Carnitine content in different muscles of patients receiving maintenance hemodialysis.

Objective: Chronic hemodialysis may lead to losses of carnitine from plasma and muscles. The aim of the present study was a comparison of carnitine contents in different human muscles (brachioradialis muscle and rectus muscle of abdomen) and evaluation of the correlation between plasma and tissue carnitine concentrations in patients receiving hemodialysis and healthy control patients.

Methods: The studies were performed in two groups of patients receiving hemodialysis.

Randomized placebo-controlled study on the effects of losartan and carvedilol on albuminuria in renal transplant recipients.

Background: The renoprotective effects of agents inhibiting the renin-angiotensin system in renal transplant recipients have been supposed but not finally proven. To shed more light on this issue, we performed a double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover study to evaluate the influence of the AT-1 angiotensin II receptor blocker, losartan, on the surrogate marker of kidney injury, albuminuria, in patients after renal transplantation. The safety of this therapy was also evaluated.

Low-dose dual blockade of the renin-angiotensin system improves tubular status in non-diabetic proteinuric patients.

Objective: Treatment with agents that inhibit the renin-angiotensin system is commonly regarded as a gold standard renoprotective strategy in patients with chronic kidney diseases. For maximum antiproteinuric effect, the dose titration of these agents is recommended. This therapeutic strategy is not used for proteinuric patients who are not able to receive high doses of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor or angiotensin II receptor antagonists.