Enzyme replacement therapy with agalsidase beta in kidney transplant patients with Fabry disease: a pilot study.

Background: We sought to assess the safety and efficacy of enzyme replacement therapy (ERT) with recombinant human-alpha-galactosidase A (rh-alpha-Gal A) in kidney transplant recipients with Fabry disease, a previously unstudied population.

Methods: Three male kidney transplant recipients with biochemically, genetically, and histologically confirmed Fabry disease and documented Fabry myocardiopathy received the rh-alpha-Gal A, agalsidase beta, 1 mg/kg of body weight every 2 weeks by intravenous infusion and were monitored biochemically, clinically, and electrocardiographically and echocardiographically for 18 months.

Results: Patients showed biochemical, clinical/functional, and morphologic response to ERT.

[Pre-dialysis arteriovenous fistula results in better patency rate].

Background: The timing of creation of the first permanent vascular access is crucial to the clinical history of haemodialysis patients. Our strategy is to create vascular access early enough to allow its maturation before the start of the treatment.

Methods: Aim of the study is to evaluate patency of primary A-V fistulas in patients treated between 1985 and 2000 in our dialysis unit.

Low-dosage ibopamine treatment in progressive renal failure: a long-term multicentre trial.

A multicentre trial (11 nephrology centres) was carried out to test the effects of ibopamine, an orally active dopamine-like drug, on the progression of chronic renal failure. For a 2-year period 189 chronic renal failure patients (serum creatinine level 1.5-4.