Obinutuzumab in Kidney Transplantation: Effect on B-cell Counts and Crossmatch Tests.

Background: Resistance to the action of rituximab (RTX) has been documented in several diseases. More recently, obinutuzumab (OBZ) has shown promise where RTX has failed in oncology and lupus nephritis. Unlike RTX, OBZ is a weak activator of complement, which may avoid the false-positive complement-dependent cytotoxicity (CDC) crossmatch tests after RTX infusions.

Transplantation in the era of the Covid-19 pandemic: How should transplant patients and programs be handled?

Due to the Covid-19 pandemic caused by SARS-CoV-2, transplant programs worldwide have been severely impacted with dwindling numbers of transplantations performed and a complete halt in several areas. In this review we examine whether SARS-CoV-2 infection presents differently in transplant recipients, whom and how we should test, how susceptible the transplant population is to overt infection and describe the range of outcomes. From retrieved published reports on SARS-CoV-2infections in 389solid organ transplant recipients reported in the literature, the overall mortality rate was 16.

Comparing different calcification scores to detect outcomes in chronic kidney disease patients with vascular calcification.

Background: There is no consensus on the most appropriate technique to diagnose vascular calcification in chronic kidney disease. This is primarily because of the absence of direct comparisons of predictive values of the various calcification scores, especially outside the coronary vascular beds, to detect clinical outcomes.

Methods: We included 93 haemodialysis patients and performed 6 vascular calcification scores: two scores utilised simple X-rays of abdominal aorta and peripheral vessels.

Complementary and Alternative Medicine Use Among Patients With Chronic Kidney Disease and Kidney Transplant Recipients.

Objective: To explore and compare complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) practice among subsets of patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) and renal allograft recipients.

Design: Cross-sectional survey questionnaire.

Setting: Three outpatient nephrology clinics and dialysis centers in Egypt.

Fasting during the month of Ramadan among patients with chronic kidney disease: renal and cardiovascular outcomes.

Background: Fasting during the month of Ramadan is a religious obligation for Muslims who represent 20% of the world population. This study explores the safety of fasting for a whole month among patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) with the possible risk of dehydration and hyperviscosity leading to deterioration of kidney functions and vascular thrombosis.

Methods: We followed CKD patients with stable kidney function who chose to fast during the month of Ramadan.

The Association between Fibroblast Growth Factor-23 and Vascular Calcification Is Mitigated by Inflammation Markers.

Background: Fibroblast growth factor-23 (FGF-23) has been linked to vascular calcification, ventricular hypertrophy and mortality in chronic kidney disease (CKD), although these links may not be direct and independent. Similar grave outcomes are associated with inflammation and oxidative stress in CKD. Recently, accumulating evidence has linked components of phosphate homeostasis to inflammation and oxidative stress.

Insulin resistance and metabolic syndrome in primary gout: relation to punched-out erosions.

Objectives: To verify the relation of gout to insulin resistance (IR) and metabolic syndrome (MetS) and find any association of metatarsophalangeal (MTP) joint erosions to the features of MetS and IR.

Methods: Forty-six primary gout male patients with a mean age of 41.96 ± 5.

Subclinical renal involvement in essential cryoglobulinemic vasculitis and classic polyarteritis nodosa.

Objective: Renal vasculitis is usually associated with anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies (ANCAs). However, non-ANCA patients constitute a rarely studied variant of renal vasculitis. The aim of the present study was to demonstrate the features of renal involvement in patients with primary systemic non-ANCA associated vasculitis (NAAV) and compare essential cryoglobulinemic vasculitis (ECV) with classic polyarteritis nodosa (PAN).

Endogenous soluble receptor of advanced glycation end-products (esRAGE) is negatively associated with vascular calcification in non-diabetic hemodialysis patients.

Background: Advanced glycation end-products (AGE) accumulate in CKD and may predispose to cardiovascular disease by inducing inflammatory and oxidant stress in the vascular endothelium. Soluble forms of the receptor for AGE (RAGE) may be protective against these effects by binding AGE in the soluble phase. Accumulating evidence suggests a protective role of soluble RAGE against vascular calcification.

Fibroblast growth factor-23 (FGF-23) is independently correlated to aortic calcification in haemodialysis patients.

Background: Vascular calcification has detrimental consequences on chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients, yet its pathogenesis is not fully understood. Fibroblast growth factor-23 (FGF-23) is involved in the regulation of mineral metabolism which may in turn affect vascular calcification. Data on the relationship between FGF-23 and peripheral vascular calcification, using conventional radiographs, are conflicting, and less is known about its relation to aortic calcification.