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Background Oral cyclophosphamide (CYP) is an important therapeutic agent in treatment of steroid-sensitive nephrotic syndrome having a steroid-dependent (SD) or frequent relapsing (FR) course. This retrospective observational study aimed to determine response to oral CYP and factors associated with positive response in these patients. Methods We studied 100 children (male; 75) with FR (19%) and SD (81%) NS treated with CYP in the Pediatric Nephrology clinic. Responders were defined as children in whom steroids were stopped for at least 6 months following CYP and factors affecting response were analysed. Relapse-free survival was estimated by Kaplan-Meier method. Results Median age at onset of NS was 3 years (IQR 2-5.2). Median age at CYP was 5.7 years (IQR 3.7-7.9). Fifty percent of patients were in the responder group at 6 months of CYP. Relapse-free survival post CYP therapy was 31% at 1 year, 11% at 2 years. Factors predicting good response were age at onset of NS > 3 years with 61.2% response at 6 months (p = 0.028) and older age at CYP initiation (> 5 years) with 61% response (p = 0.008). Multivariate regression analysis showed age at start of CYP > 5 years was an independent factor for good response (p = 0.044, OR = 2.903, CI -1.03 to 8.18). Conclusions Judicious selection of patients, especially with age of onset of NS more than 3 years and initiation of CYP after age of 5 years, can predict better response in this group of patents. Graphical abstract, Author(s): Jasjeet Sandhu [sup.1] , Deepak Bhat [sup.1] , Gurdeep Singh Dhooria [sup.1] , Puneet A. Pooni [sup.1] , Siddharth Bhargava [sup.1] , Shruti Kakkar [sup.1] , Karambir S. Gill [...]

Background Acute kidney injury (AKI) is independently associated with worsened morbidity and increased mortality in the pediatric intensive care unit (PICU). AKI risk score, termed renal angina index (RAI) is used in developed countries to predict subsequent severe AKI. Very few studies have investigated application of RAI in the PICU of a developing country. This prospective observational study aimed to predict severe subsequent AKI in children admitted to PICU using RAI. Methods Over 1 year, children admitted to PICU aged 1 month-18 years old, with no previous kidney disease, were included. RAI was assessed from 8 to 12 h of PICU admission (day 0). RAI was calculated from product of the renal risk and renal injury score. Renal angina positivity was defined as RAI [greater than or equal to] 8. On day 3, serum creatinine was estimated and estimated glomerular filtrration rate (eGFR) calculated. RAI was correlated with presence/absence of subsequent (day 3) severe AKI. RAI positivity was also correlated with duration of PICU stay, need for dialysis, mechanical ventilation, and mortality. Results RAI positivity was seen in 16.7% cases, of which 36.2% developed AKI at 4 days vs. 2.3% in RAI-negative cases (p < 0.001). Mean duration of PICU stay in the RAI-positive group was 7.19 ± 5.13 days vs. 4.72 ± 2.71 days in the RAI-negative group (p < 0.001). Mortality was seen in 31.9% of RAI-positive cases vs. 2% in RAI-negative cases (p < 0.001). Conclusions RAI could be used as a simple and important bedside tool to predict patients at risk of severe AKI., Author(s): Raina Kaur [sup.1] , Gurdeep Singh Dhooria [sup.1] , Puneet A. Pooni [sup.1] , Deepak Bhat [sup.1] , Siddharth Bhargava [sup.1] , Shruti Kakkar [sup.1] , Kamal Arora [sup.1] [...]