Volume 109, Issue 1

Osteoporosis has long been considered a health problem unique to older adults. Children and adolescents with chronic illness, primary bone disease, or poor nutrition, however, are also predisposed to impaired skeletal health. The present review discusses normal skeletal development, risk factors for low bone mineral density, and prevention and treatment strategies that can help optimize bone health in the pediatric population.

Acute kidney injury (AKI) is increasingly recognized in all fields of medical practice. Unfortunately, this syndrome has been plagued by inconsistent definitions, simplistic pathophysiologic schemas, and insensitive diagnostic tools. Recent advances in defining AKI, understanding its pathophysiology, and improving the diagnostic accuracy of the testing tools available eventually will impact disease management and clinical outcomes. Prompt recognition and treatment of AKI remain the cornerstone of clinical management for this high-mortality, high-cost syndrome. The authors provide the most recent updates in the definition, diagnosis, pathophysiology, and treatment options for patients with AKI, providing a stepwise approach to clinical evaluation for use in all fields of medical practice.

Debilitating chronic nonmalignant pain is often managed using opioid medications. However, with increased use of this drug class comes concern about adverse effects on patients' endocrine function. In the present review, the authors discuss opioid-induced interference with the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis, effects on adrenal androgen production, and endocrine deficiency. In addition, the authors describe symptomology for opioid-induced endocrinopathy as well as diagnostic testing options. Treatment modalities for those afflicted with this condition are also described.

Context: Among the growing population of individuals with type 2 diabetes mellitus, many patients are failing to meet glycemic targets and are therefore at increased risk of complications. Data Overview: Rapid-acting insulin analogs (ie, aspart, lispro, glulisine) have a pharmacokinetic profile that mirrors endogenous insulin more closely than regular human insulin. These insulin analogs can also be given closer to mealtimes and are less likely to cause hypoglycemia. Long-acting insulin analogs (ie, detemir, glargine) have relatively flat time-action profiles and last up to 24 hours, thus simulating endogenous basal insulin more precisely than neutral protamine Hagedorn insulin and producing less nocturnal hypoglycemia. The simplicity and efficacy of insulin analogs should help facilitate a patient's transition to insulin therapy. Current guidelines advocate starting insulin therapy in patients who have not achieved glycemic targets or those with glycated hemoglobin greater than 8.5% and adjusting doses as necessary. Two case studies illustrate the benefits of insulin analog therapy. Conclusions: Insulin analogs offer many benefits over human insulins, including improved physiologic profile, greater convenience, reduced risk of hypoglycemia, and, in some instances, less weight gain. Combined, these elements may increase a patient's adherence to treatment, potentially increasing the level of glycemic control and improving the prognosis in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.