Lipid Metabolism in Patients with End-Stage Renal Disease: A Five Year Follow-up Study.

Background: Patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) exhibit high morbidity as well as mortality for atherosclerotic cardiovascular diseases (CVD). Therefore, we investigated differences in individual lipoprotein classes and subclasses in ESRD patients under chronic high volume hemodiafiltration (HV-HDF) in comparison with a control group. We also assessed the prognosis of these patients and analyzed these parameters after 5 years follow-up.

Methylation status of immune response genes promoters in cell-free DNA differs in hemodialyzed patients with diabetic nephropathy according to the intensity of anemia therapy.

Background: Anemia is a major complication of end-stage renal disease. Hemodialysis itself is regarded as a stimulus activating inflammation. Pro-inflammatory cytokines are able to suppress erythropoiesis.

Alterations in methylation status of immune response genes promoters in cell-free DNA during a hemodialysis procedure.

Objective: Elevations of cell-free DNA (cfDNA) concentrations during hemodialysis (HD) sessions were reported in numerous studies regardless of an applied therapeutic protocol. It is generally thought that the elevated concentrations represent the consequence of apoptosis on the dialysis membranes. No data concerning the qualitative characteristics of cfDNAs in HD patients have been published till today; therefore, we focus on the promoter methylation status of genes involved in immune response.

Low-flow polytetrafluoroethylene accesses: ultrasound surveillance and preemptive interventions ensure long-term patency.

Background: Vascular accesses (especially polytetrafluoroethylene grafts) with a permanently low flow (Qa <600 ml/min) are prone to thrombosis and thus have short patency. The reason for a permanently low flow is usually medial calcinosis of the inflow artery in diabetics. We retrospectively studied the long-term patency of low-flow grafts with careful ultrasound surveillance and preemptive interventions.

Short-term outcomes of borderline stenoses in vascular accesses with PTFE grafts.

Background: There are controversial data about vascular access stenosis surveillance by ultrasonography. The definition of stenosis significance varies among centres. We performed a retrospective study to describe short-term outcomes of borderline asymptomatic stenoses defined by precise criteria and to determine possible risk factors of stenosis progression.