Malnutrition-Inflammation Score of Patients with Chronic Kidney Disease from Early Stage to Initiation of Dialysis.

The malnutrition-inflammation score (MIS) is a practical and accessible tool for evaluating protein energy wasting (PEW) in patients on dialysis. However, the severity of PEW at each stage of chronic kidney disease (CKD), especially with late dialysis initiation, is unclear. We evaluated the MIS of 3659 patients with CKD stages 1-5 and the changes in their MIS results at baseline and at the time before dialysis initiation.

NTRK3 exhibits a pro-oncogenic function in upper tract urothelial carcinomas.

Neurotrophic receptor tyrosine kinase 3 (NTRK3) has pleiotropic functions: it acts not only as an oncogene in breast and gastric cancers but also as a dependence receptor in tumor suppressor genes in colon cancer and neuroblastomas. However, the role of NTRK3 in upper tract urothelial carcinoma (UTUC) is not well documented. This study investigated the association between NTRK3 expression and outcomes in UTUC patients and validated the results in tests on UTUC cell lines.

Diabetic Kidney Disease in Post-Transplant Diabetes Mellitus: Causes, Treatment and Outcomes.

Kidney transplant recipients are a unique subgroup of chronic kidney disease patients due to their single functioning kidney, immunosuppressive agent usage, and long-term complications related to transplantation. Post-transplant diabetes mellitus (PTDM) has a significant adverse effect on renal outcomes in particular. As transplantations enable people to live longer, cardiovascular morbidity and mortality become more prevalent, and PTDM is a key risk factor for these complications.

Plasma cell-rich related acute rejection in kidney transplant: A case report and review of the literature.

Rationale: Plasma cell-rich acute rejection (PCAR), a subtype of T cell-mediated rejection, is a relatively rare type of acute allograft rejection, that is usually associated with a higher rate of graft failure. However, it is difficult to diagnose PCAR precisely.

Patient Concerns: A 45-year-old woman who had received a kidney transplant presented with acute kidney injury and uremic symptoms approximately 1 year after transplantation.

Whole-exome sequencing identified mutational profiles of urothelial carcinoma post kidney transplantation.

Kidney transplantation is a lifesaving option for patients with end-stage kidney disease. In Taiwan, urothelial carcinoma (UC) is the most common de novo cancer after kidney transplantation (KT). UC has a greater degree of molecular heterogeneity than do other solid tumors.

Timing of mTORI usage and outcomes in kidney transplant recipients.

The introduction of mammalian target of rapamycin inhibitors (mTORi) as immunosuppressive agents has changed the landscape of calcineurin inhibitor-based immunosuppressive regimens. However, the timing of mTORi conversion and its associated outcomes in kidney transplantation have conflicting results. This study investigated the effect of early or late mTORi post-transplant initiation on major transplant outcomes, including post-transplant malignancy, in kidney transplant recipients in our center.

Association of digoxin with mortality in patients with advanced chronic kidney disease: A population-based cohort study.

Digoxin is commonly prescribed for heart failure and atrial fibrillation, but there is limited data on its safety in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). We conducted a population-based cohort study using the pre-end stage renal disease (ESRD) care program registry and the National Health Insurance Research Database in Taiwan. Of advanced CKD patient cohort (N = 31,933), we identified the digoxin user group (N = 400) matched with age and sex non-user group (N = 2,220).

Depression amongst patients commencing maintenance dialysis is associated with increased risk of death and severe infections: A nationwide cohort study.

Background: Depression is common in dialysis patients, but the clinical impact of this condition is poorly defined.

Methods: Out of 57,703 patients starting dialysis during 2000-2007 recorded in the National Health Insurance Research Database of Taiwan, we identified 2,475 patients with a clinical diagnosis of depression, and compared them with 1:5 age- and sex-matched patients without a depression diagnosis (n = 12,375). Patients were followed up for hospitalisation due to severe infections, major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) and death.

The interaction between N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide and fluid status in adverse clinical outcomes of late stages of chronic kidney disease.

Introduction: Fluid overload is one of the major characteristics and complications in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) is related to fluid status and fluid distribution. The aim of this study is to investigate the interaction between NT-proBNP and fluid status in adverse clinical outcomes of late stages of CKD.

The interaction between fluid status and angiopoietin-2 in adverse renal outcomes of chronic kidney disease.

Background: Fluid overload is not only the characteristic but also an important complication in chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients. Angiopoietin-2 (Angpt2) disturbs endothelium and vessel permeability, which may induce fluid overload. The aim of this study is to examine the interaction between fluid status and Angpt2 in adverse renal outcomes of CKD.

Angiopoietin-2, Angiopoietin-1 and subclinical cardiovascular disease in Chronic Kidney Disease.

Angiopoietins (Angpt) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) have been associated with cardiovascular disease. The study enrolled 270 pre-dialysis stage 3-5 CKD patients to assess the link between circulating Angpt2, Angpt1 and VEGF-A and subclinical measures of cardiovascular structure and function. Serum markers of angiogenesis were measured using commercial enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays.

Effect of diabetes and acute rejection on liver transplant outcomes: An analysis of the organ procurement and transplantation network/united network for organ sharing database.

The effects of diabetic status and acute rejection (AR) on liver transplant outcomes are largely unknown. We studied 13,736 liver recipients from the United Network for Organ Sharing/Organ Procurement Transplant Network database who underwent transplantation between 2004 and 2007 with a functioning graft for greater than 1 year. The association of pretransplant diabetes mellitus (PDM), new-onset diabetes after transplant (NODAT), and AR rates on allograft failure, all-cause mortality, and cardiovascular mortality were determined.

Angiopoietin-2 as a Prognostic Biomarker of Major Adverse Cardiovascular Events and All-Cause Mortality in Chronic Kidney Disease.

Background: Chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients have higher prevalence of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) and all-cause mortality. Endothelial damage and dysfunction have been regarded as early portents of MACE in CKD patients. Angiopoietin-2 (Ang-2) impairs endothelial function and promotes aberrant neovascularization.

Association of fluid overload with cardiovascular morbidity and all-cause mortality in stages 4 and 5 CKD.

Background And Objectives: Fluid overload is a common characteristic associated with renal progression in CKD. Additionally, fluid overload is an independent predictor of all-cause or cardiovascular mortality in patients on dialysis, but its influence on patients not on dialysis is uncertain. The aim of the study was to assess the relationship between the severity of fluid status and clinical outcomes in an advanced CKD cohort.

Dipyridamole treatment is associated with improved renal outcome and patient survival in advanced chronic kidney disease.

Dipyridamole has been shown to decrease proteinuria and improve renal function progression especially in early chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients with glomerulonephropathy. A combination therapy of dipyridamole with aspirin could prevent second strokes in the general population. Whether these effects of dipyridamole are also true in advanced CKD patients and whether dipyridamole could improve renal outcomes or patient survival is unknown.

Low serum calcium is associated with poor renal outcomes in chronic kidney disease stages 3-4 patients.

Background: Mineral disorders are associated with adverse renal outcomes in chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients. Previous studies have associated hypercalcemia and hypocalcemia with mortality; however, the association between serum calcium and renal outcome is not well-described. Whether adding calcium besides phosphorus or in the form of calcium-phosphorus (Ca×P) product into the model of survival analysis could improve the prediction of renal outcomes is not known.

Fluid overload, pulse wave velocity, and ratio of brachial pre-ejection period to ejection time in diabetic and non-diabetic chronic kidney disease.

Fluid overload is one of the characteristics in chronic kidney disease (CKD). Changes in extracellular fluid volume are associated with progression of diabetic nephropathy. Not only diabetes but also fluid overload is associated with cardiovascular risk factors The aim of the study was to assess the interaction between fluid overload, diabetes, and cardiovascular risk factors, including arterial stiffness and left ventricular function in 480 patients with stages 4-5 CKD.

Association of angiopoietin-2 with renal outcome in chronic kidney disease.

Background: The pathophysiological mechanisms of renal function progression in chronic kidney disease (CKD) have still not been completely explored. In addition to well-known traditional risk factors, non-traditional risk factors, such as endothelial dysfunction, have gradually attracted physicians' attention. Angiopoietin-2 (Ang-2) impairs endothelial function through preventing angiopoietin-1 from binding to Tie2 receptor.

Changes in the small bowel of symptomatic kidney transplant recipients converted from mycophenolate mofetil to enteric-coated mycophenolate sodium.

Background/aims: Gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms in renal transplant recipients may be caused due to mycophenolic acid (MPA) toxicity. Using small bowel capsule endoscopy (SBCE) we examined the impact of conversion from Mycophenolate Mofetil (MMF) to enteric-coated formulation of Mycophenolate Sodium (EC-MPS) given to treat GI mucosal lesions.

Methods: Adult kidney-only recipients at least 30 days after transplant, presenting with GI symptoms while receiving MMF completed a Gastrointestinal Symptom Rating Scale (GSRS) questionnaire, underwent SBCE, and had MMF substituted by EC-MPS.

Urinary neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin and clinical outcomes in chronic kidney disease patients.

Background: Tubulointerstitial damage is a final common pathway of most renal diseases. Whether urinary neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (uNGAL), a biomarker for renal tubular damage, is of prognostic value for clinical outcomes in chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients has not been well investigated.

Methods: The uNGAL and proteinuria levels were measured among a cohort of 473 advanced CKD patients of various etiologies recruited during 2002-2009.

Dyslipoproteinemia and impairment of renal function in diabetic kidney disease: an analysis of animal studies, observational studies, and clinical trials.

Dyslipoproteinemia is highly prevalent in diabetes, chronic kidney disease, and diabetic kidney disease (DKD). Both diabetes and chronic kidney disease (CKD) are associated with hypertriglyceridemia, lower high-density lipoprotein, and higher small, dense low-density lipoprotein. A number of observational studies have reported that dyslipidemia may be associated with albuminuria, renal function impairment, and end-stage renal disease (ESRD) in the general population, and especially in CKD and DKD patients.

Is fluid overload more important than diabetes in renal progression in late chronic kidney disease?

Fluid overload is one of the major presentations in patients with late stage chronic kidney disease (CKD). Diabetes is the leading cause of renal failure, and progression of diabetic nephropathy has been associated with changes in extracellular fluid volume. The aim of the study was to assess the association of fluid overload and diabetes in commencing dialysis and rapid renal function decline (the slope of estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) less than -3 ml/min per 1.

Association of hsCRP, white blood cell count and ferritin with renal outcome in chronic kidney disease patients.

Inflammation is a pathogenic factor in renal injury, but whether inflammation is related to renal outcome in chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients is little known. We thus assess the association of inflammation and renal outcome in an advanced CKD cohort. This study analyzed the association between inflammatory markers, such as C-reactive protein (hsCRP), white blood cell (WBC) count and ferritin, renal replacement therapy (RRT) and rapid renal progression (estimated GFR slope<-6 ml/min/1.