重组人红细胞生成素治疗肾性贫血的临床分析

目的　观察重组人红细胞生成素 (RhEPO)对肾性贫血的治疗作用。方法　根据使用EPO剂量的不同将 39例慢性肾衰竭并血液透析病人分成 4组 ,观察治疗后 2、4、12个月时与治疗前 (0月 )相比红细胞数 (RBC)、红细胞比积 (Hct)及血红蛋白含量 (Hb)的变化。结果　 2 4例使用EPO10 0 - 15 0IU/ (kg·w) (6 0 0 0IU/w - 90 0 0IU/w) ,治疗后RBC、Hct、Hb较治疗前有显著升高 (P≤ 0 .0 0 1) ;5例使用EPO5 0IU/ (kg·w) (30 0 0IU/w) +间断输血患者 ,其RBC、Hct、Hb升高不显著 ;10例不用EPO而单纯输血患者 ,其RBC、Hct、Hb无明显变化 (P >0 .0 5 )。结论　EPO能较好地纠正肾性贫血 ;单纯输血不能治疗肾性贫血     

1 108例终末期肾脏疾病血液透析病人原发疾病构成及相关因素分析

目的 回顾性研究终末期肾脏疾病（end stage renal disease，ESRD）血液透析病人原发疾病构成及其相关因素。方法 收集ESRD血液透析病人1108例，分析其原发疾病构成、年龄、性别、透析治疗持续时间、转归、生存率和死亡原因。结果 301例病人透析时间超过3个月，其中43．9％仍在进行血液透析治疗，最长者已存活13年；13．0％病人已行肾脏移植；19．9％转至外院治疗；7．3％改为腹膜透析；1．3％因经济困难放弃治疗；14．6％病人死亡。ESRD维持性血液透析病人1年生存率为93．53％，3年生存率为68．92％。5年生存率62．51％。死亡原因为心血管事件占54．5％，脑血管意外占20．5％。结论 本组病人以中、老年为主，男性多见。ESRD血液透析病人主要原发疾病为慢性肾小球肾炎，主要死亡原因为心血管事件和脑血管意外。     

Accumulation of cyanide and thiocyanate in haemodialysis patients.

BACKGROUND: Cyanide is a toxic agent, and its detoxification product, thiocyanate, may be a major pathogenetic substance in uraemia. Recent studies examining the myeloperoxidase(MPO)/thiocyanate system have suggested a link between thiocyanate and atherosclerosis. However, inaccuracies in conventional assays for cyanide and thiocyanate have limited the understanding of their metabolism in haemodialysis (HD) patients. METHODS: We used high-performance liquid chromatography to measure cyanide in erythrocytes and thiocyanate in plasma in 43 HD patients and in a group of 46 healthy controls that included 15 current smokers. To clarify the metabolic conversion of cyanide to thiocyanate in uraemic patients, we also measured cysteine and sulfate. We then used stepwise regression analysis to analyse factors that determine erythrocyte cyanide and plasma thiocyanate. RESULTS: Mean cyanide and thiocyanate were significantly greater in HD patients than in non-smoking controls. However, cyanide was far below lethal concentrations in dialysis patients. Thiocyanate was six to seven times greater in HD patients than in non-smoking controls, and decreases in thiocyanate following dialysis were only 19.3+/-3.5%. Multiple regression analysis showed a positive correlation between cyanide and thiocyanate in controls, but a negative correlation in HD patients. In patients, an inverse relationship between thiocyanate and BUN was also observed. CONCLUSIONS: The elevation of thiocyanate in patients undergoing dialysis probably is secondary to both limited efficiency of HD and deranged metabolism of cyanide and thiocyanate. Because thiocyanate is a preferred substrate for MPO, it may play a role in uraemic complications including cardiovascular events.     

Comparison of histopathological characteristics of allograft biopsy between responder and non-responder to antiproteinuric effect of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor (ACEI)

Abstract:  Angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor (ACEI) has become recognized as agents that have renoprotective effects in the treatment of progressive renal diseases including post-transplant kidneys. Previously we demonstrated the safety and effectiveness of ACEI treatment on the hypertensive proteinuric post-transplant patients ( N  = 10) who had been followed up for 12 months. However, not all patients show good response in urinary protein reduction. We aimed to analyse the histopathological factor(s) affecting the responsiveness of proteinuria to ACEI treatment. Fourteen post-transplant patients with proteinuria who were treated with ACEI and underwent allograft biopsy were analysed. Eight patients showed 50% or more reduction in proteinuria (responder). The other 6 patients showed less (< 50%) reduction in proteinuria (non-responder). There was no difference in clinical characteristics (BP, renal function, donor age, recipient body mass index), dietary sodium or protein intake, and diuretic use between the two groups. As a histopathological characteristic, glomerular size in responder group was significantly larger than that in non-responder group. This suggests that the large glomerular size at least partly contributes to the responsiveness in urinary protein reduction to ACEI treatment in kidney allograft recipients with proteinuria.     

Nephrology and renal replacement therapy in Romania--transition still continues (Cinderella story revisited).

INTRODUCTION. This report describes the current status of nephrology and renal replacement therapy (RRT) in Romania, a country with previously limited facilities, highlighting national changes in the European context. METHODS: Trends in RRT development were analysed in 2003, on a national basis, using the same questionnaires as in previous surveys (1991, 1995). Survival data and prognostic risk factors were calculated retrospectively from a large representative sample of 2284 patients starting RRT between January 1, 1995 and December 31, 2001 (44% of the total RRT population investigated). RESULTS: In 2003, RRT incidence [128 per million population (p.m.p.)] and prevalence (250 p.m.p.) were six and five times higher, respectively, than in 1995. The annual rate of increase in the stock of RRT patients (11%) was supported mainly by an exponential development of the continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) population (+600%), while the haemodialysis (HD) growth rate was stable (+33%) and renal transplantation made a marginal contribution. Renal care infrastructure followed the same trend: nephrology departments (+100%) and nephrologists (+205%). The characteristics of RRT incident patients changed accordingly to current European epidemiology (increasing age and prevalence of diabetes and nephroangiosclerosis). The estimated overall survival of RRT patients in Romania was 90.6% at 1 year [confidence interval (CI) 89.4-91.8] and 62.2% at 5 years (CI 59.4-65.0). Patients' survival was negatively influenced (Cox regression analysis) by age >65 years (P < 0.001), lack of pre-dialysis monitoring by a nephrologist [P = 0.01, hazards ratio (HR) = 0.8], severe anaemia, lack of erythropoetin treatment (P < 0.001, HR = 0.6), and co-morbidity, e.g. cardiovascular diseases (P < 0.001, HR = 1.8) and diabetes mellitus (P < 0.001, HR = 2.2). CONCLUSIONS: Although the rate of increase in RRT patient stock in 1996-2003 in Romania was the highest in Europe, the prevalence remained below the European mean. As CAPD had the greatest expansion, followed by HD, an effective transplantation programme must be set up to overcome the imbalance. The quality of RRT appears to be good and survival was similar to that in other registries. Further evolution implies strategies of prevention, based on national surveys, supported by the Romanian Renal Registry.     

Clinicopathological study of vesicoureteral reflux (VUR)-associated pyelonephritis in renal transplantation

Abstract:  We retrospectively studied the occurrence of vesicoureteral reflux (VUR)-associated pyelonephritis using renal biopsies obtained from the transplanted kidneys, and correlated the histological changes with clinical parameters. Out of a total of 131 renal biopsies performed between 1990 and 2001 on renal transplant patients at the department of Urology of Nagasaki University Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, 12 patients showed pyuria more than twice in a single year. Seven of these 12 patients were available for determining VUR by voiding cystourethrography (VCUG). Cystoureterography demonstrated VUR in three of seven studied patients with pyuria. A histopathological examination revealed dilatation of both proximal and distal tubules in renal biopsies of transplant patients with VUR, compared to renal biopsies of transplant patients without VUR, or non-transplanted patients with thin membrane disease. One of the patients with VUR showed advanced features of chronic pyelonephritis in four consecutive biopsies at different time points, suggesting a late stage of reflux nephropathy in the transplanted kidney. We conclude from our study that the occurrence of VUR-related pyelonephritis may be one of the important long-term complications in the survival of renal allografts.     

经皮肾穿气压弹道碎石联合体外冲击波碎石治疗上尿路结石

目的 探讨提高上尿路结石碎石成功率的微创治疗方法。方法 采用经皮肾穿微造瘘输尿管镜气压弹道碎石，术中放置双J管，术后配合体外冲击波碎石术(ESWL)治疗上尿路结石48例。结果 结石总排净率为89．1％，结石最小排净率79．2％，无严重并发症发生。结论 该方法结石排净率高，创伤较小，手术并发症少，是上尿路结石较为理想的微创治疗方法。     

滤网式脑保护装置下颈动脉狭窄支架置入术的临床研究

目的探讨颈动脉支架置入术中滤网式脑保护装置的有效性及安全性。方法19例颈动脉狭窄患者在滤网脑保护装置下使用自膨胀支架行颈动脉支架置入术。观察脑栓塞的发生和所回收的过滤网。术后短期随访。结果19例滤网式脑保护装置下颈动脉支架置入术均成功实施,回收的过滤伞中8个发现组织碎片,无手术死亡及症状性脑梗塞并发症。临床短期随访无脑缺血发生。结论脑保护装置下支架置入术治疗颈动脉狭窄是安全和有效的。     

Early assessment of renal resistance index after kidney transplant can help predict long-term renal function.

BACKGROUND: Color Doppler ultrasonography of intrarenal arterial resistance index (RI), performed early after kidney transplant, has proven to reliably predict short-term allograft function. The aim of this study was to assess whether it could also predict long-term renal function. METHODS: We retrospectively analysed 76 kidney transplant patients who underwent RI assessment within 1 month after the transplant, subdivided into two groups according to RI values, lower (group A) or higher (group B) than its median value (0.635). RESULTS: Compared with group A subjects, the patients of group B were older at the time of transplant (42 +/- 9 vs 35 +/- 8 years; P = 0.001), the donor age was also older (41 +/- 16 vs 33 +/- 13 years; P = 0.02) and had a slightly higher proteinuria (0.54 +/- 0.5 vs 0.32 +/- 0.2 g/24 h; P = 0.02). Serum creatinine, ciclosporin or tacrolimus trough level, arterial blood pressure, number of human leukocyte antigen (HLA) mismatches, anti-hypertensive medications and incidence of delayed graft function were not significantly different between the two groups. By univariate analysis, RI turned out to directly correlate with the recipient age, donor age and daily proteinuria (P = 0.007, P = 0.0007 and P = 0.02, respectively). Multivariate analysis showed that only donor and recipient age maintained their independent predictive value on RI. Kaplan-Meier analysis, considering a serum creatinine increase >50% as the endpoint of the study, showed a statistically significant different graft survival in the two groups (log-rank test = 5.489; P = 0.01). The univariate relative risk of deterioration of graft function among patients with higher RI was 3.77. Proteinuria and recipient age increased the risk as well. CONCLUSIONS: Our data seem to suggest that early determination of RI can help predict long-term graft function in kidney transplant recipients.     

Lipoprotein (a) levels in those with high molecular weight apo (a) isoforms may remain low in a significant proportion of patients with end-stage renal disease.

BACKGROUND: Studies have reported an increase in median Lipoprotein (Lp) (a) in patients with high molecular weight (HMW) apolipoprotein (apo) (a) isoforms and renal impairment. Some studies identify Lp (a) levels as a risk factor for vascular disease in renal failure whilst others have demonstrated an association with apo (a) isoform type and vascular disease. METHODS: A total of 239 patients at end-stage renal failure (ESRF) were studied prior to the initiation of dialysis. Blood was taken for Lp (a) levels and apo (a) isoforms. Clinical vascular disease (CVD) was assessed on the basis of clinical history and Rose questionnaire. The control group for Lp (a) levels consisted of 228 healthy volunteers. RESULTS: Despite a higher median Lp (a) level in those with HMW isoforms, 30% of patients had Lp (a) levels <10 mg/dl. Overall, 49% patients were identified as having CVD. Diabetes, smoking history and Lp (a) levels were significantly associated with CVD in logistic regression analysis, although when patients with low molecular weight (LMW) and HMW isoforms were analysed separately, Lp (a) levels were not significantly associated with CVD in those with LMW isoforms. The rates of CVD in those with HMW isoform and low Lp (a) levels were significantly lower than those with HMW isoforms and elevated Lp (a) levels, 34 vs 57% (P < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Although median Lp (a) levels in those patients at ESRF with HMW isoforms are higher than controls, in a third of such patients Lp (a) levels remain relatively low. These patients have lower rates of CVD than those with high levels of Lp (a).