The association of tumor necrosis factor superfamily 13 with recurrence of immunoglobulin A nephropathy in living related kidney transplantation.

Background: An increasing amount of evidence has demonstrated an association between an increase in the level of tumor necrosis factor superfamily 13 (TNFSF13) and immunoglobulin A nephropathy (IgAN) progression. We aimed to evaluate if the level of pre-transplant serum TNFSF13 is predictive of IgAN recurrence after kidney transplantation.

Methods: This analysis was based on the clinical and laboratory data of 69 patients with IgAN who underwent first kidney transplantation with no evidence of mesangial IgA deposits in zero-time transplantation biopsy.

Autologous arteriovenous fistula is associated with superior outcomes in elderly hemodialysis patients.

Background: The number of elderly patients with end-stage renal disease is increasing rapidly. The higher prevalence of comorbidities and shorter life expectancy in these patients make it difficult to decide on the type of vascular access (VA). We explored the optimal choice for VA in elderly hemodialysis patients.

Genome-wide association analysis identifies multiple loci associated with kidney disease-related traits in Korean populations.

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is an important social health problem characterized by a decrease in the kidney glomerular filtration rate (GFR). In this study, we analyzed genome-wide association studies for kidney disease-related traits using data from a Korean adult health screening cohort comprising 7,064 participants. Kidney disease-related traits analyzed include blood urea nitrogen (BUN), serum creatinine, estimated GFR, and uric acid levels.

Update of aristolochic acid nephropathy in Korea.

Background/aims: The true incidence of aristolochic acid nephropathy (AAN) is thought to be underestimated because numerous ingredients known or suspected to contain aristolochic acid (AA) are used in traditional medicine in Korea.

Methods: We collected data on cases of AAN since 1996 via a database in Korea. We evaluated the year of AAN development, route to obtaining AA-containing herbal medicine, gender, reason for taking AA-containing herbal medicine, clinical manifestations, histological findings, phytochemical analysis, and prognosis of patients with AAN.

Body fat distribution is more predictive of all-cause mortality than overall adiposity.

Aims: The relationship between directly measured body fat and all-cause mortality has been rarely studied. The aim of this study was to evaluate the predictive significance of computed tomography (CT)-measured body fat, including both visceral fat area (VFA) and subcutaneous fat area (SFA), for mortality.

Methods: The study included 36 656 participants who underwent abdominal CT as part of a health check-up at a single university-affiliated healthcare center in 2007 to 2015.

Elevated baseline potassium level within reference range is associated with worse clinical outcomes in hospitalised patients.

The clinical significance of elevated baseline serum potassium (K) levels in hospitalised patients is rarely described. Hence, we performed a retrospective study assessing the significance of elevated K levels in a one-year admission cohort. Adult patients without hypokalaemia or end-stage renal disease were included.

Effects of colchicine on renal fibrosis and apoptosis in obstructed kidneys.

Background/aims: Colchicine is an established drug for microtubule stabilization that may reduce tissue injury. No data were available that its effects may depend on the dosage of colchicine. We investigated the anti-fibrotic and apoptotic effects of various dose of colchicine in a unilateral ureteral obstruction (UUO) model.

Hydrochlorothiazide does not increase furosemide's effects in end-stage renal disease.

Diuretic therapy for the treatment of edema in patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) is unsatisfactory, and a combination of thiazide and loop diuretics may produce better clinical effects. To evaluate the influence of thiazide on loop diuretic therapy for ESRD, we performed a crossover study of furosemide versus hydrochlorothiazide plus furosemide treatment. The diuretic effects of furosemide (160 mg i.

Recurrent Vascular Access Dysfunction as a Novel Marker of Cardiovascular Outcome and Mortality in Hemodialysis Patients.

Background: Vascular access (VA) is essential for hemodialysis (HD) patients, and its dysfunction is a major complication. However, little is known about outcomes in patients with recurrent VA dysfunction. We explored the influence of recurrent VA dysfunction on cardiovascular (CV) events, death and VA abandonment.

NT-proBNP Is Predictive of the Weaning from Continuous Renal Replacement Therapy.

Continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT) is a dialysis modality used to treat patients with severe acute kidney injury. Nevertheless, there is limited information on the predictors of weaning from CRRT. The present study examined whether the N-terminal prohormone of brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) can predict weaning from CRRT, based on the fact that this cardiac neurohormone is known to predict kidney dysfunction.

Erratum: Mutations in SLC12A3 and CLCNKB and Their Correlation with Clinical Phenotype in Patients with Gitelman and Gitelman-like Syndrome.

[This corrects the article on p. 47 in vol. 31, PMID: 26770037.

Predictors of Relapse in Adult-Onset Nephrotic Minimal Change Disease.

Minimal change disease (MCD) is a well-known benign primary glomerulonephritis because of its distinct rare tendency to progress to end-stage renal disease. However, factors associated with relapse in adults are not well known. We aimed to identify predictors of relapse in adult-onset MCD patients.

Low-dose paclitaxel ameliorates renal fibrosis by suppressing transforming growth factor-β1-induced plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 signaling.

Aim: To investigate the effect of microtubule stabilization with low-dose paclitaxel on renal fibrosis, focusing on the transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1)-induced plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) signaling cascade.

Methods: Forty-eight rats were randomly assigned to four groups: sham/vehicle, sham/paclitaxel, unilateral ureteral obstruction (UUO)/vehicle and UUO/paclitaxel. Rats were treated with a 0.

Mutations in SLC12A3 and CLCNKB and Their Correlation with Clinical Phenotype in Patients with Gitelman and Gitelman-like Syndrome.

Gitelman's syndrome (GS) is caused by loss-of-function mutations in SLC12A3 and characterized by hypokalemic metabolic alkalosis, hypocalciuria, and hypomagnesemia. Long-term prognosis and the role of gene diagnosis in GS are still unclear. To investigate genotype-phenotype correlation in GS and Gitelman-like syndrome, we enrolled 34 patients who showed hypokalemic metabolic alkalosis without secondary causes.

Dysnatremia, its correction, and mortality in patients undergoing continuous renal replacement therapy: a prospective observational study.

Background: Although dysnatremia has been reported to be correlated with mortality risk, this issue remains unresolved in patients undergoing continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT). Furthermore, it has not been determined whether change in or correction of sodium is related to mortality risk in this subset.

Methods: A total of 569 patients were prospectively enrolled at the start of CRRT between May 2010 and September 2013.

Effects of sodium citrate on salt sensitivity and kidney injury in chronic renal failure.

Metabolic acidosis, which is observed in salt-sensitive hypertension, is also associated with kidney injury. Alkali therapy in chronic renal failure (CRF) may ameliorate the progression of kidney disease; however, few studies have examined the effects of alkali therapy on salt sensitivity and kidney injury in CRF. We randomly administered standard diet (SD), sodium chloride with 20% casein diet (NACL), or sodium citrate with 20% casein diet (NACT) to Sprague-Dawley rats after a CRF or a sham operation.

Alkali therapy attenuates the progression of kidney injury via Na/H exchanger inhibition in 5/6 nephrectomized rats.

Metabolic acidosis is a cause of renal disease progression, and alkali therapy ameliorates its progression. However, there are few reports on the role of renal acid-base transporters during alkali therapy. We evaluated the effect of sodium bicarbonate therapy and the role of acid-base transporters on renal disease progression in rats with a remnant kidney.

Renal replacement therapy in Korea, 2012.

The Korean Society of Nephrology (KSN) launched the official end-stage renal disease (ESRD) patient registry in 1985, and an Internet online registry program was opened in 2001 and revised in 2013. The ESRD Registry Committee of KSN has collected data on dialysis therapy in Korea through the online registry program in the KSN Internet website. The status of renal replacement therapy in Korea at the end of 2012 is described in the following.

Renal adverse effects of sunitinib and its clinical significance: a single-center experience in Korea.

Background/aims: Sunitinib is an oral multitargeted tyrosine kinase inhibitor used mainly for the treatment of metastatic renal cell carcinoma. The renal adverse effects (RAEs) of sunitinib have not been investigated. The aim of this study was to determine the incidence and risk factors of RAEs (proteinuria [PU] and renal insufficiency [RI]) and to investigate the relationship between PU and antitumor efficacy.

Gitelman's syndrome with vomiting manifested by severe metabolic alkalosis and progressive renal insufficiency.

Gitelman's syndrome is an autosomal recessive salt-losing tubulopathy showing hypokalemic hypomagnesemic hypocalciuria with metabolic alkalosis and hyperreninemic hyperaldosteronism. This syndrome is caused by mutations in the SLC12A3 gene that encodes sodium-chloride cotransporter expressed at the apical membrane of renal distal convoluted tubule. Symptoms and renal outcomes of Gitelman's syndrome are, in general, mild and benign, and renal insufficiency from Gitelman's syndrome associated with long-standing hypokalemia and volume depletion is extremely rare.

Dipeptidyl peptidase IV inhibitor attenuates kidney injury in rat remnant kidney.

Background: The inhibition of dipeptidyl peptidase (DPP) IV shows protective effects on tissue injury of the heart, lung, and kidney. Forkhead box O (FoxO) transcriptional factors regulate cellular differentiation, growth, survival, the cell cycle, metabolism, and oxidative stress. The aims of this study were to investigate whether the DPP IV inhibitor sitagliptin could attenuate kidney injury and to evaluate the status of FoxO3a signaling in the rat remnant kidney model.

Potassium intake and the prevalence of metabolic syndrome: the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2008-2010.

Lower potassium intake is considered to be correlated with diabetes incidence. However, few studies have investigated the effect of potassium intake on metabolic syndrome (MetS). Data was taken from the Korean National Health and Nutritional Examination Survey (2008-2010) using weighted adjustment.

Rapid correction rate of hyponatremia as an independent risk factor for neurological complication following liver transplantation.

Hyponatremia is prevalent before liver transplantation and generally corrected immediately after transplantation. However, the clinical significance of correction rate of hyponatremia is not well investigated. The prognostic impact of pre-transplant serum sodium concentrations and post-transplant correction rate of hyponatremia were assessed.

Hemodynamic and biochemical benefits of the objective measurement of fluid status in hemodialysis patients.

Subtle fluid imbalance can cause poor clinical outcomes among hemodialysis patients. However, the traditional subjective assessment of fluid status may be inadequate. We evaluated whether the objective measurement and optimization of fluid status could be beneficial for hemodynamic and biochemical parameters in hemodialysis patients.