Structured clinical follow-up for CKD stage 5 may safely postpone dialysis.

Background And Objectives: The optimal timing of dialysis initiation is still unclear. We aimed to ascertain whether a strict clinical follow-up can postpone need for dialysis in chronic kidney disease (CKD) stage 5 patients.

Design, Setting, Participants And Measurements: We reviewed records of all consecutive adult patients attending our conservative CKD stage 5 outpatient clinic from 2001 to 2010.

Is left ventricular hypertrophy a powerful predictor of progression to dialysis in chronic kidney disease?

Background: The role of cardiovascular factors in predicting renal outcome has not been extensively elucidated. Herein, we report a prospective evaluation of the impact of left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) on outcome in non-diabetic patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD).

Methods: We studied 144 patients (99 men; age 62±14 years) with stage 3-4 CKD, with baseline assessment of left ventricular mass index (LVMi) by echocardiography, estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) by MDRD equation, 24-h blood pressure profile and 24-h proteinuria.

Association of arterial hypertension with renal target organ damage in kidney transplant recipients: the predictive role of ambulatory blood pressure monitoring.

Background: Although arterial hypertension is a powerful predictor of graft failure, only few studies have evaluated 24-hr blood pressure (BP) profile in renal transplant recipients (RTRs).

Methods: We performed ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM) in 94 RTRs (65 men; age 28-71 years) with 1-year functioning grafts. Serum biochemical parameters, daily proteinuria, and transplantation-related data were evaluated in all subjects.

Effect of sirolimus on left ventricular hypertrophy in kidney transplant recipients: a 1-year nonrandomized controlled trial.

Background: Left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) after renal transplantation may be affected by immunosuppressive therapy.

Study Design: Nonrandomized controlled trial evaluating the effect of sirolimus (SRL) on LVH of renal transplant recipients (RTRs).

Setting & Participants: 13 RTRs without diabetes who had received a single-kidney transplant from a deceased donor with chronic allograft dysfunction and biopsy-proven allograft nephropathy who were converted from calcineurin-inhibitor (CNI) to SRL treatment; 26 controls matched for age and year of transplantation who were not converted from CNI to SRL treatment.

ACE inhibitors and persistent left ventricular hypertrophy after renal transplantation: a randomized clinical trial.

Background: Interventional studies of left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) in renal transplant recipients are scarce and to date evaluated only patients immediately after renal transplantation.

Study Design: Randomized controlled trial that assessed the effectiveness of angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors in regressing persistent LVH after successful transplantation.

Setting & Participants: 70 renal transplant recipients (47 men; age, 30 to 68 years) without diabetes previously randomly assigned to either cyclosporine or tacrolimus therapy, with LVH persisting 3 to 6 months after transplantation.

Relationship between arterial hypertension and renal damage in chronic kidney disease: insights from ABPM.

Background: To date, few studies have used ambulatory pressure monitoring (ABPM) in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) before the start of dialysis treatment. The aim of this study was therefore to ascertain the correlates of arterial hypertension assessed by ABPM in CKD patients at their first referral to a nephrologist.

Methods: We studied 244 (164 men; mean age 63 years) nondiabetic patients with CKD.