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Outcome body size of gastrostomy tube (g-tube)-fed children with chronic kidney disease (CKD) was investigated. CKD patients, stages 2-5, who had a g-tube inserted and removed between 1985 and 2007 were retrospectively reviewed (n=20) for anthropometrics, lab values, and steroid use from insertion to latest date. CKD patients never having had a g-tube placed (n=82) acted as the comparison population with similar data collection at start and end of the latest 5-year period. Body mass index (BMI)-for-age, weight (Wt)-for-age, and height (Ht)-for-age z scores were calculated and compared between groups. Median age at insertion and duration of g-tube treatment was 1.7 years (range 0.9-15.6), and 2.9 years (range 0.9-11.8), respectively. There was a significant increase in Wt- (p<0.01), and BMI-for-age (p<0.03) z score, but not for Ht-for-age between insertion and removal for subjects. There were no significant differences in Ht-, Wt-, or BMI-for-age z scores, from removal to 5 years post-removal. In the comparison population, there were no significant differences in Ht-, Wt-, or BMI-for-age z scores over the 5-year period. Approximately 36% of the non-tube-fed comparison population and 50% of the tube-fed subjects were overweight or obese at the most recent evaluation. In both subjects and the comparison group, overweight and obesity is associated with transplant status and steroid use. G-tube feeding is an effective method for achieving catch-up weight and moderate height gain in pediatric CKD patients, and does not apparently predispose patients to obesity after removal; however, overweight and obesity may pose problems to children with CKD whether or not they are tube fed.

An infusion of metoprolol for a hypertensive emergency is a safe and effective treatment for pediatric patients.

Pattern of bacteria that causes urinary tract infection (UTI) in infants after discharge from neonatal intensive care units (NICU) are not well described. This Study included 74 patients with first episodes of UTI in the first 3 months of life. They were divided into 2 groups, 31 case occurred during NICU stay (group 1), 43 cases with UTI that occurred after discharge from NICU (group 2, NICU graduates). Types of bacteria, its susceptibility to common antibiotics, renal abnormalities and circumcision status were compared between both groups. Eighty two percent of patients in the both groups were male. Between 71.9%-74.4% of patients in both groups were preterm. Among NICU graduates, Incidence of UTI in infants who were preterm and those who were term was 8.2% and 2.1% respectively p < 0.001. The most common causative bacteria in both groups were Klebsiella pneumoniae and Escherichia coli. Bacteria that caused UTI in NICU graduates were highly resistant to common antibiotics and were similar (in types and the resistance) to bacteria that caused UTI in patients during stay in NICU. UTI in NICU graduates happen frequently in premature, young male infants. Their UTI were caused by bacteria that are similar in type and resistant pattern to those cause UTI in NICU patients.

Rising incidence of extended- spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL) induced urinary tract infections (UTIs) is an increasing concern worldwide. Thus, it is of paramount importance to investigate novel approaches that can facilitate the identification and guide empiric antibiotic therapy in such episodes. The study aimed to evaluate the usability of antecedent ESBL-positive urine culture to predict the pathogenic identity of future ones. Moreover, the study evaluated the accuracy of selected empiric therapy in index episodes. This was a retrospective study that included 693 cases with paired UTI episodes, linked to two separate hospital admissions within 12 month-period, and a conditional previous ESBL positive episode. Pertinent information was obtained by reviewing patients’ medical records and computerized laboratory results. Multivariate analysis showed that shorter interval between index and previous episodes was significantly associated with increased chance of ESBL-positive results in current culture (OR = 0.912, 95CI% = 0.863–0.963, p = 0.001). Additionally, cases with ESBL-positive results in current culture were more likely to have underlying urological/surgical condition (OR = 1.416, 95CI% = 1.018–1.969, p = 0.039). Investigations of the accuracy of current empirical therapy revealed that male patients were less accurately treated compared to female patients (OR = 0.528, 95CI% = 0.289–0.963, p = 0.037). Furthermore, surgical patients were treated less accurately compared to those treated in internal ward (OR = 0.451, 95CI% = 0.234–0.870, p = 0.018). Selecting an agent concordant with previous microbiologic data significantly increased the accuracy of ESBL-UTIs therapy (p<0.001). A quick survey of the previous ESBL urine culture results can guide practitioners in the selection of empiric therapy for the pending current culture and thus improve treatment accuracy.

BACKGROUND: Inguinal hernia is the most common surgical procedure performed in infants. Still, there is major debate about the optimal timing of performing this procedure. The goal of this review is to determine the incidence of inguinal hernia among our infant population in Jordan, review the current practice regarding the timing of repair, and identify the risk of incarceration and postoperative apnea. METHODS: A retrospective cohort study of chart review of infants admitted with inguinal hernia in the period 2012–2016. Data collected about demographics, timing of diagnosis, timing of repair, exploration of contralateral side, incarceration, and postoperative apnea. RESULTS: A total of 272 infants were diagnosed with inguinal hernia. The overall incidence was 1.9%, compared with 11% among premature babies <32-week gestation. Half were term, and 23% less than 32-week gestation. Male to female ratio was 5 : 1. Of the 172 babies admitted to the neonatal ICU, only 19 cases (11%) were diagnosed during their NICU stay, and one case got repaired emergently. All cases were repaired by open herniorrhaphy. The median postconceptional age at time of repair was 49 weeks (IQR 45–55), and the median interval between diagnosis and repair was 8 days (IQR 1–17). Incarceration affected 9% and the main risk factor was >7-day delay in repair. Only one case developed apnea and required intubation postoperatively. CONCLUSIONS: Our approach of elective inguinal hernia repair seems to be safe without increasing risk of complications like incarceration or postoperative apnea if performed within seven days following diagnosis.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS Primary hyperoxaluria type 1 (PH1) is a rare genetic disorder characterised by hepatic oxalate overproduction that leads to progressive kidney disease. As kidney function declines, oxalate elimination is compromised and plasma oxalate (POx) increases, leading to systemic oxalosis. In chronic kidney disease (CKD) stages 3b–5, elevated POx is directly related to the pathophysiology of oxalosis, and reduction of POx is a relevant clinical trial endpoint. Lumasiran, an RNA interference therapeutic designed to reduce hepatic oxalate production, is indicated for the treatment of PH1 in all age groups. Data from the ILLUMINATE-C trial (EudraCT: 2019–0 013 346-17) demonstrated substantial reductions in POx and acceptable safety in patients with PH1 with impaired kidney function, including patients on haemodialysis (HD), who received lumasiran for 6 months. In Cohorts A (no HD) and B (on HD), respectively, lumasiran led to 33.33% [95% confidence interval (95% CI): −15.16 to 81.82] and 42.43% (95% CI: 34.15–50.71) least-squares (LS) mean reductions in POx from baseline to Month 6 (the primary endpoint). Here, we present METHOD ILLUMINATE-C is an ongoing Phase 3, single-arm study with two cohorts, Cohort A (N = 6; no HD at study start) and Cohort B (N = 15; on HD). The 6-month primary analysis period is followed by an extension period (EP) of up to 54 months. Key inclusion criteria include genetically confirmed PH1, eGFR ≤ 45 mL/min/1.73 m2 and POx ≥ 20 μmol/L. Patients received weight-based dosing of subcutaneous lumasiran. Outcomes of interest for the current analysis included assessments of cardiac oxalosis using echocardiography, medullary nephrocalcinosis by kidney ultrasound, kidney stone events and burdensome symptoms of PH1. RESULTS All 21 patients [43% female; 76% white; median age 8 (range 0–59) years] completed the 6-month primary analysis period. Among patients with abnormal left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF; abnormal defined as LVEF &lt; 55%) at baseline, 1/1 patient in Cohort A and 2/4 patients in Cohort B showed ≥ 5% improvement at Month 6. Among patients with abnormal global longitudinal strain (GLS, a measure of LV contractility more sensitive than LVEF for predicting outcomes; abnormal defined as |GLS| &lt;15%) at baseline, 1/1 patient in Cohort A and 3/3 patients in Cohort B showed ≥ 2% improvement at Month 6. In Cohort A, 5/6 patients had nephrocalcinosis at baseline, 2 remained stable, none worsened, and 3 improved (2 unilateral and 1 bilateral improvement) at Month 6. In Cohort A, 1 patient did not have nephrocalcinosis at baseline and had bilateral worsening at Month 6. In Cohort B, 2/11 patients had nephrocalcinosis at baseline; both improved (1 unilateral and 1 bilateral improvement). In Cohort A, the rate of kidney stone events per person-year was 3.20 (95% CI: 1.96–5.22) in the 12 months prior to consent and 1.48 (95% CI: 0.55–3.92) during the first 6 months of lumasiran treatment. For patients in both cohorts, the most burdensome symptoms at baseline, including fatigue, nausea/decreased appetite, bone pain and decreased mobility, improved or remained stable at Month 6; none of the symptoms worsened. CONCLUSION Lumasiran treatment resulted in substantial reductions in POx in patients of all ages with PH1 and advanced kidney disease. The observations regarding cardiac measures that reflect systemic oxalosis, together with the kidney stone event and nephrocalcinosis results, are consistent with mobilisation of oxalate from systemic stores. Data on these long-term outcomes will continue to be collected and further evaluated in the EP. These results, along with previous reports from ILLUMINATE-A and ILLUMINATE-B, provide evidence supporting the effectiveness of lumasiran across the full spectrum of patients affected by PH1.

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