A single cystatin C determination before coronary angiography can predict short and long-term adverse events.

Background: Cystatin C (CyC) role in the detection of contrast induced acute kidney injury (CIAKI) is controversial. This study assessed whether a single CyC determination before coronary angiography (CA)could predict CIAKI and long-term adverse events.

Methods: CyC was assessed before CA in 713 consecutive patients.

Polymyxin-B hemoperfusion inactivates circulating proapoptotic factors.

Objective: To test the hypothesis that extracorporeal therapy with polymyxin B (PMX-B) may prevent Gram-negative sepsis-induced acute renal failure (ARF) by reducing the activity of proapoptotic circulating factors.

Setting: Medical-Surgical Intensive Care Units.

Patients And Interventions: Sixteen patients with Gram-negative sepsis were randomized to receive standard care (Surviving Sepsis Campaign guidelines) or standard care plus extracorporeal therapy with PMX-B.

Human polyomavirus BK in patients with lupus nephritis: clinical and histological correlations.

Polyomavirus BK (BKV) reactivation can occur in immunodeficient patients. Few studies on BKV infection in patients with systemic lupus erytematosus (SLE) nephritis are available. Aim of this study was to analyse the prevalence of BKV infection by quantifying viral load and to investigate the association with clinical and histological parameters indicating duration, type and activity of SLE.

Urinalysis: do not forget this type of cell in renal transplantation.

Microscopic sediment analysis of urine from a 56-year-old woman who underwent renal transplantation showed many uncommon clusters of rounded and translucent cells containing globular mucous cytoplasmic inclusions (HPF, x400). These cells were bigger than leukocytes and, compared with uroepithelial cells, showed a smaller nucleus to cytoplasm ratio and appeared eosinophilic, being pink rather than azurophilic with Sternheimer-Malbin stain. They were also unlikely to be tubular cells, which are usually smaller, singly distributed and associated with dysmorphic erythrocytes and/or casts and/or a worsening in renal function.

[Urinalysis in Italy in 2006].

Urinalysis and proteinuria testing represent fundamental tests for the clinician, even though they too often lack standardization. Through the Italian Society of Nephrology Mailing List we sent a questionnaire to 282 centers, in order to assess the state of the art in Italy in the year 2006. 82% of the questionnaires were completed (nephrology laboratories: 64%, general laboratories: 36%).

Comparison between 24-h proteinuria, urinary protein/creatinine ratio and dipstick test in patients with nephropathy: patterns of proteinuria in dipstick-negative patients.

Objective: Three main tests are commonly employed for the measurement of proteinuria: the dipstick test, the urinary protein/creatinine ratio (P/C) and the 24-h urine collection. The aim of this study was to evaluate the correlation between these methods, comparing linear regression and ROC curve data.

Material And Methods: A total of 297 consecutive outpatients with different renal diseases were included in the study.

Cystatin C as a marker of renal function immediately after liver transplantation.

To verify whether cystatin C may be of some use as a renal function marker immediately after orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT), we compared serum cystatin C (S(Cyst)), serum creatinine (S(cr)), and creatinine clearance (C(cr)) levels with the glomerular filtration rate (GFR). On postoperative days 1, 3, 5, and 7, S(Cyst) and S(cr) was measured in simultaneously drawn blood samples, whereas C(cr) was calculated using a complete 24-hour urine collection. The GFR was determined on the same days by means of iohexol plasma clearance (I-GFR).

"Decoy cells" in urine.

BK virus-associated nephropathy is an emerging cause of kidney transplant loss. Tapering immunosuppressive drugs and antiviral agents are the only therapy. The diagnosis is based on immunohistochemical findings or polymerase chain reaction on renal biopsy.

Tailoring high-cut-off membranes and feasible application in sepsis-associated acute renal failure: in vitro studies.

Background: As removal of pro-inflammatory cytokines is limited in conventional diffusive or convective extracorporeal therapies, we studied in two polysulphone membranes with an industrial albumin sieving coefficient of 0.05 (Type A) and 0.13 (Type B) cytokine (IL-6, IL-8, IL-1beta, IL-1ra, TNF-alpha) and plasma protein (albumin, cystatin C, total proteins) permeability profiles.

Long-term, low-dose, intravenous vitamin C leads to plasma calcium oxalate supersaturation in hemodialysis patients.

Background: Ascorbate supplementation for patients on regular dialysis treatment (RDT) is advised to obviate deficiency and improve epoetin response in those with functional iron deficiency. However, clear-cut safety concerns regarding hyperoxalemia are still poorly understood. This study tries to establish safety/efficacy profiles of ascorbate and oxalate during long-term intravenous ascorbate supplementation.

Could plasma cystatin C be useful as a marker of hemodialysis low molecular weight proteins removal?

Background: Plasma cystatin (pCyst) is a well-assessed tool for measuring renal function, and it could also play a part in hemodialysis adequacy.

Methods: pCyst and other uremic toxins (urea, creatinine, parathyroid hormone, prolactin) were assessed before and after a dialysis session in 18 hemodialysis patients: 7 on bicarbonate hemodialysis (BHD) and 11 on mixed convective dialysis (MCD; 6 standard hemodiafiltration and 5 acetate-free biofiltration). Plasma levels and reduction ratios (RR) were then compared between the BHD and MCD groups.

The grafted kidney takes over: disappearance of the nephrotic syndrome after preemptive pancreas-kidney and kidney transplantation in diabetic nephropathy.

This report describes the rapid and complete reversal of proteinuria after preemptive transplantation in diabetic nephropathy. Case 1 was a 42-year-old woman with type 1 diabetes (before pancreas-kidney graft: serum creatinine 1.6 mg/dL and proteinuria 9.

Maintenance of residual renal function 10 years after the start of hemodialysis: the advantage of tailored schedules?

Maintenance of residual renal clearance is a clinical advantage, protecting against the long-term effects of uremia: although demonstrated in peritoneal dialysis, the strategies in hemodialysis are less clear. This case suggests that dialysis schedules individualized on the basis of renal clearances may help preserve residual function. SB is a 58 year-old male who started dialysis in emergency (creatinine 30.

Complete reversal of the nephrotic syndrome after preemptive pancreas-kidney transplantation: a case report.

Background: Nephrotic syndrome due to diabetic nephropathy is presently considered an indication for pancreas-kidney transplantation even in the absence of severe renal failure. Reversal of the nephrotic syndrome has been reported, but the mechanisms of this effect are unclear.

Aim: To describe the renal morphofunctional pattern and the pattern of proteinuria before and after preemptive pancreas-kidney transplantation.

The verapamil versus amlodipine in nondiabetic nephropathies treated with trandolapril (VVANNTT) study.

Background: We tested whether the combination of verapamil (V) or amlodipine (A) with trandolapril (T) affected proteinuria differently from T alone in patients with nondiabetic nephropathies.

Methods: After T, 2 mg, in open conditions for 1 month, 69 patients were randomly assigned to be administered T, 2 mg, combined with V, 180 mg, plus a placebo or T, 2 mg, plus A, 5 mg, once a day in a double-blind fashion. Patients were followed up for 8 months.

[Results of extended lymphadenectomy in the surgical treatment of gastric carcinoma. Considerations on data from the literature].

In the surgical response to gastric carcinoma the use of extensive lymphadenectomy (D2) is still being debated. In Japan D2 is the operation of choice and the numerous selected case studies emphasize better long term survival at all stages with this operation. In the West D2 has not obtained the same approval, besides which it is burdened by higher postoperative morbidity and mortality.