Higher systolic blood pressure is associated with progression of carotid intima-media thickness in patients with chronic kidney disease.

To examine the relationship between systolic blood pressure and progression of carotid intima-media thickness in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD), we studied 3364 patients from a community-based cohort of elderly individuals of whom 724 had CKD defined as creatinine clearances of stage 3 or less. The contribution of systolic blood pressure was evaluated in four ranges (<120, 120-129, 130-139, and > or = 140 mm Hg). All multiple linear regression analyses were adjusted for traditional and nontraditional cardiovascular risk factors.

Impact of subclinical carotid atherosclerosis on incident chronic kidney disease in the elderly.

Background: Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is increased in persons with chronic kidney disease (CKD); however, no prospective studies have examined carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT) as a risk factor for CKD.

Methods: A total of 2751 participants who were in the Intervention Project on Cerebrovascular Diseases and Dementia in the community of Ebersberg, Bavaria study and had normal baseline kidney function composed the study cohort. Measures of kidney function were estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) using the Cockcroft-Gault formula in mL/min/1.

Kidney function and progression of carotid intima-media thickness in a community study.

Background: Limited data exist regarding the relationship between decreased kidney function, carotid intima-media thickness (IMT) progression, and vascular events.

Study Design: A community-based cohort study.

Setting & Participants: 3,364 participants in the Intervention Project on Cerebrovascular Diseases and Dementia in the Community of Ebersberg, Bavaria Study.

Regulation of Nerve Growth Factor (NGF) Synthesis in the Rat Central Nervous System: Comparison between the Effects of Interleukin-1 and Various Growth Factors in Astrocyte Cultures and in vivo.

In order to obtain information on the physiological regulation of NGF-synthesis in the central nervous system (CNS) we investigated the effects of a series of growth factors (known to be present in the CNS) in cultures of purified rat astrocytes and compared these effects with those observed after intraventricular injection of the same molecules. After preliminary experiments had shown that 10% fetal calf serum (FCS) produced a marked increase in NGF-mRNA levels in astrocytes (but neither in microglia nor oligodendrocytes) as demonstrated by Northern blot analysis and in situ hybridization the experiments were performed at low (0.5%) FCS concentrations.