Renal manifestations of dengue viral infection.

Dengue-related renal manifestations such as proteinuria, hematuria in the absence of thrombocytopenia, rhabdomyolysis, and acute kidney injury (AKI) are not uncommon. There is relatively sparse data on the renal manifestations of dengue viral infection (DVI). Hence, a retrospective study was conducted to investigate the incidence, characteristics, and clinical outcome of DVI with renal manifestations. A total of 2416 patients were admitted to our hospital with the diagnosis of dengue fever during the study period from 2012 to 2015. Data were collected from the electronic medical records and were analyzed retrospectively. The disease severity was classified according to the World Health Organization criteria. The renal manifestations were divided into AKI and non-AKI groups using AKI Network (AKIN) criteria. Proteinuria was defined as urinary protein >1+ (30 mg/dL) by dipstick test. A total of 218 patients were found to have proteinuria (9.56%). Most of the patients [135 (58.44%) with renal manifestations] were aged between 15 and 30 years. Comorbid conditions including diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and ischemic heart disease were seen in 10 (4.31%), 11 (4.76%), and six (2.59%) patients, respectively. Nephrotic-range proteinuria was seen in five patients (2.16%). AKI was seen in 82 patients (3.4%); 58 (70.73%) had AKIN-I, 19 (23.17%) had AKIN-II, and five patients (6.09%) had AKIN-III. Death occurred in 11 patients (39.28%) with AKI. The incidence of renal manifestations (proteinuria, hematuria, and AKI) is high at 9.59% among patients with dengue, and those with AKI had significant morbidity, mortality, longer hospital stay, and poor renal outcomes. Our findings suggest that AKI in dengue is likely to increase health-care burden that underscores the need for clinician's alertness to this highly morbid and potentially fatal complication for optimal prevention and management.

Emphysematous Pyelonephritis Case Series From South India.

INTRODUCTION: Emphysematous pyelonephritis (EPN) is a rare, life-threatening necrotizing infection of the kidney. The mortality rate for EPN is as high as 25%. We conducted a retrospective study at MS Ramaiah Hospital between January 2011 and May 2016 to observe the clinical, biochemical, and microbiological patterns of EPN at our institute. METHODS: The clinical and laboratory data, imaging findings, and microbiological patterns of 51 patients chosen for the study were recorded. The data were analyzed to identify the prognostic variables that could predict the morbidity and mortality of patients with EPN, and the focus of this study was to determine risk factors for and outcomes of patients who presented with EPN and who required hemodialysis. Primary endpoints were successful treatment and all-cause mortality. Secondary endpoints included need for hemodialysis and the need for a specific treatment. RESULTS: There was an equal incidence among both sexes (median age: 59 years). Common symptoms were abdominal pain (94.11%), fever (83.2%), dysuria (74.5%), vomiting (72.54%), frequency of micturition (68.62%), oliguria, generalized weakness (66.67%), and breathlessness (66.67%); 98.03% (n = 50) of the patients had diabetes. The most common organism cultured was Escherichia coli (37.2%). Nineteen patients (37.2%) required dialysis; their mean age was 60.25 ± 11.74 years. Male sex, diabetes mellitus, shock, high serum creatinine at presentation, and uremic symptoms showed no statistically significant association. Indefinite hemodialysis was required by 12.5% of patients. The antibiotic-treated group had a 100% success rate, whereas the Double J (DJ) stenting group (Double J stent, Biorad, India) had 96.42% success rate. CONCLUSION: Early diagnosis and broad spectrum antibiotics, together with an appropriately timed intervention, resulted in decreased mortality. Pain in the abdomen and renal angle tenderness were the most common clinical finding. E coli was the most found organism, and early use of broad spectrum antibiotics decreased mortality.

Unusual fungal infections in renal transplant recipients.

Fungal infections are an important cause of morbidity and mortality in renal transplant recipients. The causative agent and the risk factors differ depending on the period after the kidney transplant. Also the incidence varies according to the geographical area. We are reporting three cases of fungal infections in renal transplant recipients. Two of them have etiological agents which are common among immunosuppressed patients, but with an atypical clinical presentation, while one of them is a subcutaneous infection caused by a less frequent dematiaceous fungus, Aureobasidium pullulans. These cases highlight how a high index of clinical suspicion and prompt diagnosis is very much essential for better outcome. The emerging fungal infections and paucity of data regarding their management pose a challenge to the transplant physicians.