Antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody in children with nephrotic syndrome treated with levamisole: a cross-sectional cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Levamisole is a commonly used steroid-sparing agent (SSA), but the reported incidence of antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA) positivity has been concerning. METHODS: Observational cross-sectional study wherein children aged 2 to 18 years with frequently relapsing/steroid dependent nephrotic syndrome (FRNS/SDNS) on levamisole for ≥ 12 months were tested for ANCA. RESULTS: A total of 210 children (33% female), median age of 7.3 (IQR: 5.6-9.6) years, and a median duration of levamisole exposure of 21 (IQR: 15-30) months were tested. ANCA was positive in 18% (n = 37): 89% (n = 33) perinuclear ANCA (pANCA), 3% (n = 1) cytoplasmic ANCA (cANCA), and 8% (n = 3) both. Of ANCA-positive children, none had reduced eGFR or abnormal urinalysis. The majority of these children were asymptomatic (81%, n = 30). Rash was more common among ANCA-positive children [6/37 (16%) vs. 3/173 (2%), p = 0.0001]. On multivariate analysis, higher age (OR = 1.02, [95th CI: 1.01 to 1.03], p = 0.007) and longer duration of levamisole exposure (OR = 1.05, [95th CI: 1.02 to 1.08], p = 0.0007) were associated with ANCA positivity. Levamisole was stopped in ANCA-positive children with the resolution of any clinical manifestations if present. Repeat ANCA testing was performed in 54% (20/37), and all were ANCA negative by 18 months. CONCLUSIONS: Children with FRNS/SDNS on longer duration of levamisole were associated with increasing prevalence of ANCA positivity, but most of these children were clinically asymptomatic. Prospective studies are required to determine the chronology of ANCA positivity and its clinical implication.

Acute kidney injury in dengue among hospitalized children: A prospective view.

Dengue viral infection (DVI) has emerged as one of the most common arthropod borne diseases and is more prevalent in the tropical countries. It has varied clinical spectrum ranging from undifferentiated fever to severe hemorrhagic fever and shock with multi-organ dysfunction. Acute kidney injury (AKI) is lesser known complication in DVI. Although studies report varying reports of AKI in DVI among children, exact incidence is not known as most of the studies are retrospective. Hospital-based observational study in 105 children with DVI requiring admission was studied for the occurrence of AKI along with clinical course and outcome. AKI Network (AKIN) criteria were used to define AKI. The IBM SPSS Statistics software version 21.0 was used for the statistical analysis. Of 105 children with dengue, six (5.71%) cases developed AKI. All six cases had urine output <0.5 mL/kg/h for ≥12 h. Out of six cases with AKI, four had raised serum creatinine (SCr) ≥0.3 mg/dL at admission. One child had normal SCr level at admission which got deranged over the next 12 h, one child had oliguria ( <0.5 mL/kg/h) for about 24 h though the renal function was not deranged. Out of six children with AKI, three (50%) in Stage III and three had AKI Stage II as per the AKIN criteria. Children with AKI (Group A) differed significantly from those without AKI (Group B) in having blood pressure <3rd centile (P = 0.0023), tachycardia P = 0.008), hyponatremia and hypokalemia (P <0.001 and P = 0.029, respectively) and poor outcome 6% mortality in Group B compared to 66.67% in Group A) with P = 0.001. AKI is not a common complication of DVI but if develops it may lead to significant morbidity and mortality among pediatric age group.