Tyrosinemia type 1 in pediatric nephrology: Not always straightforward

The main clinical features of tyrosinemia type 1 usually appear in the first months of life, including fever, diarrhea, vomiting, liver involvement, growth failure, and renal proximal tubulopathy with subsequent hypophosphatemic rickets. An early diagnosis is crucial in order to provide specific management and to prevent complications. Here, we report on two cases referred primarily to pediatric nephrologists for the diagnosis of “neonatal tubulopathy” and management of “X-linked hypophosphatemia (XLH),” respectively. Our aim is to emphasize that (1) even a mixed tubulopathy can reveal tyrosinemia, and (2) tyrosinemia is a classic differential diagnosis of XLH that should not be forgotten, especially in the era of the anti-FGF23 burosumab.     

Rapid identification of atypical variant of plasma butyrylcholinesterase by PCR.

Human butyrylcholinesterase is the enzyme responsible of mivacurium and succinylcholine metabolism, which may be significantly impaired when mutation Asp70Gly is found in patients. We describe a simple PCR method for the detection of this variant. Thirteen out of sixteen patients tested after prolonged apnea were positive for the presence of this mutation (50.0% homozygotes and 31.3% heterozygotes), suggesting that this test contributes to the explanation of some clinical events and to their prevention in relatives of these patients.     

Rapid control of purity for the cytoplasm of male-sterile seed stocks by means of a dot hybridization assay

To produce hybrids, one member of the parental line is genetically made male-sterile. This male-sterile trait is encoded by mitochondria so that it is maternally inherited. Consequently, the progeny of a male-sterile plant is fully sterile. Nevertheless, during the handling of cytoplasmic male-sterile seed stocks, some mixture with seeds of the maintainer lines can occur. Up to the present time, the only way to check the homogeneity of the cytoplasmic male-sterile seed stock was to grow the plants until flowering time. We have developed a method which can be used immediately after the harvest, allowing us to check samples from both sunflower and sugar beet. We used the mitochondrial plasmid, present only in the maintainer lines, as a probe for the total nucleic acids prepared from the cytoplasmic male-sterile seed stocks which might be contaminated. The signals compared to those of samples artificially contaminated allow us to measure as few as one male-fertile seed in 1000 seeds in a rapid and accurate manner.     

Effects of Intermittent Femoral Nerve Injections of Bupivacaine, Levobupivacaine, and Ropivacaine on Mitochondrial Energy Metabolism and Intracellular Calcium Homeostasis in Rat Psoas Muscle

Background: Long-acting local anesthetics cause muscle damage. Moreover, long-acting local anesthetics act as uncoupler of oxidative phosphorylation in isolated mitochondria and enhance sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca2+ release. The aim of the study was to evaluate effects of perineural injections of local anesthetics on mitochondrial energetic metabolism and intracellular calcium homeostasis in vivo.

Methods: Femoral nerve block catheters were inserted in adult male Wistar rats. Rats were randomized and received seven injections (1 ml/kg) of bupivacaine, levobupivacaine, ropivacaine, or isotonic saline at 8-h intervals. Rats were killed 8 h after the last injection. Psoas muscle was quickly dissected from next to the femoral nerve. Local anesthetic concentrations in muscle were determined. Oxidative capacity was measured in saponin-skinned fibers. Oxygen consumption rates were measured, and mitochondrial adenosine triphosphate synthesis rate was determined. Enzymatic activities of mitochondrial respiratory chain complexes were evaluated. Local calcium release events (calcium sparks) were analyzed as well as sarcoplasmic reticulum calcium content in saponin-skinned fibers.

Results: Eight hours after the last injection, psoas muscle concentration of local anesthetics was less than 0.3 [mu]g/g tissue. Adenosine triphosphate synthesis and adenosine triphosphate-to-oxygen ratio were significantly decreased in the muscle of rats treated with local anesthetics. A global decrease (around 50%) in all of the enzyme activities of the respiratory chain was observed. Levobupivacaine increased the amplitude and frequency of the calcium sparks, whereas lower sarcoplasmic reticulum calcium content was shown.     

Adrenergic Receptor Genotype but Not Perioperative Bisoprolol Therapy May Determine Cardiovascular Outcome in At-risk Patients Undergoing Surgery with Spinal Block: The Swiss Beta Blocker in Spinal Anesthesia (BBSA) Study: A Double-blinded, Placebo-controlled, Multicenter Trial with 1-Year Follow-up

Background: Neuraxial blockade is used as primary anesthetic technique in one third of surgical procedures. The authors tested whether bisoprolol would protect patients at risk for cardiovascular complications undergoing surgery with spinal block.

Methods: The authors performed a double-blinded, placebo-controlled, multicenter trial to compare the effect of bisoprolol with that of placebo on 1-yr composite outcome including cardiovascular mortality, nonfatal myocardial infarction, unstable angina, congestive heart failure, and cerebrovascular insult. Bisoprolol was given orally before and after surgery for a maximum of 10 days. Adrenergic receptor polymorphisms and safety outcome measures of bisoprolol therapy were also determined.

Results: A total of 224 patients were enrolled. Spinal block could not be established in 5 patients. One hundred ten patients were assigned to the bisoprolol group, and 109 patients were assigned to the placebo group. The mean duration of treatment was 4.9 days in the bisoprolol group and 5.1 days in the placebo group. Bisoprolol therapy reduced mean heart rate by 10 beats/min. The primary outcome was identical between treatment groups and occurred in 25 patients (22.7%) in the bisoprolol group and 24 patients (22.0%) in the placebo group during the 1-yr follow-up (hazard ratio, 0.97; 95% confidence interval, 0.55-1.69; P = 0.90). However, carriers of at least one Gly allele of the [beta]1-adrenergic receptor polymorphism Arg389Gly showed a higher number of adverse events than Arg homozygous (32.4% vs. 18.7%; hazard ratio, 1.87; 95% confidence interval, 1.04-3.35; P = 0.04).