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R Counahan

Publications and source records attributed to R Counahan.

18 recordsLinked to original sources

Serial quantitative imaging with 99Tcm-DTPA in pediatric renal transplantation.

Three hundred and fifty-eight renal imaging studies with quantitation of renal perfusion were performed following injection of 99Tcm-DTPA in 22 children aged 6--15 years with renal transplants. In 58 of 62 scans performed at the onset of a rejection episode, renal perfusion was decreased. This was the only feature of rejection in 6 episodes, in 5 of which the patient was oliguric due to post-operative acute tubular necrosis. In 4 episodes perfusion fell, but antirejection treatment was not given as a repeat scan was normal. On 18 occasions the plasma creatinine concentration (Pc) rose, but the scan was unchanged; no treatment was given and repeat Pc was normal. Three patients had a ureteric obstruction and 2 patients a lymphocoele detected from the images. There was no morbidity. Sequential renal scintigraphy was valuable in the early diagnosis of rejection and in the avoidance of unnecessary therapy.

Adolescent

Hormonal and metabolic responses to intravenous glucose in children on regular hemodialysis.

Blood glucose, plasma nonesterified fatty acids, amino acids, immunoreactive insulin, growth hormone, and immunoreactive glucagon responses to intravenous glucose were determined in 16 children on regular hemodialysis for chronic renal failure and nine healthy children. In the patients the fractional disappearance rate of glucose was significantly reduced, basal immunoreactive insulin was significantly raised, and while the early immunoreactive insulin response to glucose was similar in patients and controls, the late response was increased. Basal growth hormone was elevated in the patients and rose paradoxically following glucose. Fasting immunoreactive glucagon was significantly higher in the patients and was not suppressed by glucose. Plasma nonesterified fatty acid levels were lower in the patients and fell more markedly after glucose. Alanine levels, which were significantly raised in those with poor glucose tolerance, fell to normal after glucose and did not vary in those with more normal glucose tolerance. It is speculated that the metabolic and hormonal alterations may be interrelated and result from failure of normal glucose utilization.

Adolescent

Oral essential amino acids in children on regular hemodialysis.

Plasma amino acids were measured by ion-exchange chromatography in 10 children on regular hemodialysis for renal failure before and after a 6 month period on an oral supplement of 8 essential amino acids. The supplement constituted 14.7 +/- 9.7 (1 SD) of the protein intake, the proportion varying inversely with protein intake, and mean energy and protein intakes which were normal for body size did not change significantly during the study. Before supplementation there were significant reductions compared to normal in the concentration of valine, leucine, isoleucine, lysine, histidine, tyrosine and serine, and elevations in glycine, proline and the methylhistidines. After supplementation methionine levels were abnormally high, isoleucine levels were in the lower range of normal and otherwise there were no significant changes. These modest changes suggest that supplemental essential amino acids in uremic children on adequate energy and protein intakes may not only be superfluour but may induce new imbalances which may themselves be harmful.

Administration, Oral

Prognosis of Henoch-Schönlein nephritis in children.

All the survivors of a series of 88 patients with Henoch-Schönlein nephritis were examined after a follow-up of six and a half to 21 years (mean 9-9). Sixty-one patients had no demonstrable abnormality; six had minor urinary abnormalities; five had hypertension without urinary abnormally or renal dysfunction; four had heavy proteinuria; eight were in chronic renal failure, three of whom were on regular dialysis; and four patients had died within 25 months of onset. Neither corticosteroids nor immunosuppressive drugs alone or in combination appeared to influence the outcome. A clinical presentation with a combination of acute nephritis and a nephrotic syndrome and a high proportion of crescents in renal biopsy specimens was associated with a poor outcome. Neither the clinical presentation nor the renal morphology were, however, precise determinants of outcome. Outcome was not related to age, associated streptococcal infection, or recurrences of the rash. The clinical state two years after presentation was compared with the state six and a half years or more after presentation in 76 patients. The clinical state had changed in 32 patients, in 17 of whom it had deteriorated. It was not possible to identify with any certainty the patients who would deteriorate (or improve). Patients who have had Henoch-Schönlein nephritis should be followed up for at least five years.

Adolescent

Presentation, management, complications, and outcome of acute renal failure in childhood: five years' experience.

During 1971-5, 72 episodes of acute renal failure were treated in 70 children aged up to 16 years. The commonest causes were renal hypoperfusion (31 cases), haemolytic-uraemic syndrome (12), glomerulonephritis (9), septicaemia (5), and congenital abnormalities (6). Though referral from other hospitals was generally prompt, 10 out of 51 patients had been observed for up to seven days before transfer. Dailysis was used in 44 cases, the most common complications of which were peritonitis in those treated with peritoneal dialysis and acute changes in fluid balance in those treated with haemodialysis. Altogether 37 patients fully recovered, 10 were discharged with chronically impaired renal function, 17 died, and six entered the dialysis and transplantation programme. The mortality fell from 33% in 1972 to 20% in later years, which was due solely to maintenance dialysis being available. Though all patients with irrevocable kidney failure who were suitable entered the dialysis and transplantation programme, with current financial restrictions we doubt whether we shall be able to find places for all such patients in the future.

Acute Kidney Injury

Hyperlipidemia.

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Adolescent

Hyperlipidaemia in children on regular haemodialysis.

Fasting plasma concentrations of triglycerides (TG), cholesterol, immunoreactive insulin (IRI), and blood glucose were raised in 16 children with chronic renal failure on regular haemodialysis compared with 18 healthy children. In the patients plasma IRI correlated positively with plasma TG, while blood glucose did not correlate with IRI or lipid concentrations. Dietary intake, expressed as percentage of recommended intake for height-age, did not correlate with plasma lipids, but there was a positive correlation between plasma TG and the proportion of calories derived from carbohydrate. The children were not malnourished as evidenced by normal plasma albumin and transferrin concentrations. The mechanism of the hyperlipidaemia is unclear but it may be related to the glucose intolerance with hyperinsulinaemia which is found in uraemia. In view of the risk of premature atherosclerosis, plasma lipid concentrations should be monitored in children with chronic renal failure and attempts made to ameliorate hyperlipidaemia with appropriate dietary manipulations.

Adolescent

Henoch-Schönlein nephritis.

Henoch-Schönlein nephritis now appears to be an immunologically mediated disease, common in children but rare in adults, and initiated by unknown antigen or antigens. We have reviewed this form of nephritis with particular attention to immunological changes, occurrence in adults and prognosis. Assessment and treatment are made difficult by varying diagnostic criteria, especially in adults, and lack of controlled data.

Adolescent

Plasma amino acids in children and adolescents on hemodialysis.

Fasting plasma amino acid concentrations were measured in 16 children on regular hemodialysis for renal failure. Reductions compared to normal were found in valine, leucine, isoleucine, lysine, histidine, tyrosine, and serine; and increases were found in glycine, citruline, proline, and 1- and 3-methylhistidine. Acute reductions in amino acid concentrations occurred in response to i.v. glucose, similar to those reported in normal adults, but plasma alanine, which was raised only in those with poor glucose tolerance, fell to normal and did not vary in those with normal glucose tolerance. No correlations were found with growth, but the plasma glycine concentration was highest in those patients with poorest energy intakes. Plasma alanine concentrations correlated with raised triglyceride concentrations. It is suggested that many of the abnormalities are due to the excessive utilization of protein for energy because of impaired availability of conventional energy sources in uremia.

Adolescent

Estimation of glomerular filtration rate from plasma creatinine concentration in children.

The relation between the true plasma creatinine concentration (Pc) and the glomerular filtration rate corrected for body surface area (GFR/SA) was investigated in 108 individuals, and the following formula was derived: GFR/SA (ml/min per 1-73m2SA) = 0-43 Ht (cm)/Pc (mg/100 ml). This formula was tested in a second group of 83 children, and its accuracy and precision was compared to the 24-hour creatinine clearance. It was found to be superior to the creatinine clearance overall, and was as good, even if all results involving suspect 24-hour-urine collections were eliminated from analysis. The formula in SI usage is: GFR/SA (ml/min per 1-73 m2SA) = 38 Ht (cm)1Pc (mumol/l).

Adolescent

Stool and urinary sugars in normal neonates.

The pH of the stool and the amount of reducing substances present were observed in 51 normal neonates aged 5 to 8 days. A stool pH of 5 or less was found in 6, 4 of whom were exclusively breast fed. Reducing substances, 0-5% or more, were found in the stools of 16. Stool chromatography in 13 showed lactose, glucose, galactose, or a variable combination of these sugars--that is, a pattern consistent with lactose malabsorption. The stools of 3 infants contained oligosaccharides or maltose only. Chromatography of urine from 60 normal neonates showed detectable sugars in 11 but only 3 had levels above 50 mg/100 ml.

Bottle Feeding

Multifocal osteolysis with nephropathy.

A patient with progressive osteolysis of the carpal and tarsal bones with glomerulonephritis of unusual severity is described. There was a notable absence of osteodystrophy in this and other reported cases who had chronic renal failure.

Bone Resorption

Prevalence of atopy and exercise-induced bronchial lability in relatives of patients with cystic fibrosis.

Skin tests and exercise tests were performed on children with cystic fibrosis (CF) and first-degree relatives of CF children. Positive skin tests were found in 56% of patients and 19% of relatives, but the prevalence of atopy in CF patients bore no relationship to its prevalence in their relatives. Increased 0ronchial lability, mainly due to bronchoconstriction, was present in 54% of patients and 27% of relatives. The results showed that increased prevalence of bronchial lability, but not atopy, is found in first-degree relatives of CF children, and that the abnormal lability and atopy found in CF children does not indicate a familial allergic background.

Adolescent