Leptospirosis presenting as haemolytic uraemic syndrome: a case report.

Background: Leptospirosis is a rare infectious disease especially in Western Countries. Renal involvement is a recognised complication of leptospirosis but leptospirosis-associated haemolytic uraemic syndrome is extremely rare and to our knowledge has only been reported once, in 1985.

Case Presentation: A 29-year-old male was transferred to our Renal Unit with fevers, myalgia and diarrhoeal illness.

Perioperative Plasma-Lyte use reduces the incidence of renal replacement therapy and hyperkalaemia following renal transplantation when compared with 0.9% saline: a retrospective cohort study.

Background: Kidney transplant recipients often receive large volumes of intravenous fluid replacement in the peri-operative period. Administration of 0.9% saline has previously been associated with acidosis, hyperkalaemia and acute kidney injury.

Type I interferon causes thrombotic microangiopathy by a dose-dependent toxic effect on the microvasculature.

Many drugs have been reported to cause thrombotic microangiopathy (TMA), yet evidence supporting a direct association is often weak. In particular, TMA has been reported in association with recombinant type I interferon (IFN) therapies, with recent concern regarding the use of IFN in multiple sclerosis patients. However, a causal association has yet to be demonstrated.

Critically ill patients requiring acute renal replacement therapy are at an increased risk of long-term renal dysfunction, but rarely receive specialist nephrology follow-up.

Background: Episodes of acute kidney injury (AKI) have been associated with the development of chronic kidney disease (CKD). However, follow-up pathways for patients who have survived AKI complicating critical illness are not well established. We hypothesised that patients who had AKI requiring renal replacement therapy (RRT) in intensive care are at risk of CKD, but are rarely referred for nephrology follow-up at hospital discharge.

Cephalic arch stenosis in autogenous haemodialysis fistulas: treatment with the viabahn stent-graft.

Purpose: Cephalic arch stenosis (CAS) is an important and common cause of dysfunction in autogenous haemodialysis fistulas that requires multiple reinterventions and aggressive surveillance. We evaluated the safety and efficacy of the Viabahn stent-graft for the management of CAS.

Methods: Between April 2005 and October 2011, 11 consecutive patients [four men and seven women (mean age 56.

Single UK centre experience on the treatment of PD peritonitis--antibiotic levels and outcomes.

Background: There are few studies of the pharmacokinetics of vancomycin and gentamicin in peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients and the influence of antibiotic concentrations on treatment outcome. Concerns about resistance to ceftazidime and potential of aminoglycoside toxicity make the choice of empiric antibiotic difficult.

Methods: We retrospectively collected data from 613 patients on PD between 1 June 2002 and 31 December 2005.

New flow cytometric technique for the evaluation of circulating endothelial progenitor cell levels in various disease groups.

Circulating endothelial progenitor cells (EPC) localise to sites of ischaemia and play a role in vascular repair and re-endothelialisation of injured blood vessels. Low levels of EPCs are associated with cardiovascular disease (CVD) in the general population. It is not clear at present whether and how the numbers of circulating EPCs vary in diseases other than CVD.