Cyclosporin in idiopathic glomerular disease associated with the nephrotic syndrome : workshop recommendations.

Management of idiopathic glomerular disease associated with nephrotic syndrome (INS) remains controversial and one of the most complex areas relates to utilization of the drug cyclosporin. This is despite its demonstrated effectiveness in several histologic types of the INS in randomized controlled trials. Cyclosporin is effective in inducing remission of proteinuria in approximately 80% of steroid-sensitive cases of minimal change disease (MCD).

Factors that determine an incomplete recovery of renal function in macrohematuria-induced acute renal failure of IgA nephropathy.

Acute renal failure that is associated with macroscopic hematuria (ARF-MH) is a widely known complication of IgA nephropathy (IgAN). Although spontaneous recovery of renal function after cessation of MH has been described, no long-term outcome studies have been performed. The outcome of patients who had biopsy-proven IgAN and presented an ARF-MH episode in the period 1975 through 2005 was studied.

Should hypertension guidelines be changed for hypertensive patients with the metabolic syndrome?

The authors analyzed the impact of present guidelines for hypertension management on cardiovascular (CV) risk factors in hypertensive patients with and without the metabolic syndrome (MS). Results in 549 nondiabetic hypertensive patients with a mean follow-up of 3.8+/-1.

Tacrolimus monotherapy in membranous nephropathy: a randomized controlled trial.

Membranous nephropathy is a common cause of nephrotic syndrome in adults. Although some patients with membranous nephropathy achieve a spontaneous remission, renal function continues to deteriorate in others. We conducted a prospective randomized trial evaluating monotherapy with tacrolimus to achieve complete or partial remission in patients with biopsy-proven membranous nephropathy.

Efficacy and safety of 'rescue therapy' with mycophenolate mofetil in resistant primary glomerulonephritis--a multicenter study.

Background: Studies of mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) in primary glomerulonephritis have varied in their inclusion criteria, regimen and follow-up compromising assessments of efficacy and optimal dose.

Method: This multicentre study analysed the safety and efficacy of MMF monotherapy in a large cohort with primary glomerulonephritis that was resistant to other conventional therapies. A total of 98 patients with biopsy-proven primary glomerulonephritis resistant to other drugs received MMF monotherapy for 1 year.

Dual blockade of the renin-angiotensin system in the progression of renal disease: the need for more clinical trials.

There is clear evidence that pharmacologic blockade of the renin-angiotensin system (RAS) with angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEI) or angiotensin receptor blockers (ARB) reduces proteinuria and slows the progression of renal disease in diabetic and nondiabetic nephropathies, a beneficial effect that is not related to BP control. Some patients exhibit a significant beneficial response, whereas others do not. The absence of response may be explained by the incomplete blockade of the RAS obtained with ACEI.

Weight loss and proteinuria.

The level of proteinuria is one of the most determinant risk factors for the progression of proteinuric renal diseases. Several studies have shown that weight loss, either induced by low calorie diets, physical exercise, or bariatric surgery is accompanied by an important antiproteinuric effect. Reduction in proteinuria is already observed after a few weeks from the onset of weight loss and it is evident even in patients with modest weight losses.

Obesity, proteinuria and progression of renal failure.

Purpose Of Review: Recent studies have reported an alarming increase in the incidence of obesity-related glomerulopathy, in a context of a worldwide spread of obesity.

Recent Findings: Several epidemiological investigations have confirmed that obesity is a significant risk factor for the appearance of proteinuria and end-stage renal disease in a normal population. Obesity-induced hemodynamic changes and glomerular deposition of lipids (partly mediated by sterol regulatory element-binding proteins) play an important role in the pathogenesis of obesity-related renal disease.

Chronic kidney disease as a situation of high added risk in hypertensive patients.

Recent guidelines for the management of hypertension have recognized the relevance of renal function on cardiovascular prognosis of hypertensive patients. In fact, growing evidences have confirmed that as soon as renal function exhibits minor derangements, cardiovascular risk starts a continuous rise until the development of end-stage renal disease. Both estimated glomerular filtration rate and urinary albumin excretion are associated with an increased incidence of cardiovascular events and death among hypertensive patients and in general population.

Blood pressure control in patients with chronic renal insufficiency in Spain: a cross-sectional study.

Objective: Despite therapeutic advances, strict control of hypertension remains elusive in patients with chronic renal insufficiency (CRI). The present study was designed for assessment of control rates of blood pressure in patients with CRI. Secondary objectives included evaluation of the control rates of proteinuria and cardiovascular comorbidities.

Incidence of pancreas graft thrombosis in portoiliac and portocaval venous anastomosis.

Background: Pancreas graft thromboses represent more than 70% of all technical failures; multiple risk factors have been implicated. We analyzed the thrombosis rates using portoiliac versus portocaval vein anastomoses.

Patients And Methods: The series includes 53 patients who underwent pancreas transplantation: 49 simultaneous pancreas-kidney and 4 pancreas after kidney.

Ten years of treatment with tacrolimus is related to an excellent renal function, allowing monotherapy in a large proportion of cases: unicentric results of the tacrolimus versus cyclosporine A European Multicentric Study in kidney transplant patients.

Tacrolimus (Tac) is the most frequently used base inmunosuppressant for transplantation in Spain and the United States. However, long-term data on its use in renal transplant patients are lacking. The aim of this study was to analyze the 10-year outcome of patients from our institution treated with Tac or cyclosporine (CsA) who were included in the European Multicenter Study of kidney transplantation (1993 to 1994).

Anti-CD25 monoclonal antibody sequential immunosuppressive induction therapy in renal transplants with high risk of delayed graft function.

There is little experience on the use of monoclonal antibodies that block the high-affinity interleukin-2 receptor (basiliximab and daclizumab) in sequential therapy in renal transplants with risk of delayed graft function. This study sougth to test the efficacy and safety of the substitution of anticalcineurins with two doses of basiliximab or daclizumab in the immediate posttransplant period for recipients at risk of delayed renal graft function. Immunosuppression consisted of steroids, mycophenolate mofetil, and two doses of basiliximab (20 mg/day) on days 0 and 4 posttransplant or daclizumab (1 mg/kg per day) on days 0 and 15 posttransplant.

Therapeutic measures in proteinuric nephropathy.

The level of proteinuria is one of the most important risk factors for progressive renal function loss in renal diseases. Any therapeutic measure that reduces proteinuria will slow or halt the progression of proteinuric nephropathies. Blockade of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS) with angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors or AT1-receptor antagonists (ARA) is currently the most powerful available antiproteinuric treatment.

[Digestive haemorrhage due to angiodysplasia in dialysis patients. Treatment with conjugated estrogens].

Gastrointestinal angiodysplasia is a very common cause of digestive hemorrhage among elderly patients with chronic renal insufficiency. Therapeutic possibilities are scarce, as well as information available. Here we present our experience with 8 cases of dialysis patients that were treated with conjugated estrogens because of digestive hemorrhage due to angiodysplasia.

[Pharmacogenetics of angiotensin system in non diabetic nephropathy].

Background: Genetic variability could contribute to the response to pharmacological treatment in patients with nephropathy. In albuminuric diabetic patients the renoprotective effect of angiotensin I-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibition should be lower among homozygotes for the deletion allele (DD) compared to II-homozygotes.

Methods: A total of 71 non-diabetic chronic nephropathy patients were treated with losartan (n = 37) or amlodipine (n = 34).

Factors influencing the progression of renal damage in patients with unilateral renal agenesis and remnant kidney.

Background: Although some studies have shown that the risk to develop proteinuria and renal insufficiency is increased in patients with a remnant kidney (RK) or unilateral renal agenesis (URA), other patients maintain normal renal function and negative proteinuria, and the reasons to explain these different outcomes are not known.

Methods: We performed a retrospective study of 54 patients with a severe reduction in renal mass (33 patients with URA and 21 with RK). Follow-up was 100 +/- 72 months.

The reno-protective effect of the dual blockade of the renin angiotensin system (RAS).

Hypertension and proteinuria are risk factors for renal disease progression. There is clear evidence that pharmacological blockade of the RAS with angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEI) or angiotensin receptor blockers (ARB) reduces proteinuria and slows down the progression of renal disease in diabetic and non diabetic nephropathies, a beneficial effect not related to blood pressure control. However, not all patients respond similarly to these treatments.