Acute renal failure as a key to significant neonatal weight loss.

We present a case of a male neonate who experienced a 13.5% weight loss at 96 hours of life, despite receiving adequate calorie intake and exhibiting no feeding difficulties. The pregnancy was uneventful, and maternal serological investigation was normal. A routine ultrasound at 34 weeks of gestational age revealed late oligohydramnios. The neonate was delivered at 35 weeks of gestational age by forceps, weighing 2600 g. Physical examination disclosed bilateral cryptorchidism. Laboratory studies unveiled acute kidney injury (AKI) with hyperkalaemia. Renal ultrasound revealed bilateral hydronephrosis and renal dysplasia with pyelocalyceal dilatation. Despite early recognition and treatment, the newborn developed chronic kidney disease (CKD). AKI is an important and under-recognised cause of significant neonatal weight loss.This case underscores the significance of considering AKI as a potential and under-recognised cause of neonatal weight loss. It emphasises the importance of maintaining a high clinical suspicion for early AKI diagnosis to mitigate the risk of progression to CKD.

Clinical Predictors of Severe Exacerbations in Pediatric Patients With Recurrent Wheezing.

Introduction Wheezing is common in preschool-aged children, affecting about half of all children within their first six years of life. Children who have recurrent wheezing experience disease-related morbidity, including increased emergency visits and hospitalizations. Early-life lower respiratory tract viral infections are linked to recurrent wheezing and eventual asthma onset. Identifying high-risk children is crucial, with the frequency and severity of wheezing episodes being good predictors of long-term outcomes. Aim To identify predictors of severe exacerbations in children with recurrent wheezing. Methods We conducted a retrospective cohort study involving 168 pediatric patients with recurrent wheezing followed up at our outpatient clinic. The outcome of interest was the occurrence of a severe exacerbation, defined as any exacerbation requiring hospitalization and the need for supplemental oxygenation or ventilatory support. Results The median age of the first wheezing exacerbation was five months, with a predominance of the male gender. Approximately two-thirds of the patients had a family history of atopy. Comorbid allergic rhinitis and atopic dermatitis were present in 15.4% and 16.7% of patients, respectively. Twenty percent of patients had a severe wheezing exacerbation as the first form of presentation, and 30% presented at least one severe exacerbation from the first presentation to the last follow-up. Patients with severe exacerbations were younger at the first episode (median age 4 months, IQR 2-7, versus 7 months, IQR 4-12, p=0.027) and more frequently had a family history of atopy (71.7% versus 55.6%, p=0.050). In this cohort, patients who initially presented with a severe episode are at increased risk of incident severe exacerbations during follow-up, HR 2.24 (95%CI 1.01-4.95). Conclusions We know that the severity of exacerbations in children with recurrent wheezing correlates with the long-term outcomes of the disease. Therefore, preventing severe exacerbations can positively impact the prognosis of these patients. In this analysis, we found independent predictors of severe exacerbations to be the first clinical episode before the age of three months and a family history of atopy. We also found that patients whose initial presentation was severe have a higher risk of new severe exacerbations. Therefore, these subgroups of patients should be closely monitored by pediatricians.