Long-term outcome of focal segmental glomerulosclerosis after pediatric renal transplantation

Recurrence of focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS) after renal transplantation can limit graft survival. Despite new immunosuppressive agents, the incidence of recurrence remains relatively high. To identify risk factors for recurrence and efficacy of treatment, we reviewed the outcome of 23 grafts in 16 children with FSGS who had undergone transplantation between 1985 and 2007 at La Paz Children’s Hospital. Recurrence was 56.3% after the first transplantation. We did not find significant differences in age at diagnosis, age at transplantation, age at end-stage renal disease (ESRD), progression to ESRD, bilateral nephrectomy of native kidneys prior to transplantation, use of induction therapy or of different immunosuppressive regimens between patients with and without recurrence. Plasmapheresis (PP) was carried out in seven of nine patients who had suffered recurrence, achieving remission in six of them. One patient received high doses of cyclosporin (CsA) and plasmapheresis, attaining remission. Graft survival was lower (P = 0.043) in patients with FSGS than in those with other ESRD etiologies (first year 75% vs 91%; fifth year 44% vs 78%). Recurrence of FSGS limited graft survival (first year 66% vs 85%; third year 20% vs 68%) (P = 0.07). In our experience, PP can be effective in treating FSGS recurrence, although its effect on long-term graft survival seems more limited.     

A case of renal hypertension after pyelolithotomy cured by segmental nephrectomy

A case of renal hypertension after pyelolithotomy cured by segmental nephrectomy is reported. The patient, a 39-year-old man had had pyelolithotomy performed by the lumbodorsal approach at another hospital. Two months after operation he started to complain of headache and palpitation. The blood pressure was markedly high when he visited our hospital and peripheral plasma renin activity was also elevated. Urinalysis was normal except for slight proteinuria. The excretory urogram demonstrated cortical scarring in the lower portion of the left kidney. The renal scintigram demonstrated low uptake in this area, suggesting renal infarction. Renal arteriogram showed decreased vascularity in this area. Plasma renin activity was measured on the blood drawn from the renal vein of both sides and the ratio was about 2.4, and renin activity of the segmental renal vein from the left lower portion was elevated. Segmental nephrectomy of the lower pole was performed. The blood pressure three weeks after lower pole resection was estimated to be normal and renin activity returned to an almost normal level. Discussion was made on the cause of renal hypertension after renal surgery. In this case, it was suggested that renal hypertension is caused by subinfraction due to lesions of the dorsal renal artery in surgery for renal calculus.     

Idiopathic segmental renal infarction

A case of segmental renal infarction is presented. The discussion includes the differential diagnosis and management.     

Clinical characteristics of patients with segmental renal infarction

BACKGROUND: Renal infarction is usually an underestimated disease due to its rare and non-specific presentations; the renal survival of these patients is not well studied. The aim of the present analysis is to study the clinical features and outcome in patients who had documented renal infarction. METHODS: Twenty-two patients (12 men and 10 women, mean age of 57.7 +/- 3.44 years (28.4-83.3 years)) with image-confirmed segmental renal infarction in the past 15 years were enrolled. All patients were followed up at outpatient department with a median of 4 years (1-14 years). Initial and follow-up clinical characteristics and laboratory results were recorded. RESULTS: The most common underlying disease was cardiovascular disease. Renal infarction often presented with non-specific symptoms, including flank pain (55%), vague abdominal pain (50%), nausea/vomiting (46%) and fever (27%). The levels of leucocytes, lactate dehydrogenase, blood urea nitrogen and serum creatinine were all elevated at admission. The early diagnosis group (12/22) had more obvious flank pain, nausea/vomiting (P < 0.001) and higher alanine transaminase (P = 0.02). It also predisposed to undergo antiplatelet or anticoagulant therapy (all P < 0.04). During follow up, there was no recurrence in the whole study group, and a trend of better recovery of renal function was noted in the early diagnosis group. CONCLUSION: The serum creatinine level correlates with longer hospitalization length (P < 0.05). As regards long-term prognosis, no definite factor or treatment was found to have significant effect in segmental renal infarction patients. However, early diagnosis and early initiation of treatment seems to have a positive effect on future renal outcome.     

Acute segmental renal infarction: Difficulty in diagnosis despite multimodality approach

The radiographic features of an acute segmental renal infarct are described as determined by intravenous urography, retrograde pyelography, ultrasonography, computed tomography, and radionuclide renography. Despite the combined approach, the radiographic features alone were not sufficiently distinctive to permit preoperative diagnosis. The limitations of these radiographic modalities are discussed with respect to differentiating an acute segmental renal infarct from other hypovascular infiltrating renal lesions.     

Depression of ventilatory responses to hypoxia and hypercapnia after pentamorphone.

Pentamorphone is a novel, potent opiate with rapid onset and short duration of action that has been reported to produce analgesia with limited depression of ventilation. We quantified the effects of pentamorphone (0.08, 0.24, and 0.60 micrograms/kg, IV) on ventilatory responses to hypercapnia and hypoxia in 12 healthy volunteers. Normoxic hypercapnia and isocapnic hypoxia were induced through a rebreathing method. During each test we recorded ventilation (VE), end tidal carbon dioxide tension (PETCO2), and arterial oxygen saturation (SO2) using a pulse oximeter. Using linear regression analysis of the relationships between VE and PCO2 during hypercapnia and VE and SO2 during hypoxia, we determined the slope (slope CO2) and intercept (V55), both at PCO2 55 mm Hg, and the slope (slope O2) and intercept (V80) at SO2 80%. Pentamorphone produced dose-related reductions in the ventilatory responses to both hypercapnia and hypoxia. Maximal depression occurred 15 min after injection of pentamorphone with all doses; the highest dose (0.60 micrograms/kg) produced 48% and 53% reductions in slope CO2 and V55, and 42% and 22% reductions in slope O2 and V80, respectively, relative to parallel saline controls. The respiratory depressant actions of pentamorphone were short-lived, as all parameters returned to baseline levels within 45 min. Testing was continued for 180 min after injection, but no delayed ventilatory effects were detected, and minimal side effects were reported, even at the highest dose. The findings confirm previous reports that pentamorphone has limited ventilatory depressant effects in humans in doses that (in other studies) have been associated with clinically effective analgesia.     

Hypertension and segmental renal infarction in children: apropos of two cases

Segmental renal infarction (SRI) is a rare condition that causes renovascular hypertension (RVH), which accounts for 8–10% of all causes of pediatric hypertension. We report the clinical course of two children with idiopathic SRI who suffered severe arterial hypertension associated with hyponatremia. Hypertension was diagnosed during the study of hematuria in the first case and due to a hypertensive emergency in the second case. The etiology was found to be renovascular in both patients, involving the occlusion of small renal arteries and causing SRI. Our first patient was treated with partial nephrectomy, and the second patient was treated with antihypertensive medication given the impossibility of removing the infarcted renal area. The occlusion of small renal arteries is a rare disease of unknown origin in which the gold standard for diagnosis is selective renal arteriography. The definitive treatment is surgical segmentectomy. If segmentectomy is not feasible because of the localization of the infarcted area, as in our second patient, medical treatment is required. In view of the importance of RVH in children and the rareness of the particular etiology here reported (SRI), a review of the literature was done.     

Acute segmental testicular infarction

We report a case of segmental testicular infarction occurring in a patient with sickle cell trait. A 20-year-old African American man presented with a complaint of sudden onset, acute severe left testicular pain for 24 hours. Scrotal ultrasound revealed a hypo-echoic mass in the left testicle. The hypo-echoic area demonstrated no blood flow in Doppler mode. Because malignancy could not be excluded, the patient underwent a standard inguinal testicular exploration. A partial orchiectomy was performed with complete excision of the lesion. Pathology revealed infarcted testicular tissue with no malignancy present. Further evaluation revealed that the patient had sickle cell trait unbeknownst to him.