Association of severe preeclampsia and vascular damage assessed by noninvasive markers of arterial stiffness.

Background: Preeclampsia (PE) is a hypertensive disorder of pregnancy associated with high maternal and fetal morbidity and mortality and increased future risk of cardiovascular complications.

Objective: To analyze whether women who have had PE with severe features in their pregnancy have higher arterial stiffness (AS) parameters than those whose PE course was without signs of severity.

Methods: Sixty-five women who developed PE during their gestation were evaluated, divided into two groups: PE group without severe features or non-severe PE (n=30) and PE group with severe features or severe PE (n=35).

Mucosal Immune Defence Gene Polymorphisms as Relevant Players in the Pathogenesis of IgA Vasculitis?

(rs11150612, rs11574637), rs17019602, rs4077515, (rs2738048, rs10086568), and rs2412971 are mucosal immune defence polymorphisms, that have an impact on IgA production, described as risk for IgA nephropathy (IgAN). Since IgAN and Immunoglobulin-A vasculitis (IgAV) share molecular mechanisms, with the aberrant deposit of IgA1 being the main pathophysiologic feature of both entities, we assessed the potential influence of the seven abovementioned polymorphisms on IgAV pathogenesis. These seven variants were genotyped in 381 Caucasian IgAV patients and 997 matched healthy controls.

ANCA detection with solid phase chemiluminescence assay: diagnostic and severity association in vasculitis.

ANCA-associated vasculitis (AAV) comprises a group of necrotizing vasculitis that mainly affects small- and medium-sized vessels. Serum anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies (ANCA), mainly anti-myeloperoxidase (anti-MPO) and anti-proteinase 3 (anti-PR3), levels may correlate to severity, prognosis, and recurrence of the disease. A retrospective analysis of 101 patients with MPO-positive and 54 PR3-positive vasculitis was performed, using laboratory established cut-off value, measured by chemiluminescence.

Sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 inhibition in primary and secondary glomerulonephritis.

Background: The role of sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitors (SGLT2i) in the management glomerular/systemic autoimmune diseases with proteinuria in real-world clinical settings is unclear.

Methods: This is a retrospective, observational, international cohort study. Adult patients with biopsy-proven glomerular diseases were included.

Clinical Profiles and Patterns of Kidney Disease Progression in C3 Glomerulopathy.

Key Points: Kidney survival in C3 glomerulopathy is significantly higher in patients with a disease chronicity score <4 and proteinuria <3.5 g/d, regardless of baseline eGFR. A faster eGFR decline in C3 glomerulopathy is associated with higher probability of kidney failure.

IgA Vasculitis: Influence of and Gene Polymorphisms.

and genes involved in the development and signaling of B-cells are identified as susceptibility loci for numerous inflammatory diseases. Accordingly, we assessed the potential influence of and on the pathogenesis of immunoglobulin-A vasculitis (IgAV), predominantly a B-lymphocyte inflammatory condition. Three genetic variants within (rs1883832, rs1535045, rs4813003) and (rs2254546, rs2736340, rs2618476) as well as two polymorphisms (rs10516487, rs3733197), previously associated with inflammatory diseases, were genotyped in 382 Caucasian patients with IgAV and 955 sex- and ethnically matched healthy controls.

Role of the IL33 and IL1RL1 pathway in the pathogenesis of Immunoglobulin A vasculitis.

Cytokines signalling pathway genes are crucial factors of the genetic network underlying the pathogenesis of Immunoglobulin-A vasculitis (IgAV), an inflammatory vascular condition. An influence of the interleukin (IL)33- IL1 receptor like (IL1RL)1 signalling pathway on the increased risk of several immune-mediated diseases has been described. Accordingly, we assessed whether the IL33-IL1RL1 pathway represents a novel genetic risk factor for IgAV.

BAFF, APRIL and BAFFR on the pathogenesis of Immunoglobulin-A vasculitis.

BAFF, APRIL and BAFF-R are key proteins involved in the development of B-lymphocytes and autoimmunity. Additionally, BAFF, APRIL and BAFFR polymorphisms were associated with immune-mediated conditions, being BAFF GCTGT>A a shared insertion-deletion genetic variant for several autoimmune diseases. Accordingly, we assessed whether BAFF, APRIL and BAFFR represent novel genetic risk factors for Immunoglobulin-A vasculitis (IgAV), a predominantly B-lymphocyte inflammatory condition.

Molecular aspects and long-term outcome of patients with primary distal renal tubular acidosis.

Background: Primary distal renal tubular acidosis (dRTA) is a rare genetic disorder caused by impaired distal mechanisms of urinary acidification. Most cases are secondary to pathogenic variants in ATP6V0A4, ATP6V1B1, and SLC4A1 genes, which encode transporters regulating acid-base balance in the collecting duct.

Methods: Retrospective study of molecular and clinical data from diagnosis and long-term follow-up (10, 20, and 40±10 years) of 16 patients with primary dRTA diagnosed in childhood.

Measurement of galactosyl-deficient IgA1 by the monoclonal antibody KM55 contributes to predicting patients with IgA nephropathy with high risk of long-term progression.

Background And Objective: About 25% of patients with IgA nephropathy (IgAN) progress to stage 5 chronic kidney disease (CKD) after years of evolution. Various tools have been developed in recent years designed to predict which of the patients will had poorer outcomes. The value of circulating galactosyl-deficient IgA1 (Gd-IgA1) has been related to a worse evolution of IgAN in several studies.

Role of IRF5 in the pathogenesis of immunoglobulin-A vasculitis.

Objectives: Interferon regulatory factor 5 (IRF5) is a major regulator of type I interferon induction and is also critical to produce pro-inflammatory cytokines. An influence of IRF5 genetic variants on the increased risk of immune-mediated diseases has been described. Accordingly, we aimed to evaluate the implication of IRF5 in the pathogenesis of Immunoglobulin-A vasculitis (IgAV), an inflammatory vascular pathology.

Influence of IL17A gene on the pathogenesis of immunoglobulin-A vasculitis.

Objectives: Cytokines signaling pathway genes represent a key component of the genetic network implicated in the pathogenesis of immunoglobulin-A vasculitis (IgAV), an inflammatory vascular pathology. Interleukin (IL)17A is described as a genetic risk locus for some autoimmune diseases, such as giant cell arteritis and spondyloarthritis. Accordingly, we aimed to determine the potential influence of IL17A on the pathogenesis of IgAV.

Effect of Cold Ischemia Time on Kidney Graft Function and Survival: Differences Between Paired Kidney Transplants From the Same Donor.

Introduction: Kidney transplantation procedures commonly result in a cold ischemia time (CIT) gap when both kidney grafts are implanted in the same center. Owing to logistics, the procedure is usually consecutive, first accomplishing one surgery and then the other. CIT constitutes an independent risk factor for the development of delayed graft function (DGF) in kidney transplants.

A proliferation-inducing ligand increase precedes IgA nephropathy recurrence in kidney transplant recipients.

Background: IgA nephropathy (IgAN) may recur in kidney transplant recipients. B-cell-activating factor (BAFF), a proliferation-inducing ligand (APRIL), and α-defensins are involved in the pathogenesis of native IgAN; however, their role on IgAN recurrence has not been previously analyzed.

Methods: Thirty-five patients with IgAN who received a kidney transplant in our center between January 1, 1993, and December 31, 2015, were included.

Relationship Between Albuminuria During the First Year and Antibody-Mediated Rejection in Protocol Biopsies in Kidney Transplant Recipients.

Background: Antibody-mediated rejection is the main cause of deterioration of kidney transplants and frequently is detected only by means of protocol biopsies. The aim of this study was to relate the presence of albuminuria throughout the 1st year to the histologic findings detected by 1-year protocol biopsies in kidney graft recipients.

Methods: Retrospective observational study of 86 protocol biopsies 1 year after transplantation.

Influence of specific thoracic donor therapy on kidney donation and long-term kidney graft survival.

Objective: To analyze the impact of a specific thoracic donor-treatment protocol (including restrictive fluid balance) on kidney donation and on kidney graft survival.

Methods: A cohort study. Lung Donors and kidney recipients from 2003 to 2008 were the pre-protocol cohort, and those from 2009 to 2013 were the protocol cohort.

Sodium Excretion Pattern at 1 Year After Kidney Transplantation and High Blood Pressure.

Background: High blood pressure (BP) after kidney transplantation decreases graft and patient survival. There is a causal relationship between high salt intake and increased BP in the general population, but the role of salt intake on post-transplant hypertension remains controversial. The aims of our study were to determine the pattern of salt intake in the first year post-transplantation and its influence on BP in our kidney transplant population.