Altered Th17/Treg ratio as a possible mechanism in pathogenesis of idiopathic membranous nephropathy.

Idiopathic membranous nephropathy (IMN) as a single organ autoimmune disease is a main cause of nephrotic syndrome in adults which is determined through autoantibodies to podocytes proteins. Th17/regulatory T (Treg) balance has emerged as a prominent factor in the regulation of autoimmunity. In this study, we evaluated the balance of Th17 and Treg cells, expression level of related master transcription factors, cytokines and microRNAs in mononuclear cells of peripheral blood of 30 patients with IMN and 30 healthy individuals before treatment.

Relationship of Serum Klotho Level With ACE Gene Polymorphism in Stable Kidney Allograft Recipients.

Introduction: The kidney is the main source of serum Klotho production. Immunosuppressive agents could affect the kidney in this regard. The effect of the ACE gene polymorphism on Klotho production is a less studied area.

The story of continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis in Iran.

Iran, a developing country with a population of approximately 71,000,000, is the most populous country in the Middle East and the 16th most populous in the world. Gross domestic product (GDP) per capita is US$8900 and total health expenditure is approximately 6% of GDP. The total number of end-stage renal disease (ESRD) patients reported by the Management Center for Transplantation and Special Diseases (MCTSD) was 32,686 in 2007, which denotes a prevalence of 466 per million population (pmp) in Iran.

A double blind, randomized, placebo controlled study to evaluate the efficacy of erythromycin in patients with knee effusion due to osteoarthritis.

Objective: The efficacy of erythromycin in treatment of knee effusion due to osteoarthritis was evaluated.

Method: We assessed efficacy and safety of erythromycin during 16 weeks in patients enrolled in a randomized double-blind study. One hundred and eight patients with knee effusion due to osteoarthritis (OA) received 12-week courses of erythromycin or placebo allocated randomly, and were followed for 4 months.