A combination of biocompatible peritoneal dialysis solutions and residual renal function, peritoneal transport, and inflammation markers: a randomized clinical trial.

Background: The benefits of biocompatible peritoneal dialysis (PD) fluids, particularly for residual renal function (RRF), are controversial. Moreover, the clinical effects of a PD regimen consisting of different biocompatible PD fluids have not been fully established.

Study Design: Prospective, randomized, controlled, open-label study.

The use of enteric-coated mycophenolate sodium in the treatment of relapsing and steroid-dependent minimal change disease.

We report on the successful treatment of 5 consecutive adult patients with steroid-dependent or frequently relapsing minimal change disease (MCD), using a regimen of enteric-coated mycophenolate sodium (E-MPS) and prednisolone. E-MPS was used for induction therapy in 3 patients, and maintenance therapy in 2, all in conjunction with steroid treatment in tapering doses. Eventually 4 patients managed to discontinue steroid treatment, and 2 of them were also withdrawn from E-MPS.

Risk and predictors of arterial thrombosis in lupus and non-lupus primary glomerulonephritis: a comparative study.

We conducted the current study to compare the incidence and risk factors of arterial thrombosis in lupus and non-lupus primary glomerulonephritis. We identified patients in whom lupus nephritis and non-lupus primary glomerulonephritis were diagnosed between 1993 and 2003 using our lupus cohort database and pathology registry. We analyzed the cumulative incidence of new arterial thromboembolic events since diagnosis by Kaplan-Meier plot, and studied risk factors by multivariate analysis.

Long-term outcome of diffuse proliferative lupus glomerulonephritis treated with cyclophosphamide.

Purpose: To report the long-term outcome of diffuse proliferative lupus nephritis (DPLN) treated with cyclophosphamide (CYC) in Chinese patients.

Methods: Patients with biopsy-proven DPLN treated with prednisolone and CYC were identified. The long-term renal outcome and treatment-related toxicities were reported.

Tacrolimus for induction therapy of diffuse proliferative lupus nephritis: an open-labeled pilot study.

Background: Tacrolimus is a relatively new calcineurin inhibitor that has been increasingly used in transplant medicine. The objective of the current work is to report our preliminary experience with tacrolimus in the treatment of diffuse proliferative glomerulonephritis in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).

Methods: Nine consecutive patients who fulfilled the American College of Rheumatology criteria for SLE and with biopsy-proven diffuse proliferative glomerulonephritis were recruited for an open-labeled trial with prednisolone and oral tacrolimus (0.

Use of intraperitoneal urokinase for resistant bacterial peritonitis in continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis.

Intraperitoneal (IP) urokinase is a fibrinolytic agent that has been used in the adjunctive treatment of continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) and resistant and relapsing peritonitis. However, its efficacy and role in treating resistant CAPD bacterial peritonitis remain unclear and results from previous prospective studies have been conflicting. We prospectively randomized 88 CAPD patients with bacterial peritonitis resistant to initial empirical IP antibiotics into two groups: IP urokinase 60,000 IU and a placebo group.

Treatment of pure membranous lupus nephropathy with prednisone and azathioprine: an open-label trial.

Background: The aim of this study was to report the outcome of pure membranous lupus nephropathy treated with prednisone and azathioprine (AZA).

Methods: Consecutive patients with pure membranous lupus glomerulonephritis (World Health Organization [WHO] Va and Vb) from 4 regional hospitals were recruited for an open-label treatment trial consisting of prednisone and AZA. Remission status was evaluated at 12 months.