• Childhood Kidney Diseases
• /
• v.18 no.2
• /
• pp.77-84
• /
• 2014

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to compare the validity of Onen's alternative grading system (AGS) with that of the APDRP and SFU grading systems in patients with isolated and complicated congenital hydronephrosis. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 153 patients (204 renal units) diagnosed with congenital hydronephrosis between January 2002 and December 2011. We classified patients into 2 groups; isolated or complicated hydronephrosis. All renal units were graded according to anterior-posterior diameter of renal pelvis (APDRP), Society for Fetus Urology (SFU) and Onen's grading systems. We analyzed the prognosis of hydronephrosis, according to each grading system, at 2 years of age. Results: There were 152 renal units with isolated hydronephrosis and 52 renal units with complicated hydronephrosis. The isolated hydronephrosis group had a lower grade according to Onen's AGS, and showed more frequent spontaneous remission by 2 years of age. There was more frequent obstruction (P =0.000) and surgical treatment (P =0.000) of units with high-grade hydronephrosis according to Onen's AGS. In the complicated hydronephrosis group the frequencies of spontaneous remission (P =0.015) and renal dysfunction (P =0.013) were significantly higher than those in high-grade hydronephrosis, as indicated by Onen's AGS. There were no significant differences in clinical outcomes among the highest grade groups, according to the 3 systems, in either isolated or complicated hydronephrosis. Conclusion: Onen's AGS reflects the prognosis of hydronephrosis as well as other grading systems in those with isolated hydronephrosis. It was better predictor of renal dysfunction in those with complicated hydronephrosis. However, Onen's AGS was not superior to the other grading systems in terms of predicting prognosis, especially in high-grade hydronephrosis.

• Childhood Kidney Diseases
• /
• v.18 no.2
• /
• pp.71-76
• /
• 2014

Purpose: Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) has been associated with impairments in frontal inhibitory function and the catecholaminergic system. ADHD is diagnosed in 3-5% of children. Children with ADHD seem develop various forms of urinary problems such as nocturnal enuresis, dysfunctional voiding, and diurnal incontinence. However, no data exist to confirm the presence of these problems in Korean children with ADHD. We investigated the clinical findings of voiding dysfunction in children with ADHD. Methods: Between October 2009 and March 2011, a total of 63 children (33 with ADHD, 30 with an upper respiratory infection, as a control group) were enrolled. ADHD was diagnosed using the diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (DSM)-IV criteria. A comprehensive survey of voiding and defecation was administered. Results: The patient group included 28 boys and 5 girls; the control group comprised 20 boys and 10 girls. The mean age was $9.09{\pm}2.8$ years in the ADHD group and $8.58{\pm}3.1$ years in the control group. Children with ADHD had a statistically significantly higher incidence of urgency (P =0.017), urge incontinence (P =0.033), and constipation (P =0.045). There was no significant difference in the incidence of straining, intermittency, holding maneuvers, or nocturnal enuresis. Conclusion: Children with ADHD in Korea have significantly higher rates of urgency, urge incontinence, and constipation than those without ADHD.

• Childhood Kidney Diseases
• /
• v.18 no.1
• /
• pp.36-41
• /
• 2014

Purpose: Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are the most common source of bacterial infections in infants and young children. Accurate diagnosis and treatment is important because of their association with renal scarring, which can lead to complications. Urine endothelin-1 (ET-1) is the major renal isoform produced and released by renal mesangial cells in response to glomerular injury. This study aimed to investigate whether urinary levels of ET-1 can be used as a biomarker for UTI diagnosis. Method: We conducted a prospective study using medical records of 70 patients below the age of 18 years, who visited Chung-Ang University Hospital from July 2012 to July 2013. We classified the patients into the UTI and control groups based on urine culture studies. The UTI group was further divided into upper and lower UTI groups using 99m-Technetium dimercaptosuccinic acid scintigraphy. Urine ET-1 was measured using enzyme linked immunosorbent assay with 0.3 mL urine. Results: The UTI and control groups were comprised of 45 and 25 patients, respectively. Mean urine ET-1 levels were significantly higher in the UTI group than in the control group ($1.41{\pm}0.35$ pg/mL vs. $0.33{\pm}0.07$ pg/mL, P =0.04). There was no significance difference in the quantitative value between the upper and lower UTI groups (P =0.552). There was no correlation between urine ET-1 and serum C-reactive protein (Pearson correlation [R]=0.24), urine ET-1 and serum white blood cell count (R=0.19). Conclusion: Our study suggests that urine ET-1 can be used for early diagnosis of UTI in children.

• Childhood Kidney Diseases
• /
• v.18 no.1
• /
• pp.29-35
• /
• 2014

Introduction: Persistent vesicoureteral reflux (VUR), a major cause of urinary tract infection (UTI) in children, can result in serious renal complications, such as reflux nephropathy and chronic renal failure. We evaluated the clinical characteristics and prognostic factors of VUR. Methods: From December 1993 to May 2011, we examined 117 children with vesicoureteral reflux who were admitted to the Department of Pediatrics and Urology, Chungbuk National University hospital for a UTI. The patients were managed medically or surgically. Results: Male patients had a slightly higher prevalence of VUR than female patients (55%). The degrees of the 161 refluxing ureters, as classified by the International Reflux Study Committee, were as follows: grade I, 15 ureters; grade II, 32 ureters; grade III, 54 ureters; grade IV, 26 ureters; grade V, 34 ureters. One hundred and sixty-one renal units (115 cases) underwent a 99m TC-DMSA renal scan, and 62% showed abnormal findings. The incidence of renal cortical defects showed a direct correlation with the severity of VUR. Ninety-four refluxing ureters were followed up medically, and 66 ureters (67%) either disappeared or improved. However, 9 refluxing ureters persisted. The spontaneous resolution rate of VUR seemed to be higher in younger patients with lower grades of reflux, and without renal cortical defects. Sixty-seven refluxing ureters (41%) were treated surgically, 62 refluxing ureters (92%) disappeared, and 5 refluxing ureters (8%) persisted. Conclusion: The incidence of renal cortical defects in patients with UTIs was 62% (in a 99m TC-DMSA renal scan), and showed a direct correlation with the severity of VUR. The spontaneous resolution rate seemed to be lower in the patients with higher grades of VUR, older age (over 4 years old) and diffuse renal cortical defects.

• Childhood Kidney Diseases
• /
• v.18 no.1
• /
• pp.24-28
• /
• 2014

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to assess the therapeutic efficacy of methylprednisolone pulse therapy in children with IgA nephropathy and Henoch- Sch$\ddot{o}$nlein Purpura (HSP) nephritis combined with proteinuria. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the clinical records of 21 patients who were diagnosed with IgA nephropathy and HSP nephritis based on percutaneous renal biopsy. Of the 21 patients, 15 were diagnosed with IgA nephropathy and 6 were diagnosed with HSP nephritis. They had mild to severe proteinuria at the time of diagnosis or during follow-up. Group 1 (n=7) received methylprednisolone pulse therapy three times every couple of months, and Group 2 (n=14) received oral steroid therapy. The follow-up periods for Group 1 and 2 were 14.0 (9-54) months and 26.5 (14-34) months, respectively. There was no significant difference in the follow-up duration between the two groups. Results: The average age at diagnosis and biopsy was lower in Group 1 compared to Group 2, but it was not significantly different. At admission, all patients in both groups had hematuria and 5 patients (71.4%) of Group 1 and 14 patients (100 %) of Group 2 had proteinuria. Before treatment, there was no significant difference of spot urine protein/creatinine ratio between the two groups. During followup, 7 patients of Group 1 (100%) and 10 patients of Group 2 (71.4%) showed complete improvement of proteinuria and the spot urine protein/creatinine ratio in Group 1 was significantly lower than Group 2. Conclusion: In patients with IgA nephropathy and HSP nephritis with proteinuria, methylprednisolone pulse therapy was more effective than oral steroid therapy in the reduction of proteinuria. To investigate the effects on long-term prognosis, large-scale prospective studies are needed.

• Childhood Kidney Diseases
• /
• v.18 no.1
• /
• pp.18-23
• /
• 2014

Purpose: The pharmacokinetics of tacrolimus, one of the most widely used immunosuppressive drugs, are known to vary by sex, age, and ethnicity during pediatric transplantation. This study assessed the pharmacokinetic characteristics and associated factors of tacrolimus in Korean children receiving a kidney transplant. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the pharmacokinetic data (therapeutic dose, trough level, clearance, and half-life) of 9 children who were given tacrolimus as one of their initial immunosuppressive drugs after kidney transplantation. In addition, we compared the findings to data from 10 adult kidney transplant recipients. Results: The mean age of our pediatric patients was 13.9 years, and the maleto- female ratio was 4:5. The mean dose of tacrolimus was $0.19{\pm}0.14$ mg/kg/day. The mean dose of tacrolimus for males was $0.23{\pm}0.12$ mg/kg/day, which was significantly higher than the dose for females ($0.16{\pm}0.14$ mg/kg/day). The trough level was not significantly different between both groups. The clearance rate of tacrolimus for males was also significantly higher than females. Although the dosage of tacrolimus for patients over the age of 12 years was lower ($0.18{\pm}0.13$ vs. $0.21{\pm}0.16$ mg/kg/day) and the trough level was higher ($8.2{\pm}4.5$ vs. $7.2{\pm}4.2$ mg/mL) than that for patients under the age of 12 years, there was no significant difference between them. However, there were significant differences between children and adults in dose, clearance, and half-life of tacrolimus. Conclusion: Out study suggests that the pharmacokinetics of tacrolimus tends to vary with sex and age. Therefore, large-scale prospective studies are required to verify the proper therapeutic dosage of tacrolimus in Korean children.

• Childhood Kidney Diseases
• /
• v.12 no.1
• /
• pp.54-61
• /
• 2008

Purpose: This study was performed to assess necessity of voiding cystourethrography (VCUG) for infants with urinary tract infection (UTI) who had both normal renal sonography and normal DMSA renal scans. Methods: We reviewed 117 infants hospitalized for UTI between February 2002 and July 2007 at Sanggye Paik Hospital. The diagnosis of UTI was made by culture from a urine specimen obtained by suprapubic puncture(n=57), catheterization(n=58), or collection bag method (n=2, twice positive culture of the same organism). All patients had undergone renal sonography, DMSA renal scan and VCUG. Children with both normal renal sonography and normal DMSA renal scans were evaluated for the presence or severity of vesicoureteral reflux (VUR). Results: Of the 117 patients, 96 were boys and 21 were girls. 28 patients(23.9%) had VUR. 59(50.4%) showed both normal renal sonography and normal DMSA renal scans. Among these 59 patients, 7(11.9%) showed VUR. Three of them had grade I-II reflux, two grade III reflux, and the other two grade IV reflux. One of them showed bilateral VUR, grade IV reflux on the right and grade III on the left. Conclusion: Although the negative predictive value of both normal renal sonography and normal DMSA renal scan for VUR was 88.1%, 7 patients had VUR and two of them had high grade reflux(grade IV). So, we suggest that VCUG should be performed in infants with UTI despite both normal renal sonography and normal DMSA renal scans.

• Childhood Kidney Diseases
• /
• v.12 no.1
• /
• pp.78-87
• /
• 2008

Purpose: Recently, the conception and cognition that enuresis was resolved spontaneously, have changed. We reviewed the attitudes of the primary care physicians who make diagnose and treat nocturnal enuresis. Methods: From January 2006 to February 2007, a total of 293 primary care physicians in Daegu city participated in this survey. Questionnaires included questions about physicians' opinions on the appropriated age for diagnosis of enuresis, the likely causes of enuresis, etc. Physicians are grouped in two according to whether enuresis is major field of their subspecialty; the pediatrician & urologist group and the other physician group. Results: 59.2% of pediatricians and urologists thought that enuresis is defined as the nightly involuntary release of urine by children of the age of 5 to 6, while 49.6% of other physicians did. For the causes of enuresis, most of clinicians checked "yes" to the question that "Under-developed bladder and nerve" and "Emotional problems". In the patient's behavioral reactions related to enuresis, "Lack of concentration in home and school" and "Frequent urination" were most responded. Attendance to the education program of enuresis in last five years and willing to participate in education program was statistically different among pediatricians-urologists and other physicians. Regarding the treatment of enuresis, most physicians used imiprarnin widely, but pediatricians and urologists preferred desmopressin. Alarm was the last one in treatment modality. Conclusion: This study revealed that pediatricians and urologists are attending more to the educational places and knowing much about the recent information on enuresis when compared to other primary care physicians, regarding the diagnostic age and treatment modality of enuresis. The education of enuresis for primary physicians is more needed.

• Childhood Kidney Diseases
• /
• v.12 no.1
• /
• pp.38-46
• /
• 2008

Purpose: Growth failure is a common problem in chronic renal failure(CRF). We studied the effect of growth hormone(GH) treatment and the factors influencing growth on chronic peritoneal dialysis patients. Methods: Seventeen patients who were treated with peritoneal dialysis and GH for more than one year were enrolled. Factors influencing growth such as age, height at start of GH treatment, total Kt/Vurea, residual renal Kt/Vurea, hemoglobin, albumin, BUN, creatinine, total $CO_2$, calcium, phosphate and iPTH during GH treatment were compared between the growth group (increase in height-standard deviation score(Ht-SDS) after one year of GH treatment, n=l1) and poor growth group(no increase in Ht-SDS after one year of GH treatment, n=6). Results: The mean age at the start of dialysis was 7.7${\pm}$5.2 years and the mean age at the start of GH treatment was 8.5${\pm}$4.8 years. In the growth group, Ht-SDS at start of GH treatment was smaller(-1.72${\pm}$1.00 vs. -0.77${\pm}$0.88, P=0.048) and residual renal Kt/Vurea was better (1.54${\pm}$0.51 vs. 0.15${\pm}$0.26, P=0.02) than the poor growth group. After three years of GH treatment, Ht-SDS of the growth group was better than the poor growth group. Conclusion: GH treatment in children with peritoneal dialysis was more effective on patients who had more severe growth retardation. The reservation of residual renal function was important for improvement of effect of GH treatment. And the growth response during the first year of GH treatment may be predicted as the indicator for long-term response.

• Childhood Kidney Diseases
• /
• v.12 no.1
• /
• pp.62-69
• /
• 2008

Purpose: The most concerning issue in children with urinary tract infection(UTI) is the probability of underlying genitourinary anomalies and vesicoureteral reflux (VUR), which is frequently associated with renal scarring and eventually end-stage renal disease. Therefore, voiding cystourethrography(VCUG) is usually recommended at the earliest convenient time for children with UTI. However, VCUG is an invasive procedure that requires catheterization and exposure to X-ray. In this study, we aimed to determine the predictability of clinical, laboratory and imaging parameters for VUR in children with UTI. Methods: Data of children with bacteriologically proven UTI who underwent VCUG were evaluated retrospectively for clinical(age, gender, fever), laboratory(leukocytosis, ESR, CRP, pyuria, blood urea nitrogen, serum creatinine) and imaging(renal ultrasound and DMSA renal scan) findings. First, children with UTI were divided into two groups according to the presence of VUR as non-VUR group and with VUR group, and clinical, laboratory variables were compared between these groups. Second, patients who had VUR were reclassified as low-grade VUR(grade I-II) group and high-grade(grade III-V) VUR group according to grading of VUR, and clinical, laboratory and imaging variables were compared between these groups. Results: Among 410 children with UTI, 137 had VUR and 78 high-grade VUR. Fever, leukocytosis, ESR, CRP, pyuria were associated with VUR. In addition, abnormal findings of ultrasonography and DMSA renal scan were closely related to VUR. However, these clinical and laboratory variable in patients with high grade VUR were not different significantly, compared to those with low-grade VUR group. Conclusion: Fever, leukocytosis, ESR, CRP seems to be potentially useful predictors of VUR in pediatric patients with UTI. In addition, renal ultrasonography and DMSA renal scan findings supported the presence of VUR. Further study of these findings could limit unnecessary VCUG in patients with UTI.