Exploring the mindset of kidney transplant recipients regarding COVID-19 vaccination: An insightful survey analysis.

Background: Kidney transplant (KT) recipients are at risk of severe disease and high mortality from COVID-19, and vaccination offers some degree of protection. In this study, KT recipients' and controls' attitudes towards COVID-19 vaccination were examined.

Materials And Methods: In this cross-sectional survey-based study, the willingness and hesitancy towards COVID-19 vaccines in KT recipients and a control group from the general population were assessed via questionnaire.

Clinical outcomes in peritoneal dialysis with refractory peritonitis: significance of the day 5 cell count.

Background: Peritoneal dialysis-associated peritonitis is a common and severe complication of peritoneal dialysis, associated with high morbidity and mortality. However, there's a lack of research on refractory peritonitis, which is difficult to manage and has a poor prognosis. Our study aimed to investigate factors affecting clinical outcomes in peritoneal dialysis patients with refractory peritonitis over a 12-year period at a medical faculty hospital in Turkey.

Observational study of immunosuppressive treatment patterns and outcomes in primary membranous nephropathy: a multicenter retrospective analysis.

Background: We evaluated the efficacy of different immunosuppressive regimens in patients with primary membranous nephropathy in a large national cohort.

Methods: In this registry study, 558 patients from 47 centers who were treated with at least one immunosuppressive agent and had adequate follow-up data were included. Primary outcome was defined as complete (CR) or partial remission (PR).

Computed Tomography-Assessed Sarcopenia Predicts Mortality in Kidney Transplant Candidates.

Objectives: Sarcopenia is common in chronic kidney disease and associated with increased mortality. We investigated the prevalence of sarcopenia, defined as low muscle mass by the psoas muscle index, in endstage renal disease patients on waiting lists for kidney transplant and determined its association with prognostic nutritional index, C-reactive protein-toalbumin ratio, cardiovascular events, and mortality.

Materials And Methods: Our study included 162 patients with end-stage renal disease and 87 agematched healthy controls.

Prediction of subclinical left ventricular dysfunction by speckle-tracking echocardiography in patients with anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody--associated vasculitis.

Objectives: This study aims to evaluate left ventricular functions using speckle-tracking echocardiography (STE) in patients with anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA)-associated vasculitis (AAV).

Patients And Methods: Between June 2018 and July 2019, a total of 31 AAV patients (17 males, 14 females; median age: 53 years; range, 47 to 62 years) and 21 healthy controls (11 males, 10 females; median age: 56 years; range, 46 to 60 years) were included in the study. Clinical and biochemical characteristics of all participants were recorded.

Fibroscan detection of fatty liver and liver fibrosis in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus.

Objective: Although liver dysfunction is not considered the main organ involvement in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE), the frequency of liver dysfunction or abnormal liver enzyme values may be observed in 50-60% of patients. The aim of this study was to assess fatty liver and liver fibrosis in SLE patients using Fibroscan as well as determine associated factors such as immunosuppressive medications.

Methods: Sixty SLE patients and 30 healthy controls were included.

Favipiravir Use in Kidney Transplant Recipients with COVID-19: A Single-Center Experience.

Objectives: Kidney transplant recipients are among the high-risk groups for severe COVID-19. To date, no specific antiviral agent has proved uniformly effective against SARS-CoV-2. Favipiravir, the recommended drug by the Turkish Ministry of Health, was uniformly supplied to all patients diagnosed with COVID-19 by a positive nasopharyngeal swab polymerase chain reaction test.

Assessment of peritoneal thickness using CT in relation to dialysis adequacy in peritoneal dialysis patients.

Studies assessing peritoneal thickness by CT in peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients are lacking. In this study, we aimed to investigate the association between peritoneal thickness as measured by CT and dialysis adequacy with peritoneal membrane characteristics in PD patients. Ninety-four PD patients were enrolled.

Incidence and risk factors for urinary tract infections in the first year after renal transplantation.

Background: The most common infections among renal transplant patients are urinary tract infections (UTI). Our main objective in this study is to determine the incidence of UTIs in patients who have undergone renal transplantation in our hospital, to identify the causative microbiological agents, risk factors and determine the effects of UTI on short-term graft survival.

Methods: Urinary tract infections, which developed within the first year of renal transplantation, were investigated.

Low bone density, vertebral fracture and FRAX score in kidney transplant recipients: A cross-sectional cohort study.

Background: Kidney transplantation (KT) recipients are at increased risk of low bone density (LBD) and fractures. In this retrospective study, we investigated bone mineral density (BMD), vertebral fractures, calculated risk for major osteoporotic fractures (MOF), and hip fractures in the KT recipients.

Patients-method: Patients who completed at least one year after KT were included in the analysis.

FRAX scores are increased in patients with ANCA-associated vasculitis.

Purpose: Prognosis in ANCA-associated vasculitis (AAV) has greatly improved with immunosuppressive use whereas incidence of treatment-related comorbidities such as osteoporosis has increased. However, studies investigating bone disease in AAV are limited. Fracture Risk Assesment Tool (FRAX) was developed to estimate 10-year hip and major osteoporotic fracture risks.

A case of Alport syndrome with pregnancy-related atypical hemolytic uremic syndrome and crescentic glomerulonephritis.

Kidney function may be impaired during pregnancy due to various reasons, and the physiological changes of pregnancy may unmask or worsen pre-existing kidney disease. Herein, we report a pregnant patient presenting with nephrotic-range proteinuria. She later developed acute kidney injury and pre-eclampsia.

Baseline carotid intima-media thickness is associated with cardiovascular morbidity and mortality in peritoneal dialysis patients.

Carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT) is an early marker of atherosclerosis and is increased in peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients. Association of CIMT with cardiovascular disease (CVD) or mortality is less clear. Fibroblast growth factor-23 (FGF-23) is a hormone associated with vascular calcification, atherosclerosis, and mortality in the hemodialysis population.

The prevalence of metabolic syndrome is increased in patients with anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody-associated vasculitis.

Purpose: Cardiovascular disease is one of the major causes of mortality in anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody-associated vasculitis (AAV). Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is associated with increased cardiovascular risk in the normal population. However, MetS in AAV has not been adequately investigated.

The genetic architecture of membranous nephropathy and its potential to improve non-invasive diagnosis.

Membranous Nephropathy (MN) is a rare autoimmune cause of kidney failure. Here we report a genome-wide association study (GWAS) for primary MN in 3,782 cases and 9,038 controls of East Asian and European ancestries. We discover two previously unreported loci, NFKB1 (rs230540, OR = 1.

Circulating endothelial cell number and markers of endothelial dysfunction in previously preeclamptic women.

Objective: Patients with preeclampsia (PE) have endothelial dysfunction and an increased future risk of cardiovascular (CV) mortality. The number of circulating endothelial cells (CECs) is markedly increased in conditions associated with a high degree of endothelial cell activation/injury including PE. We hypothesized that the number of CECs continues to be increased in women with a history of PE, reflecting ongoing endothelial cell activation/injury.

Prevention of peritonitis in newly-placed peritoneal dialysis catheters: efficacy of oral prophylaxis with cefuroxime axetil - a preliminary study.

Background: Peritonitis is one of the causes of early peritoneal dialysis (PD) failure in newly-placed catheters. Antibiotic prophylaxis has been recommended to decrease the risk of infection after PD catheter placement. In this study, we compared the efficacy of parenteral versus oral prophylactic cefuroxime axetil for preventing peritonitis after placed PD catheters.