[Substitutive therapies in sepsis and acute renale failure]. / Trattamenti emergenti e/o alternativi nell'nsufficienza renale acuta associata a sepsi.

Substitutive treatment of sepsis associated acute renal failure is an emergent challenge in the intensive care unit due to the number of cases and to the high mortality rate. Standard hemofiltration is unable to improve survival, since a high mortality rate is sustained by the septic process. New therapeutic approaches currently available are based on the increased clearance of molecules ranging 10-30 kDa considered important in the physiopathology of sepsis and multiorgan failure. Clinical experiences in progress are: (1) adsorption resins able to bind bacterial products, cytokines, anaphylotoxins and several inflammation mediators; (2) the bioartificial kidney, that is the addition to hemofilter of human tubular cell culture grown in devices in order to mimic metabolic tubular function to a traditional hemofilter; (3) increased exchange volumes (high volume hemofiltration), up to 0-100 L/24 hr and; (4) increased membrane permeability associated with either discarded ultrafiltrate (high cut-off membranes) or plasma substitution plasmapheresis with regeneration by sorbents technology (C FA). Generally, by applying these new technologies to septic shock patients, the observed survival was higher than that predicted by the gravity score. While these results are encouraging, they are not conclusive and need further study.

Verapamil versus amlodipine in proteinuric non-diabetic nephropathies treated with trandolapril (VVANNTT study): design of a prospective randomized multicenter trial.

Angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEI) are the most effective antiproteinuric agents and should be used as first-line drugs in both diabetic and non-diabetic proteinuric nephropathies. The role of calcium channel blockers (CCB) is much more controversial. In diabetic patients verapamil and diltiazem seem more effective than dihydropyridines in reducing urinary protein excretion, and have additive effects with ACEI, but little is available on chronic treatment of non-diabetic nephropathies for non-dihydropyridine CCBs. To test whether the combination of verapamil 180 mg or amlodipine 5 mg with trandolapril 2 mg reduces urinary protein excretion more than trandolapril 2 mg alone, we planned a prospective, randomized, double-blind, multicenter trial. The secondary aims are to evaluate the effects of both treatments on the selectivity of proteinuria and check their safety. Consecutive patients aged between 18 and 70 years with non-diabetic proteinuria > or =2 g/24 h and plasma creatinine < 3 mg/dl or creatinine clearance > or = 20 ml/min are asked to participate. After a four-week run-in during which previous antihypertensive therapy is withdrawn, a single dose of trandolapril 2 mg is given once a day in open conditions for four weeks. At the end of this period patients are randomly assigned to receive once a day, in a double blind fashion, either trandolapril 2 mg and verapamil 180 mg [plus a placebo], or trandolapril 2 mg plus amlodipine 5 mg. They are monitored after one, two, five and eight months.

[Comparison between biopsy data and the resistive index obtained by Doppler echography in the evaluation of the transplanted kidney]. / Confronto fra dato bioptico ed indice di resistenza ottenuto con eco-Doppler nella valutazione del rene trapiantato.

Doppler sonography is nowadays considered as a "first step" tool for diagnosis of vascular complications in kidney transplantation. Quite recently, it has been sometimes considered useful and effective investigation in order to obtain information about parenchymal dysfunctional pathologies, particularly about acute rejection. This has been obtained by studying the variation of resistive indexes. The goal of the following investigation was compare Doppler sonography data and histological examination in 50 kidney transplanted recipients in whom the renal biopsy was performed on a clinical basis. In the Authors' experience. Doppler sonography and study of the resistive index does not offer any reliable help in differentiating acute rejection from cyclosporine A toxicity.

[Role of nutritional support and physical exercise in the dyslipidemia of renal transplantation]. / Ruolo dell'apporto nutrizionale e dell'esercizio fisico nella dislipidemia del trapianto di rene.

The purpose of the study is to evaluate the effect of diet and physical exercise on the dyslipemia of renal transplant (RT) patients 52 pts, transplanted between 12/85 and 4/87, subdivided into 2 groups (A and B), were studied. Characteristics of the diet adopted in patients in group A are: low carbohydrates, moderate animal protein, unsaturated and polyunsaturated fat in high rate. The second group had a lower animal protein and more fiber rich diet than the first one and a program of PE. By comparing A and B1 we noticed and increase in body weight, more slight in the group B, at the 24 months (56 +/- 8 59 +/- 10 vs 59 +/- 10 61 +/- 10). The study of lipid behaviour has showed a trend to normalization of triglycerides at 24 months in A (189 +/- 88 106 +/- 33) and in B1 (173 +/- 81 103 +/- 40), more evident normalization of cholesterol in group B1 (195 +/- 72 185 +/- 42), and increase of CT-HDL in A (42 +/- 12 63 +/- 17) and in B1 (44 +/- 10 61 +/- 14, p less than 0.05). It should be noted that CT-LDL increase in A (100 +/- 34 131 +/- 40) but not in B1 (103 +/- 35 111 +/- 33). With the aim of this program we obtained a positive effect on DL with a slight increase in body weight, a significant increase in CT-HDL without variation of total CT and CT-LDL levels.