Influence of hemodialysis on incretin hormones and insulin secretion in diabetic and non-diabetic patients.

Background: Incretin hormones are secreted in the gut after a meal and stimulate insulin production. Both major incretins, that is, glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) and glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP), are eliminated by the kidneys. Little is known about the influence of end-stage renal disease (ESRD) on the incretin axis.

Pulmonary embolism and reactivation of tuberculosis during everolimus therapy in a kidney transplant recipient.

Background: Proliferation signal inhibitors (PSIs) - sirolimus and everolimus - are commonly used in kidney transplant patients with co-existing neoplasms. These drugs may have prothrombotic activity, but aside from use in interventional cardiology, their clinical relevance has not been confirmed. In contrast to pulmonitis, an association of everolimus therapy with pulmonary embolism has never been documented.

Three months of regular gum chewing neither alleviates xerostomia nor reduces overhydration in chronic hemodialysis patients.

Introduction And Aims: Gum chewing has been known to be a part of adjunctive medical therapy for cancer-related xerostomia. Nonadherence to fluid restriction in hemodialysis (HD) patients brought about by unrestricted thirst and xerostomia leads to excessive interdialytic weight gain (IWG). The effectiveness of gum chewing in reducing thirst in HD patients has till recently been evaluated by only a single study with short 2-week intervention period.

Pedometers as a means to increase spontaneous physical activity in chronic hemodialysis patients.

Background: Pedometers are simple devices which measure spontaneous physical activity. In nonrenal disease populations, pedometers were successfully used to encourage patients to increase their habitual physical activity through self-monitoring of its intensity. Our aim was to investigate how an awareness of using pedometers helps in increasing daily spontaneous physical activity in patients on hemodialysis.