Apoptosis and proliferation of mesangial cells isolated from kidneys undergoing compensatory growth following contralateral nephrectomy: role of the renin-angiotensin system.

Background: Contralateral nephrectomy stimulates compensatory growth of the remaining kidney. Intensive growth is frequently associated with increased apoptosis. The proliferation and apoptosis of cultured rat mesangial cells isolated from the remaining kidney following contralateral nephrectomy were evaluated.

Control of hypertension with captopril affords better renal protection as compared with irbesartan in salt-loaded uremic rats.

Background/aim: Hypertension induced by exaggerated sodium consumption accelerates the progression of renal failure. We investigated the effects of a high-sodium (HS) diet on the progression of renal failure in rats maintained normotensive by angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibition or AT-1 blockade.

Methods: In 70 Sprague-Dawley rats, renal failure was induced by five-sixths nephrectomy.

Hypertension but not sodium intake determines progression of renal failure in experimentally uremic rats.

Background/aims: High sodium intake is implicated in contributing to progression of chronic renal failure. We studied the effect of high sodium consumption on progression of rat experimental renal failure while sodium-induced hypertension was pharmacologically controlled.

Methods: 64 Sprague-Dawley rats underwent 5/6 nephrectomy.

Loss of captopril-bound Fe by end-stage renal failure patients during hemodialysis.

Background: Patients on chronic hemodialysis often suffer from severe anemia, the outcome of iron deficiency and inadequate response to erythropoietin. Antihypertensive treatment with captopril worsens anemia, erythropoietin production and iron balance in hemodialysis patients. We investigated the possibility that iron chelation by captopril in the blood may result in elimination of iron-captopril complexes during hemodialysis, thus minimizing the effect of both medications.

Cell-associated magnesium and QT dispersion in hemodialysis patients.

Background: Impaired magnesium (Mg) homeostasis has been implicated in a variety of cardiovascular disturbances, including ventricular arrhythmias and changes in the interval between the onset of wave Q to the end of wave T (QT interval) on electrocardiogram. Cardiac arrhythmias are common in patients on hemodialysis therapy.

Methods: We investigated the relationship between QT interval corrected for heart rate (QTc) dispersion and Mg content in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) of chronic hemodialysis patients treated with high-dose calcium carbonate providing Mg in excess (group I; n = 18) or low-dose calcium carbonate and smaller Mg load (group II; n = 13).