The odontogenic-related microinflammation in patients with chronic kidney disease.

Objectives: This study estimated plasma levels of interleukin IL-1β, IL-6, tumour necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interferon-γ (INF-γ) in chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients with a single odontogenic pathology.

Material And Methods: Forty-nine selected adult CKD patients with single odontogenic pathology based on clinical and X-ray examination: patients after proper root canal treatment, without periapical lesions (n = 12), with pulp necrosis (n = 7), with asymptomatic periapical lesions (n = 22), with periodontal disease (n = 8), and 14 with healthy teeth were enrolled. Patients with coexisting different dental pathologies and the evidence of other infection were excluded.

Epidemiology, contributors to, and clinical trials of mortality risk in chronic kidney failure.

Patients with chronic kidney failure--defined as a glomerular filtration rate persistently below 15 mL/min per 1·73 m(2)--have an unacceptably high mortality rate. In developing countries, mortality results primarily from an absence of access to renal replacement therapy. Additionally, cardiovascular and non-cardiovascular mortality are several times higher in patients on dialysis or post-renal transplantation than in the general population.

Secondary prevention of stroke in elderly people in Poland--results of PolSenior study.

Background And Purpose: The purpose of the study was to evaluate the frequency of use of oral antiplatelet (OAP) and anticoagulant (OAC) drugs as secondary stroke prevention among older people in Poland and its association with sociodemographic factors, place of residence, and concomitant cardiovascular risk factors.

Material And Methods: The study group consisted of 426 subjects with a history of a previous stroke (mean age of 81.5±8.

Marinobufagenin in essential hypertension and primary aldosteronism: a cardiotonic steroid with clinical and diagnostic implications.

Background: The cardiotonic steroid marinobufagenin (MBG) is increasingly suggested to be responsible for some of the cardiovascular injury that has been previously attributed to aldosterone. We examined the clinical correlates of circulating MBG concentrations in hypertensive patients and tested the hypothesis that MBG serves as a reliable diagnostic tool for detecting primary aldosteronism (PA).

Methods: Plasma MBG concentrations (mean: 0.

The peptidic middle molecules: is molecular weight doing the trick?

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is characterized by a gradual endogenous intoxication caused by the progressive accumulation of bioactive compounds that in normal conditions would be excreted and/or metabolized by the kidney. Uremic toxicity now is understood as one of the potential causes for the excess of cardiovascular disease and mortality observed in CKD. An important family of uremic toxins is that of the peptidic middle molecules, with a molecular weight ranging between 500 and 60,000 Da, which makes them, as a consequence, difficult to remove in the process of dialysis unless the dialyzer pore size is large enough.

Fibroblast growth factor 23 (FGF23) and early chronic kidney disease in the elderly.

Background: Better biomarkers of CKD reflecting responses to decreased glomerular filtration rate (GFR) are needed. We determined the value of estimated GFR (eGFR) as a threshold for the increase of plasma cFGF23 (C-terminal) and intact fibroblast growth factor-23 (iFGF23) (intact) concentrations in the course of chronic kidney disease (CKD) and compared this eGFR value with values related to increased serum intact parathyroid hormone (iPTH) or phosphorus concentrations in an elderly population.

Methods: We measured plasma iFGF23, cFGF23, serum phosphorus, calcium, albumin, creatinine, urea, cystatin C, iPTH and vitamin 25-OH-D3 in 3780 population-based study participants aged ≥ 65 years.

Serum copeptin level predicts a rapid decrease of overhydration after kidney transplantation.

Background: The assessment of proper hydration status in hemodialysis patients is difficult. None of currently available markers or measures is clinically relevant. Recently, human pre-pro-vasopressin (1-164) split product [copeptin (CPP)] - a new surrogate marker of hydration status - was introduced.

The association of long-functioning hemodialysis vascular access with prevalence of left ventricular hypertrophy in kidney transplant recipients.

Left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) is frequently observed in chronic dialysis patients and is also highly prevalent in kidney transplant recipients. This study evaluates the impact of long-functioning hemodialysis vascular access on LVH in single center cohort of kidney transplant recipients. 162 patients at 8.

Are there better alternatives than haemoglobin A1c to estimate glycaemic control in the chronic kidney disease population?

Background: Although measurement of haemoglobin A1c has become the cornerstone for diagnosing diabetes mellitus in routine clinical practice, the role of this biomarker in reflecting long-term glycaemic control in patients with chronic kidney disease has been questioned.

Methods: Consensus review paper based on narrative literature review.

Results: As a different association between glycaemic control and morbidity/mortality might be observed in patients with and without renal insufficiency, the European Renal Best Practice, the official guideline body of the European Renal Association-European Dialysis and Transplant Association, presents the current knowledge and evidence of the use of alternative glycaemic markers (glycated albumin, fructosamine, 1,5-anhydroglucitol and continuous glucose monitoring).

Telomere length in elderly Caucasians weakly correlates with blood cell counts.

Background: Age-related decrease in bone marrow erythropoietic capacity is often accompanied by the telomere length shortening in peripheral white blood cells. However, limited and conflicting data hamper the conclusive opinion regarding this relationship. Therefore, the aim of this study was to assess an association between telomere length and peripheral blood cell count parameters in the Polish elderly population.

Vitamin K1 to slow vascular calcification in haemodialysis patients (VitaVasK trial): a rationale and study protocol.

Background: Patients on haemodialysis (HD) exhibit increased cardiovascular mortality associated with accelerated vascular calcification (VC). VC is influenced by inhibitors such as matrix Gla protein (MGP), a protein activated in the presence of vitamin K. HD patients exhibit marked vitamin K deficiency, and supplementation with vitamin K reduces inactive MGP levels in these patients.

Genotypes of renin-angiotensin system and plasma adiponectin concentration in kidney transplant patients.

Background: Low plasma adiponectin concentration was recently recognized as a novel risk factor for new-onset diabetes after transplantation. Pharmacological modulation of the renin-angiotensin system activity and genetic predisposition were shown to have an influence on plasma adiponectin level. Therefore the aim of this study is to analyze the association between angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) I/D, angiotensin II type 1 receptor (AT1R) A1166C and angiotensinogen (AGT) M235T genotypes and plasma adiponectin concentration as well as insulin resistance in a cohort of kidney transplant patients.

Cinacalcet treatment decreases plasma fibroblast growth factor 23 concentration in haemodialysed patients with chronic kidney disease and secondary hyperparathyroidism.

Objective: Recent clinical studies suggest that fibroblast growth factor 23 (FGF23) is important in the pathogenesis of calcium-phosphate abnormalities in patients with chronic kidney disease and that increased plasma FGF23 concentration is a cardiovascular risk factor in these patients. The aim of this prospective, single-arm, open-label clinical study was to assess the influence of 6-month cinacalcet treatment on plasma FGF23 concentration in haemodialysed patients with secondary hyperparathyroidism (sHPT).

Design, Patients And Measurements: In 58 haemodialysed patients with sHPT (parathormone PTH > 300 ng/l), serum PTH, FGF23, calcium and phosphate concentrations were assessed before the first dose of cinacalcet and after 3 and 6 months of treatment.

The prevalence of chronic kidney disease and its relation to socioeconomic conditions in an elderly Polish population: results from the national population-based study PolSenior.

Background: Rapidly progressing ageing of worldwide populations is likely to increase the occurrence of chronic kidney disease (CKD) in the next decades. However, until now little is known about the prevalence of CKD in the Polish elderly population. The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence of CKD and its relation to socioeconomic conditions in the Polish elderly population.

Assessment of arterial stiffness for clinical and epidemiological studies: methodological considerations for validation and entry into the European Renal and Cardiovascular Medicine registry.

Epidemiological studies have highlighted the role of arterial stiffness as a risk factor for development of cardiovascular (CV) diseases. Moreover, aortic stiffness has been shown to be a significant predictive factor of all-cause and CV mortality in different populations including patients with end-stage renal disease. Pulse-wave velocity (PWV) is the most widely used technique to assess arterial stiffness.

Vascular calcification in chronic kidney disease: are biomarkers useful for probing the pathobiology and the health risks of this process in the clinical scenario?

Patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) are at a particularly high risk for cardiovascular disease. Vascular calcification (VC) is considered a cardiovascular risk marker, so in CKD patients screening for the presence of VC is suggested in current guidelines. VC is the result of both passive and active processes that involve a variety of proteins and factors.

Acute myeloid leukemia in a 38-year-old hemodialyzed patient with von Hippel-Lindau disease.

Von Hippel-Lindau disease (VHL disease) is a hereditary cancer predisposition syndrome caused by mutations of the von Hippel-Lindau tumor suppressor gene. The gene product, pVHL, regulates the level of proteins that play a central role in protecting cells against hypoxia. Clinical hallmarks of von Hippel-Lindau disease are the development of central nervous system hemangioblastomas, renal cell carcinoma, pheochromocytoma, neuroendocrine tumors and endolymphatic sac tumors.

Safety and efficiency of treatment with cinacalcet of haemodialysed patients with chronic kidney disease and secondary hyperparathyroidism.

Introduction: Secondary hyperparathyroidism (sHPT) is a common disorder in haemodialysed patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). Cinacalcet increases the sensitivity of calcium receptor to the serum calcium, thus reducing serum parathormone (PTH) concentration. The aim of this study was to assess the safety and efficacy of six-month treatment with cinacalcet in haemodialysed CKD patients with sHPT in upper Silesia.

Extrarenal factors influencing resistance index in stable kidney transplant recipients.

Background: Increased intrarenal resistance index (RI) has been associated with decreased long-term allograft and patient survival in kidney transplant recipients. Taking into account the potential role of endothelial dysfunction, systemic inflammation, arteriosclerotic lesions, and left ventricle remodeling, we performed a cross-sectional study that aimed to evaluate extrarenal factors that may have influence on kidney graft RI in a large cohort of stable kidney transplant recipients.

Methods: One hundred seventy-four kidney transplant recipients were enrolled into the study.

Plasma level of N-terminal pro brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) in elderly population in Poland--the PolSenior Study.

Background: The brain natriuretic peptides (BNP, NT-proBNP) are useful diagnostic markers of heart failure (HF), as exemplified by the ESC Heart Failure guidelines. The PolSenior project was an epidemiological study carried out to examine medical, psychological and socioeconomic aspects of aging in Poland. The aim of this study is an epidemiological description of HF based on elderly population from the PolSenior Study, stratified by NT-pro-BNP concentration values.

Nephron underdosing as a risk factor for impaired early kidney graft function and increased graft loss during the long-term follow-up period.

Background: It is generally accepted that kidneys procured from female donors may not perform optimally in male recipients, mostly due to their smaller size and nephron underdosing. Nowadays, conflicting results have been published regarding the detrimental effect of H-Y incompatibility on the long-term prognosis of male kidneys transplanted into female recipient. The aim of this study was an analysis of the impact of donor-recipient gender matching on early function and survival of grafts among a relatively homogenous cohort of kidney recipients.

Nutritional status and intrarenal resistive indices after kidney transplantation.

Background: Obesity predicts vascular stiffness, which is prevalent among kidney transplant patients. However, the influence of obesity has not been established on parameters of renal vascular resistance variation. The aim of this study was to analyze the influence of nutritional status on intrarenal resistive parameters as measured in the early period after successful kidney transplantation by Doppler ultrasound.

Clinical characteristics of patients with resistant hypertension: the RESIST-POL study.

Recent studies indicate that resistant hypertension (RHTN) is present in about 12% of the treated hypertensive population. However, patients with true RHTN (confirmed out of the office) have not been widely studied. We prospectively studied 204 patients (123 male, 81 female, mean age 48.

The effect of sodium restricted diet on plasma visfatin levels in hypertensive patients with visceral obesity.

Aim/background: Experimental and clinical studies revealed contradictory data concerning the influence of renin-angiotensin-aldosterone (RAA) system activation on visfatin release. The aim of the present study was the assessment of the effect of dietary sodium restriction with RAA system activation on visfatin level in hypertensive and normotensive patients with visceral obesity.

Methods: The study included 24 hypertensive patients with visceral obesity (12 women) and 22 normotensive subjects with visceral obesity (11 women) constituting the control group.