[The kidney of the premature child: Long-term risks]. / El riñón del niño prematuro: Riesgos a largo plazo.

The premature newborn faces extrauterine conditions with some systems still immature, both ana tomically and physiologically. The kidney finishes developing at the end of the third trimester of pregnancy, so it is especially exposed to alter its normal development if preterm birth occurs. This si tuation may condition, among other consequences, a lower functional renal mass and microvascular changes comprising a high risk of chronic kidney disease in the long term and arterial hypertension. This article analyzes the current evidence on these risks in premature infants and offers a nephrology follow-up scheme of these children.

El riñón del niño prematuro: riesgos a largo plazo / The kidney of the premature child: long-term risks

Resumen: El recién nacido prematuro se enfrenta a las condiciones extrauterinas con sistemas aún inmaduros, tanto anatómica como fisiológicamente. El riñón termina de desarrollarse a finales del tercer trimes tre del embarazo, por lo que está especialmente expuesto a alterar su desarrollo normal en caso de nacer en forma prematura. Esta situación puede condicionar, entre otras consecuencias, una menor masa renal funcional y cambios microvasculares que representan un riesgo elevado de hipertensión arterial y daño renal crónico en el largo plazo. En el presente artículo se analiza la evidencia existente actual sobre estos riesgos en los prematuros y se ofrece un esquema de seguimiento de estos niños desde el punto de vista nefrológico.

Abstract: The premature newborn faces extrauterine conditions with some systems still immature, both ana tomically and physiologically. The kidney finishes developing at the end of the third trimester of pregnancy, so it is especially exposed to alter its normal development if preterm birth occurs. This si tuation may condition, among other consequences, a lower functional renal mass and microvascular changes comprising a high risk of chronic kidney disease in the long term and arterial hypertension. This article analyzes the current evidence on these risks in premature infants and offers a nephrology follow-up scheme of these children.

[Shiga-toxin associated hemolytic uremic syndrome: How to prevent it?] / Síndrome Hemolítico Urémico asociado a Shigatoxina: ¿Cómo preve nirlo?

Hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) associated with intestinal infection by Shiga toxin-producing bacteria, which mainly affects children, can cause severe acute morbidity, chronic sequelae in seve ral organs, and premature death in some of them. Given its zoonotic nature, adequate measures of agricultural management and proper hygiene of what we consume are essential to prevent infection. Once the HUS is triggered, medical management is currently mainly supportive. In recent years, va rious therapeutic strategies have been developed to prevent this disease from occurring or, at least, to mitigate its morbidity and mortality consequences. This article describes specific actions at different levels of prevention of this pathology.

Síndrome hemolítico urémico asociado a Shigatoxina: ¿Cómo prevenirlo? / Shiga-toxin associated hemolytic uremic syndrome: how to prevent it?

Resumen: El síndrome hemolítico urémico (SHU) asociado a infección intestinal por bacterias productoras de Shigatoxina, que afecta principalmente a población infantil, puede causar morbilidad aguda grave, secuelas crónicas en varios órganos, y la muerte prematura en algunos de ellos. Dado su carácter zoonótico, adecuadas medidas de manejo agropecuario y correcta higiene de lo que consumimos es indispensable a la hora de prevenir la infección. Actualmente, una vez gatillado el SHU el manejo es médico y, principalmente, de soporte. En los últimos años diversas estrategias terapéuticas se han ido desarrollando para evitar que esta enfermedad ocurra, o, al menos, que pueda ser atenuada en sus consecuencias de morbi-mortalidad. El presente artículo describe acciones específicas a diferentes niveles de prevención de esta patología.

Abstract Hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) associated with intestinal infection by Shiga toxin-producing bacteria, which mainly affects children, can cause severe acute morbidity, chronic sequelae in seve ral organs, and premature death in some of them. Given its zoonotic nature, adequate measures of agricultural management and proper hygiene of what we consume are essential to prevent infection. Once the HUS is triggered, medical management is currently mainly supportive. In recent years, va rious therapeutic strategies have been developed to prevent this disease from occurring or, at least, to mitigate its morbidity and mortality consequences. This article describes specific actions at different levels of prevention of this pathology.

Reemplazo renal en el post-operatorio de niños sometidos a cirugía cardíaca con circulación extracorpórea / Renal replacement therapy after cardiac surgery with extracorporeal circulation

Objective: Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a frequent complication of cardiac surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB). The aim of this study was to determine the incidence of renal replacement therapy (RRT) requirement in children undergoing surgical repair for congenital cardiopathies and identify the risk factors for requiring RRT. Patients and Methods: A retrospective, descriptive study was performed. The records of patients under 18 years undergoing cardiac surgery with CPB (January 2001 to July 2008) who required RRT (n = 15) and from a random patients sample that did not require it (n = 57) were analysed. Results: Fifteen children out of 942 required acute RRT (1.6 percent). Initial RRT was peritoneal dialysis (PD) in all of them. The main indications were hypervolemia and/or oligoanuria. Ten patients experienced complications associated to therapy and 14 patients had a history of serious intraoperative events. In multivariated analysis, hypotension (OR 36.0, CI 95 percent: 5.5-235.6) and serious low cardiac output (LCO) (OR 14.1, CI 95 percent: 1.47-135.32) were significant risk factors for RRT requirement. In turn, the presence of intraoperative events was significantly associated with the occurrence of hypotension (OR 28.9, CI 95 percent: 3.6-233.9) and LCO (OR 5.3, CI 95 percent: 1.126.6) during the post-surgical evolution. Conclusion: In this experience, severe hypotension and low cardiac output were significant risk factors for RRT requirement. The incidence of RRT was 1.6 percent. Renal function should be closely evaluated in those patients with surgical events. RRT should be early considered in those patients with risk factors for renal failure.

Introducción: La insuficiencia renal aguda es una complicación frecuente de la cirugía cardíaca con circulación extracorpórea (CEC). Objetivo: Determinar la incidencia de requerimiento de terapia de reemplazo renal (TRR) en niños sometidos a reparación quirúrgica de cardiopatías congénitas, caracterizarlos e identificar factores de riesgo de requerir TRR. Pacientes y Método: Se realizó un estudio retrospectivo descriptivo con un componente analítico. Se revisaron las fichas clínicas de los pacientes menores de 18 años sometidos a cirugía cardíaca con CEC (enero 2001 a julio 2008) que requirieron TRR (n = 15) y de una muestra aleatoria de pacientes que no la requirieron (n = 57). Resultados: De los 942 niños operados, 15 requirieron TRR aguda (1,6 por ciento). En todos, la TRR inicial fue peritoneodiálisis (PD). Las principales indicaciones fueron hipervolemia y/o oligoanuria. Diez pacientes presentaron complicaciones asociadas a la terapia y 14 tenían antecedentes de incidentes intraoperatorios graves. En forma multivariada, la hipotensión arterial (OR 36,0 IC 95 por ciento: 5,5-235,6) y el hipodébito grave (OR 14,1 IC 95 por ciento: 1,47-135,32) fueron factores de riesgo significativos de requerir TRR. A su vez, la presencia de incidentes intraoperatorios se asoció significativamente al desarrollo de hipotensión (OR 28,9 IC 95 por ciento: 3,6-233,9) e hipodébito (OR 5,3 IC 95 por ciento: 1,1-26,6) durante la evolución post-quirúrgica.