Serum Copeptin, NLPR3, and suPAR Levels among Patients with Autosomal-Dominant Polycystic Kidney Disease with and without Impaired Renal Function.

Background: The pathophysiology of renal disease progression in autosomal-dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD) involves not only cystogenesis but also endothelial dysfunction, leading to the activation of inflammatory and fibrotic pathways. This study evaluated the levels of biomarkers related to osmoregulation, immune system activation, and tubular injury in ADPKD patients with impaired or preserved renal function.

Methods: This study included 26 ADPKD patients with modestly impaired renal function (estimated glomerular filtration rate [eGFR] 45-70 mL/min/1.

Immunosuppressive regimens based on Cyclophospamide or Calcineurin inhibitors: Comparison of their effect in the long term outcome of Primary Membranous Nephropathy.

Introduction: Management of the Primary Membranous Nephropathy (PMN) usually involves administration of immunosuppressives. Cyclophosphamide (Cyclo) and Calcineurin Inhibitors (CNIs) are both widely used but only limited data exist to compare their efficacy in long term follow-up.

Aim: The aim of the present study was to estimate and compare long term effects of Cyclo and CNIs in patients with PMN.

Acute Interstitial Nephritis in a Patient with Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer under Immunotherapy with Nivolumab.

Immune-checkpoint-inhibitors (ICPIs) represent a novel class of immunotherapy against several malignancies. These agents are associated with several "immune-mediated" adverse effects, but the reported renal toxicity of ICPIs is less well defined. We present the case of a 60-year-old man with a history of non-small cell lung cancer, who developed acute kidney injury (AKI) approximately 3.

Serum Fas Ligand, Serum Myostatin and Urine TGF-β1 Are Elevated in Autosomal Dominant Polycystic Kidney Disease Patients with Impaired and Preserved Renal Function.

Background/aims: The pathophysiology of renal disease progression in autosomal dominant polycystic disease (ADPKD) is largely unknown. Recent evidence suggests microvascular dysfunction leading to renal ischemia, as an additional pathway for renal function decline. This study examined the levels of serum Fas ligand (FasL), serum myostatin and urine transforming growth factor-beta 1 (TGF-β1) and their association with markers of endothelial dysfunction, in ADPKD patients with preserved or impaired renal function.

Levels of Endocan, Angiopoietin-2, and Hypoxia-Inducible Factor-1a in Patients with Autosomal Dominant Polycystic Kidney Disease and Different Levels of Renal Function.

Background: Endothelial dysfunction leading to unbalanced vasoconstriction and ischemia of renal parenchyma is increasingly proposed as an alternative pathway of renal damage in autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD). However, human studies investigating the evolution of such phenomena are limited. This study investigated the levels of emerging biomarkers of endothelial function, angiogenesis and hypoxia, in ADPKD patients with different renal function.

Evaluation of the tolerability and efficacy of sodium polystyrene sulfonate for long-term management of hyperkalemia in patients with chronic kidney disease.

Purpose: Sodium polystyrene sulfonate (SPS) is a cation-exchanging resin that has been widely used for several decades as first-line therapy of mild chronic hyperkalemia in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). However, evidence to prove the long-term tolerability and efficacy of SPS for the treatment of this condition is still missing.

Methods: In this retrospective, observational study, we enrolled 26 outpatients with stages 3-4 CKD who received oral therapy with low-dose SPS for mild chronic hyperkalemia in the Outpatient Nephrology clinic of our Department during 2010-2016.

Elevated asymmetric dimethylarginine is associated with oxidant stress aggravation in patients with early stage autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease.

Background/aims: In experimental models of polycystic kidney disease impaired bioavailability of nitric oxide (NO) and elevated mRNA expression of oxidative stress markers at the kidney level was noted. However, clinical studies investigating the potential role of endothelial dysfunction and oxidative stress in the pathogenesis of autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD) are limited. We evaluated asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA) as marker of NO synthase inhibitor as well as 15-F2t-Isoprostane and oxidized-low density lipoprotein (oxidized-LDL) as measures of oxidative stress in patients with early stages ADPKD.

Hemodiafiltration does not have additional benefits over hemodialysis on arterial stiffness, wave reflections and central aortic pressures.

Background/aims: The hypothesis that dialytic modality affects arterial stiffness was never investigated. This study includes comparative evaluation of hemodiafiltration versus hemodialysis on arterial function during first and second weekly dialysis sessions.

Methods: 24 patients receiving hemodiafiltration and another 24 age- and sex-matched controls receiving hemodialysis were included.

Relationship between exercise test recovery indices and psychological and quality-of-life status in hemodialysis patients: a pilot study.

Background: The aim of this study was to correlate the psychological and health-related quality-of-life status of hemodialysis (HD) patients with recovery indices following maximal and submaximal exercise tests.

Methods: Twenty patients on HD (aged 53.5 ± 12.

Coagulation factors as biological risk markers of endothelial dysfunction. Association with the thrombotic episodes of chronic hemodialysis patients.

Background And Aim: The aim of our study was to assess the coagulation factors as endothelial dysfunction markers and prospectively their association with thrombotic episodes in chronic hemodialysis patients.

Patients And Methods: Fifty-four randomly selected patients on chronic hemodialysis (HD), 34 men and 20 women were included in this study. Their mean age was 56 years and the mean hemodialysis duration was 53.

Adaptation and validation of the Kidney Disease Quality of Life-Short Form questionnaire in the Greek language.

Aim: The aim of this study was to examine the validity, reproducibility and internal consistency of a Greek translation of the Kidney Disease Quality of Life-Short Form (KDQOL-SF) questionnaire.

Methods: The KDQOL-SF questionnaire was translated from English to Greek and was administered in 240 randomly selected patients undergoing hemodialysis in six Renal Units in Greece. The instrument's validity was tested by examining the association between patient's KDQOL-SF scores and comorbidity assessed with the Index of Coexistent Disease.

Childhood and parental obesity in the poorest district of Greece.

Background And Aim: Childhood obesity represents a rising threat in southern Europe. It is widely accepted that childhood obesity is an important risk factor for the appearance of obesity in adulthood. Our aim was to estimate the prevalence of obesity in school aged children living in one of the poorest districts of Europe, as well as to estimate the association between the frequency of obesity observed in these children and their parents.

Effects of intradialytic exercise training on health-related quality of life indices in haemodialysis patients.

Objective: To assess the effects of intradialytic exercise training on health-related quality of life indices in haemodialysis patients.

Subjects/patients: Thirty-five patients on haemodialysis, with a mean (SD) age of 48.8 (13.

Increase in oxidative stress but not in antioxidant capacity with advancing stages of chronic kidney disease.

Background/aims: Increased oxidative stress in chronic kidney disease (CKD) was suggested to be both a cause and an effect of renal injury. However, the evolution of oxidant stress from early stages of renal function decline is not fully clear. This study aimed to determine the oxidant-antioxidant balance across the whole range of renal function.

Insertion of long-term tunneled cuffed hemodialysis catheters via the external jugular vein by using a simple, safe and reliable surgical technique.

Objective: Description of our technique for the insertion of long-term tunneled cuffed hemodialysis (HD) catheters via the external jugular vein.

Methods: From December 1999 to August 2006, 357 long-term tunneled cuffed HD catheters were inserted in 308 patients, who were referred to us from various hospitals and clinics in Greece. About half of them (168, or 47%) were inserted via the external jugular vein.

Angina pectoris and intensive intravenous iron treatment in hemodialysis patients.

Background: Intravenous iron and erythropoietin are commonly used for the treatment of anemia in end stage renal disease (ESRD) patients. Even though i.v.

Epidermal growth factor in saliva and serum of patients with cyclosporin-induced gingival overgrowth.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the presence of epidermal growth factor (EGF) in patients receiving cyclosporin therapy who had gingival overgrowth and to determine whether there were any differences between these patients and normal healthy controls. Seventeen patients with cyclosporin-induced gingival overgrowth and seventeen age- and sex-matched controls who were taking cyclosporin but had healthy gingiva were used for this study. Unstimulated whole saliva was collected from all individuals by expectoration.

Survival and complications of 225 catheters used in continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis: one-center experience in Northern Greece.

This study reports our experience with permanent peritoneal catheters. From July 1983 until December 1997, 225 catheters were implanted surgically in 207 patients (120 males, 87 females) with mean age of 58+/-16 years (range: 2-82 years), and a mean duration of continuous peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) of 21.9+/-21.

Influenza vaccination on renal transplant patients is safe and serologically effective.

Since immunosuppressed patients are at higher risk of serious influenza virus infection than healthy subjects, we decided to study the serological effectiveness of influenza vaccination on renal transplant patients, despite the theoretical aspect that such treatment could induce glomerular lesions through an immunological process. Forty transplant patients aged from 20 to 50 years with well functioning renal graft and no febrile episode were studied. Blood samples were collected before the intramuscular injection of 0.