[Minimal change disease during lithium therapy: case report].

Lithium is a largely used and effective therapy in the treatment of bipolar disorder. Its toxic effects on kidneys are mostly diabetes insipidus, hyperchloremic metabolic acidosis and tubulointerstitial nephritis. Also, a correlation between lithium and minimal change disease has sometimes been described.

[Atypical hemolytic uremic syndrome related to Oxalyplatin Cancer Chemotherapy responsive to Eculizumab].

We describe the case of a patient with adenocarcinoma of the colon treated with FOLFOX-4 (5-Fluorouracil, Folinic acid, Oxalyplatin), with subsequent appearance of atypical hemolytic uremic syndrome (aHUS). From 1999 to 2009, 13 cases of atypical HUS receiving chemotherapy with oxaliplatin have been described, as well as some sporadic cases. None of these cases has been treated with eculizumab.

Thrombosis of tunneled-cuffed hemodialysis catheters: treatment with high-dose urokinase lock therapy.

Thrombosis-related malfunction of tunneled-cuffed central venous catheters (TCC) for hemodialysis (HD) currently leads to a high rate of untimely catheter removal. Urokinase (UK) therapy is used for TCC thrombosis/malfunction, but no consensus exists on the adequate dose to obtain thrombolysis. We selected 72 HD patients with TCC and a mean age and HD vintage of 74 years (range 65-87) and 36 months (range 12-61), respectively.

Mars and Prometheus: our clinical experience in acute chronic liver failure.

Introduction: In our clinical context, there are two groups that practice blood purification treatments on acute or chronic liver failure (AoCLF) patients: one group used MARS (molecular adsorbent recirculating system) and the other Prometheus.

Materials And Methods: The MARS group used the lack of response to standard medical treatment after 72 hours of observation as the access criterion. The Prometheus group used the access criteria of the multicenter Helios protocol for patients in AoCLF, as well as those with primary nonfunction (PNF) and secondary liver insufficiency.

Anticoagulation therapy for the prevention of hemodialysis tunneled cuffed catheters (TCC) thrombosis.

Background: Chronic oral anticoagulation is currently used to avoid thrombosis and the malfunction of tunneled cuffed catheters (TCCs) for hemodialysis (HD). The aim of the study was to assess the efficacy of early warfarin administration, after TCC placement, in comparison to its administration after the first thrombosis or malfunction event of the TCC.

Patients And Methods: One hundred and forty-four chronic dialysis patients, who underwent TCC placement between June 2001 and June 2005, were randomized into two groups: 81 patients, group A, started oral anticoagulation 12 hr after the TCC placement (target international normalized ratio (INR) 1.