[Italian study on the treatment of anaemia in chronic dialysis patients switched over to less frequent doses of darbepoetin from human recombinant erythropoietin (rHuEPO)].

Background: Darbepoetin alpha is a novel erythropoiesis stimulating protein with unique properties as compared to recombinant human erythropoietin (rHuEPO), including a three-fold longer elimination half-life that allows for less frequent dosing. This study was aimed at testing the efficacy and safety of darbepoetin alpha in a large number of chronic dialysis patients switched from rHuEPO.

Methods: Nine hundred and fifty dialysis patients in stable treatment with rHuEPO were switched to darbepoetin alpha.

Spurious estimations of sodium removal during CAPD when [Na](+) is measured by Na electrode methodology.

Background: The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of pH and glucose concentration on sodium removal and the dialysate and plasma sodium ratio (D/PNa) as measured by means of a flame photometer (NaF) or direct ion-selective electrode (NaE) in continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD).

Methods: In vitro, glucose concentration, pH, NaF, and NaE were measured in fresh peritoneal dialysis solutions (PDSs) before and after the addition of glucose or KOH. In vivo, 66 four-hour peritoneal equilibration tests were performed in 35 patients on CAPD using a low pH PDS with a glucose concentration of 3.

The role of underlying nephropathy in the progression of renal disease.

Background: Disease-specific pathogenic mechanisms may be major determinants of the spontaneous rate of progression of chronic renal failure (CRF). To clarify the role of different underlying renal diseases, we examined the rate of CRF progression in 886 patients with chronic nephropathies.

Methods: Secondary analysis of two multicenter, prospective randomized trials: the Northern Italian Cooperative study (NIC) and the AIPRI study (ACE-Inhibition in Progressive Renal Insufficiency).

The renoprotective effect of antihypertensive drugs.

Some antihypertensive drugs may have a renoprotective effect, that is partially independent of their ability to reduce blood pressure. ACE-inhibitors are safe and effective agents that are capable of reducing proteinuria and preventing CRF progression. The results of the AIPRI extension study suggest that they may also have a long-term renoprotective effect.