Association between individual and combined SNPs in genes related to innate immunity and incidence of CMV infection in seropositive kidney transplant recipients.

In this study, we assessed the association between single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in seven candidate genes involved in orchestrating the immune response against cytomegalovirus (CMV) and the 12-month incidence of CMV infection in 315 CMV-seropositive kidney transplant (KT) recipients. Patients were managed either by antiviral prophylaxis or preemptive therapy. CMV infection occurred in 140 patients (44.4%), including 13 episodes of disease. After adjusting for various clinical covariates, patients harboring T-allele genotypes of interleukin-28B (IL28B) (rs12979860) SNP had lower incidence of CMV infection (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR]: 0.66; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.46-0.96; p-value = 0.029). In the analysis restricted to patients not receiving prophylaxis, carriers of the TT genotype of toll-like receptor 9 (TLR9) (rs5743836) SNP had lower incidence of infection (aHR: 0.61; 95% CI: 0.38-0.96; p-value = 0.035), whereas the GG genotype of dendritic cell-specific ICAM 3-grabbing nonintegrin (DC-SIGN) (rs735240) SNP exerted the opposite effect (aHR: 1.86; 95% CI: 1.18-2.94; p-value = 0.008). An independent association was found between the number of unfavorable SNP genotypes carried by the patient and the incidence of CMV infection. In conclusion, specific SNPs in IL28B, TLR9 and DC-SIGN genes may play a role in modulating the susceptibility to CMV infection in CMV-seropositive KT recipients.

Effects of carbenicillin on blood coagulation: a study in patients with chronic renal failure.

A study of coagulation has been performed on 8 chronic renal failure patients receiving carbenicillin therapy. All showed a prolongation of the bleeding, recalcification, partially-activated thromboplastin, prothrombin and thrombin times. These findings suggest the presence of an anticoagulant with an heparin-like mode of action. In vitro tests suggest that carbenicillin may be this factor. We have also shown that the drug produces a disturbance in the normal polymerization process. The implications of these findings for the treatment of (CRF) patients with carbenicillin are discussed.

[Renal tubular acidification in patients treated with anticonvulsants (author's transl)]. / Acidificación tubular renal en sujetos tratados con anticonvulsivantes.

Proximal and distal renal tubular acidification function has been studied in ten epileptics treated with phenobarbital and hydantoins. Plasma concentration of 25 OH D3 and urinary excretion of adenosine 3':5'-cyclic phosphate (cAMP) were also determined. Serum parathormone (PTH) was analyzed in five patients. Four of these ten patients showed a decreasing threshold for bicarbonates, suggesting a disturbance of the proximal tubular acidification function. These patients did not show diminishing plasma levels of 25 OH D3, and according to the results of cAMP and PTH determinations a hyperparathyroidism could be ruled out. Anticonvulsants lead to a disturbance of the renal acidification which is not derived from alterations of the phosphocalcic metabolism.

[Study of the acidification capacity of the urine in polyclonal hypergammaglobulinemia (author's transl)]. / Estudio de la capacidad de acidificación de la orina en las hipergammaglobulinemias policionales.

The renal capacity of acidification of urine was studied in 21 patients with hypergammaglobulinemia (polyclonal gammapathies) secondary to several conditions. The reabsorption threshold of bicarbonate was determined by Rodriguez-Soriano's technique; the acid and ammonium production was measured using Wrong and Davies' technique. Values for the bicarbonate threshold ranged from 18.5 to 29 mmol/liter of plasma bicarbonate with a mean value of 25 +/- 2.29; they were not significantly different from the control values. Urinary pH ranged from 4.6 to 5.8; ammonium excretion ranged from 18.4 to 114.5 microEq/min (mean value 63.01 +/- 25.36). Acidity values ranged from 13 to 65.05 microEq/min (mean value 33.61 +/- 19.36). Thhre was no statistical difference between these values and those obtained from the controls. We found no evidence that the acidification function of urine was limited in patients with hypergammaglobulinemia secondary to several conditions as compared with normal subjects. In the two cases in which this function was altered there was no reason why it should be attributed to hypergammaglobulinemia.

[A study of the urinary acidifying capacity of patients chronically treated with anticonvulsants (author's transl)]. / Estudio de la capacidad de acidificación de la orina en enfermos con ingestón crónica de anticonvulsivantes.

The subjects of this study were 18 patients with essential or secondary epilepsy under treatment with anticonvulsant drugs (hydantoins and phenobarbital) for periods of time varying between 8 months and 22 years. In all of them the serum levels of calcium, phosphorus, alkaline phosphatase, and the renal tubular capacity to acidify the urine were measured. Mean serum calcium and phosphorus levels were normal, while alkaline phosphatase was significantly elevated (p less than 0.0005). The renal threshold for bicarbonate was lowered to a mean of 23.01 +/- 2.86 (p less than 0.01). Distal tubular function was normal in all cases. When the patients are divided into two groups according to the duration of treatment (more or less than 100 months), the group with longest therapy shows an elevation of alkaline phosphatase (p less than 0.0005), a lowering of serum calcium (p less than 0.025) and a reduction of the renal threshold for bicarbonate (p less than 0.005) when compared to the group with shortest therapy.

[Erythrocyte levels of ALA-dehydrase and uro-synthetase in chronic renal insufficiency (author's transl)]. / Estudio de los niveles eritrocitarios de ala-dehidrasa y uro-sintetasa en la insuficiencia renal crónica.

Erythrocyte levels of ala-dehydrase and uro-synthetase as well as hematocrit, hemoglobin, iron levels and serum iron binding capacity were studied in a group of 28 patients with chronic renal failure in hemodialysis and compared to those of a control group. As is usual, hematocrit, hemoglobin an iron levels were significantly decreased, as were ala-dehydrase levels, while uro-synthetase levels were within normal levels. These results are interpreted as a blockade of the biosynthetic pathway of the protoporphyrins, which lends support to the hypothesis of an existing defect in hemoglobin synthesis in patients with chronic renal failure.

[Plasma B12 vitamin and folic acid during chronic renal failure and hemodialysis (author's transl)]. / Comportamiento de la vitamina B12 y del ácido fólico séricos en la insuficiencia renal crónica y en la hemodiálisis.

Thirty-one patients suffering from very advanced degrees of chronic renal insufficiency were studied. Ten received a hypoproteic diet as the only treatment and the remaining 21 were on a program of hemodialysis with a free diet and no vitamin supplements. Basal and pre- and post-dialysis plasma determinations of B12 vitamin and folic acid were carried out on them. Looking at the results it was verified that there was a significant reduction in the plasma values of both B12 vitamin and folic acid in the cases of low protein intake. In dialysis we saw that although folic acid was lost during sessions the free dietetic intake was enough to compensate for these losses. As for B12 vitamin, although it is described as dialyzable, we did not observe that its post-dialysis values disminished. Our conclusions indicate that a supplementary vitamin contribution is not necessary for patients who are on a program of hemodialysis.

Análisis clínico de una población con poliquistosis renal autosómica dominante / Clinical analysis of a population with autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease

La poliquistosis renal autosómica dominante es una enfermedad hereditaria multiorgánica, responsable del 7-10% de los casos de insuficiencia renal crónica terminal que precisan tratamiento renal sustitutivo, causada por mutaciones en los genes PKD1 y PKD2. El diagnóstico de esta enfermedad puede realizarse fácilmente mediante pruebas radiológicas; la ecografía constituye el método de elección, pero el diagnóstico molecular ofrece la ventaja de la detección precoz de individuos asintomáticos portadores del defecto genético. En este trabajo, presentamos los resultados del análisis clínico de 48 pacientes diagnosticados de poliquistosis renal autosómica dominante. Los objetivos de nuestro trabajo fueron analizar los principales aspectos clínicos de la enfermedad, las causas de morbimortalidad e identificar a los individuos de riesgo afectados y sus manifestaciones clínicas precoces. En nuestro estudio, la hipertensión arterial fue la manifestación inicial más frecuente (68,42%), mientras que en la evolución de la enfermedad lo fue la insuficiencia renal crónica (100%). A pesar de que la edad media del diagnóstico de la poliquistosis renal en este estudio fue menor en las mujeres, la evolución de la enfermedad fue más tórpida en los hombres, lo que determinó el inicio más precoz del tratamiento renal sustitutivo y, consecuentemente, la mayor mortalidad. En este estudio se observó una prevalencia similar de muertes de origen cardiovascular (42,1%) e infeccioso (42,1%). En resumen, nuestros resultados revelan una alta prevalencia de pacientes con poliquistosis renal diagnosticados tardíamente, lo que podría explicar la elevada morbimortalidad. Dada la alta prevalencia de insuficiencia renal crónica e insuficiencia renal crónica terminal secundaria a poliquistosis renal en nuestro estudio, el diagnóstico precoz de la poliquistosis conllevaría un mejor pronóstico en relación con un seguimiento clínico más estricto. Por tanto, al ser la hipertensión arterial la manifestación clínica más frecuente en el momento del diagnóstico, debería incluirse esta entidad nosológica en todos los casos con hipertensión arterial de etiología no filiada y, por otra parte, las complicaciones infecciosas deberían ser un signo de alerta en todo paciente con poliquistosis renal autosómica dominante (AU)

Autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease is a multi-organic hereditary disorder. It is responsible for 7-10% of cases of end stage renal failure. It is caused by mutations in the genes PKD1 and PKD2. The diagnosis of this disease can be performed through ultrasounds, but the molecular diagnosis offers some advantages, such as the early detection of asymptomatic individuals who carry this genetic defect, in order to perform a preventive monitoring and genetic counselling. In this work, we present the results of the clinical analysis of 48 patients diagnosed with autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease. The objectives of this work were to analyze the main clinical aspects of the disease. The average age of appearance of the first symptoms was 41.17 ± 13.41 years in women and 49.91 ± 12.52 years in men (p <0.05). Arterial hypertension was the first sign of the disease (68.42%), with more cases in men than in women (p <0.05), followed by chronic renal failure (68.29 %). The most common renal symptom during the evolution of the disease was chronic renal failure, which was present in all the patients of the study, followed by proteinuria (92.31%), end-stage renal failure (89.58%) and arterial hypertension (87.23%). In summary, our results reveal a high prevalence of patients with polycystic kidney disease who received a late diagnosis. This could possibly explain the high morbi-mortality associated to this condition. Given the high prevalence of chronic renal failure and end-stage renal failure secondary to polycystic kidney disease in our study, the early diagnostic of the disease would carry better pronostic in relation with a more strict clinical follow-up. The arterial hypertension was the most frequent clinical manifestation of the disease in our study by what this entity should be included in all the hypertense patients of unknown etiology and on the other hand, the infectious complications should be a sign of alert in every patient with polycystic kidney disease (AU)

Análisis genético (PKD2) de la poliquistosis renal autosómica dominante / No disponible

La poliquistosis renal autosómica dominante (PQRAD) es una enfermedad hereditaria multiorgánica, caracterizada por un progresivo crecimiento y desarrollo de quistes renales que destruyen el parénquima funcional. Es responsable del 7-10% de los casos de insuficiencia renal crónica terminal que precisan tratamiento renal sustitutivo, causada por mutaciones en los genes PKD1 y PKD2. Las dos formas de PQRAD tienen una patogenia y clínica similar, pero en los pacientes con mutación en PKD2, las manifestaciones clínicas aparecen más tarde y la progresión a nefropatía terminal acontece 10 años más tarde que en los pacientes con mutación en PKD1. El diagnóstico de esta enfermedad puede realizarse fácilmente mediante ecografía, pero el diagnóstico molecular ofrece la ventaja de la detección precoz de individuos asintomáticos portadores del defecto genético. En este trabajo, presentamos los resultados del análisis genético (PKD2) de 18 pacientes diagnosticados de PQRAD. Los objetivos de nuestro trabajo fueron comparar la rentabilidad del estudio genético respecto al radiológico, realizar un diagnóstico genético precoz en los descendientes de pacientes afectados, e intentar establecer una correlación fenotipo- genotipo en los pacientes con mutación en PKD2. Tras el análisis genético, sólo se diagnosticó a una familia (5,56 %) con mutación en el exón 13 del gen PKD2, consistente en una sustitución del nucleótido adenosina por citosina (c.2398A>C) que implicaba el cambio del aminoácido metionina por leucina (p.800Met>Leu). En nuestra población, contrariamente a lo publicado, la mutación sí se segregó con la enfermedad, y todos los miembros con diagnóstico clínico y de imagen de PQRAD presentaron dicha mutación. Dada la alta prevalencia de insuficiencia renal crónica e insuficiencia renal crónica terminal secundaria a poliquistosis renal en nuestro medio, el diagnóstico genético precoz de la poliquistosis renal conllevaría mejor pronóstico en relación con un seguimiento clínico más estricto (AU)

Autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease is a multiorganic hereditary disorder. It is responsible for 7-10% of cases of end stage renal failure. It is caused by mutations in the genes PKD1 and PKD2. Both polycystic kidney disease¿s forms have a pathogeny and similar clinic, but in the patients with mutation in PKD2, the clinical manifestations appear later and the progression to end stage renal failure happens 10 years later than in the patients with mutation in PKD1. The diagnosis of this disease can be performed through ultrasounds, but the molecular diagnosis offers some advantages, such as the early detection of asymptomatic individuals who carry this genetic defect, in order to perform a preventive monitoring and genetic counselling. In this work, we present the results of the mutational analysis of the PKD2 gene in 18 patients diagnosed with autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease. The objectives of this work were to analyze the profitability of the genetic study compared with the radiologic study, and perform an early genetic diagnosis in the descendants of patients who were affected by a mutation in the PKD2 gene, trying to establish a correlation between phenotype and genotype. After the genetic analysis, only one family was diagnosed with a mutation in exon 13 of the PKD2 gene (5.56%), which consists on a substitution of the nucleotide adenosine by cytosine (c.2398A>C), which implies that the amino acid methionine is replaced by leucine (p.800Met>Leu). In our population, contrary to what was published in the literature, the mutation of the gene was clinically significant and did segregate with the disease. All the members with a clinical and ultrasound diagnosis of polycystic renal disease presented the abovementioned mutation. We could not confirm any clinicalgenetic correlation. Due to the high prevalence of chronic renal failure and terminal chronic renal failure secondary to polycystic kidney disease in our study, an early genetic diagnosis would involve a better prognosis in connection with a closer clinical monitoring (AU)

Hyporeninemic hypoaldosteronism in diabetic patients with chronic renal failure.

Plasma renin activity, plasma aldosterone levels and renal tubular capacity to excrete hydrogen ions were studied in 13 patients suffering from diabetes mellitus with a creatinine clearance of less than 40 ml/min. The results were compared with those obtained in a control group, in a group of nondiabetic subjects with chronic renal failure (CRF) and in a group of diabetic patients without CRF. Twelve of the thirteen diabetic patients with CRF had data characteristic of hyporeninemic hypoaldosteronism associated with type IV renal tubular acidosis. On comparing the results with those of the other two groups of patients, it was observed that the manifestations of the latter two groups considered separately were different from those of the problem group, although in the diabetic patients with normal glomerular filtration rate (GFR) hyporeninism but not hypoaldosteronism was present accompanied by a lower net acid excretion (p less than 0.001) due to a lower excretion of NH4 (p less than 0.05) and titratable acid (p less than 0.001) when the patients were challenged with an NH4Cl overload. We believe that a conjunction of diabetes and renal failure is necessary for the diabetic patients with a decrease in GFR to show hyporeninemic hypoaldosteronism and type IV tubular acidosis.

Renal management of sodium under indomethacin and aldosterone in the elderly.

The tubular handling of sodium in two groups of healthy old people, under the action of indomethacin and aldosterone was studied. Urinary aldosterone elimination was measured. From the results obtained, it is deduced that the elderly lose sodium through incompetence of the distal nephron. The possibility is put forward of a Na-K-ATPase deficit and/or interstitial fibrosis as being related to salt losses.

Effect of renal impairment on distribution of ofloxacin.

A study was made of the plasma and distribution kinetics of ofloxacin administered at a dosage of 400 mg orally to a group of healthy volunteers and a group of patients with renal impairment. Blood and blister fluid samples were taken at programmed times from all individuals included in the study. The analytical techniques for the determination of ofloxacin in both fluids were a plate diffusion method and a high-performance liquid chromatographic technique. The fitting of the experimental data to the kinetic model used was done with the help of the AUTOAN 2 and NONLIN 84 computer programs. In the groups of healthy volunteers, the elimination half-life mean values were found to be 5.1 and 5.9 h in plasma and blister fluid, respectively. The maximum concentration reached in plasma (3.9 micrograms/ml) proved to be slightly higher than that in interstitial tissue fluid (2.8 micrograms/ml). In the patients with renal impairment, the maximum concentrations in both plasma and blister fluid were significantly increased, in the order of 5 to 8 micrograms/ml in the former and 3 to 4 micrograms/ml in interstitial tissue fluid. The parameters seen to undergo an increase as a result of the renal impairment were the area under the curve of the plasma-time levels, the area under the curve of the blister fluid-time levels, and the elimination half-life in plasma and blister fluid. The degree of absorption and the access capacity of the drug to interstitial tissue fluid remained constant.