Effect of kidney replacement therapy modality after first kidney graft failure on second kidney transplantation outcomes.

Background: There is a lack of information regarding which is the best dialysis technique after kidney transplant (KT) failure. The aim of this study is to compare the effect of kidney replacement therapy modality-peritoneal dialysis (TX-PD-TX), haemodialysis (TX-HD-TX) and preemptive deceased donor retransplantation (TX-TX) on patient survival and second KT outcomes.

Methods: A retrospective observational study from the Catalan Renal Registry was carried out.

The Role of Vascular Lesions in Diabetes Across a Spectrum of Clinical Kidney Disease.

Introduction: The clinical-histologic correlation in diabetic nephropathy is not completely known.

Methods: We analyzed nephrectomy specimens from 90 patients with diabetes and diverse degrees of proteinuria and glomerular filtration rate (GFR).

Results: Thirty-six (40%) subjects had normoalbuminuria, 33 (37%) microalbuminuria, and 21 (23%) non-nephrotic proteinuria.

Obesity in Renal Transplantation.

Background: Data from the WHO show an increasing rate of overweight and obesity in general population in the last decades. This increase in obesity also affects population with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) and kidney transplant (KT) candidates.

Summary: In this review, we focused on how obesity impacts on KT stages: access to KT and outcomes of KT candidates; how to reduce weight and its consequences; short and long-term outcomes in obese recipients and the impact of weight variations; and the implications of obesity in living donor KT.

Treatment for severe COVID-19 with a biomimetic sorbent haemoperfusion device in patients on haemodialysis.

Haemodialysis (HD) patients present more morbidity and mortality risk in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). In patients who may develop severe symptoms, the process called 'viral sepsis' seems to be a crucial mechanism. In those cases, the HD procedure provides an excellent tool to explore the benefit of some extracorporeal therapies.

Impact of obesity on the evolution of outcomes in peritoneal dialysis patients.

Background: Some studies reveal that obesity is associated with a decrease in mortality in haemodialysis (HD) patients. However, few studies have addressed the association between body mass index (BMI) and peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients.

Methods: We performed this longitudinal, retrospective study to evaluate the impact of obesity on PD patients, using data from the Catalan Registry of Renal Patients from 2002 to 2015 ( = 1573).

Beneficial effect of corticosteroids in preventing mortality in patients receiving tocilizumab to treat severe COVID-19 illness.

Objectives: To assess the characteristics and risk factors for mortality in patients with severe coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) treated with tocilizumab (TCZ), alone or in combination with corticosteroids (CS).

Methods: From March 17 to April 7, 2020, a real-world observational retrospective analysis of consecutive hospitalized adult patients receiving TCZ to treat severe COVID-19 was conducted at our 750-bed university hospital. The main outcome was all-cause in-hospital mortality.

Clinical features and outcomes in a cohort of patients with immunoglobulin G4-related disease at a university hospital in Spain.

Background: Immunoglobulin G4-related disease (IgG4-RD) is a fibro-inflammatory, immune-mediated disorder, which characteristically affects the glandular tissue but has the potential to affect any organ.

Methods: We retrospectively reviewed clinical, laboratory, histological characteristics and treatment response during 12 months of follow-up of a cohort of patients with IgG4-RD diagnosed at a tertiary public hospital. Disease activity was assessed by means of the IgG4-RD responder index (IgG4-RD RI).

Exploring Frequencies of Circulating Specific Th17 Cells against Myeloperoxidase and Proteinase 3 in ANCA Associated Vasculitis.

Unlabelled: Background: The role of the T helper 17 (Th17) cell subset in anti-neutrophil cytoplasm antibodies (ANCA) associated vasculitis (AAV) is controversial. We hypothesized that a specific Th17 response to myeloperoxidase (MPO) or proteinase 3 (PR3) is detectable in AAV patients and is different among the disease phases.

Methods: We analyzed 43 AAV patients with renal involvement (21 acute and 22 remission patients), and 12 healthy controls.

Effects of body weight variation in obese kidney recipients: a retrospective cohort study.

Background: Obese kidney allograft recipients have worse results in kidney transplantation (KT). However, there is lack of information regarding the effect of body mass index (BMI) variation after KT. The objective of the study was to evaluate the effects of body weight changes in obese kidney transplant recipients.

Mammalian Target of Rapamycin Inhibitors Combined With Calcineurin Inhibitors as Initial Immunosuppression in Renal Transplantation: A Meta-analysis.

Background: The current standard of care immunosuppressive regimen in kidney transplantation (KT) includes a combination of mycophenolates (MMF/MPA) with a calcineurin inhibitor (CNI).

Methods: We designed a systematic review including all randomized clinical trials (RCTs) assessing the outcomes in KT recipients receiving mTORi + CNI compared with regimens containing MMF/MPA or azathioprine with CNI.

Results: A total of 24 studies with 7356 participants were included.

Prediction of the increase in health services demand based on the analysis of reasons of calls received by a customer relationship management.

Currently, customer relationship management (CRM) tools are very important in our society because they provide a comunication channel to the healthcare system for patients. Salud Responde is a CRM that provides many health services for the entire population of Andalusia, in southern Spain. The number and frequenzy of phone calls received change along the year.

Effector Antitumor and Regulatory T Cell Responses Influence the Development of Nonmelanoma Skin Cancer in Kidney Transplant Patients.

Background: Chronic immunosuppression promotes nonmelanocytic squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) after kidney transplantation. Adaptive and innate immunity play a key role controlling tumor growth and are influenced by different immunosuppressive agents. We hypothesized that functional impairment of tumor-specific T cell responses due to calcineurin inhibitors (CNI) could contribute to SCC development, whereas conversion to mammalian target of rapamycin inhibitors (mTOR-i) could recover this protective immune response.

[Use of customer relationship management to improve healthcare for citizens. The 24h Andalusian Health Service: Healthline].

Salud Responde (in English: Healthline) is a Health Service and Information Centre of the taxpayer-funded Andalusian Health System (AHS) that offers a Telephone Health Advisory Service called SA24h, among other services. The main objective of SA24h is to inform and advise citizens on health issues and the available health resources of the AHS. SA24h has a Customer Relationship Management information technology tool that organises information at various levels of specialization.

Immediate and Long-Term Results of Drug-Eluting Stents in Mammary Artery Grafts.

Unlabelled: Percutaneous intervention of a coronary graft is the treatment of choice when the graft fails. The objective is to report the long-term results of drug-eluting stents (DES) in mammary artery grafts (MAG). Patients who had been treated with DES for MAG in 27 centers were selected.

Clinical profile and main comorbidities of Spanish adults with Down syndrome.

Background: The life expectancy of adults with Down syndrome (DS) has significantly increased in the last decades. We aim to describe the main demographic and clinical characteristics of a cohort of adults with DS, and analyse their differences according to age and gender groups.

Methods: Cross-sectional study of 144 adults with DS from the outpatient clinic of a tertiary care hospital in Madrid, Spain, recruited between February 2012 and March 2013.

Asymmetric dimethylarginine plasma levels and endothelial function in newly diagnosed type 2 diabetic patients.

It is now well established that major risk factors for cardiovascular diseases (CVD) impact upon endothelial function by decreasing nitric oxide (NO) bioavailability. Asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA), an endogenous analog of l-arginine, is able to inhibit the activity of endothelial-NO synthase, promoting endothelial dysfunction. Type 2 diabetes (T2D) is characterized by a reduced endothelium-dependent vasodilation and increased ADMA levels and ADMA is strongly associated with micro- and macrovascular diabetic complications.

Serum uric acid and 1-h postload glucose in essential hypertension.

Objective: Subjects who are normal glucose tolerant (NGT) are considered at low risk, even if a plasma glucose value ≥155 mg/dL for the 1-h postload plasma glucose during an oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) is able to identify NGT subjects at high risk for type 2 diabetes and subclinical organ damage. Hyperuricemia is associated with several risk factors for cardiovascular diseases such as hypertension, insulin resistance, and diabetes. However, it is unknown whether uric acid (UA) is able to affect 1-h postload plasma glucose in hypertensive NGT subjects.

Clinical randomized controlled trial of chemomechanical caries removal (Carisolv).

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to compare the chemomechanical caries-removal system (Carisolv) with high-speed excavation in cavitated occlusal caries of primary molars. Design and setting. The study was a randomized controlled, clinical trial in which the two techniques were compared in each subject.

Population pharmacokinetics of digoxin in pediatric patients.

Digoxin pharmacokinetics were studied in a pediatric population with an age range of 6 days to 1 year using the population pharmacokinetic approach. Digoxin data were analyzed by mixed-effects modeling according to a one-compartment steady-state pharmacokinetic model using NONMEM software. The final model selected for the population prediction of digoxin clearance in pediatric patients was as follows: [equation: see text] Individual empirical Bayesian estimates were generated on the basis of the population estimates and were used to correlate the optimum dose of digoxin and patient age according to the following equation: [equation: see text] This equation and its derived nomogram may be used for the initial dosing of digoxin in children aged between 0 and 1 year.

[Contribution of color Doppler in the diagnosis of bilateral ductus arteriosus].

We report a neonate with distal bilateral ductus arteriosus origin of nonconfluent pulmonary arteries which was only diagnosed accurately by 2-D echo Doppler color flow mapping in the context of situs ambiguous, univentricular A-V connection and pulmonary atresia with normal systemic/pulmonary venous drainage. The color flow appearance of this singular vascular anatomy was enhanced after prostaglandin administration, which, allowed us to see an image resembling a "moustache morphology". At 36 months of age, and after a successful bilateral 4 mm modified Blalock Taussig shunt implantation by sequential approach, the patient is waiting for the next surgical step which will include a restoration of the confluence of the pulmonary arteries with bidirectional Glenn operation.

[Clinical and echocardiographic impact of neonatal aortic valvuloplasty].

Objectives: The selection of patients for balloon aortic valvuloplasty is a vital clinical challenge in neonatal aortic stenosis. The present study was designed to establish possible predicting factors for poor results after balloon therapy.

Patients And Methods: 2D echocardiographic, Doppler color and clinical variables (grade of cardiac failure, aortic "anulus", mitral anulus, left ventricular diameter, ascending aorta, instantaneous Doppler gradient, and grade of aortic regurgitation) were analyzed in 32 neonates submitted to balloon dilation at 22 +/- 18 days of life.

[Prevalence of HTLV-I antibodies and possible risk factors in Chilean prostitutes].

Aiming to know the prevalence of HTLV-1 infection among high risk groups in Santiago, the antibodies against HTLV-1 were measured in 502 prostitutes coming from north and east Santiago. Antibodies were measured using ELISA and the positive samples were confirmed with an indirect immunofluorescence technique. Four subjects were positive, establishing a HTLV-1 infection prevalence of 0.