immunity - Impact of COVID-19 Across Nine Hemodialysis Centres in Mumbai

INTRODUCTION

There are several studies of symptomatic hemodialysis patients with proven COVID-19 infection. However, there is paucity of data on asymptomatic COVID-19 infection in the outpatient hemodialysis population. The true prevalence and transmission of this infection in hemodialysis centres is unknown. This study was conducted across hemodialysis centers by testing all patients and staff for COVID-19 PCR and later for IgG antibody, irrespective of their symptoms.

METHODS

All 705 hemodialysis patients and 103 dialysis staff across nine centres, were tested for COVID-19 over a period of 54 days of the pandemic, and for COVID IgG antibody of available enrolled staff and patients, after 8 weeks of study termination.

RESULTS

The period prevalence of infection in patients and staff was 7.1% and 14.6% respectively. Mortality in patients was 18%, and all staff recovered. Clustering of patients and staff occurred at 3 of 9 centers. Of 26 HIV positive patients, only one contracted the COVID-19 infection and has recovered. Of those infected, seroconversion occurred in 80% of patients and 83% of staff. Seroconversion also occurred in 16% of patients and 37% of staff, who were asymptomatic and COVID PCR negative during the study period.

CONCLUSIONS

Testing a patient only when symptomatic, identified only 26% (13/50) of infected patients. For every single symptomatic patient who tested positive, there were 3 other asymptomatic infected ones. There was a high seroconversion rates in infected subjects. But antibodies also developed in asymptomatic subjects, indicating silent transmission and antibody generation in this population.

Long-term Kidney Transplant Survival Across the Globe

BACKGROUND

The outcomes after kidney transplantation (KT), including access, wait time, and other issues around the globe, have been studied. However, issues do vary from one country to another.

METHODS

We obtained data from several countries from North America, South America, Europe, Asia, and Australia, including the number of patients awaiting KT from 2015, transplant rate per million population (pmp), proportion of living donor and deceased donor (LD/DD) KT, and posttransplant survival. We also sought opinions on key difficulties faced by each of these countries with respect to KT and long-term survival.

RESULTS

Variation in access to KT across the globe was noted. Countries with the highest rates of KT pmp included the United States (79%) and Spain (71%). A higher proportion of LD transplants was noted in Japan (93%), India (85%), Singapore (63%), and South Korea (63%). A higher proportion of DD KTs was noted in Spain (90%), Brazil (90%), France (85%), Italy (85%), Finland (85%), Australia-New Zealand (80%), and the United States (77%). The 5-y graft survival for LD was highest in South Korea (95%), Singapore (94%), Italy (93%), Finland (93%), and Japan (93%), whereas for DD, it was South Korea (93%), Italy (88%), Japan (86%), and Singapore (86%). The common issues surrounding KTs are access and a limited number of LDs and DDs. Key issues identified for long-term survival were increasing age of donors and recipients, higher recipient comorbidity, and posttransplant events, such as alloimmune injury to the kidney, infection, cancer, and suboptimal adherence to therapy.

CONCLUSIONS

A unified approach is necessary to improve issues surrounding KT as the demand continues to increase.

Prednisone withdrawal in HLA identical and one haplotype-matched live-related donor and cadaver renal transplant recipients

Prednisone withdrawal was attempted in 121 of 915 renal transplants recipients between 1967 to 1992. There were 57 males, 64 females. Age range was 21 to 62 (mean 39.2 years). Etiology of renal failure was chronic glomerulonephritis (54), diabetic nephropathy (36), interstitial disease (17), hypertensive nephrosclerosis (6), and other (8). Kidney source was from HLA-identical living-related donors (LRD) in 54 (Group I), one haplotype-matched LRD in 23 (Group II), and cadaver in 44 (Group III). Prior to the introduction of cyclosporin A (CsA) in 1984, prednisone withdrawal was attempted only in Group I. After 1984, prednisone withdrawal was also attempted in patients in Groups II and III, selected on the basis of having had no rejection episodes during the six months after transplantation. Forty-five patients in Group I were treated with azathioprine (Aza) and prednisone, and the remaining patients in Groups I to III were treated with Aza, prednisone and CsA. Mean follow-up was 93 months (6 to 207). Prednisone was gradually tapered and withdrawn in 94 of 121 patients after a mean period of 22.5 months (9 to 60). In 27 other patients, the prednisone dosage has been tapered to 5 mg/day or less with the aim of discontinuing the drug. There were seven episodes of acute rejection (3 during taper, and 1 each at 6, 7, 24 and 114 months after prednisone withdrawal); all seven were successfully reversed. Four other patients developed chronic vascular rejection (2 during taper and 2 after withdrawal).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)