Liver-Kidney Crosstalk in Major Pediatric Diseases: Unraveling the Complexities and Clinical Challenges.

The liver and kidneys are two of the most vital organs, each with distinct but overlapping functions essential for maintaining homeostasis. The complex interplay between these organs, commonly referred to as liver-kidney crosstalk, plays a crucial role in the pathophysiology of several acute and chronic conditions in childhood. Despite its importance, the precise biological mechanisms driving this interaction remain incompletely understood.

Paliperidone-Induced Massive Asymptomatic Creatine Kinase Elevation in Youth: From a Case Report to Literature Review.

Background/objectives: Unlike rhabdomyolysis and neuroleptic malignant syndrome (NMS), massive asymptomatic creatine kinase elevation (MACKE) represents a condition commonly detected during routine screening in patients receiving antipsychotic drugs. In particular, current evidence indicates a greater incidence of this condition in patients without signs of NMS, rhabdomyolysis, or other causes of CK increase during exposure to second-generation antipsychotics (SGAs) than first-generation antipsychotics (FGAs) with a variable onset and duration. Although its pathophysiology is still not fully elucidated, MACKE has usually been recognized as a self-limiting condition, but drug discontinuation might also be required to successfully revert it.

Childhood Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia (MEN) Syndromes: Genetics, Clinical Heterogeneity and Modifying Genes.

Multiple endocrine neoplasia (MEN) syndromes are part of a spectrum of clinically well-defined tumor syndromes ultimately characterized by histologically similar tumors arising in patients and families with mutations in one of the following four genes: , , , and . The high level of genetic and phenotypic heterogeneity has been linked to phenocopies and modifying genes, as well as unknown mechanisms that might be investigated in the future based on preclinical and translational considerations. MEN1, also known as Wermer's syndrome (OMIM *131100), is an autosomal dominant syndrome codifying for the most frequent MEN syndrome showing high penetrance due to mutations in the MEN1 gene; nevertheless, clinical manifestations vary among patients in terms of tumor localization, age of onset, and clinical aggressiveness/severity, even within the same families.