Adult patients with sporadic polycystic kidney disease: the importance of screening for mutations in the PKD1 and PKD2 genes.

Background: ADPKD is one of the most common inherited disorders, with high risk for end-stage renal disease. Numerous patients, however, have no relatives in whom this disorder is known and are unsure whether they may transmit the disease to their offsprings. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether germline mutation analysis adds substantial information to clinical symptoms for diagnosis of ADPKD in these patients.

Hemodiafiltration with online regeneration of ultrafiltrate: effect on heme-oxygenase-1 and inducible subunit of nitric oxide synthase and implication for oxidative stress and inflammation.

Hemodiafiltration with regeneration of ultrafiltrate (HFR) has a positive impact on inflammation and oxidative stress (OxSt), risk factors for cardiovascular disease (CVD), the most common cause of excess morbidity and mortality for end-stage renal disease (ESRD) patients. However, studies have been of limited duration. This study extends our previous study of HFR effects by evaluating the effect on mononuclear cell protein expression of heme-oxygenase-1 (HO-1), induced by OxSt, and inducible subunit of nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), and plasma level of interleukin-1β (Il-1β) and oxidized low-density lipoproteins (OxLDL), marker of OxSt, for a 12-month period.

Carnitine-mediated improved response to erythropoietin involves induction of haem oxygenase-1: studies in humans and in an animal model.

Background: Carnitine improves erythropoetin (EPO) response and anaemia in haemodialysis patients (HD); however, the mechanism(s) responsible remain unidentified. We have reported that carnitine induces haem oxygenase (HO)-1, which is an antioxidant and antiapoptotic that acts via pathways shared with EPO. Therefore carnitine's effect on these pathways may account for the improved EPO response.