Renal revascularization for recurrent pulmonary edema in patients with poorly controlled hypertension and renal insufficiency: a distinct subgroup of patients with arteriosclerotic renal artery occlusive disease.

Recurrent pulmonary edema in patients with poorly controlled hypertension and renal insufficiency appears to be a marker of bilateral renal artery occlusive disease. The effectiveness of renal revascularization to prevent recurrent pulmonary edema in this distinct subgroup with renal artery occlusive disease was analyzed in 17 consecutive patients treated at the University of Michigan Hospital between 1984 and 1990. Their mean preoperative blood pressure was 207/110 mm Hg, and mean serum creatinine clearance was 3.8 mg/dl. Pulmonary edema occurred despite evidence of normal ventricular function in 65% of these patients. Bilateral renal artery occlusive disease affected 94% of the patients, and 54% had an occluded renal artery. Renal revascularization was accomplished by iliorenal bypass (41%), aortorenal bypass (29%), endarterectomy (24%), and transluminal angioplasty (6%). Contralateral nephrectomy (41%) and concomitant aortic reconstruction (24%) were also required frequently. No postoperative deaths occurred, and no patient had early postoperative pulmonary edema. Control of hypertension was improved in all patients, two of whom were discharged from the hospital on no antihypertensive medications. Two of the three patients requiring dialysis before operation were able to discontinue dialysis after operation. Late follow-up (mean, 2.4 years) revealed hypertension to be cured in one patient (6%), and improved in 16 patients (94%). Pulmonary edema occurred in one patient during late follow-up. Late follow-up showed renal function (mean creatinine, 1.7 mg/dl) to be improved in 77%, stable in 12%, and worse in two patients; one required dialysis. A single episode of pulmonary edema in a patient with poorly controlled hypertension and renal insufficiency should prompt consideration of this clinical syndrome and early diagnostic angiography.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Acquired cystic disease of the kidneys and renal cell carcinoma in chronic renal insufficiency without dialysis treatment

We report 3 cases of acquired cystic disease of the kidneys with associated renal carcinoma in 2 of the cases. In all 3 cases, the patients had chronic renal insufficiency due to hypertension but had never required dialysis. Review of 176 reported cases of acquired cystic disease of the kidneys and renal tumors disclosed that 18 patients (including 1 previously reported by us) had never received dialysis treatment. These cases support the hypothesis that acquired cystic disease of the kidney is not restricted to patients treated with maintenance dialysis. Among the 18 patients, hypertension was the most common underlying cause of renal failure. Patients with chronic renal failure due to or associated with severe hypertension should be monitored carefully for the development of both renal cysts and tumors even though they have not started on chronic dialysis.     

Management of ischemic nephropathy: dialysis-free survival after surgical repair

PURPOSE: This retrospective review describes the surgical management of consecutive patients with severe hypertension and ischemic nephropathy due to atherosclerotic renovascular disease. METHODS: From January 1987 through December 1998, a total of 590 patients underwent operative renal artery repair at our center. A subgroup of 232 hypertensive patients (97 women, 135 men; mean age, 66 +/- 8 years) with atherosclerotic renovascular disease and preoperative serum creatinine levels of 1.8 mg/dL or more forms the basis of this report. Change in renal function was determined from glomerular filtration rates estimated from preoperative and postoperative serum creatinine. The influence of selected preoperative parameters and renal function response on time to dialysis and dialysis-free survival was determined by a proportional hazards regression model. RESULTS: In all, 83 patients underwent unilateral renal artery repair and 149 patients underwent bilateral repair, including repair to a solitary kidney in 17 cases. A total of 332 renal arteries were reconstructed, and 32 nephrectomies were performed in these patients. After surgery, there were 17 deaths (7.3%) in the hospital or within 30 days of surgery. Advanced patient age (P =.001; hazard ratio, 1.1; 95% CI [1.1, 1.2]) and congestive heart failure (P =.04; hazard ratio, 2.9 CI [1.0, 8.6]) demonstrated significant and independent associations with perioperative mortality. With a change of 20% or more in EGFR being considered significant, 58% of patients had improved renal function, including 27 patients removed from dialysis dependence; function was unchanged in 35% and worsened in 7%. Follow-up death from all causes or progression to dialysis dependence demonstrated a significant and independent association with early renal function response. Both patients whose function was unchanged (P =.005; hazard ratio, 6.0; CI [2.2, 16.6]) and patients whose function was worsened (P =.03; hazard ratio, 2.2; CI [1.1, 4. 5]) remained at increased risk of death or dialysis dependence. For patients with unchanged renal function after operation, risk of death or dialysis demonstrated a significant interaction with preoperative renal function. In addition to severe preoperative renal dysfunction, diabetes mellitus demonstrated a significant and independent association with follow-up death or dialysis. CONCLUSION: Surgical correction of atherosclerotic renovascular disease can retrieve excretory renal function in selected hypertensive patients with ischemic nephropathy. Patients with improved renal function had a significant and independent increase in dialysis-free survival in comparison with patients whose function was unchanged and patients whose function was worsened after operation. These results add further evidence in support of a prospective, randomized trial designed to define the value of renal artery intervention in patients with ischemic nephropathy.     

Management of renovascular hypertension in the elderly population

This article summarizes our experience with the operative management of renovascular hypertension in a contemporary population of elderly patients. During a recent 18-month period 35 of 74 patients (47%) undergoing an operation for renovascular hypertension at our center were in their seventh (21 patients) or eighth (14 patients) decade of life (mean age, 68 years). There were 17 men and 18 women with blood pressures ranging from 176/90 mm Hg to 280/215 mm Hg (mean, 213/121 mm Hg). Twenty-seven patients (77%) had renal insufficiency (serum creatinine greater than or equal to 1.3 mg/dl). Nineteen patients had severe insufficiency (serum creatinine greater than or equal to 2.0 mg/dl), with five of these patients being dependent on dialysis. Thirty-three of 35 patients (94%) had evidence of organ-specific atherosclerotic damage as manifested by cardiac disease (72%), cerebrovascular disease (37%), or renal insufficiency (77%). Operative management consisted of unilateral revascularization in 17 patients (includes three contralateral nephrectomies), bilateral renal revascularization in 17 patients, and primary nephrectomy in one. Simultaneous aortic replacement was performed in nine patients. There were two operative deaths (5.7%) and two postoperative graft thromboses (4%). Hypertension was cured (three) or improved (27) in 30 of the 33 survivors (91%). Renal function was improved in six and worsened in two patients with severe non-dialysis-dependent renal insufficiency. Three of five patients who were dependent on dialysis before surgery were removed from dialysis after renal revascularization. On follow-up (mean, 10.3 months) we found that five patients had died. This article emphasizes the complexity of atherosclerosis in the current population presenting for operative management of renovascular hypertension.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Surgical management of atherosclerotic renovascular disease

OBJECTIVE: This review describes the clinical outcome of surgical intervention for atherosclerotic renovascular disease in 500 consecutive patients with hypertension. METHODS: From January 1987 to December 1999, 626 patients underwent operative renal artery (RA) repair at our center. A subgroup of 500 patients (254 women and 246 men; mean age, 65 plus minus 9 years) with hypertension (mean blood pressure, 200 plus minus 35/104 plus minus 21 mm Hg) and atherosclerotic RA disease forms the basis of this report. Hypertension response was determined from preoperative and postoperative blood pressure measurements and medication requirements. Change in renal function was determined with estimated glomerular filtration rates (EGFRs) calculated from serum creatinine levels. Proportional hazards regression models were used for the examination of associations between selected preoperative parameters, blood pressure and renal function response, and eventual dialysis-dependence or death. RESULTS: Two hundred three patients underwent unilateral RA procedures, 297 underwent bilateral RA procedures, and 205 patients underwent combined renal and aortic reconstruction. After surgery, there were 23 deaths (4.6%) in the hospital or within 30 days of surgery. Significant and independent predictors of perioperative death included advanced age (P <.0001; hazard ratio [HR], 3.23; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.85 to 5.70) and clinical congestive heart failure (P =.013; HR, 3.05; 95% CI, 1.26 to 7.34). Among the patients who survived surgery, hypertension was considered cured in 12%, improved in 73%, and unchanged in 15%. For the entire group, renal function increased significantly after operation (preoperative versus postoperative mean EGFR, 41.1 plus minus 23.9 versus 48.2 plus minus 25.5 mL/min/m(2); P <.0001). For individual patients, with a 20% or more change in EGFR considered significant, 43% had improved renal function (including 28 patients who were removed from dialysis-dependence), 47% had unchanged function, and 10% had worsened function. Preoperative renal insufficiency (P <.001; HR, 2.35; 95% CI, 1.86 to 2.98), diabetes mellitus (P =.007; HR, 2.14; 95% CI, 1.15 to 3.97), prior stroke (P =.042; HR, 1.50; 95% CI, 1.02 to 2.22), and severe aortic occlusive disease (P =.003; HR, 1.69; 95% CI, 1.19 to 2.31) showed significant and independent associations with death or dialysis during the follow-up examination period. After operation, blood pressure cured (P =.014; HR, 0.52; 95% CI, 0.30 to 0.88) and improved renal function (P =.011; HR, 0.40; 95% CI, 0.19 to 0.81) showed significant and independent associations with improved dialysis-free survival rate. All categories of function response and time to death or dialysis showed significant interactions with preoperative EGFR. CONCLUSION: The surgical correction of atherosclerotic renovascular disease resulted in blood pressure benefit and retrieval of renal function in selected patients with hypertension. The patients with cured hypertension or improved EGFR after operation showed increased dialysis-free survival as compared with other patients who underwent surgery.     

Granulocyte adherence in uremia and hemodialysis.

To evaluate granulocyte function in uremia and hemodialysis we studied granulocyte adherence, an important step in chemotaxis. Our studies demonstrate that patients with severe impairment in renal function had normal granulocyte adherence (72.1 +/- 21 vs. 72.9 +/- 14% controls) while patients with end stage renal disease undergoing hemodialysis (45 +/- 30%) had significant impairment (p less than 0.001). Adherence worsened during dialysis (p less than 0.001) but returned towards the abnormal baseline values at the end of the procedure. There was a significant correlation between adherence and potassium (r=0.77; p less than 0.05) and adherence and sodium-potassium ratio (r=-0.78; p less than 0.05) before and after dialysis. Other factors such as changes in creatinine, urea nitrogen, osmolality, calcium, phosphorus or (H+) did not correlate with adherence. It is concluded that the abnormality in adherence is not the result of the basic disease process but a consequence of dialysis.     

Combined coronary artery bypass grafting and bilateral renal revascularization for unstable angina and impeding renal failure

The purpose of our article is to describe a patient with severe hypertension and moderate renal insufficiency, unstable angina, and a 6 cm abdominal aortic aneurysm. A previous aortogram had demonstrated severe bilateral renal artery stenoses. Cardiac catheterization demonstrated severe coronary disease. After cardiac catheterization acute renal failure and pulmonary edema requiring dialysis developed in the patient. In addition, evidence of impending myocardial necrosis developed. Because of the critical nature of the myocardial and renal ischemia it was necessary to perform combined myocardial and renal revascularization rather than staged procedures. At the time of coronary artery bypass grafting, a vein graft was anastomosed to the right coronary artery vein graft and tunneled through the diaphragm into the abdomen to revascularize both renal arteries. After surgery renal function gradually improved, and no further dialysis was required. The abdominal aortic aneurysm was repaired at a subsequent operation. At 2-year follow-up all grafts remained patent. The serum creatinine is 1.2 mg/dl. Although most patients with combined coronary artery disease and renal artery disease can be treated with staged operations, our procedure may be of value in patients in whom staged procedure are not feasible and in whom the infrarenal aorta is severely diseased or aneurysmal.     

Renal function at hospital admission as a prognostic factor in adult hemolytic uremic syndrome. The Italian Registry of Haemolytic Uremic Syndrome.

The clinical records of adult patients with a diagnosis of hemolytic uremic syndrome were retrospectively reviewed with the aim of evaluating the long-term outcome of renal function. The setting is the Italian Registry of Haemolytic Uraemic Syndrome, with which 13 Nephrology Centers have participated. Clinical and laboratory data of 43 patients with hemolytic uremic syndrome were evaluated. The mean age at onset was 34.3 +/- 18.3 yr. Men and women were equally affected. No seasonal trend in presentation was observed. In 20 patients, hemolytic uremic syndrome was primitive, whereas in 23, it was associated with another disease (cancer, preeclampsia, malignant hypertension, vasculitides). Gastrointestinal symptoms were the most frequently observed prodromes. Thirty (70%) patients required dialysis during the acute phase of the disease. Six patients died during the acute phase of the disease, and one died later after discharge (overall mortality, 16%). After 1 yr of follow-up, 11 (26%) patients had recovered a normal renal function, 14 (33%) had hypertension and/or renal insufficiency, and 11 (26%) were on regular dialysis. When prognostic factors of survival and recovery of renal function were considered, it was found that older age was associated with higher mortality in the acute phase, whereas severe renal involvement at the onset of the disease (as expressed by elevated serum creatinine) was associated with a long-term unfavorable prognosis.     

Simultaneous aortic and renal artery reconstruction

Nine patients presenting with combined aortic and renal artery disease underwent simultaneous infrarenal aortic reconstruction and renal revascularization. Seven patients had aneurysmal and two had occlusive aortic disease in association with unilateral (four cases) or bilateral (five cases) atheromatous renal artery stenosis. The indications for renal revascularization were hypertension (n = 8) refractory to medical treatment or associated with renal functional impairment and chronic renal failure alone (n = 1). Five patients developed postoperative complications with one fatality. Eight patients were followed up for between 7 months and 4 years. Control of blood pressure had improved in six of seven hypertensive patients. Serum creatinine levels were stabilized or had fallen in five patients. Simultaneous aortic and renal artery reconstruction is widely recognized as having a high postoperative morbidity rate but can improve control of hypertension and stabilize renal function in carefully selected patients.     

Reducing cardiovascular morbidity and mortality from hypertension in end-stage renal disease

Hypertension typically worsens with declining renal function, and is an almost universal feature of end-stage renal disease. Treating hypertension clearly reduces the likelihood of cardiovascular disease in nonrenal populations, with greater absolute benefit in those who have greater severity of underlying cardiovascular disease. Patients with chronic renal diseases are at enormous cardiovascular risk. Although our approach to hypertension in patients with early renal insufficiency has become more aggressive, the rationale has switched over the past decade from cardiovascular risk reduction to slowing the loss of renal function. Reliance on observational studies, especially using mortality as the outcome, has not allowed a consistent, rational approach to the treatment of hypertension in dialysis patients.     

Cardiac troponin levels in asymptomatic patients on the renal transplant waiting list

AIMS: Cardiac troponin levels predict mortality and cardiovascular events in asymptomatic patients receiving dialysis and may be a useful clinical tool to stratify high-risk asymptomatic individuals. METHODS: The present study examined levels of troponins I (cTnI) and T (cTnT) in patients with chronic renal impairment, patients receiving dialysis and renal transplant recipients. Patients receiving dialysis on the renal transplant waiting list were compared with those excluded from the list based on medical criteria. Median levels were compared using the Kruskal-Wallis test and proportions compared by chi-squared. RESULTS: Median troponin levels were higher in patients on dialysis than transplant recipients. Comparing patients receiving dialysis not listed compared with those listed for renal transplant, median cTnI levels were significantly higher (0.03 versus 0.02 microg/L, P < 0.01) whereas median cTnT levels were not. Patients listed for transplantation were younger, had less clinical cardiovascular disease and lower C-reactive protein than those awaiting renal transplantation. The proportion of patients with elevated cTnT was not substantially different between patients awaiting renal transplantation (38%) and those excluded (52%). Levels of cTnI and cTnT were inversely related to renal function in predialysis and transplant patients, but were not related to time on dialysis for those receiving dialysis therapy. CONCLUSION: As patients awaiting renal transplantation are clinically screened for cardiovascular disease but have frequently elevated cardiac troponin levels, troponin may be a useful clinical tool to identify high-risk asymptomatic patients on dialysis prior to renal transplantation. The influence of renal function on the interpretation of cardiac troponin and risk prediction requires further evaluation.     

Renal Micropolyarteritis: A Treatable Condition

A 10-year retrospective study of 36 patients is presented; thepatients comprised 27 with renal micropolyarteritis nodosa (microPAN)and nine with Wegener's granulomatosis. At presentation, 29patients had significant renal impairment (creatinine>150µmol/l), with 18 requiring dialysis at some time duringtheir illness. Eighteen patients showed rapid recovery of renalfunction, a further two with apparently chronic renal failurerecovered renal function after 4 months dialysis and continuedimmunosuppression. Seven patients required chronic dialysis.No benefit was shown for any particular immunosuppressive regime,with three patients recovering renal function (two initiallyon dialysis) without any immunosuppression. Prognosis was betterthan in previous published series, especially considering theelderly population (mean 52.9 years), with an 80% 1-year anda 64% 5-year survival.     

Platelet function in dialyzed and non-dialyzed patients with chronic renal failure.

Platelet function studies were performed on healthy volunteers, patients with stable chronic renal failure, hospital dialysis patients and home dialysis patients. In the non-dialyzed patients with chronic renal failure, there was inverse exponential relationship between serum creatinine and platelet adhesiveness indicating progressive impairment of platelet adhesiveness with creatinines in excess of 6 mg/100 ml. In the dialysis population there was an inverse linear relationship between platelet adhesiveness and pre-dialysis creatinine values. Platelet aggregation by ADP was normal in chronic renal failure patients with serum creatinines less than 6 mg/100 ml but was impaired in others. Both groups of dialysis patients also had impaired platelet aggregation but improvement appears obtainable by home dialysis. The results suggest that in chronic renal failure, platelet function is normal until serum creatinine exceeds 6 mg/100 ml and thereafter progressively deteriorates. Improvement is not obtained by 12 m2 hours of hospital dialysis but is by 18 m2 hours per week of home dialysis. Platelet function studies may be of value in assessing the adequacy of dialysis.     

Changing patterns in surgery for chronic renal artery occlusive diseases.

We report 66 patients undergoing 69 operations for chronic renal artery occlusive diseases operated on at two institutions between January 1985 and June 1990. Etiology was atherosclerosis in 59 patients (90%); fibromuscular disease in four (6%), and three children with nonfibromuscular disease stenosis (4%). Atherosclerosis was local in 10 and generalized in 49 (83% of all patients). Fifty operations (72%) were for salvage of renal function. Average serum creatinine was 2.3 mg/dl and was elevated in 46 patients (70%). Donor arteries for reconstruction were aorta 20 (29%), aortic graft 16 (23%), and other abdominal arteries 33 (48%). Twenty-one patients had concomitant vascular procedures including 16 aortic replacements. The two operative deaths (3%) followed aortic replacements. Three grafts (4%) occluded before discharge from the hospital. Eighty-six percent of patients undergoing renal salvage avoided long-term dialysis. In past decades fibromuscular disease and localized atherosclerosis were the most frequent renal artery occlusive diseases undergoing surgery, hypertension was the predominant indication, and the most frequent operation was aortorenal bypass. As a result of improved pharmacologic management of hypertension and the development of percutaneous transluminal dilation, most patients in this series had far advanced generalized atherosclerosis, and renal salvage was the most frequent indication for operation. As a consequence of the severity of the atherosclerosis, 48% of operations avoided the aorta, 23% replaced the aorta, and aortorenal bypass was used in only 29%.     

Concomitant renal revascularization in patients undergoing aortic surgery

Sixty-three patients who underwent renal revascularization at the time of aortic surgery were retrospectively reviewed. These patients had significant renal artery stenosis in addition to either severe aortoiliac occlusive disease or aortic aneurysmal disease. Fifty-eight patients were hypertensive, whereas five patients were normotensive and these renal lesions were treated prophylactically. The operative mortality rate was 3%. Despite lack of selectivity in these patients with diffuse atherosclerosis, 60% (35 of 58) of the patients with hypertension could be classified as either "cured" or "improved." Patients with bilateral renal artery involvement and moderate azotemia were noted to improve with respect to renal function postoperatively. No patient has required chronic dialysis at a mean follow-up period of 22.6 months. Simultaneous aortic and renal artery surgery may be performed with low morbidity and mortality rates and produce a gratifying improvement in hypertension. Renal functional improvement and perhaps preservation of renal mass may be anticipated in selected patients.     

Captopril treatment of hypertension and renal failure in systemic lupus erythematosus

Captopril, an angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor, was used to treat 14 patients with lupus nephritis and severe hypertension. All patients had reduced renal function and were on regular immunosuppressive therapy with corticosteroids and azathioprine. The initial dosage of captopril was reduced according to the level of renal impairment. 11 patients were treated for more than 6 months. Excellent blood pressure control was achieved with captopril, from a mean of 178 +/- 7/110 +/- 4 to 145 +/- 5/92 +/- 3 mm Hg at 6 months, usually in combination with a diuretic only. In 5 cases, a beta-blocker was added. In 3 patients, captopril therapy was discontinued within the 1st month of treatment. 1 patient did not respond to captopril at all; 1 patient had a rejection crisis and required dialysis; in 1 case, a general exanthema developed within 3 weeks and captopril medication was stopped. In addition to blood pressure control, renal function improved in 7 of the long-term-treated patients (mean increase in glomerular filtration rate 73 +/- 34%). In 3 patients, a continued slow deterioration renal function occurred, and in 1 patient, renal function remained unchanged. It is concluded that captopril is an effective antihypertensive drug in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Captopril treatment increased renal function in 64% of patients on long-term therapy. Not only optimal blood pressure control but other factors may also contribute to this beneficial effect, such as drug-induced prostaglandin release potentiating immunosuppressive treatment. Captopril may in fact be the drug of choice for the treatment of SLE patients with severe hypertension.     

Clinical features and influence factors of pregnancy-induced hypertension with renal impairment at high altitude

Objective To investigate the incidence and clinical features of women with hypertension disorders of pregnancy complicated with renal impairment at high altitude, and explore the impact of proteinuria, renal insufficiency and preexisting chronic kidney disease (CKD) on these patients. Methods A pool of 1790 pregnant women admitted to Yunnan Diqing Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture People's Hospital from September 2017 to September 2018. Data of 123 patients who met the criteria of hypertension disorders in pregnancy were collected and retrospectively studied. Their clinical characteristics and pregnancy outcomes were analyzed. Patients with hypertension and renal impairment, simple hypertension patients as well as normal pregnant women were compared. Hypertensive patients with proteinuria, renal insufficiency (Scr＞70 μmol/L) and preexisting CKD were also compared with simple hypertension patients. The impact of proteinuria, renal insufficiency and preexisting CKD on patients with hypertension disorders of pregnancy was assessed by multivariate logistic analysis. Results Of these 123 patients, 61 cases (49.6%) had renal impairment, 57 cases (46.3%) had proteinuria, 15 cases (12.2%) had renal insufficiency and 6 cases (4.9%) had preexisting CKD. Compared with normal pregnant women and simple hypertension patients, patients with hypertension and renal impairment had higher blood pressure, Scr, primipara rate and caesarean section rate (all P＜0.05), lower gestational age, neonatal Apgar scores and plasma albumin level (all P＜0.05), as well as adverse pregnancy outcomes, including premature birth, stillbirth/neonatal death, intrauterine growth restriction, infants of low-birth weight and admission to the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) (all P＜0.05). The clinical features and pregnancy outcomes of 57 patients with proteinuria correlated with the proteinuria. Compared with non-nephrotic syndrome patients and patients without proteinuria, patients with nephrotic syndrome (NS) had lower plasma albumin level and higher rates of premature birth, infants of low-birth weight and admission to NICU (all P＜0.05). Among 15 patients with renal insufficiency, there were 13 mild abnormal cases (70 μmol/L＜Scr≤123 μmol/L, 86.7%). Compared with those with normal renal function, patients with renal insufficiency had higher Scr, uric acid and rates of preeclampsia/eclampsia, intrauterine growth restriction, infants of low-birth weight and admission to NICU, while lower plasma albumin level (all P＜0.05). Among 6 patients with preexisting CKD, 4 had NS, 2 had renal insufficiency, 5 delivered before 37 weeks, and 2 infants died. Logistic regression analysis showed that NS (OR=4.863, P=0.032), renal insufficiency (OR=7.550, P=0.017) and systolic pressure (OR=1.061, P=0.002) were independent risk factors for adverse pregnancy outcomes among patients with hypertension disorders in pregnancy. Conclusions Renal impairment is common among patients with hypertension disorders in pregnancy at high altitude and has adverse effects on pregnancy outcomes. Massive proteinuria, renal insufficiency and systolic pressure are risk factors for these patients.     

Apolipoprotein E4 reduces risk of diabetic nephropathy in patients with NIDDM

Hypercholesterolemia is a major determinant of the decline of renal function in patients with diabetes. Apolipoprotein E polymorphism may influence the metabolism of lipoprotein in diabetic patients. The purpose of this study was to investigate the association between genetic polymorphisms in apolipoprotein E and the progression of diabetic nephropathy in patients with non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus over a 10-year period (13 to 37 years; median, 20 years). Subjects with a stable renal function without overt proteinuria had a higher cholesterol level, lower incidences of hypertension and proliferative diabetic retinopathy, and a higher frequency of the E4 allele than subjects with a decline in renal function (end-stage renal failure requiring dialysis treatment). In the diabetic patients, the apolipoprotein E4 carriers had a higher cholesterol level than did the noncarriers. The survival rate from renal disease in the apolipoprotein E4 carriers was higher than in the noncarriers among the diabetic patients. Apolipoprotein E polymorphism and hypertension were identified as independent risk factors for the progression to renal failure. Results indicate that apolipoprotein E polymorphism is associated with the progression of diabetic nephropathy. Presence of the apolipoprotein E4 allele is a protective factor, and other alleles are risk factors.     

Is embolic protection during renal artery intervention really necessary?

Atherosclerotic renovascular disease is an increasingly recognized cause of both renal function impairment and hypertension, and its presence is associated with increased cardiovascular mortality and dialysis dependence. Although surgical renal revascularization is associated with the most favorable reported renal function outcomes, the significant perioperative mortality and complication rates have resulted in a shift to renal artery percutaneous transluminal angioplasty and stenting (RA-PTAS) as the most frequently performed method of revascularization. Renal function outcomes following RA-PTAS are less favorable, with patients experiencing functional improvement and deterioration with approximately equal frequency in reported series. Distal atheroembolization is thought to occur during RA-PTAS and has been suggested as a potential cause of the disparate renal function outcomes. Distal embolic protection devices primarily used and evaluated in the coronary and cerebrovascular circulations have also been successfully employed during RA-PTAS. Initial clinical results following RA-PTAS with distal embolic protection have been promising, with high rates of technical success, renal function outcomes that approximate those reported with open surgical revascularization, and maintenance of relatively low death and complication rates. Further investigation with controlled comparison groups is warranted before routine use of distal embolic protection can be uniformly endorsed.     

Comparison of short and long-term renal function in liver transplant patients receiving cyclosporin or FK 506

Abstract Long-term renal function was compared in 49 liver recipients [25 patients received cyclosporin (CyA) and 24 patients received FK 5061 followed for a period of 1 year. Creatinine (CR) and glome-rular filtration rate (GFR) pre-transplantation (pre-Tx) and at 1, 3, 5, and 12 months post-Tx were recorded, as well as incidences of hyperkalemia, post-Tx hypertension, and insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM) in the two groups. At 1 year post-Tx, the mean Cr had risen from baseline by 56% and 60% in the FK and CyA groups, respectively; the mean GFR had dropped by 32% in FK patients and by 27 % in CyA patients. Acute nephrotoxicity occurred in 1/25 CyA patients (217 required dialysis) and 9/26 FK patients (7/9 required dialysis; 211 were switched to CyA). None remained on dialysis at 3 months. Renal insufficiency persisted at 1 year in 7/16 patients with early toxicity (CyA, 4; FK, 3) and in 3 of the remaining 36 pts ( P < 0.001). Hyperkalemia occurred in 4/25 CyA, and in 12/24 FK patients ( P < 0.025), post-Tx hypertension occurred in 15 CyA, and 7 FK patients ( P < 0.05), and IDDM occurred in 4 CyA and 7 FK patients ( P = ns). FK 506 and CyA, thus, exerted similar chronic renal effects. Although acute renal insufficiency improved upon dose reduction, renal impairment was permanent in some cases.