AYE AYE Yl

Tuberous sclerosis is a disease with a well known association with renal masses, both cysts and angiomyolipomas. Reported here is a case of a 26 year old woman who had, in addition to angiomyolipomas of the kidneys, adenoma sebaceum, paraungualfibromas, shagreen patches and cerebral tubers

Correspondence:

We questioned 180 patients with end-stage renal disease on maintenance haemodialysis, chronic ambulatory peritoneal dialysis and those who had undergone renal transplantation at the Department of Nephrology, General Hospital, Kuala Lumpur. Twelve patients (6.7%) had consumed excessive quantities ofanalgesics prior to the institution oflong-term dialysis or transplantation. Primary renal disease was considered to be analgesic nephropathy in seven patients (3.9%); in five patients (2.8%), analgesic abuse could have been a contributory factor to end-stage renal failure. Analgesic nephropathy is hence an uncommon cause of end-stage renal disease in Malaysia. However, it is important to be aware of the problem and to institute preventive measures as the cost of treatment for end-stage renal disease is prohibitive

Regular use of analgesics is a risk factor for renal cell carcinoma

Phenacetin-based analgesics have been linked to the development of renal pelvis cancer and renal cell carcinoma (RCC). The relationship between non-phenacetin types of analgesics and kidney cancer is less clear, although laboratory evidence suggests that these drugs possess carcinogenic potential. A population-based case–control study involving 1204 non-Asian RCC patients aged 25–74 and an equal number of sex-, age- and race-matched neighbourhood controls was conducted in Los Angeles, California, to investigate the relationship between sustained use of analgesics and risk of RCC according to major formulation categories. Detailed information on medical and medication histories, and other lifestyle factors was collected through in-person interviews. Regular use of analgesics was a significant risk factor for RCC in both men and women (odds ratio (OR) = 1.6, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.4–1.9 for both sexes combined). Risks were elevated across all four major classes of analgesics (aspirin, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory agents other than aspirin, acetaminophen and phenacetin). Within each class of analgesics, there was statistically significant increasing risk with increasing level of exposure. Although there was some minor variability by major class of formulation, in general individuals in the highest exposure categories exhibited approximately 2.5-fold increase in risk relative to non- or irregular users of analgesics. Subjects who took one regular-strength (i.e. 325 mg) aspirin a day or less for cardiovascular disease prevention were not at an increased risk of RCC (OR = 0.9, 95% CI = 0.6–1.4). © 1999 Cancer Research Campaig

SUMMARY

Left atrial myxoma almost always arises in the inter-atrial septum. A case is described where it arose from the posterior wall of the left atrium. Clinical presentation was suggestive of mitral stenosis and sub-acute bacterial endocarditis and diagnosis was arrived at necropsy

AEROMONAS HYDROPHILA SEPTICEMIA IN A PATIENT WITH CHRONIC ACTIVE HEPATITIS

Aeromonas hydrophila inhabits freshwater and soil and is mainly pathogenic to cold-blooded animals. It is known to cause red leg disease in frogs, septicemia and stomatitis in snakes an

RENAL VEIN THROMBOSIS AND THE NEPHROTIC SYNDROME

A 31 year old Chinese man developed the nephrotic syndrome, and wasfound to have some of the clinicalfeatures ofrenal vein thrombosis such as a rapid deterioration in renal function and great variability in proteinuria. Radiological studies confirmed the diagnosis of bilateral renal vein thrombosis. The clinical features and pathogenesis ofrenal vein thrombosis are discussed

ANALGESIC NEPHROPATHY STUDY A PROSPECTIVE

A prospective study was performed on patients admitted to the medicaland renal wards ofGeneral Hospital, Kuala Lumpur. Over a period of 14 months from 1 January 1982, 12 new cases of analgesic nephropathy (AN) were documented. Contrary to the experience in the West and in Australia, AN in Malaysia tends to have a male preponderance and occurs even in the younger age groups. The common analgesics abused are paracetamol, Chap Kaki Tiga and Chap Harimau. The main reasons for analgesic abuse are headache and arthritis. In addition to radiologicalfeatures of renal papillary necrosis patients have the othe

PATTERN OF BONE DISEASE IN MAINTENANCE HAEMODIALYSIS PATIENTS IN MALAYSIA

Skeletal radiographs of 122 patients treated by maintenance haemodialysis were reviewed retrospectively for bone disease. Significant radiological bone changes were very low at commencement of dialysis (2-9%), as well as at six months of dialysis (6.1%). This figure rose to 19.7 % when the total period of dialysis was considered. In the latter group, fractures occurred in seven patients (5.7%), erosions in 12 patients (9.8%), vascular calcification in 13 patients (10.7%) and osteosclerosis in eight patients (6.6%). Osteoporosis was noted to be very common (76.2%). Significan