These results indicate that the TQ produces a protective mechanism against VCM-induced nephrotoxicity and suggest a role of oxidative stress in pathogenesis.

Current detailed information about the causes, management, and clinical course of acute childhood poisonings in Turkey is scarce. Therefore, we have conducted a descriptive study of children presenting with acute poisoning to the pediatric emergency department of Dicle University Hospital throughout an 8-month period. Two hundred unselected children with poisoning were evaluated in terms of clinical, epidemiological and socioeconomic aspects. The mean age of patients was 5.7 ± 4.0 years. The majority of the patients ( n = 108, 54%) were aged from 13 months to 4 years ( P < 0.05). In majority of patients (66.5%, n = 133), poisonings were accidental. Intentional poisonings accounted for 3.5% ( n = 7) and food poisoning accounted for 30% ( n = 60) of all cases. The families had more than three children in 129 (97%) of accidentally poisoned and in seven (100%) of intentionally poisoned patients, six were girls and one was a boy. The parents of most patients were uneducated. Furthermore, more than two third of families had low level of income. In all, 171 patients (85.5%) were discharged after an observation period of 24 h. Four patients died. In conclusion, factors such as low educational level of parents, presence of more than three children in the family, and low income increase the incidence of childhood poisonings. The low educational level of girls increases the incidence of intentional poisoning.

Probiotics have been successfully used for the treatment of acute diarrhea in children and this effect depends on the strains and dose. The aim of this study was to assess the effect of a synbiotic mixture on the duration of diarrhea and the length of hospital stay in children with acute watery diarrhea. This is a prospective randomized, multicenter single blinded clinical trial in hospitalized children with acute watery diarrhea. All children were treated with conventional hydration therapy with or without a daily dose of a synbiotic (2.5 × 10(9) CFU live bacteria including Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus rhamnosus, Bifidobacterium bifidum, Bifidobacterium longum, Enterococcus faecium, and 625 mg fructooligosaccharide) for 5 days. The primary endpoint was duration of diarrhea and duration of hospitalization was the secondary endpoint. Among 209 eligible children, 113 received the synbiotic mixture and 96 served as a control. The duration of diarrhea was significantly shorter (∼36 h) in children receiving the synbiotic group than the controls (77.9 ± 30.5 vs. 114.6 ± 37.4 h, p < 0.0001). The duration of hospitalization was shorter in children receiving the synbiotic group (4.94 ± 1.7 vs. 5.77 ± 1.97 days, p = 0.002). The effect of synbiotic mixture on diarrhea started after 24th hours and stool frequency significantly decreased after 24th and 48th hours. The percentage of diarrhea-free children is significantly higher in synbiotic group at 48th and 72nd hours of synbiotic group. In conclusion, this study showed a reduction in diarrhea duration by approximately 36 h and a reduction in the duration of hospitalization with approximately 1 day in children with acute diarrhea with this synbiotic mixture.

No abstract

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are reported to play a role in inducing the proteinuria of nephrotic syndrome (NS). This study investigated paraoxonase (PON), total antioxidant response (TAR), and oxidant total peroxide together with serum proteins and lipoproteins in children with steroid-sensitive NS. The study included 40 children with steroid-sensitive NS (21 with acute-period NS in group I, 19 nonproteinuric while receiving steroids in group II) and 22 sex- and age-matched formerly nephrotic children in remission weaned from steroids (group III). The following parameters were determined: total peroxide, oxidative stress index (OSI), PON and TAR. Serum proteins and lipoproteins were also determined. Patients in the active phase of NS had significantly lower PON and TAR levels and higher OSI and total peroxide values than those in full remission; no differences were found in PON, TAR, or OSI values of groups I and II. Significant correlations were found between PON, TAR, and total peroxide. Serum total protein had a significantly positive correlation with PON and negative correlation with total peroxide in acute-period NS patients. Our results demonstrate greater oxidative stress and decreased antioxidants in the active phase of steroid-sensitive NS and while patients receive steroids than during full remission. Low-dose alternate-day steroids do not seem to decrease oxidative stress even while proteinuria ceases. Despite some conflicting data increased oxidation and/or decreased antioxidant response may be related to the pathogenesis of steroid-sensitive NS.

Malnutrition is a widespread disorder in children, and ultrasonography is the method of choice to estimate kidney dimensions. Previously, kidney sizes had been studied in healthy newborns and in pediatric patients; however, kidney sizes were not investigated sufficiently in malnourished children. The study group consisted of 74 children with energy malnutrition (marasmus), and the control group consisted of 47 healthy children. Kidney sizes were mesaured by the same radiologist using ultrasonography. The mean age of the marasmic group was 29.6 +/- 14.0 months. Malnourished children had significantly lower kidney length and renal volume but higher relative kidney volume (cm3/body weight) compared with controls (P < 0.05). The mean length and volume of left kidney were higher than those of right kidney in both marasmic and control groups (P < 0.05). The strongest positive correlations were found between body height and kidney length, depth and volume in marasmic group. Regression analysis revealed that height and age of marasmic children had a significant effect on kidney volume; however, only body height had an effect on kidney length. In conclusion, malnourished children had smaller kidney sizes, and body height was the main determinant of their kidney length and volume. The potential long-term detrimental consequences of poor renal growth in malnutrition need to be investigated.

This study is designed to observe the effects of N-acetylcysteine (NAC) on doxorubucine-induced cardiac toxicity in rats both histologically and biochemically. Totally 32 rats divided equally into four groups were studied. The first group received only 200 mg/kg NAC intraperitoneal (i.p.) once every 24 h for 5 days (group 1); the second group received 20 mg/kg doxorubucine (DOX) i.p. single dose plus NAC 200 mg/kg i.p. once every 24 h for 5 days (group 2); the third group received DOX 20 mg/kg DOX i.p. single dose (group 3) and the fourth group, which is also the control group, received saline (group 4). Following 24 h of the final dose, blood samples were drawn from a portal vein and heart tissue were obtained. Tissue thiobarbituric acid reactive substance (TBARS) and nitric oxide (NO) levels were highest in the DOX group. In the DOX-treated rats, serum TBARS, NO, aspartate transaminase, lactate dehydrogenase and creatine kinase levels were highest when compared with other groups. Except for serum superoxide dismutase levels, all other parameters differed significantly between the DOX plus NAC group and the DOX group. In the DOX plus NAC group, general architecture was preserved better than the DOX group and myofibril loss was minimal compared with the DOX group. NAC demonstrated, both biochemically and histologically, to be effective in the prevention of DOX-induced cardiotoxicity in rat models. Evaluation of NAC's effect on DOX toxicity warrants further clinical trials on cancer patients.

These results indicate that ebselen might produce a protective mechanism against radiocontrast-induced nephrotoxicity.