Role of combined L-arginine and prostaglandin E1 in renal ischemia-reperfusion injury.

Background: L-Arginine (L-arg) and Prostaglandin E(1) (PGE(1)) have been used effectively as single agents to ameliorate renal ischemia-reperfusion injury. We hypothesized that combined treatment with L-arg and PGE(1 )would be more effective.

Materials And Methods: The left renal artery of male Sprague-Dawley rats was clamped for 45 min and the right kidney was removed.

Interferon therapy in hemodialysis patients with chronic hepatitis C: study of tolerance, efficacy and post-transplantation course.

Background: The potential benefit of pre-transplant treatment of chronic hepatitis C on long-term evolution after renal transplantation is not clear.

Methods: Fifty successive renal transplant candidates had their sera positive for HCV RNA and a biopsy-proven chronic hepatitis. Out of these, 18 patients received a standard course of interferon-alpha2b (IFN; 3 MU three times weekly after hemodialysis sessions for 6 months).

The impact of hepatitis C virus viremia on renal graft and patient survival: a 9-year prospective study.

Background: The impact of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection on long-term patient and renal graft survival is controversial.

Methods: We prospectively followed up for approximately 9 years 133 hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg)-negative successive renal transplant recipients for whom HCV RNA polymerase chain reaction (PCR) results were available before transplantation. We compared graft and patient survival rates and causes of death and graft failure in PCR-positive and PCR-negative transplant recipients.