Publications by authors named "Maria Zanazzi"
Background: Identifying acute kidney injury (AKI) within few hours of onset is certainly helpful. However, early prediction of a long-term eGFR decline may be an even more important goal. Our aim was to identify and compare serum [creatinine, kineticGFR, cystatin C, neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL)] and urinary (NephroCheck, NGAL, proteinuria, albuminuria, acantocytes at urinary sediment) predictors of AKI that might efficiently predict long-term GFR decline after robotic Nephron-Spearing Surgery (rNSS).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe incidence of prostate cancer in renal transplant recipients (RTRs) is increasing, but few data are available in the literature. In this study, we reviewed the 25-year experience in the management of prostate cancer after kidney transplantation at the Florence Transplant Centre. We retrospectively reviewed the data from 617 RTR male patients who underwent renal transplantation at our institute between July 1996 and September 2016.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIntroduction: Microchimerism (MC) is the presence of a small amount of foreign cells or DNA within a person's circulation or tissues. It has been identified also in recipients of solid organ transplants where it seems to be critical for the development and maintenance of immunological tolerance. Nevertheless, natural and/or iatrogenic MC can be acquired prior to transplantation, through pregnancy and/or blood transfusion.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFDirect oral anticoagulants (DOAC) possess high bioavailability, and their anticoagulant effect is more predictable than that of vitamin K antagonists, hence they do not require routine dose adjustment based on laboratory testing. However, there are circumstances when laboratory testing may be useful, including patients who need to undergo surgery or invasive procedures. Most guidelines state that patients on DOAC may safely undergo surgery/invasive procedures by stopping anticoagulation for a few days before intervention without testing if renal function is within normal limits.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: The reliability of kidney biopsy as the sole means for assessing kidneys from extended-criteria donors (ECDs) to be allocated to single or dual transplantation is still a matter of debate.
Methods: We compared retrospectively 3 years graft survival and renal function in 44 recipients of a single kidney graft from a marginal donor with good renal function and a Karpinski histological score of ≤ 3 and 56 recipients of a single transplant with a Karpinski score of 4 or 5. The donors' and recipients' characteristics were compared by means of Wilcoxon's rank-sum test and Fisher's exact test, and survival was analysed using the log-rank test and Cox regression survival analysis.
Background: There are limited published data concerning the effects of different immunosuppressive regimens on the development of polyomavirus (BKV) viremia. We examined the risk of developing BKV viremia in kidney transplant recipients receiving everolimus (EVR) or mycophenolic acid (MPA) as maintenance therapy.
Methods: We observationally analyzed 296 patients who underwent renal transplantation at our center between 2005 and 2010: 58 were treated with EVR and low-dose cyclosporine (LD-CyA) (group 1) and 238 with MPA and standard-dose CyA (group 2).
Vitamin K antagonists (VKA) therapy is increasingly used in elderly for prevention of venous thromboembolism (VTE) and of stroke in atrial fibrillation (AF). Glomerular filtration rate (GFR), usually estimated from different equations, decreases progressively with age and it is a risk factor for bleeding. In the frame of the EPICA study, a multicentre prospective observational study including 4,093 patients ≥80 years naïve to VKA treated for AF or after VTE, we performed this ancillary study to evaluate the prevalence of chronic kidney diseases (CKD) by estimated GFR (eGFR).
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- - The study investigates how endothelial dysfunction influences cardiovascular complications in renal transplant recipients (RTRs), focusing on the connection between endothelial response and levels of parathyroid hormone (PTH) and progenitor cells. - In a comparison of 120 RTRs with healthy subjects, results indicated that RTRs had a significantly lower endothelial response (measured by reactive hyperemia index) and fewer endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs), alongside higher PTH levels. - The findings suggest that alterations in endothelial function and reduced EPCs, along with increased PTH levels in RTRs, may help assess cardiovascular risk in these patients more effectively.
Article Synopsis
- Cytomegalovirus (CMV) is a significant opportunistic virus in renal transplant recipients, typically infecting them after the first month post-transplant.
- CMV can manifest in different forms: primary infections, reinfections, or reactivations of existing latent infections.
- A case study highlights a rare instance of CMV skin ulcers in the perineal area without systemic symptoms and a negative PCR result, emphasizing the varied presentations of CMV disease in renal transplant patients.
Article Synopsis
- * Results showed that the everolimus group had a significantly lower rate of delayed graft function (DGF) and better one-year graft survival rates, along with lower CsA dosage and higher kidney function (eGFR) at one year.
- * While everolimus patients had some slight disadvantages, such as more proteinuria and slightly lower hemoglobin levels, the overall findings suggest that everolimus therapy could be more beneficial than EC-MPS therapy in terms
Article Synopsis
- * Common treatments include methods like cryotherapy, bleomycin injections, electrocoagulation, and topical agents, though these can lead to pain and potential scarring.
- * A case is presented where a wart on the right index finger was effectively treated using a topical form of activated vitamin D.
Article Synopsis
- Renal transplant recipients (RTRs) have a higher risk of cardiovascular issues, prompting a study to evaluate reticulated platelets (RP), platelet reactivity, and von Willebrand factor (vWF) levels in these patients.
- The study involved 150 RTRs (some on acetylsalicylic acid, ASA, and some not) and 60 healthy controls, measuring RP percentages, platelet function via aggregometry, and vWF levels.
- Findings indicated that RTRs had significantly higher RP and vWF levels compared to controls, with those not on ASA showing greater platelet reactivity, suggesting increased platelet turnover and cardiovascular risk in RTRs.
Background: No data are available about the optimal duration of oral anticoagulant therapy (OAT) after an episode of venous thromboembolism (VTE) occurring in renal transplant (RT) recipients. Our study was undertaken to evaluate the risk of VTE recurrence in patients developing a first episode of VTE after RT.
Methods: Among 484 RT patients, 34 (7%) developed a first VTE: 28/34 VTE patients (Group 1) were prospectively studied, after stopping OAT.
Post-transplant diabetes mellitus (PTDM) is a frequent and serious complication after kidney transplantation. Its ethiopathogenesis is multifactorial and includes the immunosuppressive regimen, the ethnicity, older age and the body mass index. Among these, calcineurine inhibitor and steroid use seems to have outstanding relevance.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: We previously demonstrated among renal-transplant recipients (RTRs) a high prevalence of hyperhomocysteinemia, which might account for their elevated cardiovascular risk. The purpose of our study was to document, in hyperhomocysteinemic RTRs, the effect of vitamin supplementation on carotid intima-media thickness (cIMT), which is an early sign of atherosclerosis.
Methods: A total of 56 stable hyperhomocysteinemic RTRs were randomly assigned to vitamin supplementation (folic acid 5 mg/day; vitamin B(6) 50 mg/day; vitamin B(12) 400 microg) (group A) or placebo treatment (group B) for 6 months.