Early decrease in the podocalyxin to synaptopodin ratio in urinary Fabry podocytes.

Background: In Fabry nephropathy, podocyturia is an early event that may lead to glomerulosclerosis and chronic kidney disease. The glycocalyx is a potential podocyte damaged compartment in glomerulopathies. We investigated glycocalyx podocalyxin in urinary detached podocytes compared with cytoplasmic synaptopodin.

In IgA Nephropathy, Glomerulosclerosis Is Associated with Increased Urinary CD80 Excretion and Urokinase-Type Plasminogen Activator Receptor-Positive Podocyturia.

Background: Podocyturia may determine the evolution to podocytopenia, glomerulosclerosis, and renal failure. According to the Oxford classification of IgA nephropathy (IgAN), the S1 lesion describes glomerulosclerosis. Urokinase-type plasminogen activator receptor (uPAR) participates in podocyte attachment, while CD80 increases in glomerulosclerosis.

Expression of uPAR in Urinary Podocytes of Patients with Fabry Disease.

. Despite enzyme replacement therapy, Fabry nephropathy still progresses. Podocyturia is an irreversible event that antedates proteinuria and leads to chronic renal failure.

Podocyturia is significantly elevated in untreated vs treated Fabry adult patients.

Background: Proteinuria suggests kidney involvement in Fabry disease. We assessed podocyturia, an early biomarker, in controls and patients with and without enzyme therapy, correlating podocyturia with proteinuria and renal function.

Methods: Cross-sectional study (n = 67): controls (Group 1, n = 30) vs.

Belatacept and mediastinal histoplasmosis in a kidney transplant patient.

Background: In transplantation immunosuppression enhances the appearance of opportunist infections. An ideal balance between the prevention of rejection, the lowest risk of infections and the highest rates of graft survival is a continuous challenge. Lower doses of immunosuppression may diminish the risk of infections, metabolic and hemodynamic complications or even of malignancy, but may expose patients to episodes of acute rejection.

Pro-calcitonin and inflammation in chronic hemodialysis.

Unlabelled: Procalcitonin (PCT) has emerged as a marker of infection, a frequent complication in hemodialysis (HD). We analyzed PCT levels in chronic non-acutely infected HD subjects, assessed its correlation with inflammatory and nutritional markers and propose a PCT reference value for non-infected HD patients. In an observational cross-sectional study, 48 chronic HD patients and 36 controls were analyzed.

Is There a Role for Mammalian Target of Rapamycin Inhibition in Renal Failure due to Mesangioproliferative Nephrotic Syndrome?

Primary glomerulonephritis stands as the third most important cause of end-stage renal disease, suggesting that appropriate treatment may not be as effective as intended to be. Moreover, proteinuria, the hallmark of glomerular damage and a prognostic marker of renal damage progression, is frequently resistant to thorough control. In addition, proteinuria may be the common end pathway in which different pathogenetic mechanisms may converge.

Proteinuria: an ignored marker of inflammation and cardiovascular disease in chronic hemodialysis.

Background: Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of morbidity and mortality in hemodialysis (HD) patients, the main etiologies being diabetes and hypertension. Cardiac and inflammatory biomarkers are usually employed to assess risk or damage, or during follow-up. Proteinuria is considered a strong predictor of morbidity, a cause of inflammation, oxidative stress, hemodynamic alteration, and progression of chronic kidney disease.

Creatinine- vs. cystatin C-based equations compared with 99mTcDTPA scintigraphy to assess glomerular filtration rate in chronic kidney disease.

Background: In chronic kidney disease (CKD), accurate estimation of the glomerular filtration rate (GFR) is mandatory. Gold standard methods for its estimation are expensive and time-consuming. We compared creatinine- versus cystatin C-based equations to measure GFR, employing (99m)Tc-DTPA scintigraphy as the gold standard.

["Malnutrition-inflammation complex syndrome" in chronic hemodialysis].

Protein-energy wasting (PEW) and inflammation are usually common and concurrent conditions in maintenance dialysis patients and associated with poor prognosis. Low appetite and hypercatabolic states are common features. In dialysis patients, the former has been suggested to be secondary to inflammation; however, the evidence is not conclusive.

Elevated pro-brain natriuretic peptide, troponin T and malnutrition inflammatory score in chronic hemodialysis patients with overt cardiovascular disease.

Background: We assessed the relationship between pro-brain natriuretic peptide (pro-BNP), troponin T (TropT) and nutritional status.

Methods: A total of 48 chronic hemodialysis patients were grouped according to the presence [group A (GA); n = 24] or not [group B (GB)] of cardiovascular disease.

Results: Compared to GB subjects, GA subjects were older, had been on hemodialysis for a longer period and had higher prevalences of vascular grafts, hypertension and elevated C-reactive protein (CRP) [GA vs.

H1N1 infection and the kidney in critically ill patients.

Background: Acute renal failure due to viral infections is rare. We assessed the development of acute kidney injury (AKI) in critically compromised patients due to the H1N1 influenza virus.

Methods: All patients with a PCR -confirmed diagnosis of H1N1 influenza infection admitted to the intensive care unit between May and July 2009 were retrospectively studied.