Self-medication in pain management: The state of the art of pharmacists' role for optimal Over-The-Counter analgesic use.

Background And Objective: Self-medication is associated with an important utilization of Over-The-Counter (OTC) analgesics. The medical outcome resulting from therapeutic options bypassing the physician prescription is a major issue. In that context, pharmacists are expected to play a crucial role.

Kidney diseases associated with anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF): an 8-year observational study at a single center.

Expanded clinical experience with patients taking antiangiogenic compounds has come with increasing recognition of the renal adverse effects. Because renal histology is rarely sought in those patients, the renal consequences are underestimated. Antiangiogenic-treated-cancer patients, who had a renal biopsy for renal adverse effects from 2006 to 2013, were included in the current study.

Kidney injuries related to ipilimumab.

Monoclonal antibodies directed against the immune checkpoint protein cytotoxic T-lymphocyte antigen-4 (CTLA-4; CD152) have been investigated in metastatic melanoma and other cancers and have shown promising results. Inhibition of CTLA-4 characteristically induces well-known side effects called "immune-related adverse events" (irAEs). IrAEs mainly include colitis, dermatitis, hepatitis, endocrinopathies; uveitis, iridocyclitis, neuropathies, and inflammatory myopathy have occasionally been reported.

Expression patterns of RelA and c-mip are associated with different glomerular diseases following anti-VEGF therapy.

Renal toxicity constitutes a dose-limiting side effect of anticancer therapies targeting vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). In order to study this further, we followed up 29 patients receiving this treatment, who experienced proteinuria, hypertension, and/or renal insufficiency. Eight developed minimal change nephropathy/focal segmental glomerulopathy (MCN/FSG)-like lesions and 13 developed thrombotic microangiopathy (TMA).

[Renal biopsy practice: results of a French study and recommendations].

Background: Although several risk factors associated with complications after renal biopsy (RB) have been identified, recommendations for RB procedures are still lacking. Our working group, appointed by the scientific commission of the Société de néphrologie in France, aimed to depict the main aspects of the practice of RB in adults in France, before establishing some guidelines.

Methods: Members of the Société de néphrologie in France were asked to participate to a questionnaire survey on RB procedures.

Perspectives in clinical research of acupuncture on menopausal symptoms.

Seventy percentage of perimenopausal and early postmenopausal women will experience menopause symptoms. Primary menopause symptoms in Western countries included hot flashes, insomnia, somatic pain, depression, and fatigue. Hot flashes were most commonly treated.

Role of HIV-1 DNA levels as clinical marker of HIV-1-associated nephropathies.

Background: HIV-associated nephropathy (HIVAN) is usually diagnosed in virologically uncontrolled infected patients. However, HIVAN can occur in some cases with undetectable HIV-1 RNA levels. We suggested that intracellular HIV-1 proviral DNA load can be used as a marker in this particular patient population.

Rapidly progressive lupus nephritis and concomitant thrombotic microangiopathy.

Although uncommon, thrombotic microangiopathy (TMA) is one of the most serious complications in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus. A 30-year-old black woman admitted to our hospital because of fever, fatigue, 'dark' urine and rapidly progressive renal failure was found to have systemic lupus erythematous and atypical hemolytic uremic syndrome. Kidney biopsy showed WHO class IV lupus nephritis with crescents and TMA.

Renal biopsy practice in France: results of a nationwide study.

Background: Although several risk factors associated with complications after renal biopsy (RB) have been identified, the gold standard for RB procedures remains to be defined. Practices vary widely among nephrologists, depending on personal experience and the availability of particular techniques. The purpose of our study was to depict the main aspects of the practice of RB in adults in France.

[Public health benefits of non prescription medicines and self care].

Self-medication is one element of self-care. For Who, "responsible self-medication is the practice whereby individuals treat ailments and conditions with medicines which are approved and available without prescription, and which are safe and effective when used as directed". In France, Afssaps is the agency in charge of regulating the market in non prescription medicines.

Clopidogrel activities in patients with renal function impairment.

Objectives: To assess the tolerability, pharmacodynamic effects and pharmacokinetic parameters after repeated doses of clopidogrel (Plavix((R))) in patients with moderate or severe renal failure.

Patients: Eight patients with severe renal failure (endogenous creatinine clearance 5 to 15 ml/min) and eight patients with moderate renal impairment (endogenous creatinine clearance 30 to 60 ml/min) were included.

Study Design: An open, uncontrolled, parallel-group study over 8 days' administration of 75mg once-daily clopidogrel.

A case of acute renal failure associated with diffuse infiltrative lymphocytosis syndrome.

Background: A 58-year-old African American man with an uncontrolled HIV infection presented to hospital with nephrotic syndrome and diffuse lymphadenopathy. The patient had been taking highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART; lamivudine, abacavir, fosamprenavir and ritonavir) for 10 years. A renal biopsy showed acute granulomatous interstitial nephritis.

Angiogenesis inhibitor therapies: focus on kidney toxicity and hypertension.

Angiogenesis inhibitors that target the epidermal growth factor (EGF) receptor (EGFR) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) constitute an important addition to the therapeutic armamentarium for the treatment of patients with metastatic disease. However, because the same growth factors are expressed in the kidneys, these treatment molecules have renal side effects. EGFR is expressed mainly in tubules (mainly distal and collecting segments) and mesangial and parietal epithelial cells.

[Hemoglobin target in hemodialysis patients].

Targets for anaemia treatment have been largely evaluated. A target > 11 g/dL is currently recommended. High target (13-14 g/dl) is contraindicated in patients with cardio-vascular disease.

Favorable outcome of IgA nephropathy on antituberculous treatment.

We report the case of an association of IgA nephropathy and tuberculosis with superimposed vasculitis lesions on the renal biopsy. Three previous cases of the same association are discussed. The nephropathy had a favorable course in all of these cases on antituberculous treatment only.

Renal tubular drug transporters.

The kidney plays an important role in the elimination of numerous hydrophilic xenobiotics, including drugs, toxins, and endogenous compounds. It has developed high-capacity transport systems to prevent urinary loss of filtered nutrients, as well as electrolytes, and simultaneously to facilitate tubular secretion of a wide range of organic ions. Transport systems for organic anions and cations are primarily involved in the secretion of drugs in renal tubules.

[Medication use in older patients with chronic renal failure].

Adverse drug reactions in the elderly are of growing concern because of the increasing elderly population and the increasing numbers of medications prescribed to this group. Ageing and the frequent comorbid diseases in the elderly result in altered drug pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics increasing the risk of side effects. The decline in renal function affects the elimination of many drugs.

PPAR-gamma-agonists' renal effects.

PPAR-gamma ligands, including thiazolidinediones, have recently become clinically available for treating insulin-resistant diabetes mellitus. Accumulating evidence suggests that these drugs not only significantly improve insulin sensitivity but also may have antiproteinuric effects in genetically obese diabetic rodents and patients with type II diabetes and diabetic nephropathy. Moreover, troglitazone reduced expression of ECM proteins and transforming growth factor-beta in glomeruli from streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats.