The potential clinical utility of serial plasma albumin mRNA monitoring for the post-liver transplantation management.

Objectives: Elevated albumin (ALB) mRNA concentration has been reported in the plasma of patients with liver diseases. The plasma ALB mRNA measurement was shown to be an effective indicator of liver pathologies with superior diagnostic sensitivity and specificity when compared with alanine transaminase (ALT). We hypothesized that serial plasma ALB mRNA analysis would be helpful in the early detection and monitoring of post-liver transplantation complications.

Multiple atherosclerosis-related biomarkers associated with short- and long-term mortality after stroke.

Objectives: We investigated the relationships of biomarkers of various pathophysiologic pathways including high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), lipocalin-2 (LCN2), myeloperoxidase (MPO) and matrix metalloproteinases 9 (MMP9) with mortality in stroke patients.

Design And Methods: hs-CRP, LCN2 and MPO concentrations in 92 patients were determined using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. MMP9 mRNA concentrations were determined using real-time quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction.

Intrarenal cytokine gene expression in lupus nephritis.

Background: Lupus nephritis is characterised by intrarenal inflammation and lymphocyte activation.

Aim: To examine the profile of cytokine gene expression in glomerulus and tubulointerstitium in patients with lupus nephritis.

Methods: 36 consecutive patients with systemic lupus erythematosus having active renal disease were recruited, and they were required to undergo kidney biopsy.

Messenger RNA expression of RANTES in the urinary sediment of patients with lupus nephritis.

Background: Lupus nephritis is characterized by intra-renal inflammation. Patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) showed abnormal T-cell expression of RANTES (regulated upon activation, normal T cell expressed) and its level in their serum. The authors studied the mRNA expression of RANTES in the urinary sediment of lupus patients.

mRNA expression of target genes in the urinary sediment as a noninvasive prognostic indicator of CKD.

Background: Study of messenger RNA (mRNA) expression of target genes in urinary sediment was suggested as a noninvasive marker of renal damage in patients with chronic kidney diseases (CKDs). We studied the relationship between urinary mRNA expression of target genes and risk for renal function deterioration in patients with CKD.

Methods: We studied 131 patients with CKD with kidney biopsy.

The effect of immunosuppressive therapy on the messenger RNA expression of target genes in the urinary sediment of patients with active lupus nephritis.

Background: Previous studies have shown that messenger RNA (mRNA) expression of target genes is increased in the urinary sediment of patients with active lupus. We study the effect of immunosuppressive therapy on the urinary gene expression profile in patients with active lupus nephritis. Method.

Can the urine dipstick test reduce the need for microscopy for assessment of systemic lupus erythematosus disease activity?

Objective: Urine microscopic examination is an important component of the Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Disease Activity Index (SLEDAI). We investigated whether the urine dipstick test can reduce the need for microscopy for the assessment of SLEDAI.

Methods: We studied 269 urine samples from 259 SLE patients with Albustix and Hemastix reagent strips.

Messenger RNA expression of target genes in the urinary sediment of patients with chronic kidney diseases.

Background: The degree of renal scarring in kidney biopsy is an important prognostic factor in patients with chronic kidney diseases. We hypothesize that gene expression in the urinary sediment reflects the degree of renal damage.

Methods: We studied 29 patients with chronic kidney disease who underwent kidney biopsy (12 immunoglobulin-A nephropathy and 17 glomerulosclerosis) and 10 healthy controls.

Expression of chemokine and fibrosing factor messenger RNA in the urinary sediment of patients with lupus nephritis.

Objective: Lupus nephritis is characterized by intrarenal inflammation. To assess the extent and severity of disease activity and renal involvement, this study examined the expression of transforming growth factor beta (TGFbeta) and monocyte chemoattractant protein 1 (MCP-1) in the urinary sediment of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).

Methods: We studied 106 patients with SLE who were classified according to their disease status as those with active disease, those with disease in remission, and those with nonrenal SLE.

Advances in the clinical laboratory assessment of urinary sediment.

Urinalysis has been used extensively in clinical practice to aid in the diagnosis of various renal and urologic diseases. The innovation of urinalysis is marching on right along with the rapid developments in biotechnology and astride from the solo urine cytology to sophisticated studies of individual component in the urinary sediment. In this review article, we focus on the use of flow cytometry and other technical advances in the examination of urinary sediment, the detection of urologic malignancies by the presence of microsatellite alteration in the urinary sediment, as well as the quantification of cytokine messenger RNA (mRNA) expression in urinary sediment by reverse transcription and real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-QPCR).

Inflammatory cytokine gene expression in the urinary sediment of patients with lupus nephritis.

Objective: Lupus nephritis is characterized by intrarenal inflammation and lymphocyte activation. In the present study, the expression of cytokine genes in the urinary sediment of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) was examined.

Methods: We studied 3 SLE patient groups (25 with active lupus nephritis [active group], 25 with inactive SLE and previous renal involvement [remission group], 20 with inactive SLE and no history of renal involvement [nonrenal SLE group]) and 2 control groups (10 patients with noninflammatory renal diseases [non-SLE group] and 10 healthy volunteers [healthy group]).