Evaluating Interleukin-2 and Its Receptors As Indicators of Acute Renal Graft Rejection.

Introduction Interleukin-2 (IL-2) is a cytokine that exerts its actions via binding to a variety of interleukin-2 receptors (IL-2R), thereby stimulating T-cell response. Acute renal graft rejection (AR) is known to be mediated by CD8+ T-cells, through the IL-2 pathway. The aim of this study was to determine whether IL-2 and IL-2R could work as prognostic biomarkers of AR.

Relationship of Changes in Cystatin-C With Serum Creatinine and Estimated Glomerular Filtration Rate in Kidney Transplantation.

Background: Serum creatinine (S-Cr) is the most commonly used marker for the assessment of renal function in kidney transplantation (KTx). Cystatin-C (Cys-C) has been proposed as an alternative marker of renal function for the estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), which seems to be more accurate than S-Cr. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between changes in S-Cr, Cys-C, and eGFR measurements in KT patients during the early post-transplantation (post-Tx) period.

Osmolal gap in hemodialyzed uremic patients.

Osmolality is an expression of the number of particles in a given weight of solvent (mOsm). Measured osmolality is determined by the osmometer, and calculated osmolality is estimated by 2xNa + UN/2.8 + glucose/18.

Optimal utilization of expanded criteria deceased donors for kidney transplantation.

Background: The utilization of kidney grafts from expanded criteria donors (ECDs) needs to be evaluated within the context of critical organ shortage and graft function and survival. The impact of donor risk variables on kidney transplantation (KTx) outcome was investigated.

Methods: A retrospective review of 75 KTxs from ECDs over a 5-year period was performed.

INR deviations in hemodialyzed patients under low dose oral anticoagulant therapy.

The aim of this retrospective study was to evaluate the International Normalized Ratio (INR) in hemodialyzed uremic patients under treatment with oral anticoagulation drugs. Eleven out of one hundred and forty-two uremic hemodialyzed patients in our unit were included in the study. These 11 patients aged from 70 to 85 (mean: 76 years) were under oral anticoagulation treatment for protection from thromboembolic events.