Efficacy and tolerance of the cream containing structured physiological lipids with endocannabinoids in the treatment of uremic pruritus: a preliminary study.

Uremic pruritus is still a common phenomenon in patients with end-stage renal failure, however, there is no effective treatment of choice for this condition. This study was undertaken to evaluate the efficacy and tolerance of the cream with structured physiological lipids (DMS, Derma Membrane Structure) and endogenous cannabinoids in controlling pruritus in patients on maintenance hemodialysis. Twenty-one subjects with uremic pruritus completed the trial.

Sun protection in renal transplant recipients: urgent need for education.

Background: Renal transplant recipients (RTR) are considered as a high-risk group of skin cancer development.

Objective: The aim of the present studywas to find out the knowledge about the harmfulness of sunlight and the methods of sun protection among RTR.

Material And Methods: 151 RTR (91 males and 60 females) were surveyed using a specially designed questionnaire.

Tacrolimus decreases tubular phosphate wasting in renal allograft recipients.

The aim of the study was to elucidate whether cyclosporine- and tacrolimus-based immunosuppression impairs tubular reabsorption of phosphate after kidney transplantation. Sixty cadaveric allograft recipients were included in the study. Forty patients receiving triple immunosupression with cyclosporine, azathioprine, and prednisone were studied for 1, 6, 12 months (groups A1 and A2, 20 patients) and for 24, 30, and 36 months (groups B1 and B2, 20 patients) after transplantation.

Uremic pruritus: a clinical study of maintenance hemodialysis patients.

Uremic pruritus is one of the most bothersome symptoms in patients with chronic renal failure. Its pathogenesis remains unclear. The aim of this study was to evaluate the frequency of uremic pruritus in hemodialysis patients and to correlate its presence and intensity with several clinical parameters.

Is renal function altered in patients with psoriasis vulgaris?--A short review.

Psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory dermatosis with distinct microvascular changes. Although it is generally accepted that the psoriatic process is limited to the skin, it is not excluded that similar vascular lesions might be present in internal organs, such as the kidneys. This review summarizes data on renal function in psoriatic patients who were never treated with the potentially nephrotoxic drugs used for treatment of psoriasis.

[C-reactive protein (CRP) as a marker of of hemodialysis biocompatibility].

Haemodialysis leads to monocytes activation and secretion of cytokines, which stimulates hepatic production of CRP. To assess the biocompatibility of haemodialysis the CRP serum levels were measured. CRP serum levels during haemodialysis with the use of cuprophane membranes increased from 4743.

Excess benign melanocytic naevi in renal transplant recipients.

Background: Some studies indicate that malignant melanoma occurs more frequently in renal transplant recipients than in the normal population. The development of excess benign melanocytic naevi is regarded as an indicator of the risk for malignant melanoma.

Objective: This study was undertaken to evaluate the prevalence of benign melanocytic naevi in adult renal transplant patients.

Acute rejection and delayed graft function--risk factors of graft loss.

Acute graft rejection and delayed function are considered to be the major risk factors of short-term as well as long-term graft survival. We studied the impact of these factors on graft outcome among 109 renal transplant recipients. All recipients were treated with triple drug protocol.

[Urinary tract infections in the first three months following kidney transplantation].

Eighty kidney transplants were examined. During the first three months following transplantation, urinary tract infections occurred in 68 patients (85%). Fifty patients (74%) have had a few episodes of infections in the form of either suprainfection or recurrence whereas in the remaining patients there was only one episode of urinary infection.

[Influence of cuprophane membrane surface dialyzers on beta2-microglobulin serum concentration in patients during hemodialysis].

In 14 patients beta 2-microglobulin serum concentration before and after haemodialysis using cuprophane capillary dialyzers with 0.7; 1.2 and 1.

[Beta 2-microglobulin--its role in renal failure and hemodialysis therapy].

A review of existing knowledge of beta 2M-microglobulin and their origin, physicochemical structure, metabolism and clinical significance with particular allowance of renal insufficiency patients in chronic hemodialysis was conducted. The probably important participation of beta 2-microglobulin in the development of later complications, especially dialysis-related amyloidosis, occurring in hemodialysis patients was discussed.

[Effect of re-utilization of cuprophan capillary dialysers with different liquids on their biocompatibility and effectiveness of elimination].

In 22 patients cuprophane capillary dialyzers reutilized in turn with four sets of liquids were used four times (Andante type in 13 and TAF-12 in 9 patients). The degree of biocompatibility and efficiency of elimination of small molecules was evaluated. During four-time reuse of dialyzers reutilized with sodium hypochlorite and with formaldehyde a reduction of intra-dialysis leukopenia, granulocytopenia and thrombocytopenia was not stated in blood of the patients.

Antilymphocyte globulin with a small dose of cyclosporine A and prednisone as the induction of immunosuppression in renal allograft recipients.

In attempt to avoid a detrimental synergism between CsA and renal ischemia in the immediate postoperative period, ALG (425 lymphocytotoxic units/kg) with small doses of CsA (6-8 mg/kg) and P were applied as the initial immunosuppressive therapy in 14 recipients of cadaveric kidneys. ALG was administered for 5 to 14 days and 2 days before withdrawing ALG, Aza (2 mg/kg) was introduced. Results of this protocol were compared with those of 19 pts treated with CsA (12 mg/kg) and P.

[Favorable course of pregnancy in a patient two years after kidney transplantation].

A 30-year old female underwent kidney transplantation after unsuccessful 3-year dialysis for renal cortex necrosis. Immunosuppression was achieved with cyclosporin followed by azathioprine with prednisone. The patient conceived after 22 months with kidney transplantation.

[Interaction between blood and dialysis membrane].

During contact between blood and dialysis membrane after the first 20-30 minutes of haemodialysis there occur the complement activation, ++intra-dialysis thrombocytopenia and leucopenia, especially neutropenia following their degranulation, which results in liberation of a number of proteases and inflammatory reaction mediators and an increased production of active oxygen compounds and peroxide radicals. This is followed by the appearance of thrombocyte-leucocyte aggregates and a decrease of ++intra-dialysis lung diffusion capacity. The clinical consequences of the blood-dialysis membrane interaction exhibit an increased permeability of pulmonic capillaries, pulmonic hypertension and hypoxemia, which might bring about vasogenic respiratory distress syndrome.

[Repeated use of hemodialysis equipment in the same patient].

The authors submit the development of research on multiple use of dialyzers and the present state of the capillary dialysers reuse procedure. At present automated reuse machines are used that utilise ++de-ionized rinsing water or reverse ultrafiltration with or without 0.5% solution of sodium hypochlorite, or 3% solution of hydrogen peroxide.

[Human recombinant erythropoietin in the treatment of anemia in patients on long-term hemodialysis].

Recombinant human erythropoietin (EPO) was administered i.v. to anaemic patients (pts) on hemodialysis in doses from 40 to 120/IU/kg 3 times a week.

[Automatic re-utilization of capillary dialysis].

The possibility of multiple use of Cuprophan capillary dialyzers reutilized with our own method with a help of an automatic apparatus produced according to our own constructive assumptions was evaluated. The experiments were carried out using capillary dialyzers of the Organon Technika firm, Andante H.F.