Capillary rarefaction: a missing link in renal and cardiovascular disease?

Patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) have an increased risk for cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Capillary rarefaction may be both one of the causes as well as a consequence of CKD and cardiovascular disease. We reviewed the published literature on human biopsy studies and conclude that renal capillary rarefaction occurs independently of the cause of renal function decline.

Immunosuppressive regimen and interstitial fibrosis and tubules atrophy at 12 months postrenal transplant.

Background And Objectives: Chronic renal transplant dysfunction is histopathologically characterized by interstitial fibrosis and tubular atrophy. This study investigated the relative contribution of baseline donor, recipient, and transplant characteristics to interstitial fibrosis and tubular atrophy score at month 12 after renal transplantation.

Design, Setting, Participants, & Measurements: This retrospective study includes all 109 consecutive recipients with adequate implantation and month 12 biopsies transplanted between April of 2003 and February of 2007.