Is CKD Screening Program Necessary in Developing Countries?

INTRODUCTION: The prevalence of congenital anomaly of kidney and urinary tract (CAKUT) and related chronic kidney disease (CKD) may be increased in countries with higher rate of consanguineous marriage. Therefore, we evaluated the prevalence of CKD by biochemical and kidney ultrasound measurements in the firstgrade pupils. METHODS: This cross -sectional study was carried on children aged 6 to 7 years. Urine analysis, serum creatinine, urine microalbumin to creatinine ratio and kidney ultrasound have been evaluated for participants. RESULTS: 653 children were recruited to the study. Stage 1 and stage 2 systolic hypertension have been found in 6.5 and 1%, respectively. The percentage of stage 1 and stage 2 diastolic hypertension were 1.3 and 0.3%, respectively. Both weight Z-score and waist Z-score had positive correlation with systolic and diastolic blood pressure. Microalbuminuria (in 2.5%) did not have any correlation with the following factors: hypertension, body mass index, microscopic hematuria, glomerular filtration rate, kidney sonographic abnormalities or kidney parenchymal thickness and family history of kidney transplantation. GFR less than 90 mL/ min /1.73 m2 has been detected in 1.8% of the students. Only 1.7% had urine RBC more than 5 in each high-power field (hpf). Approximately 1.5% had anatomical abnormality of kidney and urinary tract (hydronephrosis or hydroureter). CONCLUSION: Considering the higher prevalence of elevated blood pressure and microalbuminuria in Iranian children, a CKD screening program based on evaluating microalbuminuria and blood pressure measurement is needed. However, irrespective of high prevalence of consanguineous marriage in Iran, using kidney ultrasound as a screening tool has not been recommended.  DOI: 10.52547/ijkd.7306.

Comparison of Clinical Manifestations of Patients Poisoned with Tricyclic Antidepressants Alone or with Benzodiazepine Intoxication According to the Dose of Benzodiazepines.

Objective: Tricyclic antidepressants poisoning (TCA) is associated with cardiovascular complications, electrocardiographic abnormalities, and central nervous system toxicity. This study aimed to compare the clinical manifestations of poisoned patients with tricyclic antidepressants alone or with benzodiazepine (BZD) intoxication according to the dose of BZDs. Methods: In this case-control study, 120 patients with TCA poisoning were divided into four groups: the first group of TCA poisoning alone, the second group of TCA and BZD poisoning of <7.75 mg, the third group of TCA and B poisoning of 7.75 to 80 mg, and the fourth group of more than 80 mg of TCA and BZD poisoning. Patients' demographic, clinical, and cardiac information was extracted from their records at admission and 6 h after admission. Findings: Cardiac complications 6 h after referral and total cardiac complications between TCA and TCA low-dose BZD groups were significantly reduced in the low-dose BZD poisoning group. Comparison of TCA and TCA groups with a moderate dose of BZD showed a significant reduction in time six and total cardiac complications. However, due to the significant difference in TCA values between the two groups, the results are not significant. Comparing the two groups of TCA and TCA with a high dose of BZD, both 6-hour cardiac complications and total cardiac complications in the high-dose BZD group, it was significantly reduced. However, the loss of consciousness was also considerably greater in the high-dose BZD group than in the TCA group. Conclusion: Concomitant BZDs with TCA can reduce cardiovascular complications from TCA poisoning. However, with high doses of BZDs, there is a greater loss of consciousness.

Neurodevelopmental outcomes of the West syndrome in pediatric patients: The first report from the Middle-East.

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to investigate the clinical characteristics and neurodevelopmental outcomes of children with West syndrome (WS) by using the Bayley-III scale of infant development, as the first report from the Middle-East. METHODS: Between January 2013 and February 2016, we prospectively enrolled 67 consecutive patients with a confirmed diagnosis of WS from Isfahan, Iran. Cognition, language and motor outcomes of the studied subjects were evaluated with the Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development-Third Edition (Bayley-III). RESULTS: Overall, 67 cases, including 34 (50.7%) boys and 33 (49.3%) girls (a male/female ratio of 1.03), were enrolled for the study. The mean age was 26.7 ± 12.9 months. Among the subjects, 50 (74.6%) patients had symptomatic WS, and 17 (25.4%) patients had cryptogenic WS. "Severe delay" was found in 76.9% of the patients regarding cognitive evaluation, 67.7% for language and communication abilities, and, 81.5% for motor function. The patients with cryptogenic WS were significantly more likely to have more favorable outcomes in motor (p = 0.035), cognitive (p = 0.035) and receptive language (p = 0.043) in comparison to those who had symptomatic WS. The patients with controlled seizures were significantly more likely to have more favorable outcomes in motor (p = 0.027) and cognition (p = 0.011) as compared to those with uncontrolled seizures. CONCLUSION: WS was associated with poor neurodevelopmental outcome in our study. Severe developmental delay was associated with two major factors: (i) presence of a specific underlying abnormality (symptomatic WS) and(ii) persistent seizures as a result of the former.