Differences in association between hypoalbuminaemia and mortality among younger versus older patients on haemodialysis.

Background: Ageing often affects biomarker production. Yet, clinical/optimal thresholds to guide clinical decisions do not consider this. Serum albumin decreases with age, but hypoalbuminaemia is defined as serum albumin <4.

Concentrations of Pneumococcal IgA and IgM are compromised in some individuals with antibody deficiencies.

The response to pneumococcal vaccination is assessed by measurement of antigen specific IgG only and is compromised in a number of antibody deficiencies. We measured the concentrations of Pneumococcal IgA and IgM in individuals with both normal and abnormal pneumococcal capsular polysaccharide (PCP) IgG concentrations. A higher number of individuals had abnormal pre-vaccination IgA and IgM concentrations below the lower limit of the normal range compared to the control group.

Systemic involvement in primary Sjogren's syndrome evaluated by the EULAR-SS disease activity index: analysis of 921 Spanish patients (GEAS-SS Registry).

Objective: To evaluate systemic involvement in primary SS in a large cohort of Spanish patients using the EULAR-SS disease activity index (ESSDAI) definitions.

Methods: Systemic involvement was characterized using ESSDAI definitions for the 10 clinical domains (constitutional, lymphadenopathy, glandular, articular, cutaneous, pulmonary, renal, peripheral nervous system, central nervous system and muscular). ESSDAI scores at diagnosis, during follow-up and cumulated at the last visit were calculated.

Vascular calcification in patients with chronic kidney disease: types, clinical impact and pathogenesis.

Vascular calcification plays a major role in cardiovascular disease, which is one of the main causes of mortality in chronic kidney disease patients. Vascular calcification is determined by prevalent traditional and uraemia-related (non-traditional) risk factors. It occurs mainly in the arteries, which are classified into three types according to their size and structural characteristics.

Vascular calcifications: pathogenesis, management, and impact on clinical outcomes.

The predisposition to vascular calcifications in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) has gained great interest in recent years as many studies have described its likely impact on morbidity and mortality. The mechanism by which the process of vascular calcification is produced is complex, and it does not consist in a simple precipitation of calcium and phosphate but is instead an active and modifiable process. Several "modifiable and nonmodifiable" factors that are able to promote vascular calcification are extremely frequent in patients with CKD.

Influence of polymorphisms in VDR and COLIA1 genes on the risk of osteoporotic fractures in aged men.

Background: Osteoporosis in chronic renal failure is a common finding caused by several factors, including age. In the last decade, the likely effect of genetic markers related with the appearance and evolution of osteoporosis has been mainly studied in women, with no categorical results. The aim of this study was to assess the influence of polymorphisms of the vitamin D receptor (VDR) and COLIA1 genes on the risk of osteoporotic fractures in men older than 50 years.