Glycated Albumin is Independently Associated With Arterial Stiffness in Non-Diabetic Chronic Kidney Disease Patients.

Glycated albumin (GA) exhibits atherogenic effects and increased serum GA levels are associated with the development of cardiovascular complications in diabetic patients. GA production also increases with aging, oxidative stress, and renal dysfunction. We performed this study to further ascertain the association between GA and arterial stiffness in nondiabetic chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients. We enrolled 129 nondiabetic CKD patients. Arterial stiffness was measured by brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV) using a volume plethysmographic instrument along with simultaneous measurements of GA. Insulin resistance was determined with the homeostatic model assessment. The estimated glomerular filtration rate was calculated using serum creatinine and cystatin C according to the CKD-EPI Creatinine-Cystatin C equation adjusted for age, sex, and race (eGFRcr-cys). Nondiabetic CKD patients with arterial stiffness (baPWV ≥1400 cm/s) showed higher GA levels than those without arterial stiffness (14.2 [8.7-20.2]% vs 13.0 [8.8-18.9]%, P = 0.004). In the subgroup analysis, the patients who had both a higher GA level and a lower eGFRcr-cys, showed the highest baPWV compared with patients with a higher GA or a lower GFR alone. By Spearman's correlation analysis, GA correlated significantly with baPWV (r = +0.291, P = 0.001) and fasting serum glucose level (r = +0.191, P = 0.030), whereas The homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance did not show any significant correlation with baPWV. Systolic blood pressure (r = +0.401 P < 0.001), age (r = +0.574, P < 0.001), high-density lipoprotein (HDL)-cholesterol level (r = -0.317, P < 0.001), and eGFRcr-cys (r = -0.285, P = 0.002) had a significant correlation with baPWV. According to multivariable logistic regression analysis, higher GA and systolic blood pressure were the independent risk factors affecting arterial stiffness. Our results suggest that serum GA is a potential risk factor of arterial stiffness in nondiabetic CKD patients.

Severe hyponatremia following radioactive iodine therapy in patients with differentiated thyroid cancer.

BACKGROUND: Symptomatic hyponatremia in association with radioactive iodine (RAI) therapy for differentiated thyroid cancer has rarely been reported. Due to the increasing incidence of thyroid cancer worldwide, more patients are now receiving postoperative RAI therapy. We report two cases of life-threatening severe hyponatremia in association with RAI therapy. SUMMARY: Two elderly female patients who had bilateral thyroidectomies for their thyroid cancer underwent a low-iodine diet and levothyroxine withdrawal for two weeks prior to RAI therapy. Upon admission, the patients were given 130 mCi (4810 MBq) and 150 mCi (5550 MBq) of (131)I respectively, and oral hydration (two to three liters of water daily) to increase the frequency of emptying the bladder of RAI. Both patients completed their RAI therapy without significant complications and were discharged from hospital. Two days after discharge, both patients were admitted to the emergency room with complaints of severe nausea and dizziness. Initial laboratory tests revealed that they were in a hypothyroid state and had severe hyponatremia with a serum sodium level of 108 mEq/L. The symptomatic hyponatremia responded to intravenous hypertonic saline infusion and thyroid hormone replacement, and the patients made a full recovery. The low-iodine diet and hypothyroid state with overzealous hydration in the setting of RAI therapy may have provoked severe hypotonic hyponatremia. CONCLUSION: Hypothyroid patients after undergoing RAI therapy, especially the elderly, are at an increased risk for serious hyponatremia and should be monitored closely.

Asymptomatic renal pseudoaneurysm after percutaneous renal biopsy.

A 37-year-old man was referred to Division of Nephrology for a new renal cystic lesion that was found on ultrasonography. Four years prior to presentation, a percutaneous renal biopsy had been performed. Computed tomography scan showed a 4.4-cm-sized renal artery pseudoaneurysm in the left kidney. Selective renal angiography revealed a pseudoaneurysm in the left lower pole of the kidney. The renal pseudoaneurysm was successfully embolized with coil. Follow-up Doppler ultrasonography showed no internal blood flow into the aneurysmal sac. His renal function remained stable after coil embolization.

Spontaneous sinus conversion of permanent atrial fibrillation during treatment of hyperkalemia.

Hyperkalemia is a common adverse effect of treatment for heart failure and is associated with high mortality and morbidity. The cardiac manifestations of hyperkalemia include various electrocardiogram changes. We describe a case of a 74-year-old woman with heart failure and permanent atrial fibrillation who reverted to normal sinus rhythm during recovery from hyperkalemia.

Prognostic factors of second and third line chemotherapy using 5-fu with platinum, irinotecan, and taxane for advanced gastric cancer.

PURPOSE: The aims of this study are to find out whether the sequence of chemotherapeutic regimens including second- and third-line taxane and irinotecan influences the survival of patients with unresectable gastric carcinoma and to identify clinical characteristics of patients with improved response. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Fifty gastric carcinoma patients who were treated by third-line sequential chemotherapy between November 2004 and July 2010 were enrolled in this study. Their overall survival (OS) and time to progression (TTP) were set up as primary and secondary end points. For the sequence of chemotherapy regimen, two arms were used. Arm A was defined as 5-fluorouracil (5-FU)+cisplatin (FP) or folinic acid, 5-FU and oxaliplati (FOLFOX), followed by folinic acid, 5-FU and irinotecan (FOLFIRI), and paclitaxel or docetaxel plus 5-FU, with or without epirubicin. Arm B was defined as FP or FOLFOX, followed by paclitaxel or docetaxel plus 5-FU, and FOLFIRI. RESULTS: The median OS of all patients was 16.0 months (95% confidence interval, 13.6 to 18.3 months), which is longer than historical control of patients who did not receive third-line chemotherapy. The sequence of second and third-line regimen, including irinotecan and taxane, did not present significant difference in OS or TTP after failure of 5-FU with platinum chemotherapy. In survival analysis of patients' clinicopathologic characteristics, poor prognosis was shown in patients with poorly differentiated histologic features, elevated serum carcinoembryonic level, and shorter TTP of first line chemotherapy. CONCLUSION: It is possible for patients to respond differently to chemotherapy due to differences in clinical features and underlying gene expression profiles. Development of individualized chemotherapy regimens based on gene expression profiles is warranted.