Histological Spectrum of Clinical Kidney Disease in Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus Patients with special Reference to nonalbuminuric Diabetic Nephropathy: A Kidney Biopsy-based Study.

BACKGROUND: Diabetic nephropathy (DN) is an important and catastrophic complication of diabetes mellitus (DM). Kidney disease has heterogeneity in histology in diabetes patients and includes both diabetic kidney disease (DKD) (albuminuric or nonalbuminuric) and nondiabetic kidney disease (NDKD) either in isolation or in coexistence with DN. Diabetic nephropathy is hard to overturn. While NDKD is treatable and reversible. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We enrolled a total of 50 type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients with clinical kidney disease, of both genders and age >18 years, who underwent kidney biopsy from October 2016 to October 2018. Patients with proteinuria <30 mg per day were excluded from the study. The indications of the renal biopsy were nephrotic syndrome (NS), active urinary sediment, rapid decline in renal function, asymptomatic proteinuria, and hematuria. RESULT: A total of 50 (males: 42 and females: eight) patients with T2DM who underwent kidney biopsy were enrolled. The clinical presentation was: NS 26 (52%), chronic kidney disease (CKD) 11 (22%), asymptomatic proteinuria and hematuria six (12%), acute kidney injury (AKI) four (8%), and acute nephritic syndrome (ANS) three (6%). Diabetic retinopathy (DR) was noted in 19 (38%) cases. Kidney biopsy revealed isolated DN, isolated NDKD, and NDKD superimposed on DN in 26 (52%), 14 (28%), and 10 (20%) cases, respectively. Idiopathic membranous nephropathy (MN) (4) and amyloidosis (2) were the most common forms of NDKD, whereas diffuse proliferative glomerulonephritis (DPGN) was the main form of NDKD superimposed on DN. Diabetic nephropathy was observed in 15 (79%) cases in presence of DR and also in 11 (35.5%) cases even in absence of DR. Of eight patients with microalbuminuria four (50%) cases have biopsy-proven DN. CONCLUSION: About 48% of patients had NDKD either in isolation or in coexistence with DN. Diabetic nephropathy was found in absence of DR and in patients with a low level of proteinuria. The level of proteinuria and presence of DR does not help to distinguish DN vs NDKD. Hence, renal biopsy may be useful in selected T2DM patients with clinical kidney disease to diagnose NDKD.

Thyroid function in patients with idiopathic nephrotic syndrome.

BACKGROUND: Albumin is the major protein excreted in urine in patients with nephrotic syndrome (NS). However, low-molecular-weight proteins including some binding proteins are also excreted. Thyroid hormone and its binding globulins are excreted in urine in excess in nephrotic syndrome. Therefore, it has been postulated that patients with nephrotic syndrome may show hypothyroidism, subclinical or overt. METHODS: In this prospective observational study, patients of idiopathic nephrotic syndrome aged 1-40 years of both gender were included. Serum T3, T4 and TSH were assayed at diagnosis and repeated at 12 weeks or at remission whichever was earlier. Renal biopsy was performed as required. RESULTS: Among 100 patients taken for analysis (42 children, 58 adult), 30 cases were of first episode, 40 were of frequent relapse/steroid-dependent NS, and 30 patients had steroid-resistant NS (SRNS). Three (3%) cases had overt hypothyroidism and 18 (18%) patients had subclinical hypothyroidism. Most hypothyroid cases belonged to SRNS subgroup. Mean Serum T3, T4 and TSH values showed significant improvement in remission in comparison to nephrosis state (P < 0.01). Serum TSH had significant positive correlation (r = 0.391, P < 0.01) with 24-h proteinuria and negative correlation with serum albumin (r = - 0.303, P < 0.01) in nephrosis. CONCLUSION: Hypothyroidism is common among nephrotic syndrome patients especially in SRNS subgroup. Therefore, routine screening is recommended in steroid-resistant nephrotic syndrome patients.

Etiopathological Study of Crescentic Glomerulonephritis and its Outcome: A Retrospective Analysis.

INTRODUCTION: Crescentic Glomerulonephritis (CGN) is most aggressive structural phenotype and accounts for 2%-7% of renal biopsy in most series. The aim of study was to assess the clinical feature and outcome of CGN at our centre. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The renal biopsy performed during the period of January 2015 to January 2018 was studied and patients showing crescentic glomerulonephritis on histology were selected for this study. The clinical presentation, immunological assay, biochemical and haematological investigations, treatment protocol and final outcome at three month of these patients were analysed in the present study. RESULTS: Of 380 biopsy, 26 (male=17, female=9) patients had histological evidence of CGN (6.8%). The age of patients ranged between 13-75 (mean=43) years. Fibro cellular and cellular crescent was noted in 84.61% and 15.38% of patients respectively. Small vessels vasculitis and granuloma was observed in 5 (19.23%) cases. Based on immunohistopathology, we observed type I (n=3), type II (n=8), type III (n=5), type IV (n=3), and type V (n=7) crescentic GN in 11.53%, 30.76%, 19.23%, 11.53% and 26.92% of patients respectively. Haemodialysis was given to 22(84.61%) and 4(15.38%) patients were treated with immunosuppressive therapy. Plasmapheresis was used in two double positive (ANCA + Anti GBM Ab) patients. Remaining 21(80.76%) has progressed to ESRD over a period of 2-3 months. CONCLUSION: Type II (immune complex) CGN was most common type followed by type V (immune negative) and type III (pauci-immune) CGN. The crescentic GN had worse prognosis with >80% of patients progressed to ESRD within 3 month of time from onset of illness. Early diagnosis and treatment is associated with favourable outcome.

Outcomes of hospital-acquired acute kidney injury in elderly patients: a single-centre study.

BACKGROUND: HAAKI is a common clinical problem in hospitalized patients. Its incidence is high in older patients and carries worse prognosis. The presence of multiple co-morbidities, aging process, and frequent diagnostic and therapeutic interventions predispose elderly patients to HAAKI. This study aims to evaluate the spectrum, risk factors and determinants of outcome of elderly patients with HAAKI. METHODS: This prospective study was conducted during January 2014 to September 2015 in the Department of nephrology, Institute of Medical Sciences, BHU, Varanasi, UP, India. First 100 HAAKI elderly (> 60 years) patients, who fulfilled the inclusion criteria were enrolled for study. HAAKI was defined as per RIFLE criteria after minimum 48 h of hospitalization. Clinical, biochemical, and radiological evaluation were done. Follow up was done till discharge or up to 30 days whichever was later. RESULTS: Till selection and enrollment of first 100 HAAKI patients, total 23507 patients were hospitalized. 11.2% (n = 2635) patients were ≥ 60 years of age. Among 2635 elderly patients, 3.79% (n = 100) developed HAAKI. Commonest causes of HAAKI were sepsis (37%) followed by drugs like NSAID, Contrast agent, Amphotericin B, and antibiotics including amino glycosides in (24%) patents. DM and HTN were the commonest risk factors. Mortality was noted in 45% cases and rest 55% patients recovered with partial or full recovery of renal function. ICU admission, Oliguria, RIFLE-F, need of RRT, and SOFA score > 11 were independent determinants of outcome of elderly patients with HAAKI. CONCLUSION: HAAKI is associated with increased morbidity and mortality in elderly patients. Associated co-morbid conditions predispose elderly patients to HAAKI. ICU admission, Oliguria, severity of renal failure, requirement of RRT, and initial SOFA score were strong predictors of survival of elderly patients with HAAKI.