Increased procollagen III production in patients with kidney disease

Measurements of elevated procollagen III peptide (PIIIP) levels are used to monitor fibrosing activity in hepatic and various other diseases. Elevated PIIIP levels have also been reported in renal failure patients without such diseases. Therefore, the serum levels and renal clearance of PIIIP were investigated in 17 healthy volunteers and 100 patients with different types of acute (n = 15) and chronic (n = 85) kidney disease. PIIIP was measured by conventional and Fab radioimmunoassays. Median PIIIP levels in serum (18, range 5-55 ng/ml) and urine (34, range 1-110 micrograms/day) were significantly higher in kidney patients than serum (9, range 6-14 ng/ml) and urine levels (17, range 6-24 micrograms/day) in normal volunteers (p = 0.01). No significant differences (Kruskal-Wallis H test) were found, however, within the different kidney disease groups (acute, chronic/glomerulonephritis, interstitial nephritis). Median renal clearance of PIIIP-related peptides in kidney patients (1.5, range 0.5-2.4 ml/min) did not differ significantly (Wilcoxon U test) from that in normal volunteers (1.3, range 0.4-2.2 ml/min). These findings indicate that PIIIP elimination does not depend on renal function. PIIIP-related peptides in serum and urine, however, increase with renal failure irrespective of the activity or type of renal disease. This can be explained most probably by enhanced turnover of collagen type III by the affected kidney itself.     

Factors determining the relationship between renal and hepatic excretion of xenobiotics

Relation between kidney and liver in the excretion of drugs depends on the physicochemical properties of each substance tested. The calculations of this relationship are based on a so-called rank coefficient (0-100) calculated from molecular weight, lipophilicity, degree of dissociation under physiological conditions, and protein binding rate. The results of the correlation between one of these physicochemical values and drug elimination were stochastically. Experiments were performed with 9 test substances which were distinctly different concerning their physicochemical features. Substances with a rank coefficient less than 20 (low molecular weight, low lipophilicity, preferentially ionic at pH 7.4) are eliminated effectively via the kidney. Compounds having an intermediate rank coefficient (40-60) were quantitatively excreted into urine as well. For drugs with high ranks greater than 60 (high values of molecular weight, protein binding, and lipophilicity, almost exclusively nonionic), renal excretion can be neglected. Quite inverse relations between ranks and hepatic excretion have been found: low ranks indicate an ineffective secretion of the respective drug into bile. With increasing ranks (40-60), biliary excretion increases and reaches a maximum (approximately 40% of supply). This maximum is caused by limited hepatic blood flow and by the capacity of hepatic uptake carriers. Blockade of one elimination pathway (bilateral nephrectomy or bile duct ligation) is followed by a sufficient compensation of drug excretion via the alternative elimination route only, if the test substance belongs to the intermediate group (ranks between 40 and 60). For substances with high or low ranks a compensation of drug excretion can be excluded.     

Value of resistance training for the reduction of sports injuries

Many competitive and recreational athletes perform resistance training as a part of their conditioning programmes. Resistance training in addition to increasing muscular strength and hypertrophy may also aid in the prevention of injuries. Research indicates that resistance training promotes growth and/or increases in the strength of ligaments, tendons, tendon to bone and ligament to bone junction strength, joint cartilage and the connective tissue sheaths within muscle. Studies involving humans and animal models also demonstrate resistance training can cause increased bone mineral content and therefore may aid in prevention of skeletal injuries. Investigations to date suggest resistance training can aid in injury prevention. The incidence of various types of overuse injuries, such as swimmers shoulder and tennis elbow, may be reduced by the performance of sport and/or motion specific resistance training activities. Screening of athletes for agonist and antagonist muscle strength imbalances can be utilised to identify possessing a predisposition for injury. Resistance training may then be performed to correct the imbalance and therefore reduce the incidence of injury.