Diagnosis of iron deficiency in hemodialysis patients: Usefulness of measuring reticulocyte hemoglobin equivalent.

The evaluation of iron status in dialysis patients provides information essential to the planning of adequate recombinant human erythropoietin treatment. To diagnose iron deficiency in patients undergoing hemodialysis (HD), reticulocyte hemoglobin content and percentage of hypochromic red cells are incorporated into the European best practice guidelines on anemia management in chronic kidney disease (CKD), the mean reticulocyte hemoglobin content (Ret-HE) was proposed as alternatives to standard biochemical tests. Reticulocyte hemoglobin content and percentage of hypochromic red cells are incorporated into the European best practice guidelines on anemia management in CKD.

Recurrent glomerulonephritis under rapid discontinuation of steroids.

Background: Recurrent glomerulonephritis (GN) remains an important cause of kidney allograft loss and whether rapid discontinuation of steroids (RDS) is associated with a higher risk of recurrence is not known.

Methods: We studied recurrence rate, and graft and patient survival in four groups of recipients: 216 recipients with GN transplanted under RDS (group 1), 978 concurrent non-GN recipients transplanted under RDS (group 2), 260 historic comparator group transplanted for GN between 1994 and 1999 with steroid maintenance (group 3), and 950 recipients who were also transplanted between 1994 and 1999 for non-GN and also maintained on steroids (group 4). Regression analysis adjusting for donor and recipient factors, steroid and sirolimus use, and also GN type was used to address factors associated with recurrent disease.

GFR-estimating models in kidney transplant recipients on a steroid-free regimen.

Background: How to best estimate glomerular filtration rate (GFR) in kidney transplant recipients on steroid-free immunosuppression has not been established.

Methods: Within 3 months of transplantation, iothalamate GFR (iGFR) was measured in 107 recipients on steroid-free and 27 on steroid-maintenance immunosuppression. A year later, a second GFR was performed.