Diastolic function in children and adolescents on dialysis and after kidney transplantation: an echocardiographic assessment

Thirty-seven children and adolescents on renal replacement therapy (11 on haemodialysis, 14 on continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis and 12 after renal transplantation) were studied by echocardiography, echo-Doppler and phonocardiography. Right and left ventricular (R/L V) diastolic functions were measured by transmitral and transtricuspid flow velocities and by LV isovolumic relaxation time (LVIRT). Thirty-seven age- and sex-matched healthy subjects served as controls. R/L V diastolic dysfunction was only observed in the dialysis patients. In these patients LVIRT was prolonged. LV and RV peak inflow velocities were increased both in early (E) and late (A) diastole with a reduction in the E/A ratios. This pattern of diastolic dysfunction is compatible with the combined effects of a hypercirculatory state (volume overload, anaemia, arteriovenous fistula) and an abnormality of cardiac relaxation. The transplant patients showed no major cardiac abnormalities.     

Hypertension in Jordanian children: a retrospective analysis of 70 cases

Seventy patients, aged 1–20 years, were seen at Jordan University Hospital with high blood pressure (BP) over a 3-year period. BP values ranged from 140 to 230 mmHg for systolic pressure and from 90 to 130 mmHg for diastolic pressure. Essential hypertension was seen in only 6 patients (8.6%); secondary hypertension (n=64 or 91.4%) was due to renal parenchymal diseases (RPD) in 46 patients (65.7%), reno-vascular lesions in 8 (11.4%), renal transplantation in 5 (7.2%), teenage pregnancy in 4 (5.7%), and phaeochromocytoma in 1 patient (1.4%). The aetiologies of RPD were as follows: end-stage renal disease requiring dialysis in 14 patients, acute glomerulonephritis in 14, idiopathic nephrotic syndrome in 10, chronic renal insufficiency in 5, and polycystic kidney in 3 patients. Surgical cure of hypertension was achieved in 5 of the children with reno-vascular lesions and in the patient with phaeochromocytoma.     

Distribution of organic matrix in calcium oxalate renal calculi

Summary The quantity of protein and carbohydrate comprising the matrix of calcium oxalate monohydrate (COM) renal stones was found to decrease with distance from the surface of the stone. The average organic concentration of stones 3 to 30 mm in diameter ranged from 5.7% at the surface to 2.7% at the core. This concentration gradient suggests matrix involvement in a “growth front” on stone surfaces with migration of organic material from the “older” interior. The matrix distribution was not readily correlated with density variations or with the presence of hydroxyapatite or calcium oxalate dihydrate. Surface matrix concentrations were greater than amounts predicted by physical adsorption. Electron microscopy confirmed the presence of the organic-rich surface layer and also suggested that increase in stone size occurs predominantly by crystal growth with microcrystal aggregates as growth centers.     

Ethical aspects of withdrawing/withholding renal replacement therapies on patients in acute renal failure in an intensive care unit

The majority of patients being treated for acute renal failure in intensive care units have multiple medical problems. Accordingly, the withdrawal of renal replacement therapies should be considered as part of a general decision about whether to initiate or continue with treatment per se. Several guidelines on withdrawing and withholding therapy have been produced and some common themes emerge: concerns to avoid euthanasia, potential for benefit, patient consent (shared decision‐making), team consensus/decision‐making, and the provision of appropriate palliative care and resource implications. Each of these is considered in turn, although the word limit for this paper does not permit detailed exposition.     

Pharmacokinetics, metabolism and renal excretion of sulfatroxazole and its 5-hydroxy- and N4-acetyl-metabolites in man

Hydroxylation is the predominant pathway of metabolism for sulfatroxazole in the body, accounting for 70 per cent of the dose. Fifteen per cent of the dose is acetylated unimodally and 10 per cent is excreted unchanged. The half-lives of sulfatroxazole and its metabolites 5-hydroxysulfatroxazole and N4-acetylsulfatroxazole are approximately 22 h after administration of sulfatroxazole. N4-acetylsulfatroxazole, taken as parent drug, is eliminated by renal excretion (92 per cent of the dose). The initial elimination half-life of N4-acetylsulfatroxazole is 4.5 h, which later increases to 70 h as the result of the acetylation-deacetylation equilibrium. Probenecid inhibits the renal excretion of the metabolites 5-hydroxy- and N4-acetylsulfatroxazole. Inhibition of the N4-acetyl metabolite favours the deacetylation, which results in an increase of the T 1/2 of sulfatroxazole from 20 to 30 h. The protein binding value of sulfatroxazole is 84 per cent, that of N4-acetylsulfatroxazole is 37 per cent. Sulfatroxazole is excreted renally by passive processes, while the metabolites are excreted by both passive and active processes.     

二维超声心动图对主动脉瓣关闭不全病变鉴别诊断价值

本文报道用二维超声心动图对主动脉瓣关闭不全124例进行病变鉴别诊断。就其图象特征结合X线所见,心音图等进行了鉴别诊断的探讨。其中,有风湿性心脏病111例;感染性心内膜炎4例;冠状动脉粥样硬化性心脏病5例;马凡氏综合征2例;左室假腱索2例。认为此项检查对主动脉瓣关闭不全病变鉴别诊断有一定的价值。     

经皮肾镜超声弹道碎石术治疗复杂性肾结石

目的：探讨经皮肾镜超声弹道碎石术治疗复杂性肾结石的疗效。方法：采用经皮肾镜联合EMS Ⅲ代超声弹道碎石清石系统治疗48例复杂性肾结石患者，完全性鹿角状结石12例，部分鹿角状结石30例，多发性结石6例。结石直径2．0～6．5cm，平均2．8cm。结果：48例患者中，43例Ⅰ期取净结石；5例完全性鹿角状结石者术后2个月仍有结石残留，结石直径均小于1．0cm，辅助施行ESWL后排净。结石粉碎率100％，结石清除率89．6％（43／48）。手术时间50～120min，平均70min，平均出血量50ml。无严重并发症发生。术后随访3～6个月，肾功能均有不同程度改善。结论：经皮肾镜下使用EMSⅢ代碎石清石系统治疗复杂性肾结石，具有高效、可靠、安全、损伤小、出血少及恢复快等优点，可以作为目前治疗复杂性肾结石的首选方法。     

肾脏旋转不良并结石的经皮肾穿刺造瘘碎石治疗

目的：探讨经皮肾穿刺造瘘碎石术（PCNL）对肾脏旋转不良并发结石的疗效。方法：对15例（20侧）肾脏旋转不良并发结石患者采用PCNL治疗。旋转不完全型13侧，旋转缺如型4侧，反向旋转型3侧，无过度旋转型。病变位于左肾4例，右肾6例，双肾5例；结石大小（94．25±38．71）mm^2。结果：所有结石均成功击碎，一期PCNL清除结石11例，二期PCNL2例，结合ESWL治疗2例，行顺行性肾盂输尿管交界处狭窄切开9例。术后出现肉眼血尿4例，肾绞痛2例．均经妥善处理治愈。结论：PCNL是肾脏旋转不良并结石的有效治疗方法，术前应仔细阅片，注意手术技巧。     

Performance and comparison of the Cockcroft-Gault and simplified Modification of Diet in Renal Disease formulae in estimating glomerular filtration rate in a Chinese Type 2 diabetic population.

AIMS: Our aim was to assess performances of the Cockcroft-Gault and simplified Modification of Diet in Renal Disease (MDRD) formulae in estimating glomerular filtration rate (GFR) in Chinese diabetic populations and their association with vascular risks. METHODS: A total of 1009 patients with Type 2 diabetes were categorized into low estimated GFR groups (GFR < 60 ml/min/1.73 m(2)) and control groups by the two equations. The performances of these formulae were assessed at different stages of kidney function. Carotid artery intima-media thickness (IMT) and the prevalence of diabetic retinopathy or albuminuria were compared among the groups. The ability of these formulae to identify established vascular risk markers using sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values were also compared. RESULTS: The prevalence of low estimated GFR was 32.7% with the Cockcroft-Gault formula and 5.2% with the MDRD formula, respectively. In low estimated GFR subjects by the MDRD formula, IMT was significantly thicker than those by the Cockcroft-Gault formula (1.2 mm vs. 1.0 mm; P < 0.05), with a higher prevalence of albuminuria (78.4 vs. 52.8%, P < 0.05) and diabetic retinopathy (46.5 vs. 30.5%; P < 0.05). The Cockcroft-Gault formula gave a specificity of 71.7% and a sensitivity of 37.0%, and the MDRD formula gave a specificity of 96.6% and a sensitivity of 7.9% in estimating low GFR relevant for established vascular risks. CONCLUSIONS: These formulae performed differently in Chinese diabetic populations. The simplified MDRD formula is minimally superior to the Cockcroft-Gault formula for its high specificity and positive predictive values in estimating low GFR relevant for vascular risks.