Short-term indomethacin administration does not impair excretion of acute potassium load in humans

Maintenance treatment with prostaglandin synthesis inhibitors often causes some degree of hyperkalemia, indicating impaired potassium (K) excretion. Hypoaldosteronism probably is a mediating factor, but it is unknown whether these drugs also impair renal K excretion directly. Indomethacin, for example, stimulates NaCl reabsorption in Henle's loop, and thus may impair K excretion by decreasing distal NaCl delivery. We therefore studied the effect of 1 day administration of indomethacin (50 mg tid) on the excretion of a single oral KCl (1 mmol kg-1 body weight) in six healthy volunteers taking a 40 mmol sodium diet. To allow analysis of renal sodium handling, clearance studies were performed during water loading. In this acute setting, indomethacin had no effect on plasma K, and did not decrease plasma aldosterone. However, indomethacin clearly reduced NaCl excretion. Nonetheless, the excretion of the K load was entirely normal. Excretion of the K load was accompanied by increased clearance of phosphate and uric acid, and natriuresis. Data derived from the maximal free water clearance were compatible with increased delivery to and decreased reabsorption from the diluting segment. Occurrence of these effects was not prevented by indomethacin, although overall NaCl excretion remained less than observed without indomethacin. Indomethacin reduced prostaglandin E2 excretion substantially. Apparently, in normal man indomethacin does not impair K excretion directly, even though it greatly reduces NaCl excretion. Moreover, the effects of K on renal NaCl handling, probably contributing to the excretion of a K load, are not dependent on renal prostaglandins.     

急性肾功能衰竭136例分析

对136例急性肾功能衰竭患者的病因、透析率及死亡原因等进行分析。病因中以急性中毒占首位(20.59％),次为严重感染(19.12%),严重创伤(15.44%)。64例接受血液透析,29例接受腹膜透析,透析率达68.38%。本组死亡率为43.38%,透析组死亡率36.76%。,非透析组死亡率79.07%,两组有显著差异(P<0.01)。结合文献进行讨论,提出了防治建议。     

三峡库区涪陵段1964至1993年肾综合征出血热的流行趋势

本文对三峡库区涪陵段1964～1993年肾综合征出血热（HFRS）的流行趋势作了某些分析，旨在兴建、开发三峡库区时为防治本病提供一定的依据。30年中发病乡（镇）的扩大与发现，以1964～1969年较为突出，占累计发病乡（镇）总数的27.59%，在嗣后的24年（1970～1993年）间仍以平均每年3.8个疫区的新发现渐进式扩大，可见三峡库区涪陵段HFRS疫区的发现与扩大仍未结束；发病率在80年代（6.58／10万）急剧上升，较60年代（3.53／10万）和70年代（2.51／10万）发病总数高1.83倍，90年代的发病率（1O.54／10万）较前26年上升57.49%；病例围绕高、中发疫区向心性集中，流行强度则离心性递减；在涪陵段的长江南岸、乌江北岸以集簇性暴发为主，长江北岸、乌江南岸为散在发病；呈5～7月（占27.03%）、10～12月（占45.79%）“双峰”型季节性发病高峰，1～4、8、9月份为非流行季节，其病例占总发病数的27.17%；每5～7年出现l次周期性发病高峰，高峰年的发病率与该地区整体发病率一致，似呈上升趋势；68.76％的病人集中在20～49岁人群，农民发病占83.35%，男女之比为2.5:1。疫区及疫源地以野鼠型为主，混合型次之，家鼠型也存在。     

Infantile chronic tubulo-interstitial nephritis with cortical microcysts: variant of nephronophthisis or new disease entity?

Over a 15-year period we observed seven children (four girls, three boys) who presented within the first months of life with severe renal failure and acidosis, associated with hypertension in five patients and polyuria in four. In addition, one patient had a severe cholestatic liver disease. In two families, a similarly affected sibling had died previously. Four patients were referred with the clinical diagnosis of polycystic kidney disease because of moderate enlargement of kidneys, but renal imaging (intravenous pyelography and ultrasonography) did not confirm this diagnosis. A renal biopsy, performed in all patients, showed similar features characterized by a diffuse chronic tubulo-interstitial nephritis (TIN) and particularly by the presence of microcystic dilatation of proximal tubules and Bowman's space. Liver pathology was normal in two patients, including one with hepatomegaly. However, in the patient with cholestasis there was inflammatory portal fibrosis with mild duct proliferation. Progression of the renal disease was extremely rapid and all patients reached end-stage renal failure (ESRF) before the age of 2 years (11–22 months). Two children had successful renal transplants. Although this chronic TIN shares some features with nephronophthisis, we suggest that it represents a distinct entity both on clinical and morphological grounds. The specific clinical features of this disease are its early onset and rapid progression to ESRF. Pathologically, it differs from nephronophthisis by the absence of medullary cysts and thickened tubular basement membranes and by the presence of cortical microcysts.     

利福平引起的急性肾功能衰竭及其机制研究(3例报告及文献复习)

目的：探讨利福平致急性肾功能衰竭的临床病理特点及其发病机制。方法：对3例因利福平所致的急性肾衰竭患者的临床、肾脏病理进行分析，并采用抗人球蛋白试验方法检测患者的抗利福平抗体。结果：3例患者均有前驱感染史，临床主要表现为发热、胃肠道症状，随即出现无尿，伴随肾功能损害、血小板减低及溶血性贫血，部分伴有肝功能损害。肾活检3例均为急性肾小管坏死。3例的血清抗利福平抗体检测均为阳性。结论：利福平可引起急性肾衰竭，对应用利福平的患者应加强对肾功能的监测，肾脏病理及血清抗利福平抗体的检测有助于确诊。     

Species- and sex-specific variations in binding of ochratoxin A by renal proteins in vitro

The mycotoxin ochratoxin A (OTA) is a potent renal carcinogen in rodents and induces renal fibrosis in pigs. Furthermore, OTA has been associated with the development of renal tumors and nephropathies in humans. Large species- and sex-differences are observed in sensitivity toward OTA-mediated toxicity and carcinogenicity, yet neither the mechanism(s) resulting in OTA toxicity nor the reasons for the observed species- and sex-specificities are known. This paper investigated variations in OTA handling viz binding to renal proteins which could possibly explain the observed differences in OTA susceptibility in vivo and in vitro. The results obtained via a modification of a standard receptor-binding assay demonstrated the presence of at least one homogeneous binding component in renal cortical homogenates from pig, mouse, rat and humans. This component was shown to bind OTA in a specific and saturable manner. A range of compounds selected for their affinity for steroid receptors and/or for various known organic anion transporters were employed in a competition assay to answer the question whether this homogenous OTA binding component represents a steroid-like receptor component or one of the known organic anion transporters of the kidney. Although many of the compounds were able to compete with OTA for protein-binding, the competition patterns displayed a distinct species specificity and did not correspond to the competition patterns associated with presently known organic anion transporters of the kidney in the mouse, rat or human. The data thus suggests the presence of a new organic anion transporter or more likely, a cytosolic binding component of unknown function with high affinity and capacity for OTA binding in humans, rats, mice and possibly pigs.     

Improved Scoring System to Assess Adult Donors For Cadaver Renal Transplantation

We previously proposed a quantitative approach to assess donor organs for cadaver renal transplantation. To improve on our original scoring system, we studied 34 324 patients who received cadaver renal transplants from adult donors between 1994 and 1999 and were reported to the UNOS Scientific Renal Transplant Registry. A scoring system was developed from five donor variables (age, 0-25 points; history of hypertension, 0-4; creatinine clearance before procurement, 0-4; cause of death, 0-3; HLA mismatch, 0-3) that showed a significant correlation with renal function and long-term graft survival. Cadaver kidneys were stratified by cumulative donor score: grade A, 0-9 points; grade B, 10-19; grade C, 20-29; and grade D, 30-39. The influence of donor score on renal function and graft survival was most severe above 20 points, designated 'marginal' kidneys. In summary, a donor scoring system developed from a large population database was useful in predicting outcome after cadaver renal transplantation. The improved system provides a quantitative approach to evaluation of marginal kidneys and may improve allocation of these organs in cadaver renal transplantation.     

Analgesic nephropathy in Hungary: the HANS study.

BACKGROUND: The diagnosis of analgesic nephropathy has improved significantly with modern imaging techniques. We reviewed a large portion of the Hungarian dialysis population to obtain additional insight into the problem. METHODS: Twenty-two participating dialysis units enrolled 1400 patients on renal replacement therapy between 1 January 1995 and 1 January 1998. Patients with no known aetiology (n = 284) were interviewed and studied with renal imaging. We assessed the presence of decreased renal mass combined with either bumpy contours, papillary calcification, or both. The subjects studied were interrogated extensively. RESULTS: Our survey suggested analgesic nephropathy in 47 of 1400 patients (3.3%), 3-fold higher than the EDTA database estimate for Hungary. The analgesics most commonly abused were phenacetin-containing mixtures. The driving symptoms were mainly headache and joint pain. Cardiovascular complications were more common than in the rest of the dialysis population, independent of smoking and lipid values (P<0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Phenacetin should be banned. Our study results support the need for longitudinal cohort and case-control studies in Hungary.     

Natural history of parathyroid function and calcium metabolism after kidney transplantation: a single-centre study.

BACKGROUND: The natural history of parathyroid function after successful renal transplantation (RT) and the factors predisposing to persistent hyperparathyroidism (HPT) are not well established. A better knowledge of these data may be helpful in the development of algorithms for optimal surveillance and treatment of HPT after successful RT. Our aim was to evaluate the post-transplant natural history of parathyroid function and calcium metabolism in patients with a functional renal graft and to identify risk factors for persistent HPT. METHODS: Charts of 1165 allograft kidney recipients transplanted between 1989 and 2000 were reviewed. Patients with an intact parathyroid hormone (iPTH) level available at the time of transplantation were identified. The charts of the latter patients were checked for a variety of demographic and clinical data, and all determinations of the iPTH concentration available since transplantation were recorded. Serum levels of calcium, phosphorus, alkaline phosphatases and creatinine, concurrently determined, were also registered. RESULTS: After an initial fall, iPTH levels showed a slow but steady decline towards the upper normal limit. The prevalence of persistent HPT, defined as an iPTH level > or =2.5 times the upper normal limit or the need for parathyroidectomy following transplantation, remained stable at approximately 17% up to 4 years after transplantation. Patients with persistent HPT had significantly elevated serum levels of iPTH, calcium and phosphorus at the time of RT, and had spent a longer time on dialysis. Post-transplant iPTH levels correlated significantly with transplant kidney function. CONCLUSION: Kidney transplant recipients with a high iPTH and calcium x phosphate product at the time of transplantation are at risk for persistent HPT especially when renal function is suboptimal. Therapy for persistent HPT, if considered, should be initiated 3 months post-transplantation since further spontaneous improvement of parathyroid function thereafter is limited.     

Symptomatic renal metastasis 5 years after the management of a squamous cell carcinoma of the lung

A case of solitary renal metastasis five years after the management of a primary squamous cell carcinoma of the lung is presented.