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Background Anti-rituximab antibodies (ARA) are associated not only with adverse events, such as infusion reactions (IR) and serum sickness, but also with rituximab efficacy. However, the clinical relevance of ARA in children with steroid-dependent nephrotic syndrome (SDNS) remains unknown. Methods We retrospectively reviewed clinical outcomes of 13 children with complicated SDNS receiving repeated single-dose rituximab treatments at 375 mg/m.sup.2 to assess whether ARA formation could impact toxicity and efficacy of additional rituximab. Pre-rituximab 22 samples collected from patients who developed IR during the second or subsequent rituximab doses were measured by electrochemiluminescence analysis. Results ARA were identified in 5 of 13 patients (9 of 22 samples). Median time to recovery of CD19.sup.+ B cells to > 1% of total lymphocytes and median relapse-free time after rituximab treatment were significantly shorter in the 9 ARA-positive samples than the 13 ARA-negative samples (41 vs. 100 days, p < 0.01 and 119 vs. 308 days, p < 0.05, respectively). Kaplan-Meier analysis showed that time to CD19+ B cell recovery after rituximab was significantly shorter in ARA-positive samples than in ARA-negative samples (p < 0.005). Severe IR developed in two ARA-positive patients and serum sickness in one ARA-positive patient. Conclusions The incidence of ARA formation was high in the pre-rituximab samples of patients with complicated SDNS who developed IR during the second or subsequent rituximab doses, suggesting that ARA formation might have an unfavorable impact on the toxicity and efficacy of additional rituximab doses in these patients., Author(s): Shuichiro Fujinaga [sup.1] , Tomohiko Nishino [sup.1] , Shota Endo [sup.1] , Chisato Umeda [sup.1] , Yoshitaka Watanabe [sup.1] , Mayu Nakagawa [sup.1] Author Affiliations: (1) grid.416697.b, 0000 0004 [...]

Background Although recent studies have shown that more than half of children with steroid-dependent nephrotic syndrome (SDNS) may continue to have active disease beyond childhood, the long-term outcome in this cohort treated with mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) after cyclosporine remains unknown, particularly in adulthood. Methods We conducted a retrospective study of 44 adult patients (median age, 22.3 years) who received MMF for complicated SDNS (median age at MMF initiation, 13.3 years) at a single center. Complicated SDNS was defined as the case continuing to relapse after cyclosporine (CsA) treatment. When patients experienced relapses despite MMF initiation, they additionally received a rituximab infusion. The primary endpoint was the probability of achieving treatment-free remission for > 2 years. Results Prior to MMF initiation, all patients received CsA for a median of 46 months and 19 received the 12-week cyclophosphamide. After switching from CsA to MMF, only four patients did not relapse during a median follow-up period of 9.6 years. At the last visit, only 15 of the 44 patients achieved treatment-free sustained remission. Multivariate analysis revealed that young age (< 6 years) at onset of nephrotic syndrome (odds ratio, 11.3) and the experience of steroid dependency during initial CsA treatment (odds ratio, 29.8) were the independent risk factors of active disease into adulthood after MMF initiation. Conclusions Although none developed renal insufficiency and severe adverse effects of therapy, the introduction of MMF after CsA treatment may not be necessarily associated with improved long-term outcome of children with complicated SDNS., Author(s): Shuichiro Fujinaga [sup.1] , Daishi Hirano [sup.2] , Tomohiko Nishino [sup.1] , Chisato Umeda [sup.1] [sup.2] , Yoshitaka Watanabe [sup.1] , Mayu Nakagawa [sup.1] Author Affiliations: (Aff1) grid.416697.b, 0000 [...]

Introduction: Real-time ultrasound-guided percutaneous kidney biopsy is essential for diagnosis and treatment planning; nonetheless, the optimal puncture approach has yet to be established. In vivo, performing different approaches on the same patient at once is not possible. This study aimed to determine the impact of different approaches on the number of obtained glomeruli and their potential to cause arterial injury using pig kidneys, which are similar to humans. Methods: A total of 120 pig kidneys (60 right-sided kidneys and 60 left-sided kidneys) for research were obtained from a slaughterhouse. The specimens were collected from the lower pole on the sagittal plane of the kidney using three different approaches on the same kidney: caudocranial approach, caudal to cranial; craniocaudal approach, cranial to caudal; and vertical approach, through the surface cortex. Five blinded pediatric nephrologists assessed the number of glomeruli and arterial injuries. Results: Overall, 360 specimens were collected from the kidneys through biopsy using a 16-gauge needle (mean vertical kidney length, 11.2 ± 0.7 cm; mean depth, 3.47 ± 0.23 cm). No significant difference in the incidence of arterial injury was observed between the three approaches (caudocranial vs. craniocaudal vs. vertical approaches: 78% vs. 87% vs. 87%, p = 0.14). In contrast, the vertical approach retrieved significantly more glomeruli than the caudocranial and craniocaudal approaches (caudocranial approach: 7.5 ± 2.8, craniocaudal approach: 7.8 ± 2.7, and vertical approach: 8.9 ± 3.3, p < 0.001). Conclusions: Considering its efficacy and safety profile, the vertical approach may be preferred, as more glomeruli can be obtained without increasing the incidence of arterial injury. Although the results cannot be directly extrapolated to humans due to the differences between species, they still offer important insights into the characteristics of each approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Although rituximab (RTX) may be effective treatment in children with nephrotic syndrome who are resistant to cyclosporine A and steroid (CsA-SRNS), long-term outcomes after B cell depleting therapy remain unclear. Case-diagnosis/treatment We retrospectively reviewed the clinical courses (median follow-up, 5.1 years) of six CsA-SRNS children (three boys; median age at RTX, 4.2 years) unresponsive to oral cyclosporine combined with [greater than or equal to] 2 courses of intravenous methylprednisolone pulses, who received RTX within 6 months after disease onset (median 11 weeks). After initial RTX treatment (median two doses of 375 mg/m.sup.2) followed by retreatment with intravenous methylprednisolone pulses and/or high-dose prednisolone, all patients achieved complete remission at a median of 158 days. Although 17 relapses occurred in five patients during follow-up, all but one patient became steroid sensitive. Severe neutropenia and hypogammaglobulinemia developed in two and four patients, respectively. However, no life-threatening infections were identified in the cohort. At last visit (median age, 11.3 years), all patients maintained complete remission without renal insufficiency. Conclusions Although late-onset adverse events should be considered, particularly for young patients, early RTX treatment may have positive outcomes in children with CsA-SRNS in the long term., Author(s): Shuichiro Fujinaga [sup.1] , Tomohiko Nishino [sup.1] , Chisato Umeda [sup.1] , Yuji Tomii [sup.1] , Yoshitaka Watanabe [sup.1] , Koji Sakuraya [sup.1] Author Affiliations: (Aff1) 0000 0004 0569 [...]

Ultrasound elastography can measure tissue elasticity using the shear wave velocity (SWV). Evaluating disease activity with elastography instead of renal biopsy may be less invasive. However, to the best of our knowledge, although there are studies comparing different glomerular diseases using SWV, there are no reports that have measured glomerulonephritis longitudinally from the acute phase of the disease. This study aimed to assess whether SWV reflects disease activity in glomerulonephritis, and we continued to observe children with post-streptococcal acute glomerulonephritis (PSAGN) from the acute phase to over a year later. In this case, a 6-year-old boy diagnosed with PSAGN had impaired renal function, and was admitted and tested. He was placed in a prone resting position and measurements were taken from the back. SWV was measured ≥50 times at each examination, and the mean was calculated when the net amount of effective SWV was ≥50%. The tests were performed once in the acute phase and thrice during the recovery phase for 13 months. SWV was found to be significantly lower in the recovery period than during the disease onset, and continued to stay lower at each test during the recovery period (P < 0.02). In conclusion, this indicated that SWV fluctuated similarly to the disease activity of glomerulonephritis; therefore, we suggest using SWV measurement to estimate the disease activity in glomerulonephritis in children. Although more clinical cases are needed, SWV measurement is a noninvasive and reproducible imaging modality to estimate the disease activity in glomerulonephritis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The currently used single-monitoring method for drug–blood-level evaluation in cyclosporine A (CsA) treatment for nephrotic syndrome (NS) was established through hourly measurements based on adult organ transplantation. However, the pharmacokinetics may differ due to different concomitant medications, age, and conditions. This study was conducted to determine the measurement timing that best reflects the CsA area under the curve (AUC) in pediatric NS. Methods: This retrospective study included children aged 2–14 years who were started on CsA treatment for idiopathic NS during 2013–2020. AUC0–4 was calculated from 7 points, before and 0.5, 1, 1.5, 2, 3, and 4 h after administration. Mean values at each timing were compared with age-dependent different drug forms. Correlation between AUC0–4 and measurement timing was analyzed. Results: There were 13 patients (11 boys) whose median age during testing was 7.3 years, and the total number of measurements was 94. The highest timing of CsA concentrations was found in C1 59.6%. The content liquid used at younger ages had a faster absorption time to peak value and lower blood concentration than those of capsules. Among the significant correlations observed, AUC0–4 and C1.5 showed the strongest significant correlation coefficient (r = 0.93, P < 0.001). Conclusion: In pediatric NS, CsA metabolism may be faster than that in previous organ transplantation. Compared with C2, C1.5 monitoring may result in better disease control as it can best reflect the AUC0–4 and peak values associated with side effects, which are indicators of therapeutic efficacy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A strain of Sphingomonas alaskensis is described that was the most abundant bacterium in the ocean off Cape Muroto, Japan. It is less than 0.1 cubic micrometers in size and has also been found in Resurrection Bay, Alaska, and in the North Sea.

Research has been conducted on marine bacterium Vibrio parahaemolyticus. The authors have separated subpopulations from the bacteium's cultures via the use of density-dependent cell-sorting with Percol in order to understand different processes in the cultured cells, and have described the results.