Arteriovenous fistula patency associated with angiotensin-converting enzyme I/D polymorphism and ACE inhibition or AT1 receptor blockade.

Background: Compromise of arteriovenous fistula (AVF) patency is caused by venous intimal hyperplasia. Many studies indicated that the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system plays an important role in the development of intimal hyperplasia. Here we determined whether angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) I/D polymorphism is an independent prognostic factor for AVF patency in hemodialysis (HD) patients.

Bloodletting-induced cardiomyopathy: reversible cardiac hypertrophy in severe chronic anaemia from long-term bloodletting with cupping.

Cardiac hypertrophy in a patient with severe iron deficiency anaemia associated with long-term bloodletting using cupping, called 'puhang' in oriental medicine, is discussed using chest electrocardiographic and radiographic images. With iron supply, the patient showed remarkable improvement of cardiomegaly, which is a unique feature of chronic severe iron deficiency anaemia.

Genetics of diabetic nephropathy in type 2 DM: candidate gene analysis for the pathogenic role of inflammation.

Hypertension, poor glycemic control and albuminuria are well known risk factors for diabetic nephropathy, but these factors do not explain all of the inter-individual variabilities in the rate of progression to kidney failure. Recent evidence showed that genetic predisposition affected the hyperglycemia-induced nephrotoxicity in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM). We reviewed the present state of knowledge concerning the relationship between genetics and diabetic nephropathy in type 2 DM.

Polymorphisms in interleukin-1 beta and Interleukin-1 receptor antagonist genes are associated with kidney failure in Korean patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Background/aim: Cytokines play an important role in the pathogenesis of kidney diseases. The aim of the study was to investigate the impact of interleukin (IL)-1 cluster genes on diabetic nephropathy in Korean patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM).

Methods: We investigated -511 C/T polymorphism of IL-1 beta and tandem repeat polymorphism in intron 2 of IL-1 receptor antagonist in type 2 DM patients with end-stage kidney failure as compared with patients without nephropathy.

First report of Cryptococcus albidus--induced disseminated cryptococcosis in a renal transplant recipient.

Cryptococcus albidus, a non-neoformans species of the genus Cryptococcus, is generally regarded as a rare cause of disease. There have been only 14 previously reported cases in which this organism has been isolated as a pathogen, none of which occurred in a renal transplant recipient. A 23-year-old renal transplant recipient taking medication consisting of cyclosporine and prednisolone was admitted with a 10-day history of dry cough, fever and progressive dyspnea.

Identification of novel mutations in Na-Cl cotransporter gene in a Korean patient with atypical Gitelman's syndrome.

The authors report the case of a 20-year-old man with unexplained hypokalemia and metabolic alkalosis suggesting hypokalemic tubulopathy. Interestingly, he showed a mixed phenotype of Gitelman's syndrome (GS) and Bartter's syndrome, which includes normomagnesemia, normal renal magnesium excretion, and hypocalciuria. Renal clearance study showed the presence of a critical defect in the distal nephron rather than loop of Henle.

Quinupristin/dalfopristin-induced Sweet's syndrome.

Quinupristin/Dalfopristin is a new combination of streptogramin antibiotics designed specifically to treat clinically significant infections due to Vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus Faecium. Sweet's syndrome is characterized by painful skin plaques, which is associated with dermal neutrophilic infiltration, fever and peripheral blood leukocytosis. Drug-induced Sweet's syndrome has a temporal relationship between drug ingestion, clinical presentation and the temporally-related resolution of lesions following drug withdrawal or on treatment with systemic corticosteroids.

Use of fluoroscopy-guided wire manipulation and/or laparoscopic surgery in the repair of malfunctioning peritoneal dialysis catheters.

Background: Peritoneal catheter is the lifeline for the continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) patients. Over the years, obstruction or displacement of the CAPD catheter has been one of the common complications of CAPD. Fluoroscopy-guided wire manipulation or laparoscopic surgery has been developed to manage outflow obstruction.