The ERA-EDTA Registry Annual Report 2017: a summary.

Background: This article presents a summary of the 2017 Annual Report of the European Renal Association-European Dialysis and Transplant Association (ERA-EDTA) Registry and describes the epidemiology of renal replacement therapy (RRT) for end-stage renal disease (ESRD) in 37 countries.

Methods: The ERA-EDTA Registry received individual patient data on patients undergoing RRT for ESRD in 2017 from 32 national or regional renal registries and aggregated data from 21 registries. The incidence and prevalence of RRT, kidney transplantation activity and survival probabilities of these patients were calculated.

The European Renal Association - European Dialysis and Transplant Association (ERA-EDTA) Registry Annual Report 2016: a summary.

Background: This article summarizes the ERA-EDTA Registry's 2016 Annual Report, by describing the epidemiology of renal replacement therapy (RRT) for end-stage renal disease (ESRD) in 2016 within 36 countries.

Methods: In 2017 and 2018, the ERA-EDTA Registry received data on patients undergoing RRT for ESRD in 2016 from 52 national or regional renal registries. In all, 32 registries provided individual patient data and 20 provided aggregated data.

Evaluation of Gore-Tex graft patency in hemodialysis access.

Aim: The purpose of this retrospective study was to analyze the patency and complications of Gore-Tex grafts used in hemodialysis (HD) access.

Methods: In the last 16 years, 1649 surgical procedures were performed on 655 patients to ensure and maintain permanent HD access. The study group consisted of 64 HD patients on whom 81 vascular synthetic PTFE Gore-tex grafts were performed.

Low-dose dual blockade of the renin-angiotensin system in patients with primary glomerulonephritis.

Background: Treatment with agents interfering with the renin-angiotensin system retards the progressive course of proteinuric chronic renal disease. However, because of unwanted effects associated with such therapy, some patients cannot be treated with these drugs at all or may be administered only very small doses. To find an optimal nephroprotective strategy for these patients, we compared antiproteinuric effects of combination therapy with an angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor and angiotensin II type 1 receptor antagonist in very small doses with treatment with either agent alone at greater, but not maximal, doses.

Measurements of the Obersteiner-Redlich zone of the vagus nerve and their possible clinical applications.

The aim of our study was to describe anatomical variability of the root entry zone (REZ), also called the Obersteiner-Redlich zone, that represents the "junction zone" of glia and Schwann sheath of the cranial nerves. This zone has some clinical implications. The pulsatile compression of REZ by a vessel may produce clinical symptoms, such us trigeminal neuralgia, hemifacial spasm, glossopharyngeal neuralgia torticollis spasmodicus or even symptoms of essential hypertension when a vascular cross compression of REZ of a left vagus nerve is present.