Insulin-like growth factor system components in relation to erythropoietin therapy and bone metabolism in dialyzed patients and kidney transplant recipients.

Insulin-like growth factor (IGF) system components appear to be the most important regulators of bone cell function. On the other hand, IGF-1 is shown to be an important regulator for erythropoiesis. The aim of the study was to examine the relationships between IGF system, requirements of erythropoietin, endogenous erythropoietin levels, bone metabolism assessed by biochemical markers, markers of nutrition such as cholesterol and albumin in recombinant human erythropoietin (rHuEPO)-treated patients maintained on chronic hemodialyses or peritoneal dialyses as well as in kidney transplant recipients.

[Nephrolithiasis in a HIV infected patient treated with indinavir].

Protease inhibitors together with reverse transcriptase inhibitors are used in antiretroviral treatment. Indinavir, precipitating in renal tubules, quite often can cause nephrolithiasis. The case of a HIV infected patient with renal colic probably caused by indinavir, diagnostic and therapeutic options in such cases are described in the paper.

Hemoglobin level is an important determinant of acid-base status in hemodialysis patients.

Background/aims: We studied the relationship between hemoglobin (Hb), which is a major buffer of blood, and arterial blood total carbon dioxide (tCO2) levels in maintenance hemodialysis (HD) patients. We also evaluated the difference between the tCO2 measured with a standard Hb value of 15 g/dl, and that assayed with an actual Hb level entered into an analyzer.

Methods/results: In 105 patients the predialysis tCO2 level of 21.

Patients on peritoneal dialysis but not on hemodialysis have elevated concentration and activity of thrombin-activatable fibrinolysis inhibitor.

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a leading cause of death in patients on dialysis. Increased concentration of fibrinogen, dyslipidemia and impaired fibrinolysis are regarded as important risk factors for CVD. Thrombin-activatable fibrinolysis inhibitor (TAFI) is a recently discovered inhibitor of the fibrinolytic system.

The hematocrit-corrected erythrocyte sedimentation rate can be useful in diagnosing inflammation in hemodialysis patients.

Background/aims: We aimed to determine predictors of erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), and the ESR level pointing to the presence of inflammation in 60 chronic hemodialysis (HD) patients.

Methods/results: On bivariate analysis, increased Westergren ESR of 62 (4-160) mm/h correlated inversely with hematocrit (Hct) and serum albumin, and positively with age, plasma fibrinogen, serum C-reactive protein (CRP), immunoglobulins A and G, alpha(1)-acid-glycoprotein and alpha(1)-antitrypsin. On multivariable analysis, independent predictors of the ESR were raised CRP (p < 0.

Plasma fibrinogen level is an important determinant of prolonged euglobulin clot lysis time in hemodialysis patients.

The euglobulin clot lysis time (ECLT), a traditional measure of plasminogen activation, directly depends on plasma fibrinogen (FBG) level. This fact was neglected in studies concluding that prolonged ECLT in chronic hemodialysis (HD) patients pointed exclusively to impaired fibrinolysis. We studied the relations between ECLT and plasma FBG levels in HD patients in relation to certain hepatic and inflammatory markers.

Brain abscess as a rare complication in a hemodialysed patient.

Background: Infections remain among the most common morbid events and are an important cause of death in end stage renal disease. They have reduced immune response and increased hazard of infections due to repeated puncture of an arterio-venous fistula, formation of haematoma at the site of cannulation and central vein catheterisation.

Case Report: We report a case of brain abscess in chronically haemodialysed patient admitted to our department due to haedache, vomiting, accelerated hypertension and fever.

Effects of long-term treatment with simvastatin on some hemostatic parameters in continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis patients.

Background/aim: Disturbances in serum lipids, hemostasis and platelet functions are frequent features in uremia and may contribute to the progression of atherosclerosis and its thrombotic complications. Recently, attention has been paid to beneficial effects of statins on serum lipids and hemostasis in uremic patients. Peritoneally dialyzed (continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis; CAPD) subjects are particularly prone to dyslipidemia and have a high risk of cardiovascular death.

[Platelet aggregation and P-selectin concentration in patients on peritoneal dialysis treated with erythropoietin].

In chronic renal failure disturbances of hemostasis are predominantly due to the defective platelet function and platelet/vessel wall interactions. Erythropoietin, used for treatment of renal anemia, affect hemostasis in dialyzed patients. The aim of the work was to assess platelet aggregation and P-selectin concentration in patients on continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) during erythropoietin therapy.

Correlation between carotid intima-media thickness and hematocrit and hemoglobin values in renal transplant recipients.

Background: Cardiovascular diseases are the main causes of morbidity and mortality in kidney transplant recipients. Blood viscosity plays an important role in the development of arteriosclerosis in the general population. Since hematocrit (Ht) and hemoglobin (Hb) values are determinants of blood viscosity, we decided to perform a study to check the possible relevance between these hemorheological factors and carotid intima-media thickness (IMT) in renal transplant recipients.

A possible role of thrombin-activatable fibrinolysis inhibitor in disturbances of fibrinolytic system in renal transplant recipients.

Background: Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a major cause of death in renal transplant recipients (RTR). Suppression of fibrinolysis plays a role in the progression of atherosclerosis. Accelerated progression of atherosclerosis and fibrinolytic system suppression has been observed in RTR.

[TAFI--thrombin activated fibrinolysis inhibitor ].

This is a review of literature data concerning Thrombin Activatable Fibrinolysis Inhibitor (TAFI) and its role in haemostatic system in vitro and in vivo. This is the glycoprotein, which was identified recently by three independent groups of researchers. TAFI is converted to its active form by thrombin-thrombomodulin complex.

Endothelial dysfunction marker von Willebrand factor antigen in haemodialysis patients: associations with pre-dialysis blood pressure and the acute phase response.

Background: Increased plasma soluble von Willebrand factor antigen (vWF : Ag) level, a marker of vascular endothelial cell dysfunction, is a strong predictor of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (CVD) in the general population. We studied cross-sectional associations between vWF : Ag level, prevalence of CVD, and related factors including pre-dialysis arterial blood pressure (BP) and some markers of inflammation in maintenance haemodialysis (HD) patients. Methods and results.

[Selected parameters of bone metabolism in hemodialyzed and peritoneally dialyzed patients].

Renal osteodystrophy is a metabolic bone disease occurring in patients with end-stage renal failure. The aim of the study was to compare serum concentrations of some bone markers in hemodialysed (HD) patients and in patients undergoing continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CADO). We studied two groups of patients with end-stage renal failure: 52 hemodialysed individuals aged 24-74 years and 19 peritoneally dialysed patients aged 20-70 years.

Comparison of different assays for von Willebrand factor in hemodialysis patients.

Von Willebrand factor (vWF) abnormalities are involved in the hemostatic disturbances of uremia. Studies of vWF in both anemic and recombinant erythropoietin (EPO)-treated maintenance hemodialysis (HD) patients have given inconsistent results that could be partially dependent on the methodology. Therefore, the reciprocal relationships between four different vWF assays were studied in HD patients in relation to EPO therapy.

Comparison of hemostatic disturbances between patients on CAPD and patients on hemodialysis.

Objective: Disturbances in hemostasis are common findings in uremic patients. Both bleeding diathesis and thrombosis are observed. The purpose of this study was to assess whether renal replacement therapy in the form of hemodialysis (HD) or continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) affects coagulation and fibrinolysis in patients with end-stage renal failure.

[Homocysteine--new risk factor for progression of atherosclerosis and its complications].

The main cause of mortality and morbidity in Europe and United States are cardiovascular diseases. Besides well known atherogenic risk factors there has recently been a lot of attention paid to homocysteine. It is a sulfur aminoacid which is the demethylation product of methionine.

Dynamic volume-averaged model of heat and mass transport within a compost biofilter: I. Model development.

Successful, long-term operation of a biofilter system depends on maintaining a suitable biofilm environment within a porous medium reactor. In this article a mathematical study was conducted of the spatial and temporal changes of biofilter performance due to interphase heat and mass transport. The method of volume averaging was used to spatially smooth the three-phase (solid, liquid, and gas) conservation equations over the biofilter domain.

Soluble thrombomodulin is associated with viral hepatitis, blood pressure, and medications in haemodialysis patients.

Background: The level of soluble thrombomodulin (sTM), a traditional marker of endothelial injury, is also dependent on renal excretory function. We studied serum sTM in chronic haemodialysis (HD) patients to determine which factors are predictive of its levels in this population.

Methods And Results: sTM levels of 10.