Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
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Query: UMLS:C0728731 (prematurity)
 7,134 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

The prevalence of nephrocalcinosis (NC) in preterm neonates in recent reports is 7-41%. The wide range in prevalence is a consequence of different study populations and ultrasound equipment and criteria, in addition to a moderate interobserver variation. NC in preterm neonates has a multifactorial aetiology, consisting of low gestational age and birth weight, often in combination with severe respiratory disease, and occurs as a result of an imbalance between stone-promoting and stone-inhibiting factors. A limited number of histological studies suggest that calcium oxalate crystals play an important role in NC in premature neonates. In 85% of children resolution of NC occurs in the first years of life. Prematurity, per se, is associated with high blood pressure, relatively small kidneys, and (distal) tubular dysfunction. In addition, NC in preterm neonates can have long-term sequelae for glomerular and tubular function. Long-term follow-up of blood pressure and renal function of prematurely born children, especially with neonatal NC, is recommended. Prevention of NC with (low) oral doses of citrate has not resulted in a significant decrease in the prevalence of NC; a higher citrate dosage deserves further study. Future research pertaining to prevention of NC in preterm neonates is crucial.
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PMID:Nephrocalcinosis in preterm neonates. 1879 36

Renal injury in early life may lead to hypertension and renal disease in adulthood. In this prospective study, we estimated renal glomerular and tubular function and kidney length (KL) during the first 2 years of life of preterm infants with nephrocalcinosis (NC) associated with prematurity. The study cohort comprised 107 preterm children, 63 with NC and 44 control subjects without NC who were matched for gender, gestational age and birth weight. Kidney function was estimated based on measurements of serum creatinine (Scr), estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), fractional excretion (FE) of sodium (Na), potassium (K), phosphate (P), magnesium (Mg) and uric acid (UA) and on the ratios of urinary Ca, oxalate (UOx) and citrate (UCit) to urinary creatinine (UCa/Ucr, UOx/Ucr and UCit/Ucr, respectively) calculated from morning urine collections. KL was measured by ultrasonography. Measurements were made at 40 weeks postmenstrual age and at 3, 6, 12 and 24 months of age. At 3 and 6 months, the NC group had higher UCa/Ucr, FEK and FEUA than the control group; at 12 months, only the UCa/Ucr and FEUA was still higher. The UCa/UCit ratio was higher in the NC group. Scr and eGFR did not differ between the groups at any time point. The NC group had a shorter KL up to 12 months of life (left kidney) or 24 months (right kidney). Based on these results, we conclude that NC in the preterm infants enrolled in our study was associated with impaired renal tubular function and a shorter KL in the first year of life.
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PMID:Renal function and kidney length in preterm infants with nephrocalcinosis: a longitudinal study. 2153 68