[Adult mature teratoma of the testis: a case report].

A 33-year-old man visited our hospital complaining of painless left scrotal swelling. Serum alphafetoprotein (AFP) and human chorionic gonadotropin-beta (HCG-ß) were within normal range. Computed tomography revealed a heterogeneous tumor in the left scrotum and para-aortic lymph node swelling. We diagnosed the tumor as stage IIA testicular cancer and performed left high inguinal orchiectomy. Histopathological diagnosis was mature teratoma with no associated malignant germ cell tumor. The patient was followed-up without adjuvant chemotherapy because the size of para-aortic lymph nodes was remarkably reduced one month after the orchiectomy. The patient must be followed up carefully for possible metastasis.

Blood group antigen-targeting peptide suppresses anti-blood group antibody binding to antigen in renal glomerular capillaries after ABO-incompatible blood reperfusion.

BACKGROUND: Antibody-mediated rejection after ABO-incompatible kidney transplantation (ABO-I KTx) is a major barrier to transplantation success. The advent of immunosuppressive therapy has markedly improved graft survival in ABO-I KTx. However, compared with normal KTx, clinical conditions during ABO-I KTx are difficult to control because of overimmunosuppression. To reduce the need for immunosuppression, we aimed to develop a novel blood group antigen-neutralizing therapy. METHODS: We screened for an ABO blood group antigen-targeting peptide (BATP) by screening of T7 phage-displayed peptide library. After screening, hemagglutination inhibition assays, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and cytotoxicity assay were used to analyze the blood group antigen-blocking effect and toxicity of BATP. We also tested the inhibitory effects on anti-blood group antibody binding in normal human kidney tissues blocked with BATP and excised kidneys perfused ex vivo with BATP. RESULTS: We identified six peptide sequences that efficiently suppressed hemagglutination of red blood cells by anti-ABO blood group antibodies and binding of these antibodies to ABO histo-blood group antigens in kidney tissues. Surprisingly, ex vivo perfusion of BATP in kidneys excised from renal cell carcinoma patients caused significant suppression of anti-blood group antibody binding to antigen and IgG and IgM deposition in renal glomerular capillaries after ABO-I blood reperfusion. CONCLUSIONS: These data indicate that A/B blood group antigens on red blood cells and in kidney tissues may be neutralized by BATP. This approach may enable the development of a novel blood group antigen-neutralizing therapy to overcome the challenges of ABO-I KTx.

[Metastatic renal tumor from oral floor cancer: a case report].

A 61-year-old man with oral floor cancer (adenoid cystic carcinoma, T2N0M1) was treated with systemicc hemotherapy and radiation therapy at the department of dentistry and oral surgery in our hospital. He had three lung metastases and renal tumors detected by screening computed tomography. The oral floor cancer responded to the treatment to achieve partial response. However, lung and renal metastases did not respond to chemotherapy. Then, the patient was referred to our clinic to rule out the possibility of lung metastasis from renal cell carcinoma. Laparoscopic left nephrectomy was performed and pathological examination on the renal lesions revealed adenoid cystic carcinoma, which had identical histopathological features to the oral floor cancer. To our knowledge, this is the first report of metastatic renal tumor from oral floor cancer (adenoid cystic carcinoma).

Skin perfusion pressure is a prognostic factor in hemodialysis patients.

Peripheral arterial disease (PAD) is common in hemodialysis patients and predicts a poor prognosis. We conducted a prospective cohort study to identify risk factors for PAD including skin perfusion pressure (SPP) in hemodialysis patients. The cohort included 373 hemodialysis patients among 548 patients who received hemodialysis at Oyokyo Kidney Research Institute, Hirosaki, Japan from August 2008 to December 2010. The endpoints were lower limb survival (peripheral angioplasty or amputation events) and overall survival of 2 years. Our results showed that <70 mmHg SPP was a poor prognosis for the lower limb survival and overall survival. We also identified age, history of cardiovascular disease, presence of diabetes mellitus, smoking history, and SPP < 70 mmHg as independent risk factors for lower limb survival and overall survival. Then, we constructed risk criteria using the significantly independent risk factors. We can clearly stratify lower limb survival and overall survival of the hemodialysis patients into 3 groups. Although the observation period is short, we conclude that SPP value has the potential to be a risk factor that predicts both lower limb survival and the prognosis of hemodialysis patients.

Effect of an Oral Adsorbent, AST-120, on Dialysis Initiation and Survival in Patients with Chronic Kidney Disease.

The oral adsorbent AST-120 has the potential to delay dialysis initiation and improve survival of patients on dialysis. We evaluated the effect of AST-120 on dialysis initiation and its potential to improve survival in patients with chronic kidney disease. The present retrospective pair-matched study included 560 patients, grouped according to whether or not they received AST-120 before dialysis (AST-120 and non-AST-120 groups). The cumulative dialysis initiation free rate and survival rate were compared by the Kaplan-Meier method. Multivariate analysis was used to determine the impact of AST-120 on dialysis initiation. Our results showed significant differences in the 12- and 24-month dialysis initiation free rate (P < 0.001), although no significant difference was observed in the survival rate between the two groups. In conclusion, AST-120 delays dialysis initiation in chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients but has no effect on survival. AST-120 is an effective therapy for delaying the progression of CKD.

Efficacy of SMART Stent Placement for Salvage Angioplasty in Hemodialysis Patients with Recurrent Vascular Access Stenosis.

Vascular access stenosis is a major complication in hemodialysis patients. We prospectively observed 50 patients in whom 50 nitinol shape-memory alloy-recoverable technology (SMART) stents were used as salvage therapy for recurrent peripheral venous stenosis. Twenty-five stents each were deployed in native arteriovenous fistula (AVF) and synthetic arteriovenous polyurethane graft (AVG) cases. Vascular access patency rates were calculated by Kaplan-Meier analysis. The primary patency rates in AVF versus AVG at 3, 6, and 12 months were 80.3% versus 75.6%, 64.9% versus 28.3%, and 32.3% versus 18.9%, respectively. The secondary patency rates in AVF versus AVG at 3, 6, and 12 months were 88.5% versus 75.5%, 82.6% versus 61.8%, and 74.4% versus 61.8%, respectively. Although there were no statistically significant difference in patency between AVF and AVG, AVG showed poor tendency in primary and secondary patency. The usefulness of SMART stents was limited in a short period of time in hemodialysis patients with recurrent vascular access stenosis.

[Additional effect of propiverine for naftopidil-resistant nocturia in the patient with benign prostate hypertrophy].

The efficacy and safety of additional administration of propiverine were prospectively studied for naftopidil-resistant nocturia in patients with benign prostatic hypertrophy (BPH). Patients of 50 years and over with BPH who experienced nocturia twice a night or more and an overall International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS) of 8 or more were first administered naftopidil (50 or 75 mg/day) for 4 weeks. Thirty subjects who did not show improvement in nocturia and requested further treatment were enrolled in the present study. Propiverine was then administered concomitantly 10 mg/day for 8 weeks. Significant improvement was observed with additional propiverine in the frequency of nocturia on voiding diary, total IPSS, voiding symptom, storage symptom and nocturnal voiding scores. No significant change was observed in the peak urinary flow rate (Qmax), mean urinary flow rate (Qave), voided urine volume, or residual urine volume. Adverse events were dysuria (2 cases), increased residual urine (6 cases), weak urine flow (1 case), thirsty (2 cases), angular cheilitis (1 case). Administration of propiverine was suspended in 7 subjects, 1 following dysuria and 6 following increased residual urine volume. The suspension of propiverine following increased residual urine volume was significantly more prevalent in subjects with pretreatment Qmax values of less than 10 ml/second or in subjects whose prostate specific antigen (PSA) levels were 2 ng/ml or more. In conclusion, the results indicate that additional administration of propiverine may be useful for the patients with BPH who have naftopidil-resistant nocturia. However, caution must be exercised regarding Qmax and PSA levels.

[Ganglioneuroma with calcification mimicking adrenal tumor: a case report].

A 28-year-old woman was referred to our hospital complaining of upper abdominal discomfort. The patient had been receiving medical treatment for hypertension. Computed tomography revealed a 30 mm solid tumor with calcification in the left adrenal gland and a 8 mm nodule in the right adrenal gland. Endocrinological examinations revealed no activity of either adrenal mass. The left adrenal tumor was extirpated, because malignancy of the tumor was not ruled out. Histopathological examination proved that the tumor was ganglioneuroma arising from the extra-adrenal retroperitoneum.

[Experience of laparoscopic surgery of pheochromocytoma found on induction for hemodialysis].

A 64-year-old female patient had been receiving hemodialysis since June 2008. A left adrenal mass, 2.5 cm in diameter, was incidentally found by screening computed tomography at the initiation of hemodialysis. Plasma epinephrine and norepinephrine were increased to 1.21 ng/ml and 4.71 ng/ml, respectively. In the scintiscan using ¹²³I-metaiodobenzylguanidine (MIBG), accumulation of the radionuclide in the left adrenal tumor region was confirmed. Laparoscopic left adrenalectomy was performed without peri-operative complications under the diagnosis of left pheochromocytoma. The elevated catecholamines and the blood pressure were restored after surgery.

Calcium ions are abnormally distributed in the skin of haemodialysis patients with uraemic pruritus.

BACKGROUND: Although a close relationship between uraemic pruritus and serum calcium levels has been demonstrated for some time, the degree of pruritus was not always correlated with calcium concentrations. In the present study, we assessed calcium ion distribution in the skin of chronic haemodialysis patients with and without pruritus. METHODS: We excluded patients with concomitant psoriasis or atopic dermatitis or with a previous history of allergy, those who had an arteriovenous fistula created prior to induction of haemodialysis, and patients with only mild pruritus. From the enrolled 22 haemodialysis patients, we obtained forearm skin samples during arteriovenous fistula surgery. These patients were divided into two groups based their grade of pruritus. The pruritus group included patients with moderate to severe grades of pruritus (n = 11, age 64 +/-13 years) and the non-pruritus group consisted of patients without pruritus (n = 11, age 59 +/-13 years). We compared the distribution of calcium ions in the epidermis between the two groups using the ion-capture method (oxalate-pyroantimonate-osmium technique). In addition, we examined and compared the groups for thicknesses of the basal, spinous and granular layers, as well as of the stratum corneum using an electron microscope. RESULTS: The pruritus group had significantly higher calcium ion deposition in the extracellular fluid and cytoplasm of basal cells, and in the extracellular fluid, nuclei and cytoplasm of spinous cells compared with the non-pruritus group. In contrast, calcium ion depositions were similar between the two groups in the dermis/basal layer interface, the nucleus of basal cells, the nucleus and cytoplasm of granular cells, exterior of granular cells, the granular cells/stratum corneum interface, and in the interior and exterior of corneocytes. Although the stratum corneum was significantly thicker in the pruritus group than in the non-pruritus group, there were no differences in basal cell, spinal cell or granular cell layer thicknesses. CONCLUSION: In chronic haemodialysis patients with pruritus, the calcium ion concentration in the deepest layer of the epidermis was increased, which indicated a disrupted calcium ion gradient in the skin. These findings point to a role for increased skin calcium ion concentrations in the development and/or maintenance of uraemic pruritus. However, more extensive studies in larger patient cohorts will be necessary to confirm this hypothesis.