Childhood-onset systemic lupus erythematosus in Croatia: demographic, clinical and laboratory features, and factors influencing time to diagnosis.

Objectives: Childhood-onset systemic lupus erythematosus (cSLE) presents with diverse clinical features and often with non-classical symptoms that may delay diagnosis and increase risk of morbidity and mortality. This paper aims to analyse incidence, and clinical and laboratory features of cSLE in Croatia between 1991 and 2010, and to identify factors influencing time to diagnosis.

Results: Medical records at three university-based tertiary care centres were analysed retrospectively for 81 children with cSLE (68 girls).

Changes in bacterial resistance patterns in children with urinary tract infections on antimicrobial prophylaxis at University Hospital in Split.

Background: We assessed prevalence and resistance of uropathogens on antimicrobial agents (AA) from urine cultures (UC) in children hospitalized with urinary tract infections (UTI) at University Hospital in Split.

Material/methods: During the 7-year period, children hospitalized only once with UTI alone were compared to those repeatedly hospitalized, and who received long-term antimicrobial prophylaxis (LTAP), as well as those with associated anomalies of the urinary system (US).

Results: E.

Henoch-Schönlein purpura complicated by appendicitis, intussusception and ureteritis.

Henoch-Schönlein purpura (HSP) is the most common childhood systemic small-vessel vasculitis with skin, joint, gastrointestinal (GI) and renal involvement. Uncommon GI complications are intussusception, bowel perforation and rarely reported appendicitis. HSP-associated stenosing ureteritis represents a rare and potentially serious complication.

Postinfectious glomerulonephritis and Epstein-barr virus co-infection.

Contrary to group A beta-hemolytic streptococcus as the most common cause of postinfectious glomerulonephritis (PIGN), Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) is only occasionally associated with acute renal involvement. We describe an 11-year-old boy who presented with clinical signs of infective mononucleosis and acute glomerulonephritis characterized by edema, hypertension and dark colored urine with diminished renal function. Serology tests confirmed streptococcal infection and acute EBV infection.

Pediatric idiopathic intracranial hypertension: clinical and demographic features.

Idiopathic intracranial hypertension (IIH) is a clinical condition characterized by elevated intracranial pressure and absence of clinical, laboratory or radiographic evidence of central nervous system infection, vascular malformation, intracranial space occupying lesion or hydrocephalus. In the last years the raising understanding of pediatric IIH, especially concerning its demographics and epidemiology, has brought up to a redefinition of diagnostic criteria and reevaluation of pathogenesis and treatment. The authors reviewed the records of nineteen consecutive children with newly diagnosed IIH in order to compare demographic characteristics, clinical pictures and ophthalmologic aspects as optic disc evaluation and visual field evaluation, as well as treatment modalities and follow up.

Cystitis cystica and recurrent urinary tract infections in children.

The pathogenesis of recurrent urinary tract infections (UTIs) in preschool children with anatomically correct urinary tract (UT) is rather obscure. In girls, the bladder wall changes of cystitis cystica (CC) may be per se responsible for UTIs recurrence. During the 20-year period, 127 preschool children (125 girls; median age: 6.

The influence of medical and nonmedical factors to the progression of renal osteodystrophy.

We report a 13-year-old boy hospitalized for the first time at the age of 17 months with clinical and laboratory signs of chronic kidney disease (CKD) and renal osteodystrophy caused by severe obstructive uropathy of the single kidney. Prevention and treatment of renal osteodystrophy has been target for aggressive therapy and the great challenge for pediatric nephrologists. The outcome of the therapy of renal osteodystrophy is influenced by medical and non-medical factors.

[Clinical and histopathological characteristics of biopsy-proven renal diseases in Croatia].

There is little data on the spectrum of renal diseases in children in Croatia. The Croatian Society for Pediatric Nephrology has established the Registry of Biopsy-Proven Renal Diseases in an attempt to address this issue nationwide. Here we report preliminary results of a retrospective analysis of clinical and histopathological data of 565 children aged < or =17 years presenting to 9 hospitals in Croatia from 1991 to 2004, in whom kidney biopsy was performed.

The renal parenchyma evaluation: MAG3 vs. DMSA.

Scintigraphy with Tc-99m dimercaptosuccinic acid (DMSA) is considered a reference method for assessment of parenchymal lesions and estimation of differential kidney function. The aim of study was to evaluate Tc-99m mercaptoacetyltriglycine (MAG3) dynamic renal scintigraphy for the same purpose. 188 patients, submitted to both studies within three months, were divided in two groups.

Increasing incidence of post-kidney transplant anemia in children.

Anemia status at 1-year post-kidney transplant was documented retrospectively in 231 pediatric recipients (mean age: 12.6 +/- 5.0, range: 1.

Drug-induced acute tubulointerstitial nephritis: a case with elevated urinary cadmium.

Acute tubulointerstitial nephritis (ATIN) has many different causes, but is most frequently caused by drugs. We report a 13-year-old vegetarian girl with drug-induced ATIN, confirmed by renal biopsy, and simultaneous occurrence of elevated urinary cadmium. Four weeks prior to admission she had been treated with antibiotics and acetaminophen for respiratory infection, and remaining febrile, was treated with different "home-made" herbal mixtures.