Nebivolol protects erectile functions compared to Metoprolol in hypertensive men with atherogenic, venogenic, psychogenic erectile dysfunction: A prospective, randomized, cross-over, clinical trial.

Introduction: Both hypertension and β-blocker drugs used for treating hypertension (HT) can cause erectile dysfunction (ED). Nebivolol, unlike other β-blockers, may not cause impotence since it increases the release of Nitric Oxide (NO), which is the main mediator of erection. This study investigated the effect of Nebivolol and Metoprolol on erectile functions in hypertensive men.

Telomerase activity in patients with stage 2-5D chronic kidney disease.

Background: Molecular mechanisms of increased cardiovascular mortality in chronic kidney disease (CKD) associated with biological age are not well understood. Recent studies support the hypothesis that common factors responsible for this phenomenon are cellular aging and telomere dysfunction.

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to investigate the relation between telomerase activity and CKD stages.

Sexual dysfunction in dialysis patients: does vitamin D deficiency have a role?

Introduction: Sexual dysfunction and vitamin D deficiency are highly prevalent in dialysis patients. Low levels of vitamin D have been linked to many diseases. To the best of our knowledge, the relationship between vitamin D and sexual dysfunction in dialysis patients has not been previously reported in the literature.

Manganese superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase and catalase gene polymorphisms and clinical outcomes in acute kidney injury.

Introduction: The aim of this study was to evaluate the potential association of single gene polymorphisms of manganese superoxide dismutase (MnSOD), glutathione peroxidase 1 (GPX1) and catalase (CAT) with clinical outcomes of acute kidney injury (AKI).

Materials And Methods: Ninety AKI patients and 101 healthy volunteers were included in the study. Determination of MnSOD rs4880, GPX1 rs1050450 and CAT rs769217 polymorphisms was performed using real-time polymerase chain reaction amplification.

Effect of cholecalciferol replacement on vascular calcification and left ventricular mass index in dialysis patients.

Objective: The aim of this study was to determine the effect of oral cholecalciferol treatment on vascular calcification, left ventricular mass index (LVMI) and other cardiac functions in dialysis patients.

Design And Methods: A six-month course of oral cholecalciferol treatment was recommended to dialysis patients with vitamin D insufficiency. While 26 patients were given cholecalciferol treatment, 17 patients who could not tolerate to therapy received standard therapy.

Utility of serum creatinine/cystatin C ratio in diagnosis of postrenal acute kidney injury.

Background: In obstructive uropathy, despite a severe increase in the serum creatinine (Cr) levels, only a mild cystatin C (CysC) increase was previously reported. Therefore, we aimed to determine the availability of serum Cr/CysC ratio in predicting postrenal acute kidney injury (AKI).

Materials And Methods: This was a cross-sectional study involving 61-adult patients with heterogeneous AKI cases.

Caffeic acid phenethyl ester protects against amphotericin B induced nephrotoxicity in rat model.

The present study was conducted to investigate whether caffeic acid phenethyl ester (CAPE), an active component of propolis extract, has a protective effect on amphotericin B induced nephrotoxicity in rat models. Male Wistar-Albino rats were randomly divided into four groups: (I) control group (n = 10), (II) CAPE group (n = 9) which received 10 μmol/kg CAPE intraperitoneally (i.p.

The effect of biocompatible peritoneal dialysis solutions on neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio.

Introduction: Long-term exposure to dialysis solutions is an important contributor to the ongoing inflammatory process in peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients. Some studies have shown amelioration of this adverse effect with biocompatible solutions. We aimed to compare the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte (N/L) ratio in PD patients using biocompatible and standard solutions and to find out the association between N/L ratio and peritonitis indices.

The role of carnitine in preventing renal damage developed as a result of infrarenal aortic ischemia-reperfusion.

Background: This study was designed to use carnitine for preventing deposition of end products of lipid peroxidation in rat models in the prevention of ischemia-reperfusion (IR) damage frequently seen following operations of infrarenal abdominal aorta (AA).

Methods: Forty male rats of Sprague-Dawley type were evenly (n = 8) randomized to five groups: sham laparotomy (SHAM), carnitine control (CC), aortic IR (AIR), AIR + low-dose carnitine (AIR+LDC), and AIR + high-dose carnitine (AIR+HDC).

Results: Compared to other groups, serum creatinine levels of AIR group were significantly higher.

Malnutrition-inflammation score and endothelial dysfunction in hemodialysis patients.

Objective: The aim of this study was to find out the relationship between Malnutrition-Inflammation score (MIS) and the endothelial function parameters, including measurements of flow-mediated vasodilatation (FMD) in the brachial artery and serum vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1). Furthermore, predictors of FMD were also assessed.

Materials And Methods: A total of 70 anuric hemodialysis patients were enrolled in this cross-sectional study.

Relevance of nutritional route and intercellular adhesion molecule-1 in patients with acute renal failure and its prognostic implications.

Objective: Nutritional support and the route of nutrition are important conditions for patients with acute renal failure (ARF) in intensive care units (ICUs). Enteral nutrition (EN) is the primary route of nutrition in these patients because of a lower rate of complications. A lack of enteral feeding was reported to increase intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) in experimental models.

Short-term effect of simvastatin treatment on inflammatory parameters in peritoneal dialysis patients.

Objective: Increased serum pro-inflammatory cytokine levels are associated with an increased mortality rate in end-stage renal disease (ESRD) patients. Statins decrease cardiovascular mortality and serum C-reactive protein (CRP) levels in hemodialysis patients. As the anti-inflammatory effect of statins has not previously been studied in peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients with a non-inflammatory status, we wanted to investigate the anti-inflammatory effect of simvastatin in these patients.

Predictors of mortality in patients with acute renal failure.

Mortality associated with acute renal failure (ARF) remains high despite of developments in therapy strategies and definition of different prognostic factors. Therefore, this study focused on to define new prognostic factors and especially regional characteristics of the ARF patients. One hundred fifteen ARF patients, diagnosed from November 1998 to May 2003, were included to this prospective and observational study.