Plasma tissue-type plasminogen activator, fibrinogen, and time on dialysis prior to transplantation are related to carotid intima media thickness in renal transplant recipients.

The majority of deaths among patients after renal transplantation is attributed to cardiovascular disease (CVD). Intima media thickness (IMT) of the common carotid artery is related to coronary and cerebrovascular arterial disease. One of the major causes of death due to CVD is acute coronary syndrome, which is precipitated by coronary plaque rupture and subsequent thrombosis.

Endothelial cell injury markers in chronic renal failure on conservative treatment and continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis.

Aim: In chronic renal failure in dialyzed patients vascular damage is frequently observed and it is probable that disturbances in fibrinolytic activity and endothelial dysfunction may play a role in vascular complications such as stroke or ischemic heart disease. There have been a few data concerning hemostasis in chronic renal failure. Since hemostatic disturbances in nephrotic syndrome mimick those observed in patients maintained on chronic ambulatory peritoneal dialyses (CAPD), the aim of the study was to assess adhesion molecules (P-selectin, E-selectin, ICAM, VCAM and markers of endothelial cell injury), von Willebrand factor, thrombomodulin, and TFPI (tissue factor pathway inhibitor) in CAPD patients as well as in subjects with chronic renal failure (CRF) treated conservatively.

[Thrombin activatable fibrinolysis o inhibitor-TAFI- in dialyzed patients with diabetic nephropathy].

Patients with end-stage renal disease dialyzed due to diabetic nephropathy are at higher risk of death due to cardiovascular complications than dialyzed non-diabetic patients. Disturbances in hemostasis may play a role in the vascular complications of diabetes mellitus. It has been postulated that TAFI-Thrombin Activatable Fibrinolysis Inhibitor, newly described glycoprotein, couples two opposite systems: coagulation and fibrinolysis.

Osteoprotegerin and its correlations with new markers of bone formation and bone resorption in kidney transplant recipients.

Osteoprotegerin (OPG), a natural decoy receptor for osteoclast differentiation factor, is produced by osteoblasts in response to PTH. OPG and its ligand RANKL constitute a complex mediator system involved in the regulation of bone resorption, probably playing an important role in the homeostasis of bone turnover. At present, little is known about the effects of OPG on uremic bone.

Is there any relation between thyroid gland function and kidney transplant function?

Introduction: Patients with chronic renal failure exhibit abnormalities of thyroid function. Reports regarding thyroid function in kidney transplant recipients (TX) are rare, particularly those individuals on long-term immunosuppression. The aim of this study was to investigate correlations between FT3, FT4, TSH concentrations, thyroid volume, and graft function.

Thrombin-activatable fibrinolysis inhibitor in kidney transplant recipient with dyslipidemia.

Kidney transplant recipients are not only prone to dyslipidemia but also have a high risk of cardiovascular death. Impairment of the fibrinolytic system is thought to be one factor playing a role in development of thrombotic complications. Thrombin-activatable fibrinolysis inhibitor (TAFI) is a glycoprotein, linking coagulation and fibrinolysis.

Influence of simvastatin on aspects of thrombogenesis in CAPD patients.

Background: Patients on continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) are prone to dyslipidemia and have a high risk of cardiovascular death. Statins show beneficial effects on serum lipids and thrombogenesis in various groups of patients, but prospective studies have so far not been performed on CAPD patients.

Aim: To determine the effects of 6 months' treatment with simvastatin on platelet function and some hemostatic parameters, markers of endothelial cell injury, in 14 CAPD patients with hypercholesterolemia.

Tissue expression and translational control of rat kynurenine aminotransferase/glutamine transaminase K mRNAs.

Kynurenic acid (KA) is an endogenous glutamate receptor antagonist at the level of the different ionotropic glutamate receptors. One of the enzymes responsible for the production of KA, kynurenine aminotransferase I (KATI), also catalyses the reversible transamination of glutamine to oxoglutaramic acid (GTK, EC 2.6.

Correlations of new markers of bone formation and resorption in kidney transplant recipients.

Renal osteodystrophy is a common complication of chronic renal failure and renal replacement therapy. Successful kidney transplantation reverses many of these abnormalities, but the improvement is often incomplete. The evaluation of renal osteodystrophy in everyday practice is based on noninvasive measurements.

Simvastatin and markers of endothelial function in patients undergoing continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis.

Patients undergoing continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) are prone to dyslipidemia and have a high risk of cardiovascular death. The aim of this study was to assess the effects of a 6-month treatment with simvastatin (10 mg at bedtime) on markers of endothelial cell injury in 12 hypercholesterolemic CAPD patients. Cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol fell significantly after 1 month of therapy.

[Influence of hemodialysis on expression of glycoprotein lb platelets reactivity in patients with the end stage renal failure].

Complex disturbances in hemostasis characterise chronic renal insufficiency. Defect of primary hemostasis is a common cause of bleeding complications. The hemodialysis procedure (HD), by itself, influences platelet function (the key part of primary hemostasis) which is compromised after the procedure.

Thyroid function and incidentalomas in kidney transplant recipients.

Background: Ultrasound (US) is currently the best method for detecting thyroid nodules, especially those less than 1 cm in diameter, known as 'incidentaloma'. The ultimate diagnosis of non-palpable masses is done by fine-needle aspiration biopsy (FNAB), especially sonographically controlled (S-FNAB). Because of the increasing prevalence of thyroid nodules in Poland, it is essential to assess the nodules for FNAB and S-FNAB, especially in persons at high risk for thyroid carcinoma (patients after transplant with immunosuppression, persons with endemic goiter).

Effects of combination of cyclosporine with losartan or enalapril on kidney function in uremic rats.

Long-term treatment with cyclosporine in solid organ transplantation has been shown to be associated with the development of hypertension and nephrotoxicity. Angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors have well-known nephroprotective properties and may prevent cyclosporine A (CYA)-induced hypertension. Angiotensin receptor 1 antagonists have similar properties.

Fluvastin therapy affects TAFI concentration in kidney transplant recipients.

Thrombin activatable fibrinolysis inhibitor (TAFI) is a glycoprotein, linking coagulation and fibrinolysis. Recently, attention has been drawn to the beneficial effects of statins on haemostasis in kidney patients prone to dyslipidaemia and with a high risk of cardiovascular death. The purpose of this study was to assess whether fluvastatin affects TAFI concentration in renal transplant recipients.

A comprehensive study on hemostasis in CAPD patients treated with erythropoietin.

Objective: Bleeding diathesis and simultaneous thrombotic complications may be seen in dialyzed patients. Erythropoietin (EPO) may shift the precarious balance of the hemostatic system toward thrombosis. Platelets and tissue factor (TF) play a major role in plug formation.

Markers of endothelial cell injury and thrombin activatable fibrinolysis inhibitor in nephrotic syndrome.

Thromboembolic complications are often seen in patients with nephrotic syndrome. Markers of endothelial cell injury [thrombomodulin, intracellular adhesion molecule, vascular cell adhesion molecule, thrombin activatable fibrinolysis inhibitor (TAFI), protein Z, vascular endothelial growth factor, markers of thrombin and plasmin generation] were studied in 22 patients with nephrotic syndrome. All these parameters studied, except protein Z and D-dimers, were significantly higher in patients with nephrotic syndrome, whereas protein Z was significantly lower when compared with the healthy volunteers.

Some aspects of hemostasis in CAPD patients treated with erythropoietin.

Background: Bleeding diathesis and simultaneous thrombotic complications may be seen in dialyzed patients. Erythropoietin may shift the precarious balance of the hemostatic system towards thrombosis. Thrombin activatable fibrinolysis inhibitor (TAFI) is a key protein linking coagulation and fibrinolysis.

Vitamin K status in relation to bone metabolism in patients with renal failure.

Vitamin K abnormalities may be involved in the pathogenesis of bone disease in patients with advanced renal failure since vitamin K plays a role in the synthesis of osteocalcin, a marker of bone formation. Vitamin K may also indirectly suppress parathyroid function. The aim of this study was to evaluate vitamin K status in patients with renal failure and in healthy volunteers in relation to some biochemical markers of bone turnover.

Leptin correlates with some hemostatic parameters in CAPD patients.

Hyperleptinemia is also common in chronic renal failure, particularly in CAPD. On the other hand, cardiovascular events related to thrombosis are a predominant cause of death and account also for an important morbidity in uremic patients. Treatment with recombinant human erythropoietin (rHuEPO) may shift the precarious hemostatic balance towards thrombosis.

[Simvastatin and extrinsic coagulation pathway in peritoneally dialyzed patients].

Peritoneally dialyzed subjects (CAPD) are prone to dyslipidemia and have a high risk of cardiovascular death. Statins (hydroxy-methylglutaryloCoA reductase inhibitors) show beneficial effects on serum lipids and hemostasis in kidney diseases. The purpose of this study was to assess platelet functions, some hemostatic parameters-extrinsic coagulation pathway-total, truncated, free TFPI (tissue factor pathway inhibitor), TF (tissue factor), TFPI/Xa and TF/VIIa complexes, as well as a marker of endothelial cell injury--von Willebrand factor--vWF and serum lipids in 10 hyperlipidemic CAPD patients treated with simvastatin (Zocor, MSD, at a dose of 10 mg at bedtime) for 3 months.

Effects of immunosuppressive drugs on platelet aggregation in vitro.

Disturbances in platelet functions are found in kidney diseases and may contribute to the progression of atherosclerosis with its thrombotic complications. Kidney allograft recipients are particularly prone to dyslipidemia and have a high risk of cardiovascular death. The purpose of this work was to assess effects of various immunosuppressive drugs on aggregation of platelets obtained from healthy volunteers and chronically hemodialyzed patients.