VITAMIN D SUPPLEMENTS – BENEFITS AND RISKS

Vitamin D has several important functions including absorption of calcium and phosphorous, and facilitating normal immune system function. Sufficient amount of the vitamin is required for normal growth and development of bones and teeth, as well as improved resistance against certain diseases. There is growing evidence that there are huge benefits of vitamin D in promoting the human health, not only in infants for prevention of rickets but also effects on the immune system, blood pressure, reducing the risk of some cancers, prevention of diabetes mellitus type 1 trough stimulation of the pancreatic beta cells to secrete insulin.  In contrast to these benefits certain patients genetically predisposed are at risk to develop a serious even fatal disease such as idiopathic infantile hypercalcemia. Withdrawal of vitamin D and reduction of calcium intake are lifesaving interventions for these babies. Recently it was found that recessive mutations in CYP24A1 gene are responsible for this disease. This gene encodes the enzyme 24 vitamin D hydroxylase which is important in the degradation metabolic pathway of the vitamin D. Although it was generally believed that idiopathic infantile hypercalcemia is the disease limited to infancy a number of studies yields that adults may have serious morbidity including nephrolithiasis, nephrocalcinosis, intermittent episodes of hypercalcemia leading to chronic kidney disease and in few cases to end stage renal disease. Therefore one should be very cautious in liberal prescribing vitamin D supplements and excessive exposure to sunlight, particularly in individuals with genetic predisposition

Non Catether Induced Renal and Inferior Vena Cava Trombosis in a Neonate: A Case Report

BACKGROUND: Neonatal renal vein thrombosis is the most common vascular condition in the newborn kidney, which could lead to serious complication in infants.CASE REPORT: We report a case of the unilateral renal vein and inferior vena cava thrombosis, presented with gross hematuria and thrombocytopenia in a neonate. The neonate was a macrosomic male born to a mother with hyperglycemia in pregnancy. The baby was born with perinatal asphyxia and early neonatal infection and massive hematuria. Clinical and laboratory examination showed enlarged kidney having corticomedullary differentiation diminished and azotemia. Diagnosis of renal vein thrombosis was suspected by renal ultrasound and confirmed by magnetic urography. Prothrombotic risk factors were evaluated. The child is being managed conservatively. Measures aimed at the prevention of end-stage renal disease because of its poor outcome were highlighted. Despite anticoagulant therapy, the right kidney developed areas of scarring and then atrophy.           CONCLUSION: In this work, we present a patient with multiple entities in the aetiology of non-catheter induced renal and vena cava thrombosis in a neonate. Clinicians should suspect renal vein thrombosis in neonates when presented with early postnatal gross hematuria, palpable abdominal mass and thrombopenia

Два случаја на несиндромска конгенитална унилатерална хипоплазија во една фамилија

Micromastia or breast hypoplasia is described as underdevelopment of a woman's mammary tissue. We present the case of a 15-year-old girl with unilateral micromastia, with familial predisposition. Ultrasound, hormonal, dysmorphic, cardiologic, genetic examinations and testing were performed. No mutation in the whole- exome sequencing was found, nor novel mutation. Some of these cases have been reported to be related to breаst cancer so further follow-up is mandatory. Therapy consists of surgical reconstruction of the affected breast. This is a rare condition and it requires a multidisciplinary approach.Микромастија или хипоплазија на дојки е опишана како недоразвиеност на ткивото на дојката кај жените. Опишавме случај на 15-годишно девојче со унилатерална микромастија со фамилијарна предиспозиција. Беа направени ехосонографски, хормонални, дисморфични, кардиолошки и генетски испитувања и тестови. Не беше пронајдена мутација на целокупниот секвенциониран ексом, ниту пак нова мутација. Некои од овие случаи се прикажани како да се поврзани со канцер на дојката и затоа се потребни понатамошни задолжителни следења. Терапијата се состои од хируршка реконструкција на афектираната дојка. Ова претставува ретка состојба, но бара мултидисциплинарен пристап

Emanuel syndrome (ES): new case-report and review of the literature

Multiple congenital anomalies and craniofacial dysmorphism are characterizing the so-called Ema-nuel or supernumerary der(22)t(11;22) syndrome (OMIM609029). Mental and developmental retar-dation are major clinical features. The der(22) may arise from a parental balanced t(11;22)(q23;q11.2) or can be created de novo. Here we present a 2 years old boy with normal prenatal history, cyanotic at delivery and with ear anoma-lies, a preauricular tag, high-arched palate and micrognathia. There were neither microcephaly, nor heart or kidney defects. Psychological and motor testing at the age of 2 years confirmed significant mental and developmental delay. In addition, the child had seizures and an abnormal electroence-phalogram. Cytogenetic and molecular analyses revealed a karyotype 47,XY,+der(22)t(11;22)(q23;q11.2). As parents refused further tests it could not be determined if the der(22) arose de novo or was parentally derived. Overall the present report should alert physician to offer cytogenetic and/or molecular diagnostics in comparable cases

A Patient with Unilateral Tibial Aplasia and Accessory Scrotum: A Pure Coincidence or Nonfortuitous Association?

Tibial aplasia is an uncommon lower limb malformation that can occur isolated or be part of a more complex malformation pattern. We describe a 9-year-old boy born after uneventful pregnancy and delivery. Family history was negative for maternal diabetes and other malformations. The patient presented with left tibial aplasia and homolateral prexial foot polydactyly. He also displayed enamel dysplasia and bifid scotum with cryptorchidism. Literature review failed to identify a significant syndromic association between lower limb defects of the tibial type and the genital anomalies reported here. The combination of tibial aplasia with midline genital malformations further supports the hypothesis that the tibial ray development mirrors the morphogenetic process of the radial structures. Accordingly, the malformation pattern observed in the present patient may be pathogenetically explained by an insult occurring during late blastogenesis

IGF1R Gene Alterations in Small for Gestational Age (SGA) Children

BACKGROUND: Small for gestational age children (SGA) is born on term with BW and or BL of -2.0 standard deviation score (SDS). SGA children have an increased risk of being short, developing DM, and cardiovascular and cerebrovascular disease. Often defects of IGF1R are the cause of SGA. Most frequently affected part of the IGF1R gene is the exon 2.AIM: To investigate whether the exon 2 of the IGF1R gene is affected in the SGA children.PATIENTS AND METHODS: A cohort of 100 SGA children born in term was evaluated for alterations in IG1R gene. Their anthropometric parameters, IGF1 serum concentrations and IGF1 SDS values were analysed. The molecular analysis of IGF1R gene was performed by PCR restriction-site analysis and followed by direct sequencing of conspicuous fragments.RESULTS: Within our cohort, 64 SGA children were with short stature (height SDS -3.25 ± 0.90 SDS), and 36 were with normal height for their age and sex, (H SDS was 0.20 ± 1.1 SDS). None of these children had microcephaly (occipitofrontal circumference -0.70 ± 1.01 SDS vs 0.06 ± 0.56 SDS in SGA children with normal height) or dysmorphic features. The IGF1 serum concentrations and IGF1 SDS values of all children were within normal range. Only one child had lower normal serum IGF1 concentration. No alterations in exon 2 of IGF1R gene were detected.CONCLUSIONS: The genetic analysis of the exon 2 of the IGF1R gene did not detect any gene defects in the analysed patients. The putative genetic defect in those children affects other parts of the IGF1R gene or another gene (s), or yet unidentified factors

Metabolic Profiles in Obese Children and Adolescents with Insulin Resistance

BACKGROUND: In the past several decades, the increasing frequency of overweight and obese children and adolescents in the world has become a public health problem. It has contributed significantly to the already high tide of diabetes, cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases.AIM: To investigate the frequency of insulin resistance and to evaluate the metabolic profile of insulin resistant and non-insulin resistant obese children and adolescents.SUBJECTS AND METHODS: The study included 96 (45 boys, 51 girls) obese children and adolescents aged     4-17 years old (10.50 ± 2.87 years). Only participants with Body Mass Index ≥ 95 percentile were included.  We analysed sera for fasting insulin levels (FI), fasting serum triglycerides (TG), total serum cholesterol (TC), fasting plasma glucose (FPG) and plasma glucose 2 hours after the performance of the oral glucose tolerance test        (2-h G). Homeostatic model assessment for insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) index was calculated as fasting insulin concentration (microunits per millilitre) x fasting glucose concentration (millimolar)/22.5. The value of HOMA-IR above 3.16 was used as a cut-off value for both genders.RESULTS: Insulin resistance was determined in 58.33% of study participants. Insulin resistant participants had significantly higher level of 2-h G (p = 0.02), FI level (p = 0.000) as well as TG levels (p = 0.01), compared to non-insulin resistant group. Strikingly, 70.73% of the pubertal adolescents were insulin resistant in comparison to 49.09% of the preadolescents (p = 0.03). Significantly higher percentage of insulin-resistant participants were girls (p = 0.009). Moreover, a higher percentage of the girls (70.59%) than boys (44.44%) had HOMA-IR above 3.16 and had elevated FI levels (70.59% vs 48.89%). The difference in the frequency of insulin resistance among obese versus severely obese children and adolescents was not significant (p = 0.73, p > 0.05). Our study results also showed positive, but weak, correlation of HOMA-IR with age, FPG, TG and BMI of the participants (p < 0.05).CONCLUSION: Higher percentage of insulin-resistant participants was of female gender and was adolescents. In general, insulin resistant obese children and adolescents tend to have a worse metabolic profile in comparison to individuals without insulin resistance. It is of note that the highest insulin resistance was also linked with the highest concentrations of triglycerides

The Spectrum of Kidney Diseases in Children Associated with Low Molecular Weight Proteinuria

BACKGROUND: Proteinuria, in addition to haematuria, is the most important laboratory parameter in patients with nephro-urological diseases. Low molecular weight proteinuria (LMWP) is of particular importance because some diseases genetic and tubulointerstitial are diagnosed based on its presence.AIM: The purpose of this study is to describe the clinical features, the course and outcome of pediatric patients with a renal disease associated with LMWP.MATERIAL AND METHODS: This retrospective observational study included 250 pediatric patients with various kidney diseases in which the type of proteinuria was defined by 4-20% gradient gel sodium dodecyl sulphate polyacrylamide gel (SDS-PAG) electrophoresis.RESULTS: Isolated LMWP was detected in 12% of patients, while mixed glomerulotubular proteinuria was detected in 18% of patients. It was detected in all patients with the Dent-1/2 disease, Lowe's syndrome and secondary Fanconi syndrome. Transient LMWP was also detected in a series of 12 patients with distal renal tubular acidosis. In patients with nephrotic syndrome, it was associated with corticoresistence and unfavourable clinical course.CONCLUSION: This study contributes to the understanding of the clinical spectrum of various kidney diseases associated with LMWP, their natural course, and the effect of therapy

Mutations in 12 known dominant disease-causing genes clarify many congenital anomalies of the kidney and urinary tract

Congenital anomalies of the kidney and urinary tract (CAKUT) account for approximately half of children with chronic kidney disease. CAKUT can be caused by monogenic mutations, however, data are lacking on their frequency. Genetic diagnosis has been hampered by genetic heterogeneity and lack of genotype-phenotype correlation. To determine the percentage of cases with CAKUT that can be explained by mutations in known CAKUT genes, we analyzed the coding exons of the 17 known dominant CAKUT-causing genes in a cohort of 749 individuals from 650 families with CAKUT. The most common phenotypes in this CAKUT cohort were 288 with vesicoureteral reflux, 120 with renal hypodysplasia and 90 with unilateral renal agenesis. We identified 37 different heterozygous mutations (33 novel) in 12 of the 17 known genes in 47 patients from 41 of the 650 families (6.3%). These mutations include (number of families): BMP7 (1), CDC5L (1), CHD1L (5), EYA1 (3), GATA3 (2), HNF1B (6), PAX2 (5), RET (3), ROBO2 (4), SALL1 (9), SIX2 (1), and SIX5 (1). Furthermore, several mutations previously reported to be disease-causing are most likely benign variants. Thus, in a large cohort over 6% of families with isolated CAKUT are caused by a mutation in 12 of 17 dominant CAKUT genes. Our report represents one of the most in-depth diagnostic studies of monogenic causes of isolated CAKUT in children