Comparison of validation protocols for blood pressure measuring devices in children and adolescents.

Accuracy of blood pressure (BP) measurement is important for the evaluation of hypertension in children and adolescents, and it is critically dependent upon the accuracy of the BP measuring device. A device that could pass validated protocols with reliable accuracy would be desirable in clinical and research settings. Several scientific organizations have published recommendations on the validation of different BP measuring devices.

Nephrotic syndrome on sickle cell disease: the impact of Hydroxyurea.

Nephropathy is a common under-recognised complication of sickle cell disease (SCD) and one of the main factors of poor prognosis in these patients. The association between nephrotic syndrome and SCD in children is rare. Strategies for sickle cell nephropathy prevention are still poorly established.

Sleep disturbance in pediatric patients on automated peritoneal dialysis.

Objective: There are few reports describing sleep disturbance (SD) in children on automated peritoneal dialysis (APD), and they are mostly based on the application of questionnaires. As far as we know, only two studies used polysomnography (PSG), the gold standard for the diagnosis of SD. This is the first study assessing SD in children with chronic kidney disease (CKD) on APD in our country.

Vitamin D-dependent rickets: a resurgence of the rachitic lung in the 21st century.

Respiratory complications of rickets may be life-threatening particularly in developing countries. A 7-month-old boy presented with recurrent infections, seizures, failure to thrive, wheezing and respiratory distress progressing to global respiratory failure. Several antimicrobial regimens, bronchodilators and corticosteroids resulted in only short-term improvement.

[Nephrocalcinosis and subcutaneous fat necrosis].

Subcutaneous fat necrosis of the newborn is an uncommon, transient and self-healing panniculits. This entity generally follows an uncomplicated course, however there are rare and important complications. The authors present a case of a newborn with subcutaneous fat necrosis complicated by hypercalcemia and nephrocalcinosis.

A novel mutation of the HNF1B gene associated with hypoplastic glomerulocystic kidney disease and neonatal renal failure: a case report and mutation update.

Hepatocyte nuclear factor 1 beta (HNF1B) plays an important role in embryonic development, namely in the kidney, pancreas, liver, genital tract, and gut. Heterozygous germline mutations of HNF1B are associated with the renal cysts and diabetes syndrome (RCAD). Affected individuals may present a variety of renal developmental abnormalities and/or maturity-onset diabetes of the young (MODY).

[Nutcracker syndrome. Hematuria without diagnosis?].

The nutcracker syndrome is associated with left renal vein compression in its passage between the abdominal aorta and superior mesenteric artery. This phenomenon can cause left renal vein hypertension manifested by abdominal pain, hematuria, and pelvic congestion syndrome. The diagnosis is essentially clinical, supported by imaging and necessarily one of exclusion.

Rituximab use in pediatric autoimmune diseases: four case reports.

Rituximab (RTX) is currently used in many diseases, but its efficacy and safety in juvenile systemic lupus erythematosus (SLEj) is still unknown. In this chapter we present four case reports of children treated with RTX: three SLE and one immune thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP). Two of the three SLEj patients had class IV lupus nephritis (LN) and hematologic manifestations (pancytopenia), both reaching complete recovery of blood counts and improvement of LN with RTX treatment.

[Hypothyroidism and terminal renal failure in the neonatal period].

It has been described alterations of the thyroid function in patients with chronic renal disease without primary disease of the thyroid gland. Nevertheless primary hypothyroidism is more frequent in this population than in other non renal chronic disease. Authors report two cases of hypothyroidism diagnosed in infants with terminal renal failure in the neonatal period, secondary to renal hypoplasia / dysplasia, both in peritoneal dialysis programme.

[Kidney failure associated with Plasmodium falciparum infection].

Plasmodium falciparum infection may be a cause of acute renal failure (ARF). Whereas renal failure appears to be a common complication of severe malaria in adults, it seldom occurs in children. The authors report a case of a previously healthy 9-year-old child, who was admitted with fever, vomits, diarrhoea, jaundice and obnubilation of consciencious.