The impact of creatinine reference value: Normalization of urinary drug concentrations

Many illicit drug users attempt to manipulate urine drug testing; dilution is one of the methods. In screening tests, false-negative results below the cut-off values can create positive results after creatinine normalization. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of a creatinine reference value on the normalization of the drug concentration in diluted urine. The study focused on 25 630 cases and the following information: gender, age, urine collection time, drug screening test results, creatinine concentration (CR), and confirmation analysis result. Mean CR value was 143.71 +/- 83.68 mg/dl. There was a significant difference between CR and gender (p = 0.03). The mean CR for women was lower than that for men. The correlation between age and CR was not significant (r = -0.08, p = 0.00). However, after grouping the sample into age groups of 10 years, there was a significant difference between age groups and mean CR (p = 0.00). The mean CR was significantly lower in the 0-9 year age group (n = 34) than in the 20-29 year age group (n = 10 943). According to the urine specimen collection time, CR levels during the early hours of the day (06:00-06:59) were lower than those during the remaining hours (p = 0.00). The highest converted drug-negative to drug-positive results were obtained from 153.23 mg/dl CR reference value. Reference CR values were evaluated according to gender, age, and urine collection time. Different rates of positive results were obtained for each reference value. There is no published local creatinine value for spot urine samples in many countries, including Turkey. This will be useful to develop appropriate normalization models when reporting drug test results

The Association of Alagille Syndrome and Craniosynostosis

WOS: 000314322100011PubMed ID: 23337010Alagille syndrome is associated with various ocular abnormalities, including pseudopapilledema or optic disk edema due to increased intracranial pressure. Several mechanisms have been proposed to explain the mechanism of intracranial hypertension in Alagille syndrome. Craniosynostosis is an unusual but significant cause of increased intracranial hypertension in Alagille syndrome. It has recently been demonstrated in animal models that Jaggedl gene in which mutations are responsible for Alagille syndrome may also take part in cranial suture formation. We report a child with Alagille syndrome and craniosynostosis who presented with pruritus, elevated liver enzymes, and suspected increased intracranial pressure. (C) 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved

Peroxiredoxins and Hypoxia-Inducible Factor-1α in Duodenal Tissue: Emerging Factors in the Pathophysiology of Pediatric Celiac Disease Patients

Celiac disease (CD) is an autoimmune enteropathy. Peroxiredoxins (PRDXs) are powerful antioxidant enzymes having an important role in significant cellular pathways including cell survival, apoptosis, and inflammation. This study aimed at investigating the expression levels of all PRDX isoforms (1–6) and their possible relationships with a transcription factor, HIF-1α, in the small intestinal tissue samples of pediatric CD patients. The study groups consisted of first-diagnosed CD patients (n = 7) and non-CD patients with functional gastrointestinal tract disorders as the controls (n = 7). The PRDXs and HIF-1α expression levels were determined by using real-time PCR and Western blotting in duodenal biopsy samples. It was observed that the mRNA and protein expression levels of PRDX 5 were significantly higher in the CD patients, whereas the PRDX 1, -2, and -4 expressions were decreased in each case compared to the control group. No significant differences were detected in the PRDX 3 and PRDX 6 expressions. The expression of HIF-1α was also significantly elevated in CD patients. These findings indicate, for the first time, that PRDXs, particularly PRDX 5, may play a significant role in the pathogenesis of CD. Furthermore, our results suggest that HIF-1α may upregulate PRDX-5 transcription in the duodenal tissue of CD

Oral and dental manifestations of Gastroesophageal reflux disease in children: A preliminary study

WOS: 000238319200011PubMed ID: 16805363Purpose: The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of gastroeophageal reflux disease (GERD) on: (1) erosion; (2) caries formation; (3) salivary function; and (4) salivary microbiological counts. Methods: Thirty-eight GERD patients with a mean age of 6 1/2 years and 42 healthy children of the same age and gender and social background comprised the study group. All subjects answered a detailed frequency questionnaire related to acidic drinks, foods, and sugar consumption and participated in a clinical dental examination. The caries experience of the children was recorded according to World Health Organization criteria, and erosion was scored according to the Eccles and Jenkins grading scale. The children were also investigated for stimulated salivary flow rate, buffer capacity, and salivary mutans streptococci (MS), lactobacilli, and yeast colonization. Results: The prevalence of dental erosion and the salivary yeast and MS colonization in GERD children was found to be significantly higher than for healthy subjects (P <.05). The caries experience, salivary flow rate, buffering capacities of the children, and frequency of acidic drinks, foods, and sugar consumption were found to be similar in both groups. Conclusion: This current investigation has shown that GERD children were at an increased risk of developing erosion and caries compared with healthy subjects

Fatty liver due to high levels of serum tacrolimus after liver transplantation

WOS: 000248902300020PubMed ID: 17907528Tacrolimus has been used extensively for immunosuppressive therapy in pediatric liver transplant recipients. However, patients who are exposed to high levels of serum tacrolimus tend to be associated with a higher incidence of significant nephrotoxicity, neurotoxicity, pruritus, alopecia, diabetes and infection. We herein report a child who developed increased serum transaminase levels and liver steatosis as a result of raised trough blood level of tacrolimus (30 ng/ml for 3 days) in association with rotavirus gastroenteritis

Morphometric analysis of small-bowel mucosa in turkish children with celiac disease and relationship with the clinical presentation and laboratory findings

WOS: 000248810300016PubMed ID: 17406838We aimed to analyze morphometric features of the small-bowel mucosa in children with celiac disease, to assess the diagnostic limit values of morphometric findings, and to examine the association of morphometric findings with the clinical presentation and laboratory findings. The study comprised 33 patients with celiac disease and 35 pediatric patients undergoing endoscopy for other causes. Biopsy specimens were reanalyzed for (1) intraepithelial lymphocytes, (2) goblet cells, (3) villous height, and (4) villous/crypt ratio. The morphometric parameters of the patients were compared with controls. Then celiac patients were divided into two groups according to the presence of total villous atrophy and clinical and laboratory findings were compared. Histologic examination revealed that goblet cells, villus height, and villous/crypt ratio were significantly lower and intraepithelial lymphocytes were significantly higher in celiac patients. Cutoff values for intraepithelial lymphocytes and goblet cells in celiac patients were 31/100 and 7.8/100 epithelial cells, respectively. Moreover, for villus height and villous/crypt ratio, cutoff values were 633 mu m and 0.72, respectively. Serum folic acid and vitamin B-12 levels were significantly lower in patients with total villous atrophy and were positively correlated with the severity of villous atrophy. We suggest that morphologic examination and laboratory data are important for definitive diagnosis. Villous/crypt ratio is the most sensitive and specific parameter, and intraepithelial lymphocytes may be used along with villous/crypt ratio, especially in the early phase. Folic acid and vitamin B-12 levels are good indicators of villous atrophy

Application of endoscopic hemoclips for nonvariceal upper gastrointestinal bleeding in children

WOS: 000339310300005PubMed ID: 25003673Background/Aims: Data about the efficiency and outcome of therapeutic endoscopic techniques in children with nonvariceal upper gastrointestinal bleeding (UGB) are scarce. We aimed to analyze our experience with endoscopic hemoclip application in children with non-variceal UGB. Materials and Methods: During a 3-year period, a total of 1715 endoscopies were performed in our pediatric endoscopy unit; 182 (10.6%) of them were performed for UGB to 158 patients. Fifty-six of them had emergent endoscopy. Among them, 15 cases with nonvariceal UGB were only given endoscopic hemoclips. Demographic, clinical, and laboratory findings at initial admission; endoscopic appearance of bleeding lesions; and outcome of hemoclip application were recorded from the hospital files and endoscopy records. Results: Ten patients (66.6%) had gastric ulcer, 3 (20%) had duodenal ulcer, 1 (6.7%) had Dieulafoy lesion, and 1 (6.7%) had bleeding at the post-polypectomy site. Initial homeostasis after hemoclip application was achieved in all patients (100%). Rebleeding was seen in only one patient (6.5%) with a Dieulafoy lesion, who needed hemoclip application for a second time, and the bleeding was controlled successfully. Permanent hemostasis was 100%. The median number of hemoclips used per case and per application was 3.4 and 3.2, respectively. None of the patients experienced any complication related to hemoclip application. Median duration of hospitalization was 6 days. On follow-up, none of the patients received surgical therapy, and 30-d mortality related to bleeding was 0%. Conclusion: The use of hemoclips for nonvariceal UGB in children is an effective modality to control bleeding without any complications in children

Vascular complications in living-related and deceased donation pediatric liver transplantation: Single center's experience from Turkey

WOS: 000243792400009PubMed ID: 17300495The aim of the study was to assess early and long-term incidence of venous complications, in both deceased donation (DD) and living-related (LR) liver transplantation (LT) in a pediatric population. Seventy-five liver transplants performed in 69 (39 boys, 30 girls) children at Ege University Hospital between 1997 and 2004 were prospectively monitored and reviewed. Age, sex, primary diagnosis, graft type, vascular complications and their management were evaluated. All patients received Doppler ultrasonographic examination both during operation and daily for the first three postoperative days and when necessary thereafter. The complications were classified as early and late presented. Thirty-three grafts (47.8%) were from DD and 36 (52.2%) were from LR donors. Recipients of DD were older than LR donors (mean age 10.5 +/- 5.1 and 5.0 +/- 0.7, respectively) (p < 0.05). Vascular complication occurrence was not statistically different between DDLT and LRLT recipients (p = 0.2), and between infants and children (p = 0.9). Overall, stenosis was more common than thrombosis. We observed hepatic artery (HA) thrombosis, in five of 75 (6.7%) transplants within 30 days post-transplant. Portal vein (PV) thrombosis and hepatic vein (HV) thrombosis were detected in six and one patients (8.7% and 1.3%), respectively. Six PV stenosis were identified (8.7%), while HA and HV-VC (vena cava) stenosis occurred in one and six patients (1.4% and 8.7%), respectively. All PV stenosis (6/33, 18.2%) and one PV aneurysm occurred in DDLT recipients while HV-VC stenosis were detected almost equally in LRLT and DDLT recipients (4/36 vs. 2/33). Except one, all PV stenosis were detected as a late complication and no intervention were needed. Stenosis of HV-VC was more common in girls (5/30 vs. 1/39) (p < 0.05) and the incidence was not different in DDLT and LRLT recipients (p = 0.8). In conclusion, overall incidences of thrombosis and stenosis formation after orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT) were 17.4% and 18.8%, respectively in our center. We suggest that in the cases with HA thrombosis manifested intra-operatively or within the early postoperative period, graft salvage was successful. Thrombosis of HA causes significant mortality. Thrombosis of PV was among the causes of mortality and morbidity. Stenosis of HV-VC could be managed by angioplasty and endovascular stenting with no significant effect to mortality