Urine albumin and serum uric acid are important determinants of serum 25 hydroxyvitamin D level in pre-dialysis chronic kidney disease patients.

Low serum 25 hydroxyvitamin D (25 OH D) is common among chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients. This cross-sectional study is looking for the different factors associated with serum 25 OH D among pre-dialysis CKD. 1624 adult stage 3-5 CKD patients were studied beside 200 normal control subjects. All candidates were tested for body mass index (BMI), estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), calcium (Ca), phosphorus (P), parathormone (PTH), 25 OH D, albumin, and uric acid (UA), and urine albumin/creatinine ratio (ACR). Multivariate linear regression analysis was done to determine predictors of 25 OH D. 98.6% of CKD patients have inadequate level of 25 OH D vs 48% of normal subjects. Serum 25 OH D was significantly lower in CKD patients (mean ± S.D = 16.54 ± 5.8 vs 37.79 ± 3.58 ng/mL for CKD vs control group respectively, p < .001). Serum level of 25 OH D has significant positive correlation with Ca (r = 0.337, p < .001), and significant negative correlation with P, PTH, UA, and ACR (r = -0.440, -0. 679, -0.724, and -0.781respectively, p < .001 in all). The independent predictors of 25 OH D were Ca, P, UA, PTH, and ACR (R square = 0.7, ß = -0.087, -0.226, -0.313, -0.253, and -0.33 respectively, p < .001 in all). In conclusion, pre-dialysis CKD patients frequently suffer low 25 OH D. Among the different abnormalities related to CKD, urine albumin excretion rate and UA are the most important predictors of 25 OH D in these patients.

Neutrophilic Myeloid-Derived Suppressor Cells and Severity in SARS-CoV-2 Infection.

BACKGROUND: While we strive to live with SARS-CoV-2, defining the immune response that leads to recovery rather than severe disease remains highly important. COVID-19 has been associated with inflammation and a profoundly suppressed immune response. OBJECTIVE: To study myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs), which are potent immunosuppressive cells, in SARS-CoV-2 infection. RESULTS: Patients with severe and critical COVID-19 showed higher frequencies of neutrophilic (PMN)-MDSCs than patients with moderate illness and control individuals (P = .005). Severe disease in individuals older and younger than 60 years was associated with distinct PMN-MDSC frequencies, being predominantly higher in patients of 60 years of age and younger (P = .004). However, both age groups showed comparable inflammatory markers. In our analysis for the prediction of poor outcome during hospitalization, MDSCs were not associated with increased risk of death. Still, patients older than 60 years of age (odds ratio [OR] = 5.625; P = .02) with preexisting medical conditions (OR = 2.818; P = .003) showed more severe disease and worse outcome. Among the immunological parameters, increased C-reactive protein (OR = 1.015; P = .04) and lymphopenia (OR = 5.958; P = .04) strongly identified patients with poor prognosis. CONCLUSION: PMN-MDSCs are associated with disease severity in COVID-19; however, MDSC levels do not predict increased risk of death during hospitalization.

Electrocardiographic substrates of arrhythmias in patients with end-stage and chronic kidney diseases: a case-control study.

BACKGROUND: Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the most common cause of death in patients with renal diseases. Cardiac arrhythmia and sudden cardiac death are particularly important, and the burden is higher in patients on hemodialysis. The aim of this study is to compare specific ECG changes as markers of arrhythmias in patients with CKD and patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD); all without clinically manifest heart disease, with normal control subjects. RESULTS: Seventy-five ESRD patients on regular hemodialysis, 75 patients with stage 3-5 CKD and 40 healthy control subjects were included. All candidates were subjected to thorough clinical evaluation and laboratory tests including serum creatinine, glomerular filtration rate calculation, serum potassium, magnesium, calcium, phosphorus, iron, parathyroid hormone, and total iron binding capacity (TIBC). Resting twelve-lead ECG was done to calculate P wave dispersion (P-WD), corrected QT interval, QTc dispersion, Tpeak-Tend interval (Tp-e), and Tp-e/QT. Patients with ESRD had a significantly higher QTc dispersion (p < 0.001) and P-WD (p = 0.001) when compared to the other 2 groups. In the ESRD group, males had a significantly higher P-WD (p = 0.045), insignificantly higher QTc dispersion (p = 0.445), and insignificantly lower Tp-e/QT ratio (p = 0.252) as compared to females. Multivariate linear regression analysis for ESRD patients showed that serum creatinine (ß = 0.279, p = 0.012) and transferrin saturation (ß = - 0.333, p = 0.003) were independent predictors of increased QTc dispersion while ejection fraction (ß = 0.320, p = 0.002), hypertension (ß = - 0.319, p = 0.002), hemoglobin level (ß = - 0.345, p = 0.001), male gender (ß = - 0.274, p = 0.009) and TIBC (ß = - 0.220, p = 0.030) were independent predictors of increased P wave dispersion. In the CKD group, TIBC (ß = - 0.285, p = 0.013) was an independent predictor of QTc dispersion while serum calcium (ß = 0.320, p = 0.002) and male gender (ß = - 0.274, p = 0.009) were independent predictors of Tp-e/QT ratio. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with stage 3-5 CKD and those with ESRD on regular hemodialysis exhibit significant ECG changes that are considered substrates for ventricular as well as supraventricular arrhythmias. Those changes were more evident in patients on hemodialysis.

Pathological Features of Recovery or Progression in Acute Tubular Necrosis: Single Centre Study.

Acute tubular necrosis (ATN) is the most important and frequent cause of acute kidney injury (AKI). Controversy exists concerning the role of renal biopsy in the evaluation of ATN prognosis. We aim in our study to evaluate the role of renal biopsy for the detection of recovery and progression and rate of recovery of ATN. The study was designed to include all biopsies with the diagnosis in ATN in adults >21-year-old, from January 2016 to December 2018. Biopsies were recruited retrospectively and were reviewed by three pathologists and quantitated. Four histological ATN features were evaluated. Flattening cells, distension or dilatation, debris, and vacuolation and for each a score were attributed as follows: 0 = less than 5% of section, 1 = 6%-25%, 2 = 26%-50%, 3 = >50%. Thirty-five patients with 35 renal biopsies were analyzed. Flattening was seen <5% in nine patients, 6%-25% in 15 patients, 26%-50% in six patients. and >50% in five patients. Dilatation was seen <5% in 11 patient, 6%-25% in 10 patients, 26%-50% seen in six patients, and >50% in eight patients. The presence of debris was seen in <5% in 12 patients, 6%-25% in 12 patients, 26%-50% seen in six patients, and >50% seen in five patient. Vacuolation was seen in 5% in eight patients, 6%-25% in 14 patients, 26%-50% in seven patients, and >50% in six patients. It was found that flattening <5% and dilatation <5% and dilatation >50% in renal biopsy are the good indicators for recovery and good prognosis of cases of ATN, in addition debris <5% and >50% and vacuolation <5% are also good indicators for recovery and good prognosis of cases of ATN. On the other hand, flattening from 6% to 25% and from 26% to 50%, dilatation from 6% to 25%, debris from 26% to 50% and vacuolation >50% are also indicators for delayed recovery and poor prognosis of cases of ATN. Renal biopsy in AKI with the diagnosis of ATN with scoring system of flattening, dilatation, debris, and vacuolation can point to indication of recovery or progression of these cases.

Association of insulin growth factor-1 and growth hormone levels in elderly renal transplant recipients with cardiac dysfunction.

Insulin growth factor-1 (IGF-1) and growth hormone (GH) have cardiac protective effects through many mechanisms; they can directly oppose endothelial dysfunction in a number of ways. Many studies assessed the effect of GH or IGF-like growth factor 1 in patients with cardiac dysfunction, but no previous study assessed the GH and insulin-like growth factor-1 in renal transplant recipients with and without cardiac dysfunction, especially elderly. Eighty patients with renal transplantation and age limit above 75 years. They were subdivided into two groups according to the presence or absence of cardiac dysfunction based on medical history, clinical findings, electrocardiogram, and echocardiography. Serum GH and insulin-like growth factor-1 were studied by immunoradiometric assay. The echocardiography study was performed. M-mode two-dimensional and Doppler measurements were taken to obtain the four- and five-chamber views, chambers' dimensions, left ventricular end-diastolic dimensions, left ventricular end-systolic dimensions, septal wall thickness (SWT), distance between leading edges of the endocardial and pericardial echoes of left ventricular posterior wall (posterior wall thickness), aortic root and left atrial dimensions (LAD), fractional shortening and ejection fraction. IGF-1 is lower in patients with cardiac dysfunction with renal transplantation with mean value of 61 ± 30.05 than those control group with mean value 145.52 ± 70.5. Level of human growth factor is higher in patients with dysfunction with renal transplantation with mean value 2.62 ± 3.05 than those control group after renal transplantation with mean value 0.85 ± 0.9. No correlations were found between IGF-1 and various echocardiographic parameters. Only SWT and LAD were negatively correlated with GH, r = -0.08, P <0.02, r = -0.37, P <0.03, respectively. No correlation was found between IGF-1 and various echocardiographic parameters. Only SWT and LAD were negatively correlated with GH.

The role of matrix metalloproteinases 2 in atherosclerosis of patients with chronic kidney disease in type 2 diabetes.

Matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP2) has been implicated in chronic disease and cardiovascular disease. However, there is no knowledge about the correlations between serum levels of MMP-2, proteinuria and atherosclerosis in patients with diabetic nephropathy (DN). We investigated whether serum MMP-2 levels were associated with proteinuria, intima-media thickness (IMT) in DN patients. Diabetic patients not on hemodialysis (n = 50) were enrolled for the study. MMP-2 levels were measured using an ELISA system. IMT was evaluated by highresolution ultrasonography. Univariate analyses revealed that MMP-2 (P = 0.013) were independent correlates of proteinuria. Further, multivariate analyses revealed that MMP-2 levels (P = 0.001) were independent correlates of IMT. MMP-2 levels were significantly (P = 0.001) higher in patients with atherosclerosis than those without it. The present study demonstrates that serum levels of MMP-2 were one of the independent correlates of proteinuria and IMT in patients with DN. Our results suggest that serum MMP-2 levels may be one of the risk factors for renal damage and atherosclerosis in DN patients.

Spectrum of kidney diseases in patients presented for acute hemodialysis in Kasr Al-Aini School of Medicine.

Acute kidney injury (AKI) is common in hospitalized patients with mortality varying from 10% to 80%. It is crucial to know the incidence and etiology of AKI to promote prevention strategies. Our study aimed at obtaining a comprehensive review of the pattern and spectrum of patients who presented for emergency hemodialysis to Kasr Al-Aini Hospital between October 2012 and October 2014. We analyzed clinical and laboratory factors in all such patients. Two thousand twenty three patients were included of which patients with AKI were 728 patients (36%). Cardiac diseases were the cause of AKI in 171 patients, other prerenal causes were found in 55 patients, drug induced AKI in 113 patients, and obstetric causes in 48 patients. Glomerulonephritis was responsible for AKI in 101 patients, lupus nephritis was found in 33 patients of them. Patients with chronic kidney disease who presented with acute exacerbation were 243 patients (12%). Patients who were discovered to be with end-stage renal disease during their first presentation itself were 1052 patients (52 %). Diabetes mellitus was present in 50.12%, while hypertension was present in 29.56%. Hepatitis C virus was present in 17.3%, while HBsAg was present in 0.8%. Drugs and obstetric causes represented a larger fraction among our cases than seen in developed countries. Lupus nephritis was also a common cause of AKI.