Long-Term Outcomes, Including Fetal and Neonatal Prognosis, of Renal Oligohydramnios: A Retrospective Study over 22 Years.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the long-term outcome of renal oligohydramnios and risk factors for fetal, neonatal, and postneonatal death. STUDY DESIGN: This retrospective cohort study included fetuses with prenatally detected renal oligohydramnios between 2002 and 2023. Patients who were lost to follow-up were excluded. Fetal, neonatal, and long-term outcomes were evaluated, and their risk factors were analyzed. RESULTS: Of 131 fetuses with renal oligohydramnios, 46 (35%) underwent a termination of pregnancy, 11 (8%) had an intrauterine fetal death, 26 (20%) had a neonatal death, nine (7%) had a postneonatal death, and 39 (30%) survived. Logistic regression analyses showed that an earlier gestational age at onset (OR 1.16, 95% CI 1.01-1.37) was significantly associated with intrauterine fetal death; anhydramnios (OR 12.7, 95% CI 1.52-106.7) was significantly associated with neonatal death as a prenatal factor. Although neonatal survival rates for bilateral renal agenesis, bilateral multicystic dysplastic kidney (MCDK), and unilateral MCDK with contralateral renal agenesis were lower than for other kidney diseases, 1 case of bilateral renal agenesis and two of bilateral MCDK survived with fetal intervention. Kaplan-Meier overall survival rates were 57%, 55%, and 51% for 1, 3, and 5 years, respectively. In the Cox proportional hazards model, birth weight <2000 g (hazard ratio 7.33, 95% CI 1.48-36.1) and gastrointestinal comorbidity (hazard ratio 4.37, 95% CI 1.03-18.5) were significant risk factors for postneonatal death. CONCLUSION: Long-term survival following renal oligohydramnios is a feasible goal and its appropriate risk assessment is important.

Changes in Patterns of Infection Associated with Pediatric Idiopathic Nephrotic Syndrome: A Single-Center Experience in Japan.

OBJECTIVE: We studied infection rates and risk factors for infection in current patients with idiopathic nephrotic syndrome (INS). STUDY DESIGN: This retrospective cohort study included the clinical data for children with diagnosed INS in our center between January 2010 and December 2020. The infection rates and risk factors were analyzed. RESULTS: We enrolled 187 patients, including 85 cases with steroid-dependent/frequently relapsing nephrotic syndrome and 45 with steroid-resistant nephrotic syndrome. Infection was observed a total of 84 times in 55 patients (95.5 per 1000 person-years). Pneumonia was the most common infection (21 cases, 23.9 per 1000 person-years), followed by febrile neutropenia (12 cases, 13.7 per 1000 person-years), whereas peritonitis and bacteremia were observed in only 3 and 2 cases, respectively. The multivariate analyses by logistic regression showed that rituximab treatment was significantly associated with infections in pediatric INS (P = .001). The infection rate during the B-cell-depleted state with immunosuppressants (318 per 1000 person-years) was greater than that with normal B-cell count with immunosuppressants (109 per 1000 person-years) or without immunosuppressants (76 per 1000 person-years). CONCLUSION: Common infections, such as peritonitis and bacteremia, decreased, whereas infections associated with medication (eg, rituximab) increased. The rate of infection increases during B-cell depletion after treatments with rituximab and other immunosuppressants.

Prospective Study of Live Attenuated Vaccines for Patients with Nephrotic Syndrome Receiving Immunosuppressive Agents.

OBJECTIVE: To conduct a prospective study to evaluate the immunogenicity and safety of live attenuated vaccines in patients with nephrotic syndrome receiving immunosuppressive agents. STUDY DESIGN: Patients with nephrotic syndrome receiving immunosuppressive agents with negative or borderline antibody titers (virus-specific IgG levels <4.0) against measles, rubella, varicella, and/or mumps fulfilling the criteria of cellular and humoral immunity were enrolled. Virus-specific IgG levels were measured using an enzyme immunoassay. The primary endpoint was the seroconversion rate (ie, achievement of virus-specific IgG levels ≥4.0) at 2 months after vaccination. Virus-specific IgG levels at 1 year, breakthrough infections (wild-type infections), and adverse events were also evaluated. RESULTS: A total of 116 vaccinations were administered to 60 patients. Seroconversion rates were 95.7% for measles, 100% for rubella, 61.9% for varicella, and 40.0% for mumps. More patients with a borderline antibody titer before vaccination achieved seroconversion than those with negative antibody titer, with statistical significance after varicella and mumps vaccination. The rate of patients who maintained seropositivity at 1 year after vaccination was 83.3% for measles, 94.1% for rubella, 76.7% for varicella, and 20.0% for mumps. No patient experienced breakthrough infection. No serious adverse events, including vaccine-associated infection, were observed. CONCLUSION: Immunization with live attenuated vaccines may be immunogenic and is apparently safe in our cohort of patients with nephrotic syndrome receiving immunosuppressive agents if their cellular and humoral immunologic measures are within clinically acceptable levels. TRIAL REGISTRATION: UMIN-CTR UMIN 000007710.