Albuminuria, Forgotten No More: Underlining the Emerging Role in CardioRenal Crosstalk.

Kidneys have an amazing ability to adapt to adverse situations, both acute and chronic. In the presence of injury, the kidney is able to activate mechanisms such as autoregulation or glomerular hyperfiltration to maintain the glomerular filtration rate (GFR). While these adaptive mechanisms can occur in physiological situations such as pregnancy or high protein intake, they can also occur as an early manifestation of diseases such as diabetes mellitus or as an adaptive response to nephron loss. Although over-activation of these mechanisms can lead to intraglomerular hypertension and albuminuria, other associated mechanisms related to the activation of inflammasome pathways, including endothelial and tubular damage, and the hemodynamic effects of increased activity of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system, among others, are recognized pathways for the development of albuminuria. While the role of albuminuria in the progression of chronic kidney disease (CKD) is well known, there is increasing evidence of its negative association with cardiovascular events. For example, the presence of albuminuria is associated with an increased likelihood of developing heart failure (HF), even in patients with normal GFR, and the role of albuminuria in atherosclerosis has recently been described. Albuminuria is associated with adverse outcomes such as mortality and HF hospitalization. On the other hand, it is increasingly known that the systemic effects of congestion are mainly preceded by increased central venous pressure and transmitted retrogradely to organs such as the liver or kidney. With regard to the latter, a new entity called congestive nephropathy is emerging, in which increased renal venous pressure can lead to albuminuria. Fortunately, the presence of albuminuria is modifiable and new treatments are now available to reverse this common risk factor in the cardiorenal interaction.

Point-of-care ultrasound training in nephrology: a position statement by the International Alliance for POCUS in Nephrology.

Point-of-care ultrasonography (POCUS) has rapidly evolved from a niche technology to an indispensable tool across medical specialties, including nephrology. This evolution is driven by advancements in technology and the visionary efforts of clinicians in emergency medicine and beyond. Recognizing its potential, medical schools are increasingly integrating POCUS into training curricula, emphasizing its role in enhancing diagnostic accuracy and patient care. Despite these advancements, barriers such as limited faculty expertise and 'lack of' standardized guidelines hinder widespread adoption and regulation. The International Alliance for POCUS in Nephrology (IAPN), through this position statement, aims to guide nephrologists in harnessing the diagnostic power of POCUS responsibly and effectively. By outlining core competencies, recommending training modalities and advocating for robust quality assurance measures, we envision a future where POCUS enhances nephrology practice globally, ensuring optimal patient outcomes through informed, evidence-based decision-making. International collaboration and education are essential to overcome current challenges and realize the full potential of POCUS in nephrology and beyond.

Impact of COVID19 pandemic on patients with rare diseases in Spain, with a special focus on inherited metabolic diseases.

Introduction: The Covid-19 pandemic soon became an international health emergency raising concern about its impact not only on physical health but also on quality of life and mental health. Rare diseases are chronically debilitating conditions with challenging patient care needs. We aimed to assess the quality of life and mental health of patients with rare diseases in Spain, with a special focus on inherited metabolic disorders (IMD). Methods: A prospective case-control study was designed, comparing 459 patients suffering from a rare disease (including 53 patients with IMD) and 446 healthy controls. Quality of life (QoL) and mental health were assessed using validated scales according to age: KINDL-R and the Pediatric Symptom Checklist (PSC) for children and the WhoQoL-Bref questionnaire, GAD and PHQ-9 in adults. Results: First, children and adults (but not adolescents) with IMD showed greater psychological effects than controls (p = 0.022, p = 0.026 respectively). Second, when comparing QoL, only adult patients with IMD showed worse score than controls (66/100 vs 74,6/100 respectively, p = 0.017). Finally, IMD had better quality of life than other rare neurological and genetic diseases (p = 0.008) or other rare diseases (p < 0.001 respectively) but similar alteration of the mental status. Conclusions: Our data show that the pandemic had a negative impact on mental health that is more evident in the group of patients with IMD. Young age would behave as a protective factor on the perception of QoL. Furthermore, patients with IMD show a better QoL than other rare diseases.

Evolving Concepts on Inflammatory Biomarkers and Malnutrition in Chronic Kidney Disease.

While patient care, kidney replacement therapy, and transplantation techniques for chronic kidney disease (CKD) have continued to progress, the incidence of malnutrition disorders in CKD appears to have remained unchanged over time. However, there is now a better understanding of the underlying pathophysiology according to the disease background, disease stage, and the treatment received. In CKD patients, the increased production of proinflammatory cytokines and oxidative stress lead to a proinflammatory milieu that is at least partially responsible for the increased morbidity and mortality in this patient population. New insights into the pathogenic role of innate immunity and the proinflammatory cytokine profile, characterized, for instance, by higher levels of IL-6 and TNF-α, explain some of the clinical and laboratory abnormalities observed in these patients. In this article, we will explore currently available nutritional-inflammatory biomarkers in distinct CKD populations (hemodialysis, peritoneal dialysis, transplantation) with a view to evaluating their efficacy as predictors of malnutrition and their involvement in the common proinflammatory process. Although there is a direct relationship between inflammatory-nutritional status, signs and symptoms [e.g., protein-energy wasting (PEW), anorexia], and comorbidities (e.g., atheromatosis, atherosclerosis), we are in need of clearly standardized markers for nutritional-inflammatory assessment to improve their performance and design appropriate bidirectional interventions.