Kidney-Alone Transplantation in Diabetic Patients with End-Stage Renal Disease

From January 1989 to December 1995, 5 diabetic patients with end-stage renal disease (1 woman, 4 men) underwent kidney-alone transplantation. The mean age of the recipients at the time of transplantation was 37.4 years (range, 32 to 43). Graft function and glucose tolerance was evaluated for 5 to 72 months after surgery. Postoperative complications were seen in 2 patients; nonspecific subcutaneous infections and an asymptomatic partial allograft infarction. All renal allografts were functioning 1 year after transplantation, with a mean serum creatinine level of 1.10mg/dL (range, 0.8 to 1.8mg/dL), and a mean urinary protein level of 1 7.8mg/dL (range, 5 to 27mg/dL). The postoperative daily dose of insulin was higher than the preoperative dose, while the level of glycated hemoglobin (HbA_1c) increased after surgery and peaked 6 months after transplantation; 1 year after transplantation it had reverted to the preoperative level. As long as the diabetic complications of the renal allograft recipients are not severe, the short-term survival and the renal function of diabetic patients with end-stage renal disease improves after kidney-alone transplantation, which is still the standard method of treatment in Japan.     

Effect of Spironolactone on Urinary Protein Excretion in Patients with Chronic Kidney Disease

Aim.?To investigate antiproteinuric effect of spironolactone in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) treated with angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors and/or angiotensin II type 1 receptor blockers (ARBs).?Methods.?This study was performed in 33 CKD patients with proteinuria. 24 h urinary protein excretion and biochemical parameters were obtained before the therapy. Then, spironolactone (25 mg/d) was added to the therapy. The antiproteinuric effect of spironolactone was examined for eight weeks.?Results.?At eight weeks, there was a significant decrease in proteinuria (p < 0.001, 47.9% decrease). Systolic and diastolic blood pressures were significantly decreased (p < 0.004, p < 0.001, respectively). However, no correlation was detected between the reductions in systolic and diastolic BP and the reduction in proteinuria (p = 0.464, p = 0.239, respectively). Serum potassium level increased significantly (p < 0.001).?Conclusions.?Our study suggests that spironolactone significantly reduces urinary protein excretion. This strategy may be useful to slow the progression of CKD. However, hyperkalemia is the most important side effect of treatment, and it is necessary to monitor potassium level. Further studies are needed to determine the efficacy of spironolactone on proteinuria.     

Association of Multiple Plasma Biomarker Concentrations with Progression of Prevalent Diabetic Kidney Disease: Findings from the Chronic Renal Insufficiency Cohort (CRIC) Study

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Comprehensive Search for Novel Circulating miRNAs and Axon Guidance Pathway Proteins Associated with Risk of ESKD in Diabetes

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Potential Benefits of Renal Diets on Cardiovascular Risk Factors in Chronic Kidney Disease Patients

Dietary manipulation, including protein, phosphorus, and sodium restriction, when coupled with the vegetarian nature of the renal diet and ketoacid supplementation can potentially exert a cardiovascular protective effect in chronic renal failure patients by acting on both traditional and nontraditional cardiovascular risk factors. Blood pressure control may be favored by the reduction of sodium intake and by the vegetarian nature of the diet, which is very important also for lowering serum cholesterol and improving plasma lipid profile. The low protein and phosphorus intake has a crucial role for reducing proteinuria and preventing and reversing hyperphosphatemia and secondary hyperparathyroidism, which are major causes of the vascular calcifications, cardiac damage, and mortality risk of uremic patients. The reduction of nitrogenous waste products and lowering of serum PTH levels may also help ameliorate insulin sensitivity and metabolic control in diabetic patients, as well as increase the responsiveness to erythropoietin therapy, thus allowing greater control of anemia. Protein-restricted diets may have also anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant properties.

Thus, putting aside the still debatable effects on the progression of renal disease and the more admitted effects on uremic signs and symptoms, it is possible that a proper nutritional treatment early in the course of renal disease may be useful also to reduce the cardiovascular risk in the renal patient. However, conclusive data cannot yet be drawn because quality studies are lacking in this field; future studies should be planned to assess the effect of renal diets on hard outcomes, as cardiovascular events or mortality.     

Kidney Failure Prediction Models: A Comprehensive External Validation Study in Patients with Advanced CKD

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The PROPKD Score: A New Algorithm to Predict Renal Survival in Autosomal Dominant Polycystic Kidney Disease

The course of autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD) varies among individuals, with some reaching ESRD before 40 years of age and others never requiring RRT. In this study, we developed a prognostic model to predict renal outcomes in patients with ADPKD on the basis of genetic and clinical data. We conducted a cross-sectional study of 1341 patients from the Genkyst cohort and evaluated the influence of clinical and genetic factors on renal survival. Multivariate survival analysis identified four variables that were significantly associated with age at ESRD onset, and a scoring system from 0 to 9 was developed as follows: being male: 1 point; hypertension before 35 years of age: 2 points; first urologic event before 35 years of age: 2 points; PKD2 mutation: 0 points; nontruncating PKD1 mutation: 2 points; and truncating PKD1 mutation: 4 points. Three risk categories were subsequently defined as low risk (0–3 points), intermediate risk (4–6 points), and high risk (7–9 points) of progression to ESRD, with corresponding median ages for ESRD onset of 70.6, 56.9, and 49 years, respectively. Whereas a score ≤3 eliminates evolution to ESRD before 60 years of age with a negative predictive value of 81.4%, a score >6 forecasts ESRD onset before 60 years of age with a positive predictive value of 90.9%. This new prognostic score accurately predicts renal outcomes in patients with ADPKD and may enable the personalization of therapeutic management of ADPKD.     

Kidney Function and Risk of Cardiovascular Disease and Mortality in Kidney Transplant Recipients: The FAVORIT Trial

In kidney transplant recipients, cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death. The relationship of kidney function with CVD outcomes in transplant recipients remains uncertain. We performed a post hoc analysis of the Folic Acid for Vascular Outcome Reduction in Transplantation (FAVORIT) Trial to assess risk factors for CVD and mortality in kidney transplant recipients. Following adjustment for demographic, clinical and transplant characteristics, and traditional CVD risk factors, proportional hazards models were used to explore the association of estimated GFR with incident CVD and all‐cause mortality. In 4016 participants, mean age was 52 years and 20% had prior CVD. Mean eGFR was 49±18 mL/min/1.73 m². In 3676 participants with complete data, there were 527 CVD events over a median of 3.8 years. Following adjustment, each 5 mL/min/1.73 m² higher eGFR at levels below 45 mL/min/1.73 m² was associated with a 15% lower risk of both CVD [HR = 0.85 (0.80, 0.90)] and death [HR = 0.85 (0.79, 0.90)], while there was no association between eGFR and outcomes at levels above 45 mL/min/1.73 m². In conclusion, in stable kidney transplant recipients, lower eGFR is independently associated with adverse events, suggesting that reduced kidney function itself rather than preexisting comorbidity may lead to CVD.     

老年糖尿病终末期肾病并发心力衰竭及急性心肌梗塞的腹膜透析治疗

目的：提高老年糖尿病终末期肾病（DNESRD）患并发心力衰竭、急性心肌梗塞腹膜透析（腹透）的治疗效果。方法：对行腹透的22例老年DNESRD并发心力衰竭、急性心肌梗塞患进行回顾性分析。结果：老年DNESRD并发心力衰竭16例、急性心肌梗塞6例经腹透及血管紧张素转换酶抑制剂（ACEI）或血管紧张素Ⅱ受体拮抗剂（AT-Ⅱ）治疗。分别有效15例、5例，在腹透期间未发生其他心脑血管并发症。结论：腹透治疗老年DN ESED并发心力衰竭、急性心肌梗塞效果肯定、安全。合用ACEI或AT-Ⅱ有助于进一步提高疗效。     

The Efficacy and Renal Protective Effect of Tolvaptan in Chronic Kidney Disease Patients after Open-Heart Surgery

Purpose: Unlike loop diuretics, tolvaptan is reported to have a renal protective effect. The purpose of this study was to retrospectively assess the efficacy of tolvaptan administration in chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients following open-heart surgery.Methods: From February 2017 to August 2020, 75 patients with preoperative CKD stages IIIb–V were enrolled in this study and were divided into two groups: the control group (n = 30) and the tolvaptan group (n = 45). All patients routinely received conventional diuretics starting from postoperative day (POD) 1. Tolvaptan at 7.5–15 mg/day was administered if the patients had persistent fluid retention or poor response to conventional diuretics.Results: Tolvaptan administration was initiated at a mean of POD 2.9 ± 2.2, and the mean dosing period was 4.1 ± 3.0 days. The mean time to return to the preoperative body weight in the control and tolvaptan groups was similar. However, estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) was significantly increased at the time when body weight reached the preoperative level and at discharge in the tolvaptan group than in the control group.Conclusion: This study demonstrated the renal protective effect of tolvaptan even in advanced CKD patients after open-heart surgery.     

普伐他汀对慢性肾脏病患者肾功能及尿蛋白作用的临床研究

目的：研究普伐他汀对慢性肾脏病患者（CKD）肾功能及尿蛋白的影响,探讨其在 CKD 患者中应用的价值。方法：符合入选标准的48例临床诊断 CKD 的患者,在给与 CKD 常规治疗的基础上随机分组为普伐他汀组（n =25）和对照组（n =23）。普伐他汀组加用普伐他汀20 mg 每晚,维持治疗48周。于治疗前、治疗后4周、12周、24周、36周及48周监测患者血肌酐、血脂、尿蛋白等情况,评估肾小球滤过率。结果：普伐他汀组与对照组在年龄、性别、蛋白尿、肾功能等基线水平的差异无统计学意义。治疗后,普伐他汀组血胆固醇、三酰甘油、低密度脂蛋白均较对照组有所下降,36周后组间达到统计学差异（P ﹤0．05）。普伐他汀组24 h 尿蛋白在治疗8周后与对照组差异存在统计学意义（P ﹤0．05）,48周后普伐他汀组尿蛋白较对照组下降52．3%。两组高敏 C 反应蛋白均呈下降趋势,普伐他汀组更为显著。两组估算肾小球率过滤（eGFR）的改变差异无统计学意义。结论：普伐他汀可能可有效改善 CKD 患者的血脂情况,减少蛋白尿,抑制炎症反应,延缓 CKD 进展。     

Ambient Melamine Exposure and Urinary Biomarkers of Early Renal Injury

Information about environmental exposure to melamine and renal injury in adults is lacking. We investigated this relationship in 44 workers at two melamine tableware manufacturing factories in Taiwan (16 manufacturers, eight grinders, ten packers, and ten administrators) and 105 nonexposed workers (controls) at one shipbuilding company who were enrolled in August–December of 2012. For melamine workers, personal and area air samples were obtained at the worksite over 1 workweek (Monday–Friday). In the same week, pre- and post-shift one-spot urine samples were collected each workday and one first-spot urine sample was collected on each weekend morning and the following Monday morning. For each control, a one-spot urine sample was collected on Friday morning. A blood sample was also obtained from each participant at this time. Melamine levels were measured in air, urine, and serum, and early renal injury biomarkers were measured in urine. Urinary melamine concentrations in manufacturers increased sharply between pre- and post-shift measurements on Monday, remained significantly elevated throughout the workweek, and decreased over the weekend; changes in urinary melamine concentrations were substantially lower for other melamine workers. Manufacturers were exposed to the highest concentrations of ambient melamine and had significantly higher urinary and serum melamine concentrations than did the controls (P<0.001). Urinary melamine levels were positively associated with urinary N-acetyl β-d-glucosaminidase (NAG) levels but not microalbumin levels, and the detectable β2-microglobulin rate increased in the manufacturers group. In conclusion, ambient melamine exposure may increase the levels of urinary biomarkers of renal tubular injury in this occupational setting.