Serum vitamin A and β-carotene concentrations and renal scarring in urinary tract infections

OBJECTIVE—To evaluate the role of vitamin A on renal scarring in recurrent urinary tract infections (UTIs).
DESIGN—Twenty three children with UTIs and renal scarring (mean (SD) age 7.3 (3.9) years) and 91 children without renal scarring (6.4 (3.4) years) were studied. All the children had serum vitamin A and β-carotene measurements and nutritional evaluation. Renal scarring was assessed by technetium-99m dimercaptosuccinic acid (^99mTc DMSA) scanning. Nutritional status of all the patients was within normal limits and not different between the groups.
RESULTS—Mean (SD) serum vitamin A and β-carotene concentrations were not significantly different between the patients with and without renal scarring (vitamin A 53.2 (22.6)/46.8 (17.0) µg/dl and β-carotene 232.3 (201.3)/272.4 (86.0) µg/dl respectively). However, when the patients with renal scarring and with greater than 10% difference among the DMSA uptakes of their kidneys (11 cases) were evaluated, a significant negative correlation was determined between the serum vitamin A concentrations and the magnitude of the difference in uptakes of each kidney. The same relation was not true for serum β-carotene concentrations.
CONCLUSION—This study demonstrated a relation between serum vitamin A concentrations and magnitude of hypoactivity in ^99mTc DMSA scanning in kidneys with advanced scarring.

     

Proximal femoral nailing without a fracture table

The treatment of unstable trochanteric femoral fractures is still challenging, and the proximal femoral nails are becoming more commonly used. The proximal femoral nailing is usually performed on a fracture table under traction which is associated with some possible complications. In our study, we tried to present the results of proximal nailing surgery performed in the lateral decubitus position and manual traction on a radiolucent table without the fracture table traction.     

The effect of vitamin A on the course of renal ablation nephropathy

Renal scarring due to pyelonephritis was shown to improve in rats given vitamin A. We evaluated the effect of vitamin A in a renal ablation nephropathy model. Four groups, each including 7 rats with 5/6 nephrectomy, were formed: group I (no vitamin A), group II (60 kIU vitamin A), group III (120 kIU vitamin A), and group IV (180 kIU vitamin A). Four sham-operated rats comprised the control group. After 6 weeks of 5/6 nephrectomy, the rats were sacrificed and serum creatinine, vitamin A, and β-carotene levels were determined in addition to histopathological evaluation of the remnant kidneys. The tubulointerstitial and glomerular changes were graded as ”0–3” and ”0–5” respectively, in accordance with the severity of the lesions. Tubulointerstitial score (TIS), mean glomerulosclerosis score (MGS, arithmetical mean of the sclerosis scores of 100 glomeruli), and severity of glomerulosclerosis index (SGI, ratio of the number of glomeruli with grade ≥3 sclerosis to the total number of glomeruli examined) were calculated for each rat. Serum creatinine levels were higher in the study groups than the control rats (P<0.05), but there was no significant difference between the study groups (although the levels increased as the dose of vitamin A increased). Serum vitamin A levels were significantly higher in the groups given vitamin A than the control rats and group I (P<0.05). In addition, serum vitamin A levels increased significantly in parallel to increasing doses of vitamin A (P<0.05). Serum β-carotene levels did not differ between the groups, except for group II, which had lower levels than controls (P=0.01). MGS and SGI were significantly higher in the study groups than control rats (P<0.05), but did not differ between the study groups. Study and control rats were not different with respect to TIS, but there was a difference between the control group and group III (P=0.04). Group II had the lowest MGS, SGI, and TIS scores among the study groups. When all the rats were considered together, vitamin A levels did not correlate with the MGS and SGI, but correlated positively with the TIS (r=0.391, P=0.027). β-Carotene levels also did not correlate with the MGS, SGI, and TIS. In conclusion, vitamin A administration did not significantly affect the clinical and pathological course of renal ablation nephropathy in rats. Furthermore, higher doses of vitamin A might even damage renal tissue. Received: 14 June 1999 / Revised: 2 December 1999 / Accepted: 2 December 1999     

Necrotizing fasciitis: strategies for diagnosis and management

Necrotizing fasciitis (NF) is uncommon and difficult to diagnose, and it cause progressive morbidity until the infectious process is diagnosed and treated medically and surgically. The literature addressed NF contains confusing information, inaccurate bacteriologic data, and antiquated antibiotic therapy. A delay in diagnosis is associated with a grave prognosis and increased mortality. The main goal of the clinician must be to establish the diagnosis and initially treat the patient within the standard of care. This review is planned as a guide for the clinician in making an early diagnosis of NF and initiating effective medical and surgical therapy.     

Role of penile electrodermal activity in the evaluation of autonomic innervation of corpus cavernosum

Electrodiagnostic tests measuring the activities of cavernous smooth muscle and sudomotor structures of penile skin are used in order to evaluate autonomic innervation of the penis. Owing to closeness of these tissues, the interference of sympathetic activity during recording is a possibility. In this study, we investigated this possibility in 10 patients whose cavernosal tissues were destroyed during penile prosthesis implantation by comparing the pre- and postoperative penile skin electrodermal activities. Penile electrodermal activities were recorded with surface electrodes before and after the operation. All of the patients had spontaneous and evoked penile electrodermal activity (EDA). The mean amplitude of evoked EDA decreased from 2159+/-700 to 1413+/-515 microV following penile prosthesis surgery (P=0.017). The decrease in the amplitude of penile-evoked EDA following penile prosthesis implantation suggests the contribution of cavernous smooth muscle activity to the sudomotor responses prior to operation. Although corpus cavernosum sympathetic activity contributes to the penile skin recordings, these recordings are mostly the result of penile skin sudomotor sympathetic activity. Therefore, surface potentials recorded from penile skin should not be used for the evaluation of autonomic innervation of corpus cavernosum.     

Predictors of renal scar in children with urinary infection and vesicoureteral reflux

We evaluated the predictors of renal scar in children with urinary tract infections (UTIs) having primary vesicoureteral reflux (VUR). Data of patients who were examined by dimercaptosuccinic acid (DMSA) scintigraphy between 1995 and 2005 were evaluated retrospectively. Gender, age, reflux grade, presence/development of scarring, breakthrough UTIs, and resolution of reflux, were recorded. The relation of gender, age and VUR grade to preformed scarring and the relation of gender, age, VUR grade, presence of preformed scarring, number of breakthrough UTIs and reflux resolution to new scarring were assessed. There were 138 patients [male/female (M/F) 53/85]. Multivariate analysis showed that male gender [odds ratio (OR) 2.5], age ≥ 27 months in girls (OR 4.2) and grades IV–V reflux (OR 12.4) were independent indicators of renal scarring. On the other hand, only the presence of previous renal scarring was found to be an independent indicator for the development of new renal scar (OR 13.4). In conclusion, while the most predictive variables for the presence of renal scarring among children presenting with a UTI were male gender, age ≥ 27 months in girls, and grades IV–V reflux, the best predictor of new scar formation was presence of previous renal scarring.     

Current Trends in the Management of Blunt Solid Organ Injuries

Abstract   The management of patients with solid organ injuries has changed since the introduction of technically advanced imaging tools, such as ultrasonography and multiple scan computerized tomography, interventional radiological techniques and modern intensive care units. In spite of this development in the management of these patients, major solid organ traumas can still be challenging. There has been great improvement in the non-operative management (NOM) of intra-abdominal solid organ injury in recent decades. In most cases treatment of injuries has shifted from early surgical treatment to NOM.     

Distal unlocked proximal femoral intramedullary nailing for intertrochanteric femur fractures

We investigated whether a proximal femoral nail (PFN) having two lag screws can be implanted without distal locking screws in AO/OTA 31-A1 and 31-A2 intertrochanteric femur fractures. Twenty-four patients with AO/OTA 31-A1 and 31-A2 fractures were treated with a PFN without distal interlocking by a single surgeon. The mean follow-up was 12 months (range: 7–23). Clinical and functional outcome was assessed according to the Harris hip score and Barthel’s activity score. The fractures healed in all patients; the average consolidation time was 14 weeks (range: 9–28). Fourteen patients had excellent and good results, nine patients had fair results, and one patient had a poor result according to the Harris hip score; 17 patients had a high range of mobility according to the Barthel activity score. Our results suggested that the PFN can be successfully implanted without distal interlocking in 31-A1 and 31-A2 fractures.