Symptomatic nephrolithiasis in prolonged survivors of Duchenne muscular dystrophy.

In this study, we describe the association between Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) and symptomatic nephrolithiasis. The DMD patients were matched to non-ambulatory control patients with non-DMD neurological diagnoses via retrospective chart review. All patients with DMD and symptomatic nephrolithiasis were over 20 years old.

Urinary tract infections among adolescents.

UTIs occur quite frequently among adolescent females. In the vast majority of these patients, UTIs are uncomplicated infections and are not suggestive of underlying anatomic abnormality of the urinary tract. A UTI in an adolescent female is suggestive, however, of sexual debut.

Effects of social work intervention on nonemergent pediatric emergency department utilization.

The purpose of this study was to determine whether social work intervention would reduce nonemergent visits to the emergency department and increase scheduled pediatric visits. A high-risk repeater group of 104 pediatric patients with three or more emergency department visits was randomly selected to receive social work intervention. Control and intervention groups were compared for inappropriate emergency department utilization and scheduled primary care visits.

Cognitive functioning in children on dialysis and post-transplantation.

We studied 124 children, 62 patient-subjects who had end-stage renal disease (ESRD) and 62 sibling-controls who closely matched the patient-subjects in terms of their ethnicity and their socioeconomic status, to discern whether children with ESRD would perform less well than their siblings on standardized achievement and intelligence quotient (IQ) tests, and to determine whether ethnicity would influence such results. The subjects were recruited from nine pediatric transplant and dialysis centers across the United States. Thirty-one subjects were white (Euro-American), 17 were African-American, and 14 were categorized as 'other'.

Lovastatin preserves renal function in experimental diabetes.

Although hyperlipidemia has been associated with the progression of glomerulosclerosis, little attention has been directed toward the use of lipid-lowering agents in altering diabetic nephropathy. We tested the hypothesis that lovastatin and the combination of lovastatin and enalapril would preserve renal function in streptozotocin-induced diabetic Wistar rats. Five groups of animals were studied: group 1, nondiabetic (n = 10); group 2, diabetic, insulin only (n = 12); group 3, lovastatin, (15 mg/kg/day, n = 13); group 4, enalapril, (50 mg/L drinking water, n = 10) and group 5, lovastatin plus enalapril, (n = 14).

Delta9 tetrahydrocannabinol and cannabidiol alter cytokine production by human immune cells.

Marijuana, a widely abused drug in the US, and its derivatives (cannabinoids) have been used in AIDS and cancer patients for treatment of intractable nausea and cachexia. Yet, objective investigations of the effect of cannabinoids on the human immune system are few. We investigated the effect of delta9 tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD) on cytokine production in vitro by human leukemic T, B, eosinophilic and CD8+ NK cell lines as models.

Renal stone disease in children.

Renal stone disease has been regarded as an uncommon problem in children compared to adults. However, increased awareness of this problem in children may lead to early intervention preventing long-term consequences on the kidney and the urinary tract. This article reviews the epidemiology, pathogenesis, and the most common etiologies of renal stones in children.

Renal manifestations of tuberous sclerosis complex.

Patients with tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC) are at increased risk of renal disease, predominantly angiomyolipomas and renal cysts. We retrospectively reviewed clinical data of 71 patients diagnosed with TSC. Progression of renal lesions was noted.

Cytokines in human milk.

Breast feeding improves the health of children. The greatest significance is to host defense, prevention of autoimmunity, and development of the digestive system; however, the underlying mechanisms for these effects are not well understood. Based on recent evidence that cytokines might be important in these processes, we have used ELISA to quantitate the cytokines in human colostrum, transitional, and mature milk from mothers delivering preterm or at term.

Prevention of insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus: an overview of three trials.

Genetic, immune, and metabolic testing can reveal a person's risk of developing insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM), and three large clinical trials are planned or underway to see if interventions can prevent IDDM in persons at risk. Researchers in diabetes prevention trials are screening first- and second-degree relatives of probands with IDDM for islet-cell antibodies. In the Cow's Milk Avoidance Trial, infant siblings of probands with IDDM will be randomized to receive either a baby formula containing a non-antigenic protein hydrolyzate or a standard cow's milk-based formula.

Safety and cost effectiveness of pediatric percutaneous renal biopsy.

Because of the rising cost of health care, more patients are undergoing procedures as outpatients rather than inpatients. The purpose of this study was to compare safety and cost of outpatient versus inpatient, overnight stay, for children undergoing percutaneous renal biopsy. Charts of all such patients between January 1989 through January 1995 were reviewed for the following: age of patient, native versus allograft biopsy and preparation costs (in 1995 U.

Lovastatin has direct renal hemodynamic effects in a rodent model.

Purpose: Lovastatin, an HMG-CoA reductase inhibitor, has been shown to preserve renal function in models of chronic renal failure. We determined the effect of lovastatin on renal function and hemodynamics in normal nonpathologic kidneys in a rodent model.

Materials And Methods: Renal function was measured in anesthetized (Inactin) control rats (n = 13) and lovastatin-treated rats (15 mg.

Post-transplant renal artery stenosis: impact of therapy on long-term kidney function and blood pressure control.

Purpose: We assessed the long-term outcome of different treatment methods for transplant renal artery stenosis.

Materials And Methods: Outcome data for 23 patients with transplant renal artery stenosis treated during a 16-year period were reviewed and analyzed.

Results: There was a higher incidence of renal artery stenosis in cadaveric donor kidneys compared to living donor kidneys (2% versus 0.

Research in pediatric residency programs.

Background And Objectives: We have required residents in pediatrics at the Cleveland Clinic Foundation to give research presentations since 1989; this article reviews our experience with this program. Additionally, we sought to determine how many other accredited pediatric programs in the United States also require this.

Methods: Retrospective review of the Cleveland Clinic program; descriptive statistics of other United States residency programs, obtained by questionnaire.

Dietary protein does not alter intrinsic reactivity of renal microcirculation to angiotensin II in rodents.

The effect of dietary protein on renal function and on renal microvascular reactivity to angiotensin II was determined in rats fed a high-protein diet (40% protein), a low-protein diet (6% protein), or a normal diet (23% protein). Inulin clearance was higher in high-protein-fed rats (n = 7) than in rats fed a low-protein diet (n = 7), 0.88 +/- 0.

Hypertension in children and adolescents.

Background: Children have lower blood pressure than adults do, and normal values for children have been established based on age and also on height and weight. Blood pressures in childhood correlate with blood pressures in adulthood, although weakly; a stronger correlation has been established between obesity in childhood and adulthood. Further, obese people are more likely to have high blood pressure than are slender people, both as children and adults.