Treatment of lupus nephritis by mycophenolate mofetil.

Background/aims: Mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) has been increasingly used for the treatment of lupus nephritis (LN). The aim of this study was to examine the efficacy and safety of MMF used with low doses of corticosteroids as maintenance therapy in patients with LN.

Methods: The study covered 35 patients, most of them with proliferative types of LN (5 WHO class III, 26 class IV), while 1 had class V and 3 class VI nephritis.

Mycophenolate mofetil in high-risk patients with primary glomerulonephritis: results of a 1-year prospective study.

Background/aims: Glucocorticoids and classic immunosuppressive drugs can improve disease activity in primary glomerulonephritis (GN). However, these drugs have serious toxicity and patients frequently experience inadequate response or relapse, so there is a need for alternative agents. This multicenter uncontrolled study analyzed the efficacy and safety of mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) in high-risk patients with primary GN.

[Therapy of lupus nephritis with mycophenolate mofetil].

Introduction: Mycophenolate mofetil is an immunosuppressive agent used in transplantation and subsequently in a variety of autoimmune conditions. It inhibits both B and T lymphocyte proliferation, and also has nonimmune effects on the kidney. The major experience in systemic lupus erythematosus has focused on proliferative lupus nephritis.

[Therapy of lupus nephritis with mycophenolate mofetil].

Introduction: Mycophenolate mofetil is an immunosupressive agent used in transplantation and subsequently in a variety of autoimmune conditions. It inhibits both B and T lymphocyte proliferation, and also has nonimmune effects on the kidney. The major experience in systemic lupus erythematosus has focused on proliferative lupus nephritis.

[Evaluation of effects of the intravenous cyclophosphamide treatment of primary glomerulonephritis and the estimation of complications].

Introduction: Primary glomerulonephritis can be treated by the intravenous use of cyclophosphamide. The aim of our study is to evaluate the effect of the drug in the treatment of mentioned diseases and the follow-up of complications.

Material And Methods: There are 30 patients included in this study, mean-age of 46.

[Comparative study of the efficacy of different regimens of intermittent subcutaneous dosing of erythropoietin beta in treatment of renal anemia in chronic dialysis patients].

Introduction: The use of erythropoietin (EPO) in the treatment of renal anemia is justified by more than 15 years of experience. Clinical trials have shown that subcutaneous erythropoietin beta (Recormon - F. Hoffmann-La Roche) therapy once weekly, or even once every two weeks has proven successful.

[Goodpasture's syndrome--case report].

Introduction: Goodpasture's syndrome is a rare, autoimmune disease characterized by pulmonary hemorrhage, glomerulonephritis and production of anti-GBM (glomerular basement membrane) antibodies. The etiology of this syndrome is still unknown. Goodpasture's syndrome usually starts with pulmonary hemorrhage, which is followed by symptoms of kidney disease.

[Major characteristics of immunoglobulin A nephropathy].

Introduction: Immunoglobulin A nephropathy (IgAN) is one of the most common forms of primary glomerulonephritis in many countries. Most clinical features of IgAN point to a renal problem, such as recurrent macroscopic hematuria or asymptomatic microscopic hematuria and proteinuria. Pathologic features of IgAN present with different types and different degrees of glomerular, tubulointerstitial and vascular lesions.

Tubulointerstitial dysfunction in early post-transplant period.

Dysfunction of a transplanted kidney may develop at any time in the post-transplant period. The aim of this study was to differentiate levels of early dysfunction of a transplanted kidney. The study included 45 examinees undergoing kidney transplantation.

A multicenter study on the effects of lanthanum carbonate (Fosrenol) and calcium carbonate on renal bone disease in dialysis patients.

Background: Lanthanum carbonate (LC) (Fosrenol) is a novel new treatment for hyperphosphatemia. In this phase III, open-label study, we compared the effects of LC and calcium carbonate (CC) on the evolution of renal osteodystrophy (ROD) in dialysis patients.

Methods: Ninety-eight patients were randomized to LC (N = 49) or CC (N = 49).

[Immunoglobulin A nephropathy and disease prognostic factors].

Introduction: Immunoglobilin A nephropathy (IgAN) is a clinicopathological entity characterized by diffuse glomerular mesangial deposition of IgA as the predominant immunoglobulin. Renal biopsy reveals a spectrum of changes in glomerula, tubulointerstitium and blood vessels. 20-50% of all patients develop end-stage renal failure 20 years after onset of disease.

[Long term survival of patients with lupus nephritis].

Lupus nephritis is a clinical manifestation of Systemic Lupus Erythematosus with most prominent influence on the course of the disease. The most predictive parameters for development of renal failure are: type of hystological changes, degree of interstitial inflammation, serum creatinine concentration at the time of diagnosis and therapeutical protocols used in the treatment. Single center experience in a group of 220 lupus patients is presented in this paper.

[Radioconstrast nephropathy].

Introduction: Hospital-acquired acute renal failure increased in the last years from about 5 to 6.4%, while mortality remained high and according to newest investigations it is about 60% on average. Radiocontrast-induced nephropathy is the third cause of death in hospital-acquired acute renal failure.