Development and validation of non-invasive prediction models for assessing kidney histopathological activity index in lupus nephritis.

Objective: To develop and validate prediction models for estimating the activity index (AI) of kidney histopathology in lupus nephritis (LN) using clinical and laboratory data.

Methods: This study used single-center data from patients with kidney biopsy-confirmed LN between January 2012 and March 2022. The development and validation datasets were temporally cut.

Impaired cardiomyocytes accelerate cardiac hypertrophy and fibrosis by delivering exosomes containing Shh/N-Shh/Gli1 in angiotensin II infused mice.

Backgrounds: Heart failure (HF) is characterized by progressive cardiac hypertrophy and fibrosis, yet the underlying pathological mechanisms remain unclear. Exosomes are pivotal in cellular communication and are key signaling carriers in HFs. This study investigated the roles of exosomes in HF.

Unraveling the proteomic landscape of fibrosis in lupus nephritis through CI-based analysis.

Introduction: The underlying mechanism by which lupus nephritis (LN) progresses to chronic kidney disease remains elusive. Fibrosis is a hallmark feature of chronic kidney disease, including LN. The chronicity index (CI) score, which incorporates glomerular sclerosis, fibrous crescents, tubular atrophy, and interstitial fibrosis, summarizes the extent of kidney tissue fibrosis.

Aortic aneurysm: pathophysiology and therapeutic options.

Aortic aneurysm (AA) is an aortic disease with a high mortality rate, and other than surgery no effective preventive or therapeutic treatment have been developed. The renin-angiotensin system (RAS) is an important endocrine system that regulates vascular health. The ACE2/Ang-(1-7)/MasR axis can antagonize the adverse effects of the activation of the ACE/Ang II/AT1R axis on vascular dysfunction, atherosclerosis, and the development of aneurysms, thus providing an important therapeutic target for the prevention and treatment of AA.

COVID-19 increases extracorporeal coagulation during hemodialysis associated with upregulation of vWF/FBLN5 signaling in patients with severe/critical symptoms.

Background: COVID-19 has been shown to increase the risk of extracorporeal coagulation during hemodialysis in patients, but the underlying mechanism remains unclear. This study aimed to investigate the effect and mechanism of COVID-19 on the risk of extracorporeal coagulation in patients with chronic kidney disease undergoing hemodialysis.

Methods: A retrospective analysis of the extracorporeal coagulation status of 339 hemodialysis patients at our center before and after COVID-19 infection was performed, including subgroup analyses.

Evolution of Peritoneal Dialysis-Associated Peritonitis: Pathogen, Antibiotic Resistance, and the Impact of Lymphocyte Count on Treatment Outcomes.

Purpose: Antibiotic administration leads to alterations in pathogenic organisms and antibiotic resistance, posing a significant risk to peritoneal dialysis patients' health. This study aimed to investigate changes in the cause-specific peritonitis, pathogen profiles, antibiotic resistance, and the prognostic factors among patients with peritoneal dialysis-associated peritonitis (PDAP) at our center.

Patients And Methods: We included 463 PDAP patients who attended Peking University Shenzhen Hospital between 2002 and 2023.

Red cell distribution width to albumin ratio predicts treatment failure in peritoneal dialysis-associated peritonitis.

Background: This study aims to investigate the potential correlation between baseline red cell distribution width (RDW) to albumin ratio (RAR) levels and treatment failure in peritoneal dialysis-associated peritonitis (PDAP) patients.

Methods: A retrospective single-center study was conducted on 286 PDAP patients. Logistic regression and generalized estimation equation (GEE) analyses were employed to assess the relationship between RAR and treatment failure.

Decreased Peripheral Blood Lymphocyte Count Predicts Poor Treatment Response in Peritoneal Dialysis-Associated Peritonitis.

Purpose: Peripheral blood lymphocyte counts is a pivotal parameter in assessing the host's immune response during maladies and the equilibrium of the immune system which has been found to correlate with various diseases progression and prognosis. However, there was no study on patients with peritoneal dialysis-associated peritonitis (PDAP). We sought to investigate the prognostic value of baseline peripheral blood lymphocyte count in PDAP patients.

Retinopathy is associated with impaired cognition in patients undergoing peritoneal dialysis.

Previous studies have shown a relationship between retinopathy and cognition including population with and without chronic kidney disease (CKD) but data regarding peritoneal dialysis (PD) are limited. This study aims to investigate the relationship between retinopathy and cognitive impairment in patients undergoing peritoneal dialysis (PD). In this observational study, we recruited a total of 107 participants undergoing PD, consisting of 48 men and 59 women, ages ranging from 21 to 78 years.

Cut-off values of haemoglobin and clinical outcomes in incident peritoneal dialysis: the PDTAP study.

Background: To explore the cut-off values of haemoglobin (Hb) on adverse clinical outcomes in incident peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients based on a national-level database.

Methods: The observational cohort study was from the Peritoneal Dialysis Telemedicine-assisted Platform (PDTAP) dataset. The primary outcomes were all-cause mortality, major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) and modified MACE (MACE+).

Risk factors and prognosis for latent tuberculosis infection in dialysis patients: A retrospective cohort study at a single tertiary care center.

Introduction: Recent studies report that latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) may lead to an increased risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) that led us to hypothesize that LTBI may play an important role in major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) in dialysis patients.

Methods: A single-center retrospective cohort study was conducted. A total of 270 patients undergoing hemodialysis or peritoneal dialysis more than 3 months were included.

Telemedicine and Clinical Outcomes in Peritoneal Dialysis: A Propensity-Matched Study.

Introduction: Telemedicine (TM) has shown to provide potential benefits on clinical outcomes in patients with chronic kidney disease but limited evidences published in the peritoneal dialysis (PD) population. This study aimed to explore the long-term effects of TM on the mortality and technique failure.

Methods: The Peritoneal Dialysis Telemedicine-assisted Platform Cohort Study (PDTAP Study) was conducted prospectively in 27 hospitals in China since 2016.

Value of gamma interferon enzyme-linked immunospot assay in the diagnosis of peritoneal dialysis-associated tuberculous peritonitis.

Background: Tuberculous peritonitis is the most common form of extrapulmonary tuberculosis infection in peritoneal dialysis patients. However, diagnosing tuberculous peritonitis quickly and early has always been a challenge for nephrologists. Mycobacterium tuberculosis antigen-specific gamma interferon enzyme-linked immunospot (IFN-γ ELISPOT) assay has been widely used in the clinical diagnosis of tuberculous pleurisy and peritonitis, but its use has not been reported for uremia.

The Peritoneal Dialysis Telemedicine-assisted Platform Cohort (PDTAP) Study: Design and methods.

Objectives: The primary objective of the Peritoneal Dialysis Telemedicineassisted Platform Cohort (PDTAP) Study is to explore potential predictors and their effects on patient survival, technique survival, and the occurrence of infectious and noninfectious complications.

Design: The PDTAP study is a national-level cohort study in China. A newly developed PD telemedicine application provided a unique and convenient way to collect multicenter, structured data across units.

Positive association of SCD1 genetic variation and metabolic syndrome in dialysis patients in China.

Metabolic syndrome (MetS) diagnosed in the dialysis patients is increasingly reported which worsens the prognosis of the renal diseases. The relationship of SCD1 with MetS is largely unknown. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between SCD1 polymorphism and MetS in dialysis patients.

Pramipexole in peritoneal dialysis patients with restless legs syndrome (RLS): a protocol for a multicentre double-blind randomised controlled trial.

Introduction: Restless legs syndrome (RLS) is a common neurological sensorimotor disorder among patients with end stage renal disease. This clinical trial aimed to provide evidence on the efficacy and safety of pramipexole in patients with uremic RLS receiving peritoneal dialysis (PD).

Methods And Analysis: This is a 12-week, multicentre, randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial.

The Association of Cognitive Impairment with Peritoneal Dialysis-Related Peritonitis.

Research on the association between cognitive impairment (CI) and peritoneal dialysis (PD)-related peritonitis is limited. Therefore, we investigated whether CI contributed to the risk of PD-related peritonitis.This prospective cohort study enrolled 458 patients from 5 PD centers between 1 March 2013, and 30 November 2013, and continued until 31 May 2016.

Circulating Alpha-Tocopherol and Insulin Sensitivity Among Older Men With Chronic Kidney Disease.

Objective: Insulin resistance is common in individuals with chronic kidney disease (CKD) and may be partly explained by modifiable risk factors. In the general population, vitamin E supplementation has been suggested to improve both insulin sensitivity and secretion. We here explore the potential role of vitamin E as a modifiable risk factor for insulin resistance among individuals with CKD.

Integrin β4 in EMT: an implication of renal diseases.

Renal fibrosis is a main cause of chronic renal failure. Epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) markers play a role in renal fibrosis. Transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) has been shown to initiate and complete the whole EMT process.

Nonesterified fatty acids and cardiovascular mortality in elderly men with CKD.

Background And Objectives: Although nonesterified fatty acids (NEFAs) are essential as energy substrate for the myocardium, an excess of circulating NEFAs can be harmful. This study aimed to assess plausible relationships between serum NEFA and mortality due to cardiovascular disease (CVD) in individuals with CKD.

Design, Setting, Participants, & Measurements: This was a prospective cohort study from the third examination cycle of the Uppsala Longitudinal Study of Adult Men, a population-based survey of 1221 elderly men aged 70-71 years residing in Uppsala, Sweden.

Prevalence and related factors of the absence of anemia among Chinese chronic hemodialysis patients: a multicenter cross-sectional study.

Background: Some chronic hemodialysis (HD) patients can maintain normal hemoglobin levels without requiring erythropoiesis-stimulating agents (ESAs). However, the prevalence and the factors associated with this condition in Chinese chronic HD patients have not been reported. The aim of this study was to investigate clinical features, iron metabolism, and other characteristics to survey the prevalence rate and the related factors of this condition among Chinese chronic HD patients.

Telmisartan counteracts TGF-β1 induced epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition via PPAR-γ in human proximal tubule epithelial cells.

Chronic renal failure (CRF) mainly results from kidney fibrosis. Epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) occurs in stressed tubular epithelial cells and contributes to renal fibrosis. Transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) has been shown to initiate and complete the whole EMT process.