Decreased Levels of Soluble Developmental Endothelial Locus-1 Are Associated with Thrombotic Microangiopathy in Pregnancy.

HELLP (Hemolysis, Elevated Liver enzymes and Low Platelets) syndrome is a life-threatening complication of pregnancy, which is often secondary to preeclampsia. To date, there is no biomarker in clinical use for the early stratification of women with preeclampsia who are under increased risk of HELLP syndrome. Herein, we show that the levels of circulating developmental endothelial locus-1 (DEL-1), which is an extracellular immunomodulatory protein, are decreased in patients with HELLP syndrome compared to preeclampsia.

Fibroblast Growth Factor 23 and α-Klotho Protein Are Associated with Adverse Clinical Outcomes in Non-Dialysis CKD Patients.

Background: Fibroblast growth factor 23 (FGF-23) and α-Klotho protein appear to have an important role in the pathogenesis of CKD-mineral and bone disorders. The aim of this study was to investigate the association of FGF-23 and α-Klotho levels with adverse clinical outcomes in patients with non-dialysis CKD.

Materials And Methods: We conducted a prospective cohort study, enrolling participants with non-dialysis CKD from a single center in Greece.

Intradialytic Cardiovascular Exercise Training Alters Redox Status, Reduces Inflammation and Improves Physical Performance in Patients with Chronic Kidney Disease.

Redox status (RS) perturbations and inflammation are fundamental features of chronic kidney disease (CKD) that are substantially exacerbated in end-stage renal disease (ESRD). This study aimed at investigating the efficacy of a 6-month intradialytic exercise training program on RS, inflammation and physical performance in patients with ESRD. Twenty hemodialysis (HD) patients (17 males, three females) were randomly assigned to either an intradialytic training (bedside cycling) group (TR; = 10) or a control group (CON; = 10) for 6 months.

Association between CUBN gene variants, type 2 diabetes and vitamin D concentrations in an elderly Greek population.

Accumulating evidence suggests a potential implication of vitamin D biological network in the pathogenesis of diabetes mellitus. The megalin-cubilin endocytotic system constitutes a key transport structure, with a modulating role in vitamin D metabolism. We aimed to assess the contribution of variants in the CUBN gene to the genetic risk of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM).

Nebivolol reduces short-term blood pressure variability more potently than irbesartan in patients with intradialytic hypertension.

Increased blood pressure (BP) variability (BPV) is associated with high cardiovascular risk in hemodialysis. Studies on the effects of antihypertensive drugs on BPV in hemodialysis are scarce. This study examines the effects of nebivolol and irbesartan on short-term BPV in patients with intradialytic hypertension.

A Comparative Study of Short-Term Blood Pressure Variability in Hemodialysis Patients with and without Intradialytic Hypertension.

Background: Short-term blood pressure (BP) variability (BPV) is associated with increased cardiovascular risk in hemodialysis. Patients with intradialytic hypertension have high risk of adverse outcomes. Whether BPV is increased in these patients is not clear.

The effects of nebivolol and irbesartan on postdialysis and ambulatory blood pressure in patients with intradialytic hypertension: a randomized cross-over study.

Objectives: Intradialytic hypertension is estimated at 5-15% of hemodialysis patients and is associated with poor prognosis. Studies on therapeutic interventions for this entity are extremely few. We aimed to evaluate the effects of nebivolol and irbesartan on peridialytic, intradialytic, and ambulatory BP in patients with intradialytic hypertension.

Assessment of association between lipoxygenase genes variants in elderly Greek population and type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Background: Inflammation plays a pivotal role in the pathogenesis of diabetes and its complications. Arachidonic acid lipoxygenases have been intensively studied in their role in inflammation in metabolic pathways. Thus, we aimed to explore variants of lipoxygenase genes (arachidonate lipoxygenase genes) in a diabetes adult population using a case-control study design.

Chronic renal failure, diabetes mellitus type-II, and gestation: an overwhelming combination.

This case report highlights on a child-bearer with chronic renal failure and diabetes mellitus type-II. Chronic renal failure (CRF) with diabetes mellitus (DM) type I in gestation is a rare case of a high-risk pregnancy. What is of significance though in this gestation, is that conception was achieved with the patient treated by a dialysis program.

Low T3 syndrome and long-term mortality in chronic hemodialysis patients.

Aim: To investigate the predictive value of low freeT3 for long-term mortality in chronic hemodialysis (HD) patients and explore a possible causative role of chronic inflammation.

Methods: One hundred fourteen HD patients (84 males) consecutively entered the study and were assessed for thyroid function and two established markers of inflammation, high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) and interleukin-6 (IL-6). Monthly blood samples were obtained from all patients for three consecutive months during the observation period for evaluation of thyroid function and measurement of inflammatory markers.

Sodium sensitivity and its role in the maintenance of high blood pressure in two-kidney, one-clip renovascular hypertension after removal of the clipped kidney in rats.

Aim: The aim of the present study was to define the role of sodium balance and sodium sensitivity in the maintenance of two-kidney, one-clip renovascular hypertension in rats.

Methods: Six months after induction of hypertension, systolic blood pressure, sodium balance, water intake and urine excretion were measured under normal conditions, after nephrectomy of the clipped kidney, and under conditions of sodium load.

Results: No difference between control rats and rats with or without post-Goldblatt hypertension emerged during the development of renovascular hypertension and after nephrectomy of the clipped kidney.

Effects of L-carnitine on oxidative stress responses in patients with renal disease.

Purpose: Hemodialyzed patients demonstrate elevated oxidative stress and reduced functional status. Exercise induces health benefits, but acute exertion up-regulates oxidative stress responses in patients undergoing hemodialysis. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to examine the effect of L-carnitine supplementation on i) exercise performance and ii) blood redox status both at rest and after exercise.

Acute exercise may exacerbate oxidative stress response in hemodialysis patients.

Background/aims: Hemodialyzed patients (HD) demonstrate elevated oxidative stress (OXS) levels. Exercise effects on OXS response and antioxidant status of HD was investigated in the present study.

Methods: Twelve HD and 12 healthy controls (HC) performed a graded exercise protocol.

Effect of iron loading on peripheral blood lymphocyte subsets and on circulating cytokine levels in iron-depleted hemodialysis patients receiving erythropoietin.

Background/aims: High doses of iron are recommended intravenously in iron-depleted hemodialysis (HD) patients receiving recombinant erythropoietin (EPO). Iron deficiency and mainly iron overload impair cellular and humoral immune response mechanisms. Imbalances in T cell subsets are common findings in disorders of iron metabolism.

Role of eicosanoids of the contralateral kidney in maintenance of two-kidney, one-clip renovascular hypertension in rats.

Objective: To elucidate the role of the eicosanoids prostaglandin E(2) (PGE(2)), 6-keto-prostaglandin F(1a) (PGF(1a)) and thromboxane B(2) (TXB(2)) in the maintenance of two-kidney, one-clip renovascular hypertension in rats.

Material And Methods: The right renal artery was constricted by a silver clip in 63 male Sprague-Dawley rats to induce hypertension, while a sham operation was performed in 17 control rats. Six months after the induction of hypertension, nephrectomy of the clipped kidney was performed.

Platelet endothelial cell adhesion molecule-1 and angiogenic factor expression in idiopathic membranous nephropathy.

Background: Idiopathic membranous nephropathy (IMN), a principal disease of glomerular capillaries, was investigated for some aspects of glomerular capillary injury and repair (angiogenesis).

Methods: Fifteen cases of IMN were studied immunohistochemically for expression of the endothelial cell antigen platelet endothelial cell adhesion molecule-1 (PECAM-1[CD31]) and the angiogenesis-stimulating factors vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and thymidine phosphorylase (TP). An equal number of normal control kidneys of fetal and mature origin were tested for the same antigens.

Decrease in Staphylococcus aureus exit-site infections and peritonitis in CAPD patients by local application of mupirocin ointment at the catheter exit site.

Objective: To evaluate the potential effectiveness of the application of mupirocin ointment at the catheter exit site in preventing exit-site infection and peritonitis caused by Staphylococcus aureus (SA).

Design: This prospective, historically controlled study was done on 181 peritoneal dialysis patients treated between 1 November 1996 and 1 November 1997. They were instructed to apply mupirocin at the catheter exit site daily or three times per week at the conclusion of their exit-site care (Study 1).

Evaluation of bone mineral density in CAPD patients with dual energy X-ray absorptiometry.

In this study bone mineralization was evaluated using dual energy x-ray absorptiometry (DEXA), which measured regional bone mineral density [BMD (g/cm2)] at two skeletal sites, the lumbar spine and the femur, in 33 patients (15 male, 18 female) undergoing continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) with no history of chronic disease or medications affecting bone. The biochemical profile included measurements of plasma levels of calcium, phosphorus, alkaline phosphatase, and intact parathyroid hormone (iPTH). We did not find any statistically significant difference or correlation between BMD and the examined parameters, except for the lower BMD values in the female population.

The identification of bone mineral density in CAPD in comparison with HD patients.

Renal osteodystrophy is a virtually universal complication of chronic renal failure (CRF). Varying degrees of calcium-phosphate metabolism derangement and different types of skeletal damage are observed in CRF for many reasons while the use of dialysis for the management of end-stage renal failure further affects these complications. This study was designed to evaluate the bone mineral density (BMD) that is measured by dual-energy x-ray in three groups of patients: A, 10 patients on continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD); B, 10 patients on hemodialysis (HD); and C, 10 predialytic patients with advanced CRF.

Treatment and prevention of relapses of CAPD Pseudomonas peritonitis.

Pseudomonas peritonitis in continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) can be difficult to eradicate, because it is frequently resistant to common antibiotics, inducing the loss of the peritoneal cavity in some cases. A total of 14 episodes of Pseudomonas peritonitis in 12 patients (6 male, 6 female) were treated with intraperitoneal (IP) administration of a combination of ceftazidime and tobramycin. All patients were hospitalized.

Treatment of CAPD peritonitis with clavulanate potentiated ticarcillin.

A total of 16 episodes of peritonitis in 14 patients (9 males, 5 females), were treated with Clavulanate potentiated ticarcillin (TC), a -lactamase stable parenteral penicillin. All the pts were hospitalized and received initial loading dose of 3.2 gr intraperitoneally (i.

Evaluation of CNS-function in CAPD patients using magnetoencephalography (MEG): comparison with hemodialysis patients.

In order to evaluate the CNS-function of uremic patients, the magnetic activity emitted from the brain of 20 pts (10 pts on CAPD and 10 on HD) was measured. MEG consisted of taking 32 consecutive records from the 32 equally spaced points chosen on the skull in uremic pts around our reference points T3, T4, P4, F3, F4 of the international 10-20 electrode placement point system. MEG data were converted using an AD-converter with sampling frequency 256 Hz and stored in a P/C.