[Severe 25-OH vitamin D deficiency in patients on chronic hemodialysis].

Introduction: 25-OH vitamin D deficiency is associated with increased cardiovascular mortality in general population and in chronic kidney disease. The aim of this study was to evaluate 25-OH-Vitamin D (25-D) serum levels in chronic hemodialysis (HD) patients and its relationship with cardiovascular and non-cardiovascular risk factors.

Material And Methods: We performed a cross-sectional study with 187 prevalent HD patients (106 M/ 81 F) in chronic hemodialysis.

[Arterial media calcification: from pathogenesis to diagnosis].

Patients with chronic kidneyl disease (CKD) have a higher cardiovascular mortality than the general population, in partly due to the development of arterial media calcification (AMC). It is still a matter of discussion as to whether arterial intimal calcification (AIC) and AMC should be considered as distinct entities with different pathogenesis or as a single nosological entity. The pathogenesis of mediocalcinosis is multifactorial.

Diagnosis of Arterial Media Calcification in Chronic Kidney Disease.

Purpose: Arterial media calcification (AMC) is often the only vascular calcification (VC) present in young patients with chronic renal failure and its presence is associated with higher mortality rates. Currently, X-ray imaging (as a standard approach) is able to show AMC in areas without diffuse overlapping arterial intimal calcification (AIC), but X-ray imaging only allows us to identify this lesion when the vessel is widely calcified. The aim of this study was to evaluate the possibility of using ultrasonography as opposed to X-rays to visualize AMC in patients with chronic renal failure.

[Erythrocytosis, renal artery stenosis and arterial hypertension in a kidney transplant recipient].

A 53-year-old man with end-stage renal disease received a cadaver kidney after 15 months of peritoneal dialysis. Within one year of transplantation he developed hypertension and erythrocytosis. Percutaneous transluminal angioplasty was performed but 13 months later magnetic resonance angiography showed an anastomotic stenosis of the renal artery in the graft.