Acute tubulointerstitial nephritis in two sisters with simultaneous uveitis in one

Tubulointerstitial nephritis uveitis syndrome (TINU) is an underdiagnosed entity, defined by association of uveitis and TIN with no evidence of concomitant systemic disease that might present with both ocular and renal manifestations. Although not common, it needs awareness and collaborations of pediatricians and ophthalmologists for prompt diagnosis and treatment. The exact pathogenesis of the disease is poorly understood, and it predominantly affects female adolescents. Since its early description at 1975, many cases have been reported but only a few were familial case reports. Herein, we report TIN in two sisters, first one with uveitis (TINU) and second one, eight years later at the same age without uveitis.

Concomitant BK virus infection and visceral Leishmaniasis in a pediatric liver transplant recipient

BACKGROUND

Solid organ transplant recipients are vulnerable to various unusual infections. Visceral Leishmaniasis (VL) is a protozoal opportunistic infection, which may affect the immune-suppressed hosts and solid organ transplant recipients. The BK virus infection is an evolving challenge in kidney transplant recipients. However, there are very few reports of BK virus (BKV) nephropathy involving the native kidney in liver transplant recipients. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of the simultaneous occurrence of these rare infections in a liver transplant recipient.

CASE REPORT

The patient was a 9-year-old girl, a case of liver transplantation who presented with the incidental finding of proteinuria, azotemia, and cytopenia. Investigations revealed that she had concomitant BKV nephropathy and visceral leishmaniasis. Both infections were successfully treated.

CONCLUSION

BK virus should be considered as a cause of nephropathy in liver transplant recipients. The presenting features of fever, cytopenia, and splenomegaly in a post-transplant patient should remind of unusual infections such as VL other than the common post-transplant conditions.

ROHHAD Syndrome an Inconspicuous Cause of Hypernatremia, A Case Report

Rapid-onset obesity with hypoventilation, hypothalamic dysfunction, and autonomic dysregulation (ROHHAD) syndrome is a rare, life threatening disease with unknown etiology. Dysnatremia is a common finding in these patients. Here we present a 12-year-old boy with multiple admissions due to hypernatremia and was repeatedly misdiagnosed. An eventual diagnosis of ROHHAD syndrome was made by integration of the previous ignored findings of sleep apnea and obesity. The diagnosis of this rare but potentially fatal syndrome should be considered in patients with dysnatremia associated with obesity and sleep apnea disorders.

Acute necrotizing glomerulonephritis associated with COVID-19 infection: report of two pediatric cases

BACKGROUND

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is thought to cause kidney injury via a variety of mechanisms. The most common reported kidney injury following COVID-19 infection is acute tubular injury (ATI); however, the procoagulant state induced by the virus may also damage the kidneys.

CASE-DIAGNOSIS/TREATMENT

Herein, we report two cases of acute necrotizing glomerulonephritis (GN) with fibrinoid necrosis in the context of COVID-19 infection. The one with more chronic features in the kidney biopsy progressed to permanent kidney failure but the second one had an excellent response to glucocorticoid pulse therapy with subsequent normal kidney function at 2-month follow-up.

CONCLUSIONS

Both reported cases had an acute presentation of kidney injury with positive nasopharyngeal PCR test for COVID-19. Based on the data review by the researchers, this is the first report of acute necrotizing GN associated with COVID-19 infection.

A novel frame shift mutation in STIM1 gene causing primary immunodeficiency

Immunodeficiency 10 is an autosomal recessive disorder presenting with iris hypoplasia, muscular hypotonia and nonprogressive myopathy, recurrent bacterial infections, autoimmune hemolytic anemia, hypohidrosis and nail dysplasia caused by the mutation of stromal interaction molecule 1 gene (STIM1). Herein, we present a new case of STIM1 mediated immunodeficiency, carrying a novel frameshift mutation. Our patient presented with nephrotic syndrome, hypotonia, myopathy, recurrent bacterial infections, thrombocytopenia and autoimmune hemolytic anemia. She is now 23 months old and is on steroid, cyclosporine and monthly IVIG. She has had no recent significant infections and is receiving rehabilitation therapy to improve her motor skills. Rare genetic syndromes should be suspected in patients of consanguineous parents, who present with a set of different manifestations. Gathering all the patient's manifestations together and looking them as one disease should be encouraged.

Prevalence of Renal Dysfunction Among Pediatric Liver Transplant Recipients

INTRODUCTION

Renal dysfunction is among the common and considerable complications after liver transplantation and is principally attributable to immunosuppressive medications .The purpose of this study was to define the prevalence of hypertension and renal dysfunction among pediatric liver transplant recipients.

METHODS

46 pediatric liver transplant recipients were assessed for hypertension utilizing ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM), and glomerular, and tubular renal function at the transplant clinic of Shiraz University of Medical Sciences. Results were analyzed using SPSS 19 and P value < .05 was considered statistically significant.

RESULTS

The mean age of the patients was 12.2 ± 3.3 years and 24 of them were female. Considering ABPM measurements 20 patients (43.5%) were hypertensive, 37% were systolic and 36.6% were diastolic non-dippers respectively. eGFR was calculated based on different formulations and Cystatin C-based equation estimated lower GFR than Cr-based equation. Micro-albuminuria was noticed in 26.1%. Additional parameters of tubular dysfunction included hyperuricosuria (4.3%), hypercalciuria (6.5%), abnormal fractional excretion of Mg (FeMg) (43.5%), abnormal tubular reabsorption of phosphate (TRP) (4.3%), and abnormal fractional excretion of uric acid (FEUA) in 13% of the patients. We noticed a statistically significant negative correlation between hypercalciuria, microalbuminuria, FeMg (P < .05) and GFR.

CONCLUSION

Renal function impairment and hypertension are frequent complications amongst pediatric liver transplant recipients. Using Cyctatin C instead of Cr based formula for GFR estimation, and blood pressure monitoring by ABPM and regular screening of renal function are essential measures for recognition and treatment of renal dysfunction in these patients.

Recurrence of nephrotic syndrome following kidney transplantation in a child with congenital nephrotic syndrome

Recurrence of original disease is a common threat in the field of transplantation. Recurrence of nephrotic syndrome is not common in children with congenital nephrotic syndrome (CNS). We report a case of a female child with CNS who presented with nephrotic state at first month of age and became dialysis dependent at 17 months of age. After seven months of continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis, she received a kidney from a deceased donor. Eight months after transplantation, she presented with a full-blown feature of nephrotic syndrome. She responded well to rituximab.

Exercise test in pediatric renal transplant recipients and its relationship with their cardiac function

Pediatric kidney transplant recipients are at increased risk of CVD. Exercise test is a good method to evaluate exercise capacity, cardiorespiratory fitness, and risk of potential CVDs. The aim of this study was to assess the exercise capacity in this population and determine its relationship with their cardiac function using conventional and tissue Doppler echocardiography. Exercise test, conventional and tissue Doppler echocardiography were performed on 44 kidney transplant children (age ranging 11-20, 59% male) with acceptable renal function, and the results were compared with their normal healthy counterparts. Our transplant patients achieved significantly lower maximal heart rate, maximal heart rate ratio, total energy expenditure during the exercise, and maximal O2 consumption (Max VO2 ) than the normal group (p < 0.05). No correlation was found between hemoglobin (Hb) level, dialysis duration, kidney function, and the exercise test parameters. Kidney transplant patients had preserved systolic despite diminished diastolic cardiac function compared to the normal children. Our pediatric renal transplant recipients had severely impaired diastolic dysfunction and significantly reduced MaxVO2 compared with their healthy counterparts. No correlation was found between MaxVO2 and measured indices of systolic and diastolic cardiac function.

Prevalence of childhood obesity and hypertension in south of Iran

INTRODUCTION

Obesity is a growing problem worldwide and is likely a major cause of the increased prevalence of high blood pressure in children. The aim of this study was to investigate the frequency of pediatric obesity and its association with hypertension in a sample of children and adolescents in Fars province (south of Iran).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This cross-sectional study was carried out in Shiraz during a period from 2010 to 2011. A total of 2000 healthy students aged 11 to 17 years were included. Data on weight, height, systolic and diastolic blood pressure (measured 3 times with 5-minute intervals), and parental history of hypertension and educational level were obtained. The 95th percentile body mass index for age and sex was considered obesity.

RESULTS

Overall, 7% and 11.8% of the students were obese and hypertensive, respectively. Blood pressure was associated with body mass index. Maternal education level was not associated with hypertension in the child.

CONCLUSIONS

In this study, obesity was an important risk factor for hypertension. Our data showed that prevalence of obesity has not been changed in the recent 5 years in Iran, but that of hypertension has risen significantly. The high prevalence of hypertension in overweight and obese children emphasizes the need for prevention and control of childhood obesity and hypertension in early stages.

Evaluation of growth and body mass index in children following kidney transplantation

Growth retardation is common among children with chronic kidney disease (CKD). Renal transplantation has beneficial effects on height and weight gain of children, but height gain occurs especially for those children who are transplanted at a younger age. This study was conducted for a cross-sectional evaluation of growth and body mass index (BMI) in children following kidney transplantation. All children who had been transplanted in our center and had regular follow-up were entered in this study. Those with primary non-functioning grafts were excluded from the study. Weight and height at transplantation and at 20 years of age or at a pre-determined period (1-4-2008 to 30-6-2008) were recorded. Their height, weight, BMI, standard deviation score (SDS) of height and weight at their pre- and post-transplantation period were compared. SPSS 15.1 software and paired t-test were used for comparison of means. Seventy-one children, 43 boys and 28 girls, were involved in this study. The mean age at transplantation was 12.6 ± 3.45 years, ranging from 3 to 19 years, and age at last visit was 16.9 ± 3.15 years. They had been followed-up for 7-175 months (mean, 51.6 ± 30.75 months). Their primary renal diseases were as follows: reflux, obstruction and dysplasia 29 (41%), hereditary 25 (35%), glomerular disease 14 (20%), unknown 3 (4%). Source of donor was living related in 27 (38%), with 15 being mothers, deceased in 35 (49%) and living unrelated in 9 (13%). SDS height improved dramatically in post-transplantation evaluation, but this did not happen for SDS weight and BMI. We can conclude that despite a dramatic effect of transplantation on growth, catch-up growth only occurred in a minority of the children.

Nephritic-nephrotic syndrome as a presentation of BK virus infection

BK virus (BKV) is increasingly found as an important cause of allograft nephropathy. Nephrotic syndrome is not a usual manifestation of BKV nephropathy. Here, we report a 12-year-old boy, a case of end-stage renal disease due to nephronophthisis, who got the kidney transplanted from a 16-year-old cadaver, and after 18 months of uneventful transplantation on triple immunosuppressive therapy (mycophenolate mofetil (MMF), cyclosporin and prednisolone), presented with nephrotic feature (edema, heavy proteinuria, hypoalbuminemia and hyperlipidemia). Kidney biopsy was in favor of BKV infection and eventually ended in graft failure.

Gouty arthritis in a 15-year-old girl with Bartter's syndrome

A 15-year-old girl, a known case of Bartter's syndrome (BS) for 7 years, developed severe pain in her right knee and right and left ankle. Her older sister had BS and developed end-stage renal disease (ESRD) at the age of 14 years. Her serum uric acid was 12.6 mg/dL, 6 months ago, and 15.4 mg/dL in her recent lab data. Hyperuricemia and gouty arthritis are commonly seen in adults with BS, but to our knowledge there is no report of gouty arthritis in pediatric literature.