Cholesterol synthesis, cholesterol absorption, and mortality in hemodialysis patients.

Background And Objectives: Recent clinical trials on cholesterol-lowering in patients with CKD yielded conflicting results, which might have resulted from different treatment strategies. Serum cholesterol levels are determined by endogenous synthesis and intestinal absorption, which are differentially influenced by various classes of cholesterol-lowering agents. Assessing markers of cholesterol metabolism has thus been proposed for guidance of lipid-lowering therapy.

Ultrasound renal resistive index is not an organ-specific predictor of allograft outcome.

Background: Ultrasound-measured renal resistive index (RRI) has been suggested to predict allograft survival in renal transplant recipients. Based on experimental and clinical data, we objected to the theory that RRI specifically mirrors allograft characteristics. Instead, we hypothesized that RRI rather represents a marker of systemic vascular damage than an organ-specific marker.

Indices of systemic atherosclerosis are superior to ultrasound resistance indices for prediction of allograft survival.

Background: In renal allograft recipients, ultrasound resistance indices (RI) have been discussed as predictors of transplant survival. RI measurements are correlated with subclinical atherosclerosis. It is thus unclear whether RI measurements represent specific markers of allograft damage or merely reflect systemic vascular damage.

Renal Doppler resistance indices are associated with systemic atherosclerosis in kidney transplant recipients.

Background: In kidney transplant recipients, increased intrarenal resistance indices measured by duplex ultrasound are associated with poor subsequent allograft performance. It remains unclear whether high resistance indices rather reflect local renal damage or systemic vessel disease. We hypothesized that resistance indices are associated with cardiovascular risk factors and with subclinical systemic atherosclerosis in transplant recipients.