Multicentre Study on the Efficacy of Brachial Artery Transposition Among Haemodialysis Patients.

Objective: Brachial artery transposition (BAT) is not a well known method for obtaining vascular access (VA) for maintenance haemodialysis. This study evaluated the outcomes of BAT.

Methods: This multicentre retrospective cohort study included 233 consecutive patients who underwent BAT between January 2012 and December 2013.

Analysis of Extracellular Fluid Volume in Peritoneal Dialysis Patients before and after Kidney Transplantation.

Background/aims: To examine the relationship of extracellular fluid (ECF) volume and osmotic excess with treatment modality, we retrospectively analyzed spontaneous body weight loss and osmotic excretion versus true body weight after kidney transplantation in peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients and preemptive transplant recipients compared with hemodialysis (HD) patients. We also examined maximum bladder volume in other transplant recipients on PD.

Methods: From 2005 to 2011, 42 PD patients underwent kidney transplantation at our institution.

Novel technique for repair of arteriovenous fistula with aneurysm.

Aneurysm of autogenous arteriovenous fistula is a common complication in patients receiving hemodialysis. We present a novel method for repair of a case of aneurysm of arteriovenous fistula resulting from stenosis. A 52-year-old woman presented with aneurysm formation of the left upper arm arteriovenous fistula, with related numbness in the left hand.

Peritoneal Dialysis in Elderly Patients.

Background: Dialysis is now often being initiated in older patients. In Japan, patients are around 69 years of age on initiation of dialysis. The total dialysis population undergoing peritoneal dialysis (PD) stands at just 3% in Japan, a much lower proportion than in other industrialized countries.

Successful third renal transplantation in a child with an occluded inferior vena cava: A novel technique to use the venous interposition between the transplant renal vein and the infrahepatic inferior vena cava.

A girl aged 11 years and 3 months with occlusion of the inferior vena cava had experienced two renal transplant graft failures since birth. The third renal transplant from a live donor was carried out. Preoperative evaluation showed that the arteries from the right common to the right external iliac artery were absent, and the ilio-caval vein was occluded below the level of the renal vein.

Is bypass graft technique effective in arteriovenous graft?

Background: Arteriovenous graft (AVG) requires percutaneous transluminal angioplasty (PTA) to maintain its patency; however, bypass graft technique is often chosen in cases requiring PTA again within 3 months. We retrospectively examined whether bypass graft technique is effective for AVG.

Methods: The sample patient population consisted of 50 patients who underwent bypass graft technique on the venous side of the AVG between April 2012 and March 2014.

Urinary reconstruction in vertebral, anorectal, cardiac, trachea-esophageal, renal abnormalities and limb defects association with chronic renal failure and penile duplication.

Various urological complications in VATER association require careful management. A 15-year-old boy with VATER association, including a hypoplastic lower urinary tract and diphallia, presented with chronic kidney disease and incontinence after a right loop ureterostomy. In order to acquire urinary continence without renal function impairment, an ileocecal reservoir with umbilical catheterizable stoma was created as a urinary reconstruction.

[Relationship between coronary and abdominal calcification score, serum osteoprotegerin (OPG), and serum tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase (TRACP) -5b in pre-dialysis CKD patients].

Osteoprotegerin (OPG) inhibits interaction of the receptor-activator of nuclear factor-kappaB (RANK) ligand (RANKL) with its receptor RANK, which is expressed on osteoclasts. OPG appeared to accelerate vascular calcification in vitro by the inhibition of vascular osteoclast-like cells. On the contrary, early-onset arterial calcification was observed in OPG-deficient mice.

Protocol biopsies for focal segmental glomerulosclerosis treated with plasma exchange and rituximab in a renal transplant patient.

We discuss a renal transplant patient with focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS) treated with plasma exchange and rituximab. A 45-yr-old woman underwent cadaveric renal transplantation in May 2008. She had started hemodialysis support in 1991.

A nationwide survey of rapidly progressive glomerulonephritis in Japan: etiology, prognosis and treatment diversity.

Background: The etiology, prevalence, and prognosis of rapidly progressive glomerulonephritis (RPGN) including renal vasculitis vary among races and periods.

Method: To improve the prognosis of Japanese RPGN patients, we conducted a nationwide survey of RPGN in the nephrology departments of 351 tertiary hospitals, and found 1772 patients with RPGN (Group A: diagnosed between 1989 and 1998, 884 cases; Group B: diagnosed between 1999 and 2001, 321 cases; and Group C: diagnosed between 2002 and 2007, 567 cases). ANCA subclasses, renal biopsy findings, treatment, outcome and cause of death were recorded.

Thiocarbonyl induced heterocumulenic Pauson-Khand type reaction: expedient synthetic method for thieno[2,3-b]indol-2-ones.

The first examples of C[double bond, length as m-dash]S induced Pauson-Khand type reactions are described; 2-alkynylphenyl isothiocyanates were converted to 3-substituted-2H-thieno[2,3-b]indol-2-ones in the presence of a stoichiometric amount of Mo(CO)(6) or Co(2)(CO)(8), or a catalytic amount of Rh catalyst under an atmospheric pressure of carbon monoxide.

Synthesis of quinoline-2-thiones via tandem indium(III)-promoted Friedel-Crafts alkenylation-cyclization of 2-alkynylphenyl isothiocyanates.

A new approach to the synthesis of 4-aryl- or 4-arylthioquinoline-2-thiones via indium(III) reagent-mediated tandem Friedel-Crafts alkenylation-cyclization of 2-alkynylphenyl isothiocyanates is described.

Urinary excretion of creatol, an in vivo biomarker of hydroxyl radical, in patients with chronic renal failure.

Creatol (CTL) is a hydroxyl radical adduct of creatinine (Cr). The serum methylguanidine (MG) level and the MG/Cr molar ratio are reported to be biomarkers for oxidative stress. The aim of this study was to examine whether urinary excretion of CTL, another oxidative stress-related marker, is increased in patients with chronic renal failure (CRF).

Health-related quality of life of predialysis patients with chronic renal failure.

Background: Health-related quality of life (HQOL) of predialysis patients with chronic renal failure (CRF) has received less attention than that of dialysis patients. We investigated changes in SF-36 over 1 year and examined associations between clinical parameters and SF-36 in predialysis CRF patients.

Methods: Subjects were 471 predialysis CRF patients.

Functional impact of IgA nephropathy-associated selectin gene haplotype on leukocyte-endothelial interaction.

Previously, we discovered single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) associated with Immunoglobulin A (IgA) nephropathy in selectin genes, which were 712C>T(P238S) in L selectin, -642A>G in the promoter region of L selectin, and 1402C>T(H468Y) in E selectin. Interestingly, these SNPs were in nearly complete linkage disequilibrium, thus two haplotypes, disease-associated TGT and wild-type (Wt) CAC, were constructed. To investigate the functional significance of TGT haplotype, a stable CHO transfectant expressing a P238S-L-selectin variant (CHO-varL) and a recombinant adenovirus vector containing an H468Y-E-selectin variant (Ad-varE) were established and compared to their Wt counterparts.

A novel mouse model for MPO-ANCA-associated glomerulonephritis.

We established a novel model mouse for myeloperoxidase anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (MPO-ANCA)-associated glomerulonephritis with crescentic formation, which was induced by administering bovine serum albumin (BSA). Neutrophil infiltration into the renal glomeruli began at 8 weeks and crescent formation was observed from 10 weeks after the first BSA injection. Platelet and neutrophil counts significantly increased, and proteinuria was observed from 5 weeks.

Klotho reduces apoptosis in experimental ischaemic acute renal failure.

Background: Klotho is associated with the suppression of several ageing phenotypes. Because high klotho gene expression was detected in the kidney and several studies have found altered expression in animal models, we explored the physiological relevance of klotho expression in the kidney under renal ischemia reperfusion injury (IRI).

Methods: Male Wistar rats were subjected to bilateral renal ischemia or sham operation, followed by reperfusion for 6, 12 or 24 h, or 2 to 10 days.

CD2AP expression in a renal ischemia/reperfusion injury model and analysis of its related genes using overexpression and RNA interference technique.

Background: CD2-associated protein (CD2AP) is a ubiquitously expressed 80-kDa intracellular protein, and has been speculated to act as an intracellular signaling pathway between plasma membrane proteins and cytoskeleton proteins. CD2AP expression has been reported in both the glomerulus and tubular epithelium in the kidney, and CD2AP knockout mice exhibit congenital nephrotic syndrome. However, the precise properties and its role in the renal tubules have not been clarified.

Oxidative stress decreases klotho expression in a mouse kidney cell line.

Background/aims: Defects in klotho gene expression in the mouse result in a syndrome that resembles human aging. We recently identified expression of klotho in a mouse inner medullary collecting duct (mIMCD3) cell line for the first time, and in the present study we explored the physiological relevance of the regulation of klotho expression in the presence of oxidant stress injury.

Methods: Klotho expression was analyzed by real-time PCR, Western blot, and immuocytochemical staining during exposure to hydrogen peroxide (H2O2).

Latent IgA deposition from donor kidney is the major risk factor for recurrent IgA nephropathy in renal transplantation.

Background: Previous studies have recognized risk factors for recurrent IgA nephropathy (r-IgAN) in renal transplantation. However the clinical significance of latent IgA deposition from the donor kidney remains to be determined.

Patients And Methods: Between 1992 and 1999, 0-hour allograft biopsies were performed in 510 renal transplantation recipients at the Kidney Center of Tokyo Women's Medical University.

Inhibition of protein kinase CK2 prevents the progression of glomerulonephritis.

Glomerulonephritis (GN) is a progressive inflammation that may be caused by a variety of underlying disorders. It is the primary cause of chronic renal failure and end-stage renal disease, which require dialysis and transplantation worldwide. Immunosuppressive therapy has been used to treat GN clinically, but this treatment has had insufficient therapeutic effects.

Monitoring the content of reticulocyte hemoglobin (CHr) as the progression of anemia in nondialysis chronic renal failure (CRF) patients.

Background: We previously showed that the content of reticulocyte hemoglobin (CHr) is a reliable measure of iron status in chronic dialysis patients with erythrocytopoiesis. The CHr was significantly correlated with conventional parameters of iron deficiency in dialysis patients. We attempted to utilize the measurement of CHr levels to monitor iron status and clarify the changes in iron levels that occur as renal anemia progresses in patients with chronic renal failure (CRF).

Role of cytokines in anaphylactoid reaction with marked eosinophilia in a hemodialysis patient.

Hemodialysis is rarely terminated by events associated with anticoagulants. A 69-year-old woman on hemodialysis due to chronic renal failure (CRF) developed an anaphylactoid reaction with hypereosinophilia. On the basis of clinical and laboratory findings, we concluded that the causes of this anaphylactoid reaction were low-molecular-weight heparin and heparin.

Prolonged membranous lupus nephritis with change of anti-ssDNA antibody titer and repeated renal relapse.

We report a case of a 44-year-old woman with nephrotic syndrome who underwent renal biopsy three times. On each occasion, light microscopy showed membranous nephropathy with mild to moderate thickening of the glomerular capillary walls. Immunofluorescence microscopy showed predominant deposition of immunoglobulin (Ig) G, IgG1, IgG2, IgG3, and IgG4; C3; and C1q along the glomerular capillary walls and deposition of IgM and IgA in some parts of the walls.