Favorable outcome of IgA nephropathy on antituberculous treatment.

We report the case of an association of IgA nephropathy and tuberculosis with superimposed vasculitis lesions on the renal biopsy. Three previous cases of the same association are discussed. The nephropathy had a favorable course in all of these cases on antituberculous treatment only. Tuberculosis is another infection related to IgA nephropathy.

PPAR-gamma-agonists' renal effects.

PPAR-gamma ligands, including thiazolidinediones, have recently become clinically available for treating insulin-resistant diabetes mellitus. Accumulating evidence suggests that these drugs not only significantly improve insulin sensitivity but also may have antiproteinuric effects in genetically obese diabetic rodents and patients with type II diabetes and diabetic nephropathy. Moreover, troglitazone reduced expression of ECM proteins and transforming growth factor-beta in glomeruli from streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats. Many other properties including antiproteinuric, hemodynamic, and antihypertensive effects in insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus suggest that PPAR-gamma ligands might have a direct, beneficial renal effect, independent of their capacity to improve glucose tolerance. Besides their antidiabetic effects, thiazolidinediones have been shown to lower blood pressure in diabetic patients with hypertension and patients with diabetic nephropathy through multiple mechanisms. Several studies showed the efficacy of PPAR-gamma agonists to ameliorate the progression of glomerulosclerosis. The effect is independent of insulin effects and could only be partially due to lipid effects. These renal protective effects of PPAR-gamma agonists suggest that they may provide a novel intervention strategy to prevent vascular and glomerular sclerosis.

Renal involvement in systemic lupus erythematosus. A study of 180 patients from a single center.

Charts of 180 patients (147 women, 33 men) with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) complicated by renal involvement were retrospectively analyzed from a series of 436 patients. Mean age at renal disease onset was 27 years. Thirty-six percent of the patients had renal involvement after diagnosis of lupus, for 30.7% of that group it was more than 5 years later. Renal involvement occurred more frequently in young male patients of non-French non-white origin. Patients with renal involvement suffered more commonly from malar rash, psychosis, myocarditis, pericarditis, lymphadenopathy, and hypertension. Anemia, low serum complement, and raised anti-dsDNA antibodies were more frequent. According to the 1982 World Health Organization classification, histologic examination of initial renal biopsy specimen in 158 patients showed normal kidney in 1.5% of cases, mesangial in 22%, focal proliferative in 22%, diffuse proliferative in 27%, membranous in 20%, chronic sclerosing glomerulonephritis in 1%, and other forms of nephritis in 6.5%. Distribution of initial glomerulonephritis patterns was similar whether renal involvement occurred before or after the diagnosis of lupus. Transformation from 1 histologic pattern to another was observed in more than half of the analyzable patients (those who underwent at least 2 renal biopsies). Nephritis evolved toward end-stage renal disease in 14 patients despite the combined use of steroids and cyclophosphamide in 12. Initial elevated serum creatinine levels, initial hypertension, non-French non-white origin, and proliferative lesions on the initial renal biopsy were indicators of poor renal outcome. Twenty-four patients died after a mean follow-up of 109 months from SLE diagnosis. Among our 436 patients, the 10-year survival rate was not significantly affected by the presence or absence of renal involvement at diagnosis (89% and 92%, respectively).

Abnormal fibrin clot architecture in nephrotic patients is related to hypofibrinolysis: influence of plasma biochemical modifications: a possible mechanism for the high thrombotic tendency?

Porosity, viscoelasticity and morphological properties of plasma fibrin from 16 nephrotic patients and 16 healthy volunteers were compared. Nephrotic patients were characterized by formation of tight and rigid plasma fibrin gels which resulted in a slower rate of fibrin lysis studied either under pressure-driven permeation or diffusional transport of fibrinolytic agents. These latter findings indicated that both abnormal fibrin network conformation and abnormal fibrin fiber structure were involved in hypofibrinolysis. Albumin supplementation up to 40 mg/ml partially restored normal fibrin architecture and increased the rate of fibrinolysis in these patients. Multiparametric analysis showed that nephrotic patients were mainly characterized by a low plasma albumin level (R = -0.85), a low albumin to fibrinogen ratio (R = -0.89) and a high resistance to lysis (R = -0.82). High triglycerides level was the only plasma modification related to the slower fibrin lysis rate (R = -0.54). High fibrin rigidity (G') was the only fibrin parameter simultaneously related to the nephrotic state (R = 0.75) and the lysis resistance (R = -0.71). After eliminating the effects of age, albumin and fibrinogen levels, low fibrin porosity (Ks) and low fiber mass-length ratio (mu) were the main features of the nephrotic state. These findings are discussed in relation to both the pathophysiology of thrombotic complications in nephrotic syndrome and their pharmacological prevention.

Electrophoretic study of the physico-chemical characteristics of Bence-Jones proteinuria and its association with kidney damage.

AIM: To identify a physico-chemical criterion, or set of criteria, explaining and possibly predicting the nephrotoxic behaviour of Bence-Jones proteins (BJP). METHODS: The electrophoretic mobility and isoelectric point (pI) of 92 BJP isolates were determined using various electrophoresis procedures on polyacrylamide gel. The proportions of monomers and dimers were determined using sodium dodecyl sulphate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS PAGE) in 58 cases. PAGE data for 10 BJP isolates were used to construct Ferguson plots and titration curves. RESULTS: The distribution of electrophoretic mobility and pI values was bimodal and showed a positive correlation when the pI was above 6. The values of these two parameters in 22 patients with renal impairment were not significantly different from those in the patients without renal impairment, and the statistical analysis showed no predictive value for the onset of renal impairment. However, patients excreting the lambda light chain isotype had a 2.8-fold higher risk of developing renal impairment compared with the other patients. Studies of the charge variation of the protein with pH indicated three types of behaviour, suggesting that the charge of BJP is highly variable at physiological pH. CONCLUSION: It is important to study not only the positivity or negativity of the BJP charge at a given pH, but also its intensity. The study of the BJP titration curves in patients with renal impairment suggests that a low charge at physiological urinary pH could predict renal impairment.

Monthly intravenous pulse cyclophosphamide therapy in Wegener's granulomatosis.

OBJECTIVE: To study the long term effects of monthly intravenous cyclophosphamide therapy in Wegener's granulomatosis. METHODS: Fourteen consecutive patients with active Wegener's granulomatos treated with a first-line combination of high-dose prednisone and monthly intravenous pulse cyclophosphamide were retrospectively studied. RESULTS: One patient died from septicemia complicating severe leukopenia after the first pulse. At 8 months after instituting intravenous pulse cyclophosphamide therapy, failure was observed in 6 other patients. Between month 16 and 18, 2 other patients relapsed when the time between 2 pulses was lengthened. Five patients developed cyclophosphamide-related side-effects: infection (n = 2), amenorrhea (n = 1), alopecia (n = 2) and vomiting (n = 2). Except for one fatal infection, no major side-effect of intravenous cyclophosphamide therapy was observed. At the end of the study, all patients were off intravenous cyclophosphamide therapy with more than 6 months of followup. The 6 responders were in remission on low-dose prednisone or without treatment. CONCLUSION: A combination of high-dose prednisone and intravenous cyclophosphamide may achieve long-term remission in 42% of patients with Wegener's granulomatosis. Responders to intravenous cyclophosphamide therapy had less extensive disease than non-responders.

Disopyramide-induced hypoglycemia: case report and review of the literature.

Disopyramide is a group I antiarrhythmic drug which is mainly used for the treatment of ventricular and supraventricular rhythm disturbances. Commonest side effects result from disopyramide's anticholinergic activity. Other side effects such as hypoglycemia have been reported less frequently. We report one observation of disopyramide induced hypoglycemia, and a review of the literature is presented. Including our observation, 14 cases (9 men and 5 women, aged from 41 to 88) have so far been reported. Doses of disopyramide ranged from 200 to 1,200 mg per day, administered from one day to one year. Symptomatology was mainly neurologic (12 patients) and two patients were clinically asymptomatic. The outcome was favorable in all but the 2 patients who died with persistent hypoglycemia after a single dose of 250 mg in one patient and after 400 mg daily during 4 days in the other (without stopping the drug). Renal function was markedly impaired in 9 patients, two of these patients being on a long term dialysis therapy. Blood levels of disopyramide were measured in 7 patients and ranged from 1 to 11.4 ng/ml. In five patients it was in the normal range (1-4 ng/ml). Three patients were rechallenged for disopyramide: hypoglycemia occurred in all, without clinical symptoms in two of them. The main risk factors of disopyramide induced hypoglycemia are a preexisting chronic renal failure, advanced age, and malnutrition. In these patients normally non toxic disopyramide blood levels, as defined in normal subjects, seem to be inappropriately high. We suggest that in patients at risk, disopyramide blood levels should be maintained at the lower range of therapeutic level.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Tianeptine and its main metabolite. Disposition in chronic renal failure and haemodialysis.

The disposition of the antidepressant tianeptine and its MC5 metabolite (pentanoic acid analogue of tianeptine) was studied following a single 12.5 mg oral dose of tianeptine sodium salt in 20 patients with chronic renal failure. In 12 patients (group I) having a creatinine clearance of less than 19 ml.min-1 the pharmacokinetics parameters for tianeptine and MC5 metabolite were determined and compared with those obtained in a matched control group (group II). The other 8 patients (group III) were functionally anephric and were studied during 1 dialysis to assess the haemodialysis clearances of tianeptine and MC5 metabolite. The comparison between groups I and II showed that renal failure did not appear to affect the disposition of parent tianeptine. However, the MC5 metabolite terminal half-life was found to be increased in renal patients compared to controls (14.2 +/- 9.3 h vs 4.9 +/- 1.7 h). Due to a large interindividual variability the difference did not reach a significant level (P = 0.054). According to the antidepressant activity of the MC5 metabolite in pharmacological tests, the sustained rise in its plasma level suggests that a reduced daily dose should be administered and 12.5 mg of tianeptine should be given twice daily to patients with chronic renal failure. In patients from group III elimination of the compounds by haemodialysis was found to be low. The dialysis clearances were 3.9 +/- 9.9 ml.min-1 and 19.2 +/- 8.6 ml.min-1 for tianeptine and its MC5 metabolite respectively. This low dialysability has 2 clinical implications. Firstly, patients currently undergoing haemodialysis and treated by tianeptine could be given the drug without taking dialysis into account. Secondly, haemodialysis does not appear to be an effective method for tianeptine elimination in cases of overdosage.

Transperitoneal movement and pharmacokinetics of cefotiam and cefsulodin in patients on continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis.

The kinetics of cefotiam and cefsulodin were studied in plasma and dialysate after intravenous and intraperitoneal administration of 1 g to patients undergoing continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis. Instillation of autologous hemoglobin as a marker permitted calculation of the cavity volume and, hence, the rate of transfer to and from the peritoneal cavity with time. The patients were divided into 4 groups. Groups 1 and 2 were intravenously given cefotiam (5 patients) and cefsulodin (4 patients), respectively. Groups 3 and 4 (5 patients each) were given cefsulodin intraperitoneally. Group 3 did not have peritonitis, while the patients in Group 4 were studied during peritonitis. Blood and dialysate samples were obtained at selected times during the 5-hour dwell and, for plasma, until 24 hours after drug administration. Pharmacokinetic analysis of the data showed that only 6.0 and 8.7% of the intravenous doses of cefotiam and cefsulodin, respectively, were recovered in the dialysate at the end of the dwell. The net amounts of cefsulodin lost from the dialysate after intraperitoneal administration were 81 and 84%, in Groups 3 and 4 respectively. The peritoneal transfer clearances (using a unidirectional clearance model), calculated after intravenous (17 +/- 10 ml/min, Group 2) and intraperitoneal (17 +/- 5 ml/min, Group 3) administrations were the same. Mass balance of cefsulodin in the body and in the dialysate after intraperitoneal administration indicated that a significant amount (40%, Group 3) of the dose is unaccounted for. One explanation for this imbalance is retention of the drug in the peritoneal lining. This hypothesis is supported by the retention being lower in the peritonitis patients (less than 20%, Group 4), for whom the linings are expected to be partially eroded.

Inappropriate secretion of antidiuretic hormone (SIADH) in a patient with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE): a case report.

The Syndrome of Inappropriate Secretion of Antidiuretic Hormone (ADH) or SIADH has been reported in a great variety of diseases and disorders of the central nervous system. However, to our knowledge only three cases [Kaplan et al., Decaux et al. 1981, Agus et al. 1983] of SIADH associated with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) have been described in the literature. We report here a new case of SIADH in association with SLE.

Is cryoglobulin detection of clinical significance in chronic glomerulonephritis not related to systemic disease?

Sera from 105 adult patients with idiopathic chronic glomerulonephritis (GN) were investigated to assess the diagnostic and prognostic value of cryoglobulin (CG) detection. CG+ sera were found in 49% of cases but also in 34% of normal donors. CG composition in these two groups was different. Concentrations of CG greater than micron g/ml were considered as abnormal, since concentrations did not exceed this value in the controls. Using this criterion 30% of patients with GN had CG; most had membrano-proliferative GN, GN with mesangial IgA deposits, and membranous GN. CG occurred with the same frequency but at higher concentrations in the group of patients with diffuse proliferative GN than in other groups; however, there was no difference in the frequency and concentration of CG when GN was thought to be mediated by immune complexes (IC) than when it was not. No relationship was observed with disease activity. In conclusion low CG might represent an in vitro artifact of a common in vivo immunoregulatory mechanism in normal donors. Although they might be a marker for the presence of IC in adult patients with GN not related to systemic disease, CG detection appears to be of little help in diagnosis, assessment of disease activity, or therapeutic monitoring.

Acute renal failure induced by foscarnet: 4 cases.

Foscarnet (FC) is a new antiviral agent which has been recently proposed for the treatment of severe cytomegalovirus (CMV) infections in immunocompromised patients. When used intravenously (i.v.), main adverse effects of FC are a fall in hemoglobin, and an increase in liver enzymes and serum calcium. Although increased serum creatinine have been noted in several patients, deterioration of renal function is often accounted for by the concomitant use of other nephrotoxic drugs, the severity of underlying disease or the presence of graft rejection. Consequently FC is often considered as a non or poorly nephrotoxic drug. We report 4 cases of acute renal failure (ARF) which can be exclusively attributed to FC. FC was used for CMV chorioretinitis in 3 AIDS patients and in one non-immunocompromised patient. ARF was diagnosed between the 6th and 15th day of treatment, with oligoanuria in two patients (one of whom required two hemodialysis periods). ARF was most likely secondary to acute toxic tubulopathy. Three patients did not receive any other nephrotoxic drug. The fourth patient received concomitantly sulfadiazine but renal function returned to baseline value after FC completion although sulfadiazine was continued. In conclusion, our 4 observations suggest that FC may be responsible for acute tubulopathy. We suggest that in these patients renal function should be carefully monitored and dehydration promptly corrected to limit the risk of nephrotoxicity.

Effects of nifedipine on cisplatinum-induced nephrotoxicity in rats.

The effects of calcium channel blockade with nifedipine (N) on cis-diammine dichloroplatinum II (CDDP)-induced nephrotoxicity were tested in male Sprague-Dawley rats. Renal function was evaluated before and five days after CDDP administration (5 mg/kg). The rats were treated with various doses of N (0.1; 0.3; 0.6 mg/kg/day) 2 days before CDDP administration and throughout the study. The severity of CDDP-induced acute renal failure was markedly modified in N-treated animals according to the daily dosage of N. At 0.3 and 0.6 mg/kg BW/day, N enhanced CDDP nephrotoxicity. Serum creatinine was 637 +/- 45 and 611 +/- 71 mumoles/liter, respectively, 5 days after CDDP administration (vs. 313 +/- 24 mumoles in animals treated with CDDP alone; p less than 0.05). In these animals the plasma potassium level was significantly elevated at day 7 when compared with CDDP-treated and control rats. In contrast, at the dose of 0.1 mg/kg BW/day N attenuated CDDP nephrotoxicity with a serum creatinine of 214 +/- 35 mumoles at the end of the study. The pathologic changes were also more severe in the groups receiving 0.3 and 0.6 mg/kg of nifedipine. We postulate that at the higher doses (0.3 and 0.6 mg/kg) the systemic hemodynamic effects of nifedipine may override the potentially beneficial intrarenal effect which may account for the favorable results recorded with a dosage of 0.1 mg/kg.

Idiopathic acute interstitial nephritis associated with anterior uveitis in adults.

Concomitant renal and ocular lesions have been described in a few systemic diseases. The association of acute interstitial nephritis (AIN) and anterior uveitis without determined cause was first described in children. Recently, the same clinical association has been reported in adults. We report 3 cases of this association and present a review of the literature. Including our 3 patients, 7 cases of this association have been reported in adults. All patients were females aged 27-74 years. Initial symptoms were either ocular, or pseudoviral (fever, myalgia and fatigue). Histological renal studies revealed acute interstitial nephritis with tubular lesions. Immunofluorescence and electron microscopy were not contributive. Ocular prognosis was always good. In 5 patients, the evolution of renal function was excellent with complete resolution of acute renal failure within a few weeks. Chronic renal failure developed in two of the four patients who did not receive systemic steroid therapy (with evolution towards terminal renal failure in one patient). Three of the patients received 60 mg per day of prednisone and none of them developed chronic renal failure. Despite the small number of patients reported and the possibility of spontaneous regression, these data suggest a beneficial effect of systemic steroid therapy to prevent or reduce interstitial inflammation and subsequent fibrosis.

Hemolytic uremic syndrome in patients with Behçet's disease treated with cyclosporin A: report of 2 cases.

Hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) has been reported in patients treated with cyclosporin A (CsA) following bone, hepatic and kidney transplantation. We report two patients with Behçet's disease (BD) under CsA treatment because of severe uveitis, who developed HUS several months after the initiation of treatment. Renal biopsies showed lesions consistent with the diagnosis of the arterial form of thrombotic microangiopathy: vascular thrombosis with extensive glomerular ischemia. Renal failure persisted after withdrawal of CsA: one patient is in chronic renal failure (CRF) with a 4-year follow-up; the other died after refusal of chronic hemodialysis. In our two patients, excessive doses of CsA with high trough levels are likely to have contributed to the development of HUS. A rapid adjustment of CsA doses and an early detection of signs of the microangiopathic process might have prevented this severe complication of CsA treatment.

Clinical aspects of continuous ambulatory and continuous cyclic peritoneal dialysis in diabetic patients.

The treatment of end-stage renal diabetic nephropathy remains a challenge. A large experience allows us to clearly outline the advantages and the drawbacks of continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) and continuous cyclic peritoneal dialysis (CCPD). Eighty-one patients, mean age 51.3 years, were treated over the last 9 years by CAPD-CCPD. Extrarenal complications, mainly vascular lesions, were present in this high-risk group of patients. The technique was modified in order to inject intraperitoneally, 4 times per day, insulin to control blood glucose level in CAPD patients. Actuarial survival was 92% at 1 year, 50% at 4 years mainly influenced by age: 85% survival at 2 years in 35 patients aged less than 50 years old and 62% at 2 years in 46 patients aged more than 50 years old. The main causes of death were of cardiovascular origin: myocardial infarction, stroke, atherosclerotic vasculopathy. The main causes of transfer to hemodialysis were due to technical complications. Peritonitis rate was one episode every 14 patient-months. Control of blood pressure, blood glucose levels, main biological parameters, and visual status were the clear advantages of the method. Peripheral vascular disease is not influenced by the technique. CAPD-CCPD is the technique of first choice in young diabetics and the preferential technique for home dialysis.

Renal effects of PPARalpha-agonists.

Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha (PPARalpha) is a member of the large nuclear receptor superfamily. Its main role is to activate genes involved in fatty acid oxidation in the liver, heart, kidney and skeletal muscle. While they are mainly used as hypolipidemic agents, PPARalpha agonists may also be postulated to exhibit renoprotective effects. This review summarizes current knowledge regarding the effects of PPARalpha agonists on the kidney.

Is overhydration in CAPD patients a contraindication to renal transplantation?

Over a 14 year period, 56 of 415 CAPD patients (34 male, 22 female), aged 42.7 +/- 11 years, underwent renal transplantation (TR). A cadaver kidney was used in 53 patients (kidney-pancreas in 2), and a human leucocyte antibody (HLA) identical related donor organ was used in 3. Underlying renal diseases were chronic glomerulonephritis in 30 patients, diabetic nephropathy in 10, interstitial nephropathy in 5, vascular in 4, polycystic kidney in 3, and undetermined in 4. Mean duration of CAPD prior to TR was 13 months (2-56 months). A three-week peritonitis episode-free interval was requested prior to TR. At year 1, actuarial patient and graft survival (96% and 86%, respectively), plasma creatinine, and number of rejection episodes were not different from those recorded in patients treated with hemodialysis (HD) prior to TR. At TR, pulmonary artery pressure (PAP) was elevated (average 21.1 +/- 7.4 mm Hg), > or = 25 mm Hg and > or = 30 mm Hg in 36% and 14.6% of CAPD patients, respectively. Post-TR, HD was performed in 4 patients; no peritoneal infection occurred. Postoperative sonography disclosed ascitis in 12.7% of CAPD patients. The PD catheter was removed two months post-TR. Hemodynamic findings at TR suggest a frequently underestimated overhydration in CAPD patients, which should be detected and treated in order to reduce acute cardiovascular complications at TR.

Clopidogrel activities in patients with renal function impairment.

OBJECTIVES: To assess the tolerability, pharmacodynamic effects and pharmacokinetic parameters after repeated doses of clopidogrel (Plavix((R))) in patients with moderate or severe renal failure. PATIENTS: Eight patients with severe renal failure (endogenous creatinine clearance 5 to 15 ml/min) and eight patients with moderate renal impairment (endogenous creatinine clearance 30 to 60 ml/min) were included. STUDY DESIGN: An open, uncontrolled, parallel-group study over 8 days' administration of 75mg once-daily clopidogrel. METHODS: Measurement of changes in ADP-induced platelet aggregation and skin bleeding time and of plasma concentrations and urinary excretion of clopidogrel and its main metabolite, SR 26334. Assessment of clinical tolerance and serial haematological and biochemical investigations. RESULTS: At the end of the dosage period, platelet aggregation was equally inhibited, by about 25%, and bleeding time equally extended, by a factor of about 2, in the two groups. There were no tolerability concerns. Maximum plasma concentration (C(max)) and time to reach C(max ) (t(max)) for clopidogrel were not significantly different between the two groups. SR 26334 excreted into the urine and renal clearance rate were significantly lower in the severely impaired group, while plasma elimination half-lives were not significantly different. C(max) and t(max) did not differ significantly between the two groups, but trough levels and area under the plasma concentration-time curve from zero to 24 hours (AUC(0-24h)) after the last dose were significantly higher in the moderately impaired group. CONCLUSIONS: Clopidogrel 75mg once daily was well tolerated in patients with either moderate or severe renal failure, and provided good inhibition of ADP-induced platelet aggregation without excessive extension of bleeding time. Dose adjustment in such patients does not appear to be required.

[Possible protective role of calcium inhibitors in drug nephrotoxicity]. / Rôle protecteur éventuel des inhibiteurs calciques sur la néphrotoxicité médicamenteuse.

Many experimental studies have shown that calcium channel blockers could prevent drug-induced acute renal failure. In dog, nifedipine and verapamil prevent decreasing blood flow produced by contrast material. In rat, administration of verapamil has beneficial effects on gentamycin nephrotoxicity. Verapamil improves renal function in rats with acute renal failure due to cyclosporine. Calcium channel blockers have various effects on cisplatinum nephrotoxicity: in rat, nifedipine worsens nephrotoxicity; in man, verapamil prevents nephrotoxicity due to cisplatinum. In addition, nifedipine seems to improve renal function in transplanted patients treated with cyclosporine. In 2 control studies, we did not find any effect of diltiazem on prevention of renal toxicity due to methotrexate and cisplatinum. Calcium channel blockers could prevent nephrotoxicity by reducing calcium transfer across cell membranes and/or inhibiting the action of vasoconstrictive hormones.