Seniha Kiremitci Yilmaz

Purpose: This study aimed to evaluate the diagnostic performance of ultrasound attenuation imaging (USAT) in detecting and grading hepatosteatosis in obese pediatric patients, and to compare its findings with conventional B-mode ultrasonography and relevant laboratory parameters. Methods: This prospective cross-sectional study enrolled 95 obese or morbidly obese children aged 8 to 18 years who presented to a pediatric endocrinology clinic with a preliminary diagnosis of hepatosteatosis. All patients underwent both B-mode ultrasonography and USAT using the Mindray Resona9 device. Hepatosteatosis was graded using device-specific attenuation cutoff values for USAT and standard echogenicity-based criteria for B-mode ultrasonography. Laboratory parameters, including alanine aminotransferase (ALT), triglycerides (TG), and homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), were recorded for each patient. Results: USAT identified hepatosteatosis in 70 of 95 patients (73.7%), whereas B-mode ultrasonography detected steatosis in only 36 of 95 (37.9%). Among the 59 patients classified as steatosis-free by B-mode ultrasonography, USAT identified steatosis in 36 (61%; P P <0.05 for all). Conclusions: USAT is capable of detecting low-grade hepatic steatosis in obese children more effectively than conventional B-mode ultrasonography and shows significant correlations with key metabolic laboratory parameters. Given its objectivity, excellent reproducibility, and practical ease of use, routine incorporation of USAT alongside B-mode ultrasonography is warranted in the evaluation of hepatic steatosis in the pediatric population.

Urinary Iodine Concentration and Thyroid Function in Children and Adolescents: A Cross-sectional Study - The Medical Bulletin of Haseki

Microalbuminuria indices may miss early diabetic kidney disease (DKD) and can regress. Urinary podocyte and tubular injury biomarkers may detect subclinical kidney injury before albuminuria. We evaluated urinary podocyte- and tubule-derived biomarkers in adolescents/young adults with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) and compared 12-year prognostic performance with albuminuria. A total of 130 participants with T1DM were screened; 109 were eligible and included in the baseline analysis, and 30 age-matched healthy controls were enrolled. Baseline urinary podocalyxin (u-PCX), nephrin (u-nephrin), and liver-type fatty acid-binding protein (u-LFABP) were measured by ELISA and indexed to creatinine; albuminuria was assessed by 24-h albumin excretion rate (u-AER) and spot albumin-to-creatinine ratio (u-ACR). Fifty-one participants were reassessed after 12 years; measurements were obtained at baseline and at the 12-year follow-up visit. Incident DKD (micro-/macroalbuminuria) was the primary outcome. Discrimination was assessed by ROC curves and Youden thresholds. At baseline, 90% had normoalbuminuria. Participants with normoalbuminuria had higher u-PCX/Cr, u-nephrin/Cr, and u-LFABP/Cr vs. controls (all p ≤ 0.001). Over 12 years, 7/51 developed DKD. Baseline u-PCX/Cr discriminated incident DKD (AUC 0.96; 95% CI 0.91-1.00): <78 ng/mgCr (NPV 100%) and ≥193 ng/mgCr had specificity 95.5%; DKD incidence across <78, 78-193 and ≥193 ng/mgCr strata was 0%, 20% and 75%, respectively (p-trend < 0.001). Baseline spot u-ACR also performed well (AUC 0.87; 95% CI 0.74-1.00). Baseline u-PCX/Cr and u-LFABP/Cr were elevated in those who developed micro-/macroalbuminuria at 12 years. Spot u-ACR remains a practical prognostic tool, while u-PCX/Cr provides complementary, actionable long-term risk cut-points requiring external validation.

Purpose: Height age (HA) and bone age (BA) delay is well known in the patients with short stature. Therefore assessing pituitary hypoplasia based on chronological age (CA) might cause overdiagnosis of pituitary hypoplasia. We aimed to investigate the diagnostic and prognostic value of the PH and PV based on CA, HA, or BA in the patients with GHD. Methods: Fifty-seven patients with severe and 40 patients with partial GHD and 39 patients with ISS assigned to the study. For defining the most accurate diagnosis of pituitary hypoplasia, PH and PV were evaluated based on CA, BA and HA. The relationship of each method with clinical features was examined. Results: The mean PV was significantly larger in patients with ISS compared to the GH-deficient patients. PV was more correlated with clinical features including height SDS, stimulated GH concentration, IGF-1 and IGFBP-3 SDS, height velocity before and after rGH therapy. We found BA-based PV could discriminate GHD from ISS (Sensitivity: 17%, specificity: 98%, positive predictive value: 94%, negative predictive value: 39%), compared to the other methods based on PH or PV respect to CA and HA. 3% of patients with ISS, 17% of patients with GHD had pituitary hypoplasia based on PV-BA. Conclusion: PV based on BA, has the most accurate diagnostic value for defining pituitary hypoplasia. But it should be kept in mind that there might be still misdiagnosed patients by this method. PV is also a significant predictor for the rGH response.

Complex clinical presentation with diverse timing of particular symptoms may cause diagnostic difficulties, especially in children and adolescents. This paper presents diagnostic difficulties and pitfalls in 3 children with acquired primary hypothyroidism due to Hashimoto's thyroiditis (HT) presenting with unusual manifestations. We described 3 children with acquired primary hypothyroidism due to HT. One of our patients had musculoskeletal pain and was diagnosed and treated as having connective tissue disease. Another patient presented with chest pain, dyspnea, and swelling in the abdomen. She had a massive pericardial effusion (PE). Two patients had severe growth failure. A third patient with Down syndrome had a small PE. Her complaint was dyspnea during sleep. All patients improved with thyroxin therapy. Patients with hypothyroidism due to HT who have complicated clinical manifestations were misdiagnosed and mismanaged at childhood and adolescence. Growth failure is an important sign in children and adolescents. In the presence of complicated manifestations in children and adolescents, thyroid dysfunction must be considered in differential diagnosis.