Small increases in plasma sodium are associated with higher risk of mortality in a healthy population.

Elevated blood pressure (BP) is the most common cause of cardiovascular disease. Salt intake has a strong influence on BP, and plasma sodium (pNa) is increased with progressive increases in salt intake. However, the associations with pNa and BP had been reported inconsistently.

Mild decrease in estimated glomerular filtration rate and proteinuria are associated with all-cause and cardiovascular mortality in the general population.

Background: A recent collaborative meta-analysis by Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes reported that an estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) <60 mL/min/1.73 m(2) and an albumin-to-creatinine ratio of ≥ 10 mg/g were independent predictors for mortality in the general population. However, selection bias, heterogeneity of the cohorts and measurement issues could be limitations.

Higher hemoglobin level is associated with subtle declines in renal function and presence of cardiorenal risk factors in early CKD stages.

Background: Patients with advanced renal dysfunction have comorbidities, including anemia, as a consequence of reduced production of erythropoietin. However, little is known about the renal response to early decreases in estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) before the onset of anemia. We therefore investigated the hemoglobin concentration across subtle declines in renal function stratified by cardiorenal risk factors, in subjects with eGFR ≥50 mL/min/1.

Effect of RAAS inhibition on the incidence of cancer and cancer mortality in patients with glomerulonephritis.

Angiotensin II type 1 receptor blocker (ARB), which is frequently prescribed in patients with glomerulonephritis (GN), is suggested to increase the risk of cancer. We registered 3,288 patients with renal biopsy and analyzed the relationship between the use of renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS) blockade and the incidence of cancer or cancer mortality. After renal biopsy, cancer developed in 33 patients with an incidence rate of 1.