Mizoribine therapy combined with steroids and mizoribine blood concentration monitoring for idiopathic membranous nephropathy with steroid-resistant nephrotic syndrome.

Background: We designed a prospective and randomized trial of mizoribine (MZR) therapy combined with prednisolone (PSL) for idiopathic membranous nephropathy (IMN) with steroid-resistant nephrotic syndrome (SRNS).

Methods: Patients with IMN were divided into 2 groups, and MZR combined with PSL was administered for 2 years. PSL was initially prescribed at 40 mg/day and tapered.

A Prospective Observational Survey on the Long-Term Effect of LDL Apheresis on Drug-Resistant Nephrotic Syndrome.

Background/aims: LDL apheresis (LDL-A) is used for drug-resistant nephrotic syndrome (NS) as an alternative therapy to induce remission by improvement of hyperlipidemia. Several clinical studies have suggested the efficacy of LDL-A for refractory NS, but the level of evidence remains insufficient. A multicenter prospective study, POLARIS (Prospective Observational Survey on the Long-Term Effects of LDL Apheresis on Drug-Resistant Nephrotic Syndrome), was conducted to evaluate its clinical efficacy with high-level evidence.

Immediate therapeutic efficacy of low-density lipoprotein apheresis for drug-resistant nephrotic syndrome: evidence from the short-term results from the POLARIS Study.

Background: Hyperlipidemia is not merely a complication but a major exacerbating factor in longstanding nephrotic syndrome (NS). Low-density lipoprotein apheresis (LDL-A) has been reported to ameliorate dyslipidemia and induce rapid remission of NS. Several clinical studies have suggested the therapeutic efficacy of LDL-A, but the level of clinical evidence is insufficient.

Significance of combined cyclosporine-prednisolone therapy and cyclosporine blood concentration monitoring for idiopathic membranous nephropathy with steroid-resistant nephrotic syndrome: a randomized controlled multicenter trial.

Background: Combined treatment with cyclosporine microemulsion preconcentrate (CyA MEPC) and steroids has been widely used for idiopathic membranous nephropathy (IMN) associated with steroid-resistant nephrotic syndrome (SRNS). Recent studies have shown that once-a-day and preprandial administration of CyA MEPC is more advantageous than the conventional twice-a-day administration in achieving the target blood CyA concentration at 2 h post dose (C2). We designed a randomized trial to compare these administrations.

Wernicke's encephalopathy that developed during the introduction period of peritoneal dialysis.

A 43-year-old man was admitted with end-stage renal disease caused by IgA nephropathy, and was treated with maintenance peritoneal dialysis. The patient developed general fatigue and appetite loss, and his symptoms were gradually aggravated by depression. After approximately 2 months on dialysis, the patient presented with altered consciousness and ophthalmoplegia.

Various roles of Th cytokine mRNA expression in different forms of glomerulonephritis.

Background: Kidney disease is characterized by injurious immune responses to self or foreign antigens. The development and maintenance of immune responses generally involves activation of T lymphocytes. We evaluated mRNA expression patterns of T-cell cytokines to identify the principal Th-cell subset involved in the development of antineutrophil cytoplasmic antigen-associated pauci-immune crescentic glomerulonephritis (ANCAGN), membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis (MPGN), and membranous nephropathy (MN).

The efficacy of incretin therapy in patients with type 2 diabetes undergoing hemodialysis.

Background: Although incretin therapy is clinically available in patients with type 2 diabetes undergoing hemodialysis, no study has yet examined whether incretin therapy is capable of maintaining glycemic control in this group of patients when switched from insulin therapy. In this study, we examined the efficacy of incretin therapy in patients with insulin-treated type 2 diabetes undergoing hemodialysis.

Methods: Ten type 2 diabetic patients undergoing hemodialysis received daily 0.

Total and HMW adiponectin is independently associated with B-type natriuretic peptide and anemia in chronic hemodialysis patients.

Objective: A number of vasculo-protective roles have been reported for adiponectin. In contrast, higher, rather than lower, plasma adiponectin levels are associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease and mortality in patients undergoing hemodialysis (HD). The mechanisms by which high adiponectin levels are associated with adverse outcome are unclear.

Association of hypoalbuminemia with severe anemia in patients with diabetic nephrosclerosis.

Background: Anemia in patients with early diabetes mellitus nephrosclerosis (DMN) is more severe than in patients with kidney disease of other origins, and the mechanism for this remains unclear. In this study, we carried out a retrospective study in order to identify the factors associated with anemia in patients with DMN.

Methods: To elucidate the factors that influence the severity of anemia in patients with DMN, we carried out a retrospective follow-up study of 124 biopsy-proven DMN cases [mean (SE) age, 55.

The proportion and metabolic effects of adiponectin multimeric isoforms in patients with chronic kidney disease on maintenance hemodialysis.

Adiponectin circulates at least in three major forms of oligomeric complexes in plasma: a low-molecular-weight (LMW) trimer, a middle-molecular-weight (MMW) hexamer, and high-molecular-weight (HMW) adiponectin. Although it has been reported that adiponectin has the favorable metabolic properties for humans, the roles of these multimers in the patients with the end-stage renal disease (ESRD) were unidentified. We determined the level of total and multimeric adiponectin in 71 patients with nondiabetic ESRD treated with hemodialysis (HD) using a commercially available kit of enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).

[Case of suspicious lansoprazole-associated collagenous colitis in ANCA-associated nephritis].

In January 2003, a 70-year-old female consulted a doctor for a fever of unknown origin. She had microscopic hematuria, proteinuria, BUN 41 mg/dL, Cr 2.1 mg/dL and MPO-ANCA 44 U/mL, and was suspected of having ANCA-associated nephritis.

Anemia and hypertension are risk factors for both renal prognosis and survival in patients with diabetes mellitus.

Background: Diabetic nephrosclerosis is the most common cause of renal failure in the industrialized countries. At the same time, the mortality rate of patients with diabetes mellitus is high.

Methods: To clarify the factors influencing the prognosis and survival of patients with diabetic nephrosclerosis, we carried out a retrospective follow-up study of 166 cases (age, 55.

Amelioration of diabetic nephropathy in OLETF rats by prostaglandin I(2) analog, beraprost sodium.

Background: Strict control of blood glucose and blood pressure levels sometimes fails to delay the development of diabetic nephropathy, and an effective therapy is not yet available. The present study aimed to examine whether the prostaglandin I(2) analog beraprost sodium (BPS) ameliorates diabetic nephropathy in Otsuka Long-Evans Tokushima Fatty (OLETF) rat.

Method: Fifty-week-old OLETF rats were divided into three groups according to treatment; 400 microg/kg body weight (BW) BPS, 200 microg/kg BW BPS, and 0.

Prognostic factors for renal amyloidosis: a clinicopathological study using cluster analysis.

Objective: There is no standardized therapy for renal amyloidosis, which shows rapid progression and poor prognosis. Here, we used cluster analysis to examine the correlation between amyloid-related renal damage and prognosis, and determined the clinicopathological prognostic factors for renal amyloidosis.

Methods And Patients: We analyzed 125 patients with renal amyloidosis (men/women: 43/82; mean age at renal biopsy: 58.

Relationship of predialytic intact parathyroid hormone on secondary hyperparathyroidism in chronic maintenance haemodialysis patients.

Methods And Results: In order to clarify the predialytic factors influencing the onset of secondary hyperparathyroidism (SHPT) in patients on chronic maintenance haemodialysis, the time-course changes of serum levels of intact-PTH (i-PTH) during haemodialysis for 5 years were investigated. The subjects were 69 non-diabetic patients who had a serum aluminium level of less than 1.85 nmol/L at the end of observation.