Metabolic syndrome and chronic kidney disease as risk factors of osteoporosis.

Aims: Osteoporosis is a significant cause of morbidity and mortality, and is often accompanied by metabolic syndrome (MetS) and chronic kidney disease (CKD). We demonstrated the relationship among MetS, CKD and osteoporosis, and investigated the roles of MetS and CKD in the occurrence of osteoporosis in a healthy Korean population.

Methods: The estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) was calculated using the modification of diet in renal disease study equation.

Chronic asymptomatic pyuria precedes overt urinary tract infection and deterioration of renal function in autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease.

Background: Urinary tract infection (UTI) occurs in 30%-50% of individuals with autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD). However, the clinical relevance of asymptomatic pyuria in ADPKD patients remains unknown.

Methods: We retrospectively reviewed medical records of 256 ADPKD patients who registered to the ADPKD clinic at Seoul National University Hospital from Aug 1999 to Aug 2010.

Serum globotriaosylceramide assay as a screening test for fabry disease in patients with ESRD on maintenance dialysis in Korea.

Background/aims: Fabry disease is an X-linked recessive and progressive disease caused by α-galactosidase A (α-GaL A) deficiency. We sought to assess the prevalence of unrecognized Fabry disease in dialysis-dependent patients and the efficacy of serum globotriaosylceramide (GL3) screening.

Methods: A total of 480 patients of 1,230 patients among 17 clinics were enrolled.

The investigation of macrophage infiltration in the early phase of ischemic acute renal failure in mice.

Background/aims: Inflammation plays a key role in ischemic acute renal failure (ARF). The present study investigated the infiltration of macrophages in the early phase of ischemic ARF in mice.

Methods: Ischemic ARF was induced by renal clamping for 22 min, while the control mice underwent sham surgery (no clamping).

IGF-1 is an independent risk factor for anemia in diabetic pre-dialysis patients.

Background: We investigated whether the presence of diabetes mellitus (DM) was related to the degree of the anemia in predialytic patients with renal failure and what was the most relevant factor for anemia in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) from DM (DM-CKD).

Methods: Seventy seven patients (47 predialytic patients with long-term type 2 DM (DM-CKD) and 30 predialytic patients whose disease was due to other causes (non DM-CKD)) were enrolled in this study. The blood hemoglobin (Hb) and hematocrit, and the creatinine, ferritin, vitamin B12, folate, iron, LDH, albumin, hs-CRP, intact-PTH, erythropoietin, leptin and Insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-1) levels were measured using standard methods.

Association between serum n-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide concentration and left ventricular dysfunction and extracellular water in continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis patients.

Background: This study investigated the association between serum N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-pro-BNP) levels and extracellular water (ECW%) and left ventricular (LV) dysfunction in continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) patients.

Methods: The study involved 30 stable CAPD patients: 14 males, 16 females; mean age 52 +/- 14 years; mean CAPD duration 34 +/- 12 months; 12 with diabetes mellitus (DM) and 18 non-DM. Serum NT-pro-BNP levels were determined using electrochemiluminescence immunoassay.

Association of serum albumin and homocysteine levels and cardio-ankle vascular index in patients with continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis.

Background: The cardio-ankle vascular index (CAVI) is a newly developed arteriosclerotic measurement that has been proposed as an alternative to aortic pulse-wave velocity (PWV). The present study used the CAVI to identify the main factors associated with arteriosclerosis in continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) patients.

Methods: Fifteen CAPD patients were enrolled in the study.

Assessment of fluid shifts of body compartments using both bioimpedance analysis and blood volume monitoring.

Fluid shifts are commonplace in chronic hemodialysis patients during the intra- and interdialytic periods. In this study, we evaluated fluid shifts of body compartments using both bioimpedance spectroscopy and blood volume monitoring from the start to the end of hemodialysis. 24 stable hemodialysis patients were included on the study.

Heat shock protein expression in adenosine triphosphate depleted renal epithelial cells.

Background: In this study, the putative interactions between apoptosis and heat shock proteins disturbed as a result of ATP depletion were investigated as a hypoxia model.

Methods: The direct cellular damages were assessed by the release of LDH from the cytoplasm of the human tubular epithelial cells (HK-2 cells) following ATP depletion. The Bcl-2/Bax mRNA expression ratio, used as an index to assess to what extent apoptosis contributed to tubular cell damage, and the expressions of HSP 90, 72 and 27 in relation to the Bcl-2/Bax ratio in the ischemic model, as parameters of their functional contributions to tubule cell damage, were also studied.

The effects of low calcium dialysate on arterial compliance and vasoactive substances in patients with hemodialysis.

Background: Considering that dialysate calcium concentration is potentially a main determinant of the serum ionized calcium level and vasoconstriction is associated with the blood calcium concentration, we conducted a study to evaluate the interdialytic effects of treatment with a low calcium dialysate (LdCa, 1.25 mmol/L) on the changes in arterial compliance (AC), blood pressure (BP), biochemical parameters and vasoactive substances.

Methods: Eight hemodialysis (HD) patients (mean age: 46.