Influence of Carnicor, Venofer, and Sevelamer on the levels of genotoxic damage in end-stage renal disease patients.

End-stage renal disease (ESRD) patients present high levels of phosphorus and calcium products in serum, which contribute to the development of vascular calcification and cardiovascular disease, and to low iron stores and carnitine deficiency. For these reasons, ESRD patients are generally supplemented with different medicines. Some of the most common treatments include the use of Carnicor, Venofer, and Sevelamer drugs. Carnicor is used as a source of L-carnitine, acting as antioxidant and neuroprotector. Venofer is used to reduce the deficit of iron. Sevelamer is used to treat hyperphosphatemia. To determine the potential harmful genotoxic effects of these drugs, a group of 214 patients included in a hemodialysis program with different intakes of Carnicor, Venofer, and Sevelamer were evaluated. The levels of basal and oxidative DNA damage, as well as chromosomal damage, were measured in all individuals using the comet and the micronucleus assays, respectively. Our results indicate that Carnicor administration was associated with low but significant increases in the frequency of basal DNA damage and micronuclei. Environ. Mol. Mutagen. 59:302-311, 2018. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Unfermented grape juice reduce genomic damage on patients undergoing hemodialysis.

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients in dialysis (HD) are considered to be submitted to a continuous oxidative stress. This stress can cause damage on DNA and, consequently, contribute to the high levels of DNA damage observed in these patients. Due to the well-known role of polyphenols as antioxidant agents we proposed its use to reduce the levels of genotoxicity present in HD-CKD patients. The objective of this study was to evaluate the antigenotoxic effects of unfermented grape juice (UGJ) on HD-CKD patients. The levels of DNA damage were analyzed using different biomarkers, such as breaks and oxidized DNA bases by the comet assay, chromosome damage by the micronucleus test. In addition, TEAC (Trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity) was also evaluated. Thirty-nine patients were followed for six months, of whom 25 were supplemented by UGJ and 14 were not supplemented. The obtained results showed a significant decrease in the underlying levels of oxidative DNA damage, in the supplemented group. Regarding the clinical parameters, LDL and cholesterol, were significantly reduced in the patients studied after the supplementation period, although cholesterol was also decreased in the non-supplemented patients. In conclusion, in our studied group the supplementation with UGJ reduced the levels of oxidative DNA damage of HD-CKD patients.

C.E.R.A. administered once monthly corrects and maintains stable hemoglobin levels in chronic kidney disease patients not on dialysis: the observational study MICENAS II.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: C.E.R.A. (continuous erythropoietin receptor activator, pegilated-rHuEPO ß) corrects and maintains stable hemoglobin levels in once-monthly administration in chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients. The aim of this study was to evaluate the management of anemia with C.E.R.A. in CKD patients not on dialysis in the clinical setting. METHODS: Two hundred seventy two anemic CKD patients not on dialysis treated with C.E.R.A. were included in this retrospective, observational, multicentric study during 2010. Demographical characteristics, analytical parameters concerning anemia, treatment data and iron status were recorded. RESULTS: C.E.R.A. achieved a good control of anemia in both naïve patients (mean Hemoglobin 11.6g/dL) and patients converted from a previous ESA (mean Hemoglobin 11.7g/dL). Most naïve patients received C.E.R.A. once monthly during the correction phase and required a low monthly dose (median dose 75 µg/month). The same median dose was required in patients converted from a previous ESA, and it was lower than recommended in the Summary of Product Characteristics (SPC). Iron status was adequate in 75% of anemic CKD patients, but only 50% of anemic patients with iron deficiency received iron supplementation. CONCLUSIONS: C.E.R.A. corrects and maintains stable hemoglobin levels in anemic CKD patients not on dialysis, requiring conversion doses lower than those recommended by the SPC, and achieving target hemoglobin levels with once-monthly dosing frequency both in naïve and converted patients.