Factors associated with clinical failure of self-expandable metal stent for malignant gastroduodenal obstruction.

Objective: Endoscopic self-expandable metal stent (SEMS) placement has emerged as an effective palliative treatment for inoperable malignant gastric outlet obstruction (GOO). In spite of successful stent placement, some patients complain of ongoing dysphagia and vomiting. Most reported data on SEMS to date are about technical success of different types of stents and low complication rates.

Renal histology in patients with elevated serum creatinine and concurrent normal urinalysis.

Introduction: Diagnosis of kidney disease is currently and primarily based on the measurement of serum creatinine, blood urea nitrogen, and urine output, and most kidney diseases with elevated serum creatinine accompany abnormal findings of urinalysis with microscopy, such as proteinuria or hematuria. The purpose of the current study was to determine the histologic diagnosis of patients with elevated serum creatinine and a concurrent normal urinalysis without underlying disease.

Methods: The medical records of patients who had undergone kidney biopsies between January 1, 2003 and March 1, 2008 in three medical centers were retrospectively reviewed.

Comparison of patient outcome according to renal replacement modality after renal allograft failure.

The aim of this study is to investigate the clinical course of patients with failed allograft according to the type of renal replacement modality. Three hundred sixty-eight patients with failed allograft were included. Of these, 233 patients started hemodialysis (HD-PSKT), 64 patients started peritoneal dialysis (PD-PSKT), and 71 patients underwent second transplantation (ReKT).

Predictors for progression in immunoglobulin A nephropathy with significant proteinuria.

Aim: Proteinuria is a primary factor requiring treatment in immunoglobulin (Ig)A nephropathy. The purpose of this study was to assess the relevance of treatment response and relapse of proteinuria with renal function decline.

Methods: One hundred and twenty-five biopsy-proven primary IgA nephropathy patients who had more than 1.

Small dose contrast venography as venous mapping in predialysis patients.

Purpose: This study was designed to evaluate radiocontrast-induced nephrotoxicity (RIN), and the image quality and findings of venography using small doses of radiocontrast as a venous mapping method in pre-dialysis patients.

Methods: Twenty-eight patients with stage 4 and 5 chronic kidney disease underwent arm venography with 10-15 ml of dilute contrast medium. Image quality, venographic findings and glomerular filtration rate (GFR) before and after the procedure were evaluated.

Natural history and renal pathology in patients with isolated microscopic hematuria.

Background/aims: No definite conclusions have been reached about the natural history of patients with isolated microscopic hematuria (IMH). In this study, we observed the natural history of patients with IMH and examined factors related to a pathologic diagnosis and subsequent prognosis.

Methods: We retrospectively evaluated 156 subjects with IMH who had a renal biopsy performed.

Comparison study of the extraction methods of paraquat in post-mortem human blood samples.

The most important step for Paraquat analysis in post-mortem human blood (PMB) is its extraction from the specimens, as Paraquat is insoluble in organic solvents due to its ionic form. The most common extraction method, solid phase extraction (SPE), has been used for the extraction of Paraquat from PMB. However, SPE procedures are somewhat time-consuming, and resulted in unsatisfactory recovery in our laboratory.

Calcitriol regresses cardiac hypertrophy and QT dispersion in secondary hyperparathyroidism on hemodialysis.

Background: Sudden cardiac death is common in patients on hemodialysis (HD), and its rate is as high as 25% of all cardiac deaths associated with left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) and secondary hyperparathyroidism. A prolonged QT interval on standard electrocardiography is related to an increase in sudden death in various patient groups. It is also well known that LVH has been noted in uremic patients with high parathyroid hormone levels.

Relations between eNOS Glu298Asp polymorphism and progression of diabetic nephropathy.

Background: Nitric oxide (NO) is related to the pathogenesis of renal hemodynamics in diabetes mellitus. Endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) gene polymorphism is considered the deterioration factor for progressive renal disease. It has been reported that an interaction of angiotensin II (Ang II) and NO is involved in the control of glomerular hemodynamics.

Increased C-reactive protein following hemodialysis predicts cardiac hypertrophy in chronic hemodialysis patients.

Background: Chronic inflammation characterized by increased C-reactive protein (CRP) levels strongly predicts cardiovascular death in both nonrenal and renal patients. We investigated the role of hemodialysis-induced elevated CRP levels on cardiac hypertrophy in hemodialysis patients.

Methods: We grouped 118 stable patients as responders and nonresponders according to the response of CRP (>4 mg/L) after a single hemodialysis session.