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J U Leititis

Publications and source records attributed to J U Leititis.

45 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

[Disorders of kidney function and acute kidney failure in newborn infants].

Compromised kidney function in the perinatal period has been increasingly recognized during recent years, and acute renal failure is a frequent clinical situation in neonatal intensive care units. Renal underperfusion due to various prerenal conditions is assumed to be the most common cause of renal failure in neonates. With rapid restoration of renal blood flow, prerenal failure is completely reversible in the early course of the disease. If adequate treatment is delayed, however, structural damage to the kidneys by prolonged ischemia will ensue leading to a poor prognostic outcome. This review, therefore, mainly focuses on early diagnosis of disturbed neonatal kidney function and prophylactic therapeutical aspects which may be of particular benefit for critically ill newborns at high risk for developing acute renal failure.

Acid-Base Equilibrium↗

[Pre- and postnatal diagnostic imaging of congenital urinary tract disorders].

The prenatal diagnosis of urinary tract obstruction was made in 10 neonates. These findings were confirmed postnatally by sonography, urography, voiding cystourethrography, and scintigraphy. There were 8 neonates with unilateral obstruction of the ureter, and 2 with urethral valves and reflux. Nephrectomy because of hydronephrosis was necessary in 2 instances. The prenatal diagnosis of a urinary tract obstruction is of great importance, because the neonate may be operated upon without delay. Thus the diseased kidney can be saved. Diuretic radionuclide urography is helpful in differentiating between dilated obstructed and dilated nonobstructed kidneys.

Constriction, Pathologic↗

Urinary protein analysis in the early detection of acute rejection episodes after renal transplantation in children.

The purpose of the present longitudinal investigation was to assess the predictive value of urinary protein analysis in the early detection of rejection crisis after renal transplantation. Forty-one children were studied consecutively over a period of 6 months applying the following methods: creatinine clearance (Ccr); urinary total protein (UTP); and electrophoretic differentiation of urinary proteins according to their molecular size by microgradient-gel electrophoresis (MGGE) with a continuous concentration gradient of 4-40% of polyacrylamide. Protein fractions analyzed were albumin (69,000 d), low molecular weight proteins (LMW-proteins, less than 69,000 d), and high molecular weight proteins (HMW-proteins, greater than 69,000 d). No rejection was observed in 30 children (group A), a total of 18 rejection episodes occurred in 11 children (group B). UTP was significantly lower in group A as compared to group B (107 vs 376 mg/m2/24 h), but no differences in urinary protein pattern were observed between group A and group B prior to rejection. One to two days after rejection UTP increased to 938 mg/m2/24 h, and 3-7 days after rejection LMW-protein fraction increased from 9% to 23% with a corresponding decrease of albumin fraction from 71% to 56% of UTP. No qualitative changes were noted in respect to HMW-protein excretion. It is concluded that changes of UTP and urinary protein pattern occur during rejection episodes but are of no predictive value in detecting rejection before clinical symptoms appear.

Acute Disease↗

Homozygous hypobetalipoproteinaemia and phenylketonuria.

Two patients, aged 0.1 and 2 years, with homozygous hypobetalipoproteinaemia, one with PKU in addition are described. The clinical evaluation showed no neurologic abnormalities. Treatment with a fat-reduced, protein and carbohydrate-enriched diet was combined with vitamin A and E supplementation, according to the suggestions for classical abetalipoproteinaemia. In the patient with PKU the protein intake was increased by using a phenylalanine-free, amino acid mixture. Only by this, were normal growth and weight gain achieved.

Adult↗

Severe digoxin intoxication in a child treated by infusion of digoxin-specific Fab-antibody-fragments.

Accidental digitalis ingestion in children is a rare, but potentially life-threatening emergency. We report the case of a 2 10/12-year-old boy with accidental ingestion of 6 mg beta-Acetyl-digoxin. Soon after admission, the boy developed sinus bradycardia, SA and AV-block, of increasing severity without circulatory impairment. As the serum digoxin level reached 21.7 ng/ml digoxin-specific Fab-antibody-fragments were used to bind free serum digoxin. Immediately after infusion, serum free digoxin was below the detection limit, whereas total digoxin peaked at 219 ng/ml 5 h thereafter. The arrhythmias did not subside totally, so that in addition, a transvenous pacemaker was placed, but never used. The antibody-infusion was well tolerated and the boy was discharged in good health.

Acetyldigoxins↗

[Treatment of obstruction and thrombosis due to central venous catheterization].

Thrombolytic treatment with urokinase (5000 U/ml) or streptokinase can restore patency in central venous catheters occluded by thrombosis. In pediatric patients preferable urokinase should be used. The therapy in case of catheter-induced central venous thrombosis is a continuous urokinase infusion (125,000 U/1.73(2)/h) for about 3 to 8 days, followed by a long-term heparinization. The treatment in persistent withdrawal occlusion is significantly shorter, a few hours of systemic lysis are sufficient. The treatment of choice in case of chemical obstructions in patients with long-term parenteral nutrition is the injection of 0.1 N HCl in combination with Heparin. By these procedures most of obstructed central venous catheters can be reopened and maintained in place. This preserves the count of possible catheter implantation sites.

Catheterization, Central Venous↗

Stevens-Johnson syndrome during an immunosuppressive therapy with cyclophosphamide and prednisone.

Corticosteroids are often recommended for the treatment of severe Stevens-Johnson syndrome. We report about a 12 years old boy, who developed this syndrome during an immunosuppressive therapy with prednisone and cyclophosphamide for a frequent relapsing, steroid-dependent nephrotic syndrome. Most of the commonly mentioned etiologic factors for erythema exudativum multiforme could be excluded. The usefulness of corticosteroids for the therapy seems to be doubtful.

Child↗

[Reversal of a right-left shunt and permanent improvement of oxygenation by inhalation of nitrogen monoxide in a premature infant with lung hypoplasia and asphyxia].

We report the case of a 29 weeks gestation female premature infant who suffered from severe postnatal asphyxia following spontaneous vaginal delivery. Prenatally lung hypoplasia due to prematurely ruptured membranes with subsequent oligohydramnios was suspected sonographically. Echocardiography revealed right-to-left shunting via PDA and foramen ovale, in addition to that tricuspid incompetence with a pulmonary arterial pressure gradient of 40 mmHg was demonstrated. At an oxygenation index (OI) of 34, an arterio-alveolar oxygen difference (AaDO2) of 639 mmHg, an FiO2 of 1.0 and a maximal paO2 of 37 mmHg during high frequency ventilation (HFV), we applied inhaled nitric oxide (up to 70 ppm) for a duration of approximately 30 hours. Within two hours the inspiratory oxygen concentration could be weaned to an FiO2 of 0.21, mean airway pressures were reduced markedly. Echocardiographically tricuspid incompetence had disappeared, the PDA was closed and now left-to-right shunting across the foramen ovale was demonstrated. The infant was extubated on day 5 and subsequently had oxygen requirements up to an FiO2 of 0.3 during spontaneous breathing for 20 days.

Administration, Inhalation↗