An Unusual Presentation of Multiple Myeloma.

Multiple myeloma commonly presents as anemia, renal failure, bone pain, and infections. Presentation with epistaxis is extremely rare, and hence myeloma as the etiologic factor is seldom considered. We report the case of a patient who initially presented with recurrent epistaxis and then with myasthenia. It was only when he developed acute kidney injury 4 months after the initial presentation with epistaxis that a diagnosis of multiple myeloma was made.

A Preemptive Living Donor Renal Transplant in an HIV Positive Patient from an HIV Positive Donor.

With recent advances in the treatment of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), renal transplantation is no longer considered a contraindication in properly selected HIV-positive patients. Several studies have demonstrated comparable patient and graft outcomes between HIV-negative and HIV-positive renal transplant recipients. Most of the information on outcomes of HIV-positive to HIV-positive transplantation is based on data from deceased donors. There are only a handful of case reports about living donor renal transplantation in an HIV-positive patient from an HIV-positive donor. Furthermore, there is no report in the world of preemptive living donor renal transplantation in this setting. Here, we report a case of successful preemptive renal transplantation in an HIV-positive recipient from an HIV-positive living donor performed at our center.

A Unified Citywide Dashboard for Allocation and Scheduling Dialysis for COVID-19 Patients on Maintenance Hemodialysis.

Introduction: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has caused significant global disruption, especially for chronic care like hemodialysis treatments. Approximately 10,000 end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) patients are receiving maintenance hemodialysis (MHD) at 174 dialysis centers in Greater Mumbai. Because of the fear of transmission of infection and inability to isolate patients in dialysis centers, chronic hemodialysis care was disrupted for COVID-19-infected patients. Hence, we embarked on a citywide initiative to ensure uninterrupted dialysis for these patients. Materials and Methods: The Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai (MCGM) designated 23 hemodialysis facilities as COVID-positive centers, two as COVID-suspect centers, and the rest continued as COVID-negative centers to avoid transmission of infection and continuation of chronic hemodialysis treatment. Nephrologists and engineers of the city developed a web-based-portal so that information about the availability of dialysis slots for COVID-infected patients was easily available in real time to all those providing care to chronic hemodialysis patients. Results: The portal became operational on May 20, 2020, and as of December 31, 2020, has enrolled 1,418 COVID-positive ESKD patients. This initiative has helped 97% of enrolled COVID-infected ESKD patients to secure a dialysis slot within 48 hours. The portal also tracked outcomes and as of December 31, 2020, 370 (27%) patients died, 960 patients recovered, and 88 patients still had an active infection. Conclusions: The portal aided the timely and smooth transfer of COVID-19-positive ESKD patients to designated facilities, thus averting mortality arising from delayed or denied dialysis. Additionally, the portal also documented the natural history of the COVID-19 pandemic in the city and provided information on the overall incidence and outcomes. This aided the city administration in the projected resource needs to handle the pandemic.

Retrospective Diagnosis of Nail-patella Syndrome.

A 37 years old female presented with asymptomatic nephrotic range proteinuria due to focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS). She was treated with steroids and mycophenolate mofetil to which there was no response and progressed to advanced chronic kidney disease. When her brother who was being evaluated as a potential donor, for renal transplant, was found to have proteinuria and a genetic study for the steroid-resistant nephrotic syndrome was done. This revealed mutation in the LMX1B gene. It is then that a diagnosis of nail-patella syndrome (NPS) was made. She underwent a successful renal transplant with her father as a donor and is doing well.

Crystalline Nephropathy due to APRT Deficiency: A Preventable Cause of Renal and Renal Allograft Failure.

Adenine phosphororibosyl transferase (APRT) deficiency, a rare inborn error of metabolism is inherited as an autosomal recessive trait. It presents with 2,8-dihydroxyadenine (2,8-DHA) crystal nephropathy and recurrent nephrolithiasis and often progresses to end stage renal disease (ESRD). After transplant, it can recur in the allograft. If APRT deficiency is recognized early, renal failure can be prevented, arrested or reversed in native kidney and in allograft by treatment with allopurinol, which inhibits xanthine oxidase and reduces 2,8-DHA formation. We report two cases of APRT deficiency from our center. DNA sequencing of APRT gene performed in one of the cases revealed a pathogenic variant in Exon1 of APRT gene (c.3G>C; p.Met1). This variant affects the translation initiation codon and results in a start loss. The variant has previously been reported in two cases with APRT deficiency.

Efficacy and Safety of Canagliflozin in Kidney Transplant Patients.

INTRODUCTION: There is no report of efficacy and safety of canagliflozin, a sodium glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitor in post kidney transplant patients with diabetes. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A pilot study was undertaken in stable renal transplant recipients with preexisting diabetes or new onset diabetes after transplantation (NODAT) to look at the efficacy of SGLT2 inhibitor, cangliflozin. With the introduction of canagliflozin (100 mg), the dose of insulin and/or other oral hypoglycemic agents was reduced if the blood sugar control improved. The parameters monitored were body weight, blood pressure (BP), serum creatinine, HbA1c, and tacrolimus trough level. Safety was assessed by adverse event (AE) reports. Each patient was followed for a minimum period of 6 months. RESULTS: The study included 24 (23 males and 1 females) stable kidney transplant patients with diabetes. The mean age of the patients was 53.8 ± 7.12 years. The mean body weight of study subjects was 78.6 ± 12.1 kg before and 76.1 ± 11.2 kg 6 months after starting canagliflozin (P < 0.05). The mean systolic and diastolic BP (mm Hg) was 142 ± 21 and 81 ± 9 before and 134 ± 17 and 79 ± 8, 6 months after starting canagliflozin, respectively (P < 0.05 for systolic BP). There was no significant change in creatinine level (mg/dL). It was 1.1 ± 0.2 before and 1.1 ± 0.3 after starting canagliflozin. The tacrolimus level (ng/mL) was 6.7 ± 3.7 before and 6.1 ± 2, 6 months after starting canagliflozin. The mean HbA1c before was 8.5 ± 1.5%. At 6 months, it was 7.6 ± 1%. Hypoglycemia was not seen. There was no increase in infections. CONCLUSION: Canagliflozin provided reductions in body weight, BP, HbA1c, and the requirement of other hypoglycemic agents without any hypoglycemic episodes and without significant AEs.