Clinical and histopathological characteristics of primary focal segmental glomerulosclerosis in Turkish adults.

The data regarding primary FSGS (pFSGS) from different parts of the world differ. While the prevalence of pFSGS has been increasing in Western countries like the USA, it follows an inconsistent trend in Europe and Asia and a decreasing trend in Far Eastern countries such as China in the last two decades. There are undetermined factors to explain those national and geographic discrepancies. Herein, we aimed to reveal the current prevalence with clinical and histopathological characteristics of pFSGS in Turkish adults. This study includes the biopsy-proven pFSGS patients data recorded between 2009 and 2019, obtained from the national multicenter primary glomerulonephritis registry system of the Turkish Society of Nephrology Glomerular Diseases (TSN-GOLD) database. 850 of the 3875 primer glomerulonephritis patients(21.9%) have pFSGS. The mean age is 40.5 ± 14.2 and 435 (51.2%) of patients are male. Nephrotic syndrome is the most common biopsy indication (59.2%). 32.6% of patients have hematuria, 15.2% have leukocyturia and 7.8% have both. Serum creatinine, albumin, and proteinuria are 1.0 mg/dL (IQR = 0.7-1.4) mg/dl, 3.4 ± 0.9 g/dl, 3400 mg/day(IQR, 1774-5740), respectively. Females have lower mean arterial pressure (- 2.2 mmHg), higher eGFR (+ 10.0 mL/min/1.73 m2), and BMI (+ 1.6 kg/m2) than males. Thickened basal membrane(76.6%) and mesangial proliferation (53.5%) on light microscopy are the major findings after segmental sclerosis. IgM (32.7%) and C3 (32.9%) depositions are the most common findings on immunofluorescence microscopy. IgM positivity is related to lower eGFR, serum albumin, and higher proteinuria. The prevalence of pFSGS is stable although slightly increasing in Turkish adults. The characteristics of the patients are similar to those seen in Western countries.

The effect of hand fine motor skills on peritoneal dialysis-related peritonitis.

INTRODUCTION: We aimed to evaluate the relationship between the hand fine motor skills of peritoneal dialysis (PD) practitioners and PD-related peritonitis. METHODS: This multicenter prospective observational study was conducted with 120 incident PD patients. Patients were divided into two groups who had PD-related peritonitis within the first year as Group 1, and those who did not as Group 2. Hand fine motor skills were evaluated by Nine-Hole Peg Test (NHPT) and Nut Screwing Test (NST). RESULTS: Initial NHPT (28.5 ± 6.0 s vs. 25.8 ± 5.0 s, p = 0.011) and NST (82.3 (61.5-102.8) s versus 65.3 (52.3-88.5) s p = 0.023) scores were significantly higher in Group 1 than Group 2. In multivariate logistic regression analysis, NHPT, Body Mass Index, Mini-Mental Test, self PD practitioner, and catheter complications were found to be independent variables in predicting PD-related peritonitis. CONCLUSION: Decreased hand fine motor skills of PD patients is a risk factor for peritonitis.

Post-COVID-19 outcomes of non-dialysis dependent chronic kidney disease patients: a national, multicenter, controlled study.

PURPOSE: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has a higher mortality in the presence of chronic kidney disease (CKD). However, there has not been much research in the literature concerning the outcomes of CKD patients in the post-COVID-19 period. We aimed to investigate the outcomes of CKD patients not receiving renal replacement therapy. METHODS: In this multicenter observational study, we included CKD patients with a GFR < 60 ml/min/1.73 m2 who survived after confirmed COVID-19. Patients with CKD whose kidney disease was due to diabetic nephropathy, polycystic kidney disease and glomerulonephritis were not included in this study. CKD patients with similar characteristics, who did not have COVID-19 were included as the control group. RESULTS: There were 173 patients in the COVID-19 group and 207 patients in the control group. Most patients (72.8%) were treated as inpatient in the COVID-19 group (intensive care unit hospitalization: 16.7%, acute kidney injury: 54.8%, needing dialysis: 7.9%). While there was no significant difference between the baseline creatinine values of the COVID-19 group and the control group (1.86 and 1.9, p = 0.978, respectively), on the 1st month, creatinine values were significantly higher in the COVID-19 group (2.09 and 1.8, respectively, p = 0.028). Respiratory system symptoms were more common in COVID-19 patients compared to the control group in the 1st month and 3rd month follow-ups (p < 0.001). Mortality at 3 months after the diagnosis of COVID-19 was significantly higher in the COVID-19 group than in the control group (respectively; 5.2% and 1.4%, p:0.037). Similarly, the rate of patients requiring dialysis for COVID-19 was significantly higher than the control group (respectively; 8.1% and 3.4%, p: 0.045). CONCLUSIONS: In CKD patients, COVID-19 was associated with increased mortality, as well as more deterioration in kidney function and higher need for dialysis in the post-COVID-19 period. These patients also had higher rate of ongoing respiratory symptoms after COVID-19.

Comparison of all renal replacement therapy modalities in terms of COVID-19 infection rate & mortality in the COVID-19 pandemic and importance of home therapies.

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to compare the infection rate and infection-related mortality among all renal replacement therapies during the COVID-19 pandemics. METHODS: One thousand three hundred thirty-six end-stage renal disease (ESRD) patients who had applied for renal replacement therapy between March 2020 and January 2021 were included in the study. COVID-19 infection and mortality rates were compared between patient groups. RESULTS: The COVID-19 infection rate in the whole study group was 13.12% (n: 178). The highest infection rate was in the center hemodialysis, 16.33% (n: 139). There was no COVID-19 infection in home hemodialysis (HHD). Mortality rate was 2.87% (n: 39) in the whole cohort and 3.87% (n: 33) in center hemodialysis (CHD), 1.47% (n:5) in kidney transplant (Tx), and 0.81% (n: 1) in the peritoneal dialysis (PD) group. COVID-19 infection rate of home replacement therapy (HRT) (n: 39) patients was significantly lower than CHD (n: 139) (p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: The COVID-19 infection rate and mortality were significantly lower than those of CHD in all home-based modalities subgroups.

Clinical and pathologic features of primary membranous nephropathy in Turkey: a multicenter study by the Turkish Society of Nephrology Glomerular Diseases Working Group.

BACKGROUND: We aimed to evaluate the features of primary membranous nephropathy (MNP) in Turkish people. METHODS: This is a retrospective analysis of patients with biopsy-proven primary MNP. We obtained the data collected between 2009 and 2019 in the primary glomerulonephritis registry of the Turkish Society of Nephrology Glomerular Diseases Study Group (TSN-GOLD). Patients with a secondary cause for MNP were excluded. Clinical, demographic, laboratory, and histopathological findings were analyzed. RESULTS: A total of 995 patients with primary MNP were included in the analyses. Males constituted the majority (58.8%). The mean age was 48.4 ± 13.9 years. The most common presentation was the presence of nephrotic syndrome (81.7%) and sub nephrotic proteinuria (10.3%). Microscopic hematuria was detected in one-third of patients. The median estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) was 100.6 mL/min/1.73 m2 (IQR, 75.4-116.3), and median proteinuria was 6000 mg/d (IQR, 3656-9457). Serum C3 and C4 complement levels were decreased in 3.7 and 1.7% of patients, respectively. Twenty-four (2.4%) patients had glomerular crescents in their kidney biopsy samples. Basal membrane thickening was detected in 93.8% of cases under light microscopy. Mesangial proliferation and interstitial inflammation were evident in 32.8 and 55.9% of the patients, respectively. The most commonly detected depositions were IgG (93%), C3 complement (68.8%), and kappa and lambda immunoglobulin light chains (70%). Although renal functions were normal at presentation, vascular, interstitial, and glomerular findings were more prominent on biopsy in hypertensive patients. No significant effect of BMI on biopsy findings was observed. CONCLUSIONS: Despite some atypical findings, the main features of primary MNP in Turkey were similar to the published literature. This is the largest MNP study to date conducted in Turkish people.

Trends of primary glomerular disease in Turkey: TSN-GOLD registry report.

BACKGROUND: Although several renal biopsy registry reports have been published worldwide, there are no data on primary glomerular disease trends in Turkey. METHODS: Three thousand eight-hundred fifty-eight native kidney biopsy records were assessed in the Turkish Society of Nephrology Primary Glomerulopathy Working Group (TSN-GOLD) Registry. Secondary disease and transplant biopsies were not recorded in the registry. These records were divided into four periods, before 2009, 2009 to 2013, 2013-2017, and 2017-current. RESULTS: A total of 3858 patients (43.6% female, 6.8% elderly) were examined. Nephrotic syndrome was the most common biopsy indication in all periods (58.6%, 53%, 44.1%, 51.6%, respectively). In the whole cohort, IgA nephropathy (IgAN) (25.7%) was the most common PGN with male predominance (62.7%), and IgAN frequency steadily increased through the periods (× 2 = 198, p < 0.001). MGN was the most common nephropathy in the elderly (> 65 years), and there was no trend in this age group. An increasing trend was seen in the frequency of overweight patients (× 2 = 37, p < 0.0001). Although the biopsy rate performed with interventional radiology gradually increased, the mean glomeruli count in the samples did not change over the periods. CONCLUSIONS: In Turkey, IgAN is the most common primary glomerulonephritis, and the frequency of this is increasing.

The perspectives of dialysis patients about the Covid-19 pandemic and differences between the modalities.

The novel coronavirus disease was declared as a pandemic and CKD is an important risk factor for morbidity and mortality. Dialysis has additional contributions on transmission risk so prompt preventive strategies were implemented for dialysis patients. We aimed to evaluate pandemic-related perceptions and concerns of dialysis patients and differences between dialysis modalities. An anonymous survey for assessing concerns, knowledge, and attitudes about the pandemic was sent online to a total of 339 patients on maintenance dialysis at four tertiary dialysis centers in Turkey. A total of 309 patients (54.9 ± 15.1 years, 51.6% females, 55.7% in-center HD, 44.3% peritoneal dialysis) enrolled. The anonymous online survey was conducted at the end of April 2020. HD patients were more concerned about transmission risk (p = 0.002) and risks associated with the dialysis treatment environment and the transport methods (p < 0.001). The total concern score was significantly higher in the HD group (2.60 ± 0.93 vs. 1.65 ± 0.54, p < 0.001). The knowledge about the pandemic and prevention methods and the attitudes of prevention were similar between the groups (p = 0.161 and 0.418, respectively). The compliance rate of personal preventive strategies was 98.1%. Considering changing the current dialysis modality due to the pandemic was higher in the HD group (p < 0.001). Although the preventive strategies were performed properly in the HD centers, HD patients were more concerned about the Covid-19 outbreak compared with PD. Our results support home dialysis treatments for modality decisions with patients' positive perspective of PD over HD during the pandemic.

Mortality analysis of COVID-19 infection in chronic kidney disease, haemodialysis and renal transplant patients compared with patients without kidney disease: a nationwide analysis from Turkey.

BACKGROUND: Chronic kidney disease (CKD) and immunosuppression, such as in renal transplantation (RT), stand as one of the established potential risk factors for severe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Case morbidity and mortality rates for any type of infection have always been much higher in CKD, haemodialysis (HD) and RT patients than in the general population. A large study comparing COVID-19 outcome in moderate to advanced CKD (Stages 3-5), HD and RT patients with a control group of patients is still lacking. METHODS: We conducted a multicentre, retrospective, observational study, involving hospitalized adult patients with COVID-19 from 47 centres in Turkey. Patients with CKD Stages 3-5, chronic HD and RT were compared with patients who had COVID-19 but no kidney disease. Demographics, comorbidities, medications, laboratory tests, COVID-19 treatments and outcome [in-hospital mortality and combined in-hospital outcome mortality or admission to the intensive care unit (ICU)] were compared. RESULTS: A total of 1210 patients were included [median age, 61 (quartile 1-quartile 3 48-71) years, female 551 (45.5%)] composed of four groups: control (n = 450), HD (n = 390), RT (n = 81) and CKD (n = 289). The ICU admission rate was 266/1210 (22.0%). A total of 172/1210 (14.2%) patients died. The ICU admission and in-hospital mortality rates in the CKD group [114/289 (39.4%); 95% confidence interval (CI) 33.9-45.2; and 82/289 (28.4%); 95% CI 23.9-34.5)] were significantly higher than the other groups: HD = 99/390 (25.4%; 95% CI 21.3-29.9; P < 0.001) and 63/390 (16.2%; 95% CI 13.0-20.4; P < 0.001); RT = 17/81 (21.0%; 95% CI 13.2-30.8; P = 0.002) and 9/81 (11.1%; 95% CI 5.7-19.5; P = 0.001); and control = 36/450 (8.0%; 95% CI 5.8-10.8; P < 0.001) and 18/450 (4%; 95% CI 2.5-6.2; P < 0.001). Adjusted mortality and adjusted combined outcomes in CKD group and HD groups were significantly higher than the control group [hazard ratio (HR) (95% CI) CKD: 2.88 (1.52-5.44); P = 0.001; 2.44 (1.35-4.40); P = 0.003; HD: 2.32 (1.21-4.46); P = 0.011; 2.25 (1.23-4.12); P = 0.008), respectively], but these were not significantly different in the RT from in the control group [HR (95% CI) 1.89 (0.76-4.72); P = 0.169; 1.87 (0.81-4.28); P = 0.138, respectively]. CONCLUSIONS: Hospitalized COVID-19 patients with CKDs, including Stages 3-5 CKD, HD and RT, have significantly higher mortality than patients without kidney disease. Stages 3-5 CKD patients have an in-hospital mortality rate as much as HD patients, which may be in part because of similar age and comorbidity burden. We were unable to assess if RT patients were or were not at increased risk for in-hospital mortality because of the relatively small sample size of the RT patients in this study.

Arterial dysfunction in early autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease independent of fibroblast growth factor 23.

INTRODUCTION: Recent studies report reduced vascular compliance and elevated levels of fibroblast growth factor 23 (FGF23) in patients with autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD) and preserved kidney function. In the present study, we investigated the relationship between vascular compliance and FGF23 in patients in early phases of ADPKD. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We studied 54 ADPKD patients with preserved kidney function and 24 healthy individuals. All participants underwent noninvasive pulse wave analysis in order to determine large arterial elasticity index (LAEI) and small arterial elasticity index (SAEI) using a modified Windkessel model. Levels of FGF23 in addition to several cardiovascular risk factors were evaluated. Linear regression analyses were performed to determine independent correlates of LAEI, SAEI, and FGF23. RESULTS: In the ADPKD group, 33 patients were hypertensive and the remaining patients were normotensive. Serum FGF23 levels of both ADPKD groups were significantly higher than that in the controls. Both hypertensive and normotensive ADPKD patients had lower LAEI and SAEI levels compared to the controls. There was no significant correlation between vascular compliance parameters and FGF23 levels. Having ADPKD was independently associated with increased FGF23 levels and decreased SAEI. CONCLUSIONS: Fibroblast growth factor 23 was found substantially elevated and arterial compliance was found significantly decreased in early ADPKD patients regardless of hypertension. However, there was no significant correlation between FGF23 levels and arterial function parameters. Additional studies are required to determine possible mechanisms of these disturbances and cardiovascular effects of FGF23 in ADPKD patients.

Isolated ocular surface squamous neoplasia in a renal transplant recipient.

Ocular surface squamous neoplasia is a rare complication after a kidney transplant, related with increased risk and poor prognosis. Generally, ocular surface squamous neoplasia in kidney transplant patients is associated with skin lesions. We report a case of ocular surface squamous neoplasia without skin lesions in a kidney transplant recipient. Systematic periodic ophthalmic evaluation of recipients may help ensure the early diagnosis of subtle ocular surface squamous neoplasia.