A complex case of congenital cystic renal disease.

This case outlines the potential complexity of autosomal recessive polycystic kidney disease (ARPKD). It highlights the challenges involved in managing this condition, some of the complications faced and areas of uncertainty in the decision making process. With a paucity of published paediatric cases on this subject, this should add to the pool of information currently available.

HSP or not HSP... that is the question.

The authors report on the case of a 10-year-old girl who presented with a vasculitic process primarily involving the skin, joints and kidneys, which was initially presumed to be a variant of Henoch-Schonlein purpura. When the disease process behaved in a more aggressive way than expected, with the rapid onset of acute renal failure, further investigation revealed the underlying diagnosis to be that of Wegener's granulomatosis.

Fulminant pertussis: a multi-center study with new insights into the clinico-pathological mechanisms.

Pertussis carries a high risk of mortality in very young infants. The mechanism of refractory cardio-respiratory failure is complex and not clearly delineated. We aimed to examine the clinico-pathological features and suggest how they may be related to outcome, by multi-center review of clinical records and post-mortem findings of 10 patients with fulminant pertussis (FP).

Twin mole and viable fetus: The case for misdiagnosis.

Objective: To report the Sheffield Trophoblast Centre experience of twin molar gestations and review this in the light of international experience.

Case: Thirty patients with possible twin molar gestations were registered from 1986 to 2004 (during which period 7,200 cases of mole were seen). The accuracy of suspected clinical and histologic diagnoses was investigated.

Osteoprotegerin (OPG)--a potential new role in the regulation of endothelial cell phenotype and tumour angiogenesis?

The progression of cancer depends on the establishment of a tumour blood supply, and therefore tumour angiogenesis has been identified as a major target for new anticancer agents. Recent reports have suggested that osteoprotegerin (OPG) is involved in the control of endothelial cell survival through the inhibition of the activity of tumour necrosis factor- (TNF) related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL). The role of OPG in human tumour development and angiogenesis is currently unknown.