[Clinical value of the determination of markers for endothelial dysfunction (endothelin-1, microalbuminuria) and tubulointerstitial tissue lesion (β2-microglobulin, monocyte chemotactic protein-1) in hypertensive patients with uric acid metabolic disorders].

Aim: To identify the risk factors of kidney injuries in hypertensive patients with uric acid (UA) metabolic disorders in order to choose the optimal management tactics, by analyzing the changes in markers for endothelial dysfunction (endothelin-1 (ET-1), microalbuminuria (MAU), intima-media thickness (IMT)) and tubulointerstitial tissue lesion (beta2-microglobulin (beta2-MG, monocyte chemotactic protein-1 (MCP-1)).

Subjects And Methods: Eighty-one patients with grade 1 hypertension without associated diseases, diabetes mellitus, or metabolic syndrome were examined. There were 3 study groups: 1) hyperuricosuria (n = 7); 2) hyperuricemia (n = 53); 3) hyperuricemia and renal failure (n = 6); and a control group of 15 hypertensive patients without UA metabolic disorders who were matched for age and gender with the patients of the study groups.

[Clinical significance of serum and urinary biomarkers for water-salt metabolism in patients with proteinuric forms of chronic glomerulonephritis].

Aim: To determine the nature and magnitude of changes in the detectable serum and urinary biomarkers of water-salt metabolism in patients with proteinuric forms of chronic glomerulonephritis (CGN), their importance for assessing the activity and prognosis of the disease.

Subjects And Methods: Forty-seven patients with CGN were examined. Group 1 included 10 patients with nephrotic syndrome (NS) and decreased renal function; Group 2 comprised 16 patients with persistent NS and normal renal function; Group 3 consisted of 10 patients with partial remission of NS; Group 4 included 11 patients with active hematuric CGN.

[Investigation of 70-kDa heat shock protein in the serum and urine of patients with chronic glomerulonephritis].

Aim: To determine the levels of 70-kDa heat shock protein (HSP70) in urine and anti-HPS70 antibodies (Abs) in serum and to assess their clinical and prognostic value in patients with different forms of chronic glomerulonephritis (CGN).

Subjects And Methods: Seventy-nine patients with CGN, including 15 with inactive nephritis (Group 1), 35 with active CGN and preserved renal function (Group 2), 14 with the highest CGN activity and transient creatininemia (Group 3), and 15 with persistent proteinuria and chronic renal failure (Group 4) were examined. ELISA was used to estimate urinary HSP70 levels and serum anti-HSP70 Abs in the examined groups.

[Significance of the morphogenetic proteins FGF-23 and Klotho as predictors of prognosis of chronic kidney disease].

Aim: To study the role of the morphogenetic proteins FGF-23 and Klotho in the progression of chronic kidney disease (CKD) and in the development of cardiovascular events, inflammation, protein-energy deficiency, and other complications.

Subjects And Methods: Examinations were made in 70 patients with Stages I-VD CKD: 41 with chronic glomerulonephritis (including 10 with nephritis in the presence of diffuse connective tissue diseases), 22 with tubulointerstitial nephritis, and 7 with hypertensive nephrosclerosis. There were a total of 30 men and 40 women whose age was 20 to 84 years; the mean age at the study inclusion was 41 +/- 6.

[Hyperuricemia and the problem of chronic kidney disease].

The paper reviews the literature on the role of hyperuricemia as a risk factor for chronic kidney disease and as one of the factors for the progression of existing kidney disease. It gives epidemiological information on a relationship between hyperuricemia and kidney lesion. The mechanisms for the damaging action of uric acid on kidney tissue, which have experimentally and clinically observed, are considered.

[Hepatitis C virus-related cryoglobulinemic vasculitis with renal involvement: current possibilities of treatment].

The paper considers the specific features of renal involvement developing in chronic infection caused by hepatitis C virus (HCV) and the current possibilities of treatment. It details the clinical and morphological manifestations of HCV-related cryoglobulinemic glomerulonephritis, and criteria for its diagnosis and prognosis. The author discuss new approaches to treating (severe cryoglobulinemic vasculitis with renal involvement in particular)--antiviral therapy (pegylated interferon-alpha/ribavirin) in combination with biological agents (anti-CD monoclonal antibodies, such as rituximab) to achieve clinical, virological, immunological remissions and a response at a molecular level--to eliminate oligo- and monoclonal B lymphocyte proliferation.

[General molecular and cellular mechanisms for renal and cardiac remodeling in chronic kidney disease: a target for nephrocardioprotection].

The lecture considers a number of molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying the structural and functional rearrangement and development of renal and cardiac fibrosis in chronic kidney disease (CKD). It details the key component of disadaptative organ remodeling (the formation of myofibroblasts via epithelial-mesenchymal and endothelial-mesenchymal transdifferentiation) and the role of leading angiofibrogenic mediators (angiotensin II, transforming growth factor-beta type 1, a plasminogen activator inhibitor type 1, etc.) in the regulation of these processes.

[Cardiorenal links in systemic amyloidosis].

The paper gives current general data on the structure of amyloid fibril and the principles in the classification of amyloidosis, information on the clinical course of cardiac and renal involvements in systemic AL and AA amyloidosis, and that on diagnostic and prognostic criteria and the specific features of cardiorenal links. The authors draw the conclusion that the identification of acute and chronic cardiorenal links is of practical value for systemic amyloidosis. Cardiorenal and renocardiac syndromes are not always differentiated clearly in the systemacy of involvement.

[New markers of cardio-renal links in chronic kidney disease].

Aim: To study the clinical significance of determining the serum concentration of phosphorus and calcium metabolism regulators--the morphogenetic proteins FGF-23 and Klotho in patients with different stages of chronic kidney disease (CKD).

Subjects And Methods: The serum levels of FGF-23 (a human FGF-23 ELISA kit with full-length anti-FCF-23 monoclonal antibodies) and Klotho (a human alpha-K1 ELISA with anti-Klotno antibodies) were investigated in 70 patients with Stages I--VD CKD (41 patients with chronic glomerulonephritis, including 10 with nephritis in systemic diseases, 22 with tubulointerstitial nephritis, and 7 with hypertensive nephroslerosis). The morphogenetic proteins were studied by the specialists of the LiTECH diagnostic laboratory according to the standard protocol.

[Nephrotic crisis--an urgent condition in patients with nephrotic syndrome].

The lecture considers mechanisms of potassium and water retention underlying nephrotic syndrome, clinical differences between hypo- and hypervolemic variants of nephrotic syndrome, risk factors of nephrotic crisis and its clinical symptoms, current approaches to its treatment.

[Muckle-Wells syndrome caused by a new cryopyrin mutation: effective treatment with interleukin-1 antagonist].

A significant progress in the field of molecular-biological investigations resulted in definition of a new group of systemic diseases referred to as autoinflammatory. This group comprises familial periodic fevers: periodic disease (mediterranean fever), Muckle-Wells syndrome, others cryopirinopathy, TRAPS-syndrome. As shown by case reports, Muckle-Wells syndrome is not a rare disease, its sporadic forms are encountered as well as a less severe variant of cryopirinopathy - nonallergic cold urticaria.

[Specific damage to the kidneys in patients with chronic hepatitis C associated with cryoglobulinemia].

Aim: To reveal clinical and morphological characteristics of renal damage in patients with cryoglobulinemia (CGE) associated with chronic viral hepatitis C (CVH-C) for upgrading diagnosis, prognosis and optimization of the treatment methods.

Material And Methods: Two groups of CVH-C patients were studied: with CGE (group 1, n = 64) and free of CGE (group 2, n = 62) matched for gender, age and duration of the disease. Biopsy of the liver for assessment of the histological activity index and histological sclerosis index by METAVIR scale was conducted in 63 patients.

[Current methods of systemic amyloidosis diagnosis and monitoring of its course].

Aim: To determine clinical significance of measuring blood levels of protein precursors of AA- and AL-amyloidosis - SAA and immunoglobulin free light chains (ILC), respectively.

Material And Methods: SAA concentrations were studied with ELISA in 43 rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients including complicated with reactive AA-amyloidosis (n = 31). Inflammation activity and its severity were studied (indices Li, richi, HAQ, DAS4).

[The role of D2 vitamin metabolite paricalcitol in nephroprotective strategy in chronic disease of the kidneys].

Calcitriol is important in nephroprotective strategy in chronic disease of the kidneys (CDK). However, its long-term use often results in hypercalciemia with metastatic calcification. Compared to calcitriol, paricalcitol (zemplar)--metabolite of vitamin D2--leads to hypercalciemia less frequently, has a more potent nephroprotective effect and more rapidly decreases blood levels of parathyroid hormone.

[Determination of urinary markers of proteolysis/fibrinolysis and fibroangiogenesis in the kidney in hypertensive patients].

Aim: To determine clinical significance of urinary biomarkers of proteolysis/fibrinolysis and fibroangiogenesis in essential hypertension (EH).

Material And Methods: Examination of the kidneys was made in 71 patients with EH degree 1-3. Renal function was assessed by 24-h albuminuria, calculated glomerular filtration rate (GFR) by Cockroft-Golt.

[Estimation of podocyte dysfunction by nephrinuria severity in proteinuric forms of chronic glomerulonephritis].

Aim: To evaluate severity of nephrinuria (NU) as a marker of podocyte dysfunction (PD) in patients with proteinuric forms of chronic glomerulonephritis (CGN) and to specify efficacy of this test for assessment of activity and prognosis of CGN.

Material And Methods: We examined 74 CGN patients: 18 with inactive nephritis (group 1), 18--with subnephrotic proteinuria (group 2), 38--with nephrotic syndrome--NS (group 3). The control group consisted of 10 healthy subjects.

[An IL-6 level in the serum and urine in estimation of cryoglobulinemic vasculitis activity in patients with chronic hepatitis C associated with renal damage].

Aim: To estimate serum and urine IL-6 levels and to study its role in diagnosis of nephritis activity in patients with cryoglobulinemic glomerulonephritis (CGN) associated with chronic hepatitis C (CHC).

Material And Methods: Enzyme immunoassay was used to assay IL-6 in blood serum of 124 patients having different stages of CHC. IL-6 was also estimated in the urine of 57 patients with CHC systemic manifestations including renal damage.

[Mechanisms of phosphorus and calcium homeostatic disorders in the development of cardiovascular events in patients with chronic renal diseases. The role of fibroblast growth factor 23 and Klotho].

The paper deals with the analysis of studies of the role of the bone morphogenetic proteins fibroblast growth factor 23 (FGF-23) and Klothno in the development of vascular wall calcification in chronic renal disease (CRD). FGF-23 is shown to be an important phosphaturic hormone that inhibits hypercalcemic and hyperphosphatemic effects of elevated serum vitamin D concentrations. There is evidence that there is an association between high serum FGF-23 levels and vascular wall calcification irrespective of the content of phosphorus and parathyroid hormone.

[New possibilities of the diagnosis and monitoring of the course of AL-amyloidosis].

Aim: to define the clinical value of various concentrations of immunoglobulin light chains (ILCs) in patients with AL amyloidosis.

Subjects And Methods: The content of free ILCs was studied by a nephelometric technique after their fixation in the blood of 31 patients with AL amyloidosis; monoclonal gammapathy was associated with the hyperproduction of monoclonal ILCs of lambda- and kappa-type in 14 and 17 patients, respectively. The obtained value was compared with the data of physical examination and laboratory and instrumental studies indicating lesions to target organs and with the course of the disease.

[Left ventricular noncompaction concurrent with bronchoectatic disease complicated by secondary AA-amyloidosis with renal involvement].

The paper describes a clinical case of congenital cardiomyopathy (left ventricular noncompaction) concurrent with secondary amyloidosis and renal involvement that develops at the outcome of long existing brochoectatic disease.

[Significance of the markers of endothelial dysfunction and hemorheological disorders for assessing the activity and prognosis of chronic glomerulonephritis].

Aim: to define the clinical value of changes in blood rheological properties and renal endothelial function in patients with hematuric and nephritic forms of chronic glomerulonephritis (CGN) and to ascertain whether the indices under study can be applied to assess the activity (progression) of nephritis and used as a prognostic criteria.

Subjects And Methods: Sixty-one patients, including 30 with hematuric nephritis (Group 1) and 31 with nephrotic nephritis (Group 2), were examined. A control group consisted of 12 healthy individuals.

[Clinical implications of renal affection among systemic manifestations of infectious endocarditis].

Aim: To assess the importance of renal affection and other systemic manifestations of infectious endocarditis (IE) among factors of unfavourable IE prognosis.

Material And Methods: The examination including bacteriological blood test, transthoracic echocardiography was made in 54 patients with IE (35 males and 19 females aged 17-75 years). Transesophageal echocardiography and coagulogram examination were additionally performed in 11 and 45 patients, respectively.