Parathyroidectomy and survival in a cohort of Italian dialysis patients: results of a multicenter, observational, prospective study.

BACKGROUND: Severe secondary hyperparathyroidism (SHPT) is associated with mortality in end stage kidney disease (ESKD). Parathyroidectomy (PTX) becomes necessary when medical therapy fails, thus highlighting the interest to compare biochemical and clinical outcomes of patients receiving either medical treatment or surgery. METHODS: We aimed to compare overall survival and biochemical control of hemodialysis patients with severe hyperparathyroidism, treated by surgery or medical therapy followed-up for 36 months. Inclusion criteria were age older than 18 years, renal failure requiring dialysis treatment (hemodialysis or peritoneal dialysis) and ability to sign the consent form. A control group of 418 patients treated in the same centers, who did not undergo parathyroidectomy was selected after matching for age, sex, and dialysis vintage. RESULTS: From 82 Dialysis units in Italy, we prospectively collected data of 257 prevalent patients who underwent parathyroidectomy (age 58.2 ± 12.8 years; M/F: 44%/56%, dialysis vintage: 15.5 ± 8.4 years) and of 418 control patients who did not undergo parathyroidectomy (age 60.3 ± 14.4 years; M/F 44%/56%; dialysis vintage 11.2 ± 7.6 y). The survival rate was higher in the group that underwent parathyroidectomy (Kaplan-Meier log rank test = 0.002). Univariable analysis (HR 0.556, CI: 0.387-0.800, p = 0.002) and multivariable analysis (HR 0.671, CI:0.465-0.970, p = 0.034), identified parathyroidectomy as a protective factor of overall survival. The prevalence of patients at KDOQI targets for PTH was lower in patients who underwent parathyroidectomy compared to controls (PTX vs non-PTX: PTH < 150 pg/ml: 59% vs 21%, p = 0.001; PTH at target: 18% vs 37% p = 0.001; PTH > 300 pg/ml 23% vs 42% p = 0.001). The control group received more intensive medical treatment with higher prevalence of vitamin D (65% vs 41%, p = 0.0001), calcimimetics (34% vs 14%, p = 0.0001) and phosphate binders (77% vs 66%, p = 0.002). CONCLUSIONS: Our data suggest that parathyroidectomy is associated with survival rate at 36 months, independently of biochemical control. Lower exposure to high PTH levels could represent an advantage in the long term.

Fresh lemon juice supplementation for the prevention of recurrent stones in calcium oxalate nephrolithiasis: A pragmatic, prospective, randomised, open, blinded endpoint (PROBE) trial.

BACKGROUND: Standard diet with normal calcium and reduced animal proteins and salt content reduces stone recurrence in calcium oxalate nephrolithiasis. Whether lemon juice supplementation further reduces recurrence rate is unknown. METHODS: In this single-centre, prospective, randomised, open, blinded endpoint trial (Clinical Trials gov NCT01217372) we evaluated the effects of fresh lemon juice supplementation (60 mL twice daily) versus no supplementation, on time to stone recurrence in 203 patients with recurrent idiopathic calcium oxalate nephrolithiasis who were all prescribed a standard diet. Patients were included between July 2009 and March 2017 at the Nephrology Unit of the Papa Giovanni XXIII hospital in Bergamo, Italy. Time to stone recurrence at 2 years of follow-up was the primary outcome. Analyses were by intention-to-treat. FINDINGS: During two years of follow-up 21 of 100 patients randomised to lemon juice supplementation and 32 of 103 controls randomised to no supplementation had stone recurrence [HR (95% CI): 0·62 (0·35-1·07), p = 0·089]. Patient adherence to lemon juice supplementation, however, progressively decreased from 68% at one-year to 48% at two-year follow-up. At explorative analyses restricted at one-year follow-up, ten patients with supplementation versus 22 controls had stone recurrence [0·43 (0·20-0·89), p = 0·028]. After adjustment by age, sex and normo or hypocitraturia, the HR (95%) was still significant [0·45 (0·20-0·93), p = 0·036]. At six months, 24 hour urinary sodium excretion decreased by 8·60±65·68 mEq/24 h in patients receiving lemon juice supplementation and increased by 3·88±64·78 mEq/24 h in controls. Changes significantly differed between groups (p = 0·031). This difference was subsequently lost. Treatment was safe. In patients with lemon juice supplementation gastrointestinal disorders were more frequent (p<0·001). Renal and urinary tract disorders were similar between groups (p = 0·103). INTERPRETATION: Explorative analyses suggest that fresh lemon juice supplementation to standard diet might prevent stone recurrence in patients with calcium-oxalate nephrolithiasis. However, treatment effect was likely reduced by progressively declining adherence to lemon juice supplementation. FUNDING: This study received no funding.

Treatment and long-term outcome in primary distal renal tubular acidosis.

BACKGROUND: Primary distal renal tubular acidosis (dRTA) is a rare disorder, and we aimed to gather data on treatment and long-term outcome. METHODS: We contacted paediatric and adult nephrologists through European professional organizations. Responding clinicians entered demographic, biochemical, genetic and clinical data in an online form. RESULTS: Adequate data were collected on 340 patients (29 countries, female 52%). Mutation testing had been performed on 206 patients (61%); pathogenic mutations were identified in 170 patients (83%). The median (range) presentation age was 0.5 (0-54) years and age at last follow-up was 11.0 (0-70.0) years. Adult height was slightly below average with a mean (SD score) of -0.57 (±1.16). There was an increased prevalence of chronic kidney disease (CKD) Stage ≥2 in children (35%) and adults (82%). Nephrocalcinosis was reported in 88%. Nephrolithiasis was more common with SLC4A1 mutations (42% versus 21%). Thirty-six percent had hearing loss, particularly in ATP6V1B1 (88%). The median (interquartile range) prescribed dose of alkali (mEq/kg/day) was 1.9 (1.2-3.3). Adequate metabolic control (normal plasma bicarbonate and normocalciuria) was achieved in 158 patients (51%), more commonly in countries with higher gross domestic product (67% versus 23%), and was associated with higher height and estimated glomerular filtration rate. CONCLUSION: Long-term follow-up from this large dRTA cohort shows an overall favourable outcome with normal adult height for most and no patient with CKD Stage 5. However, 82% of adult patients have CKD Stages 2-4. Importance of adequate metabolic control was highlighted by better growth and renal function but was achieved in only half of patients.

Urinary proteome signature of Renal Cysts and Diabetes syndrome in children.

Renal Cysts and Diabetes Syndrome (RCAD) is an autosomal dominant disorder caused by mutations in the HNF1B gene encoding for the transcriptional factor hepatocyte nuclear factor-1B. RCAD is characterized as a multi-organ disease, with a broad spectrum of symptoms including kidney abnormalities (renal cysts, renal hypodysplasia, single kidney, horseshoe kidneys, hydronephrosis), early-onset diabetes mellitus, abnormal liver function, pancreatic hypoplasia and genital tract malformations. In the present study, using capillary electrophoresis coupled to mass spectrometry (CE-MS), we investigated the urinary proteome of a pediatric cohort of RCAD patients and different controls to identify peptide biomarkers and obtain further insights into the pathophysiology of this disorder. As a result, 146 peptides were found to be associated with RCAD in 22 pediatric patients when compared to 22 healthy age-matched controls. A classifier based on these peptides was generated and further tested on an independent cohort, clearly discriminating RCAD patients from different groups of controls. This study demonstrates that the urinary proteome of pediatric RCAD patients differs from autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (PKD1, PKD2), congenital nephrotic syndrome (NPHS1, NPHS2, NPHS4, NPHS9) as well as from chronic kidney disease conditions, suggesting differences between the pathophysiology behind these disorders.

The genetic and clinical spectrum of a large cohort of patients with distal renal tubular acidosis.

Primary distal renal tubular acidosis is a rare genetic disease. Mutations in SLC4A1, ATP6V0A4, and ATP6V1B1 genes have been described as the cause of the disease, transmitted as either an autosomal dominant or recessive trait. Particular clinical features, such as sensorineural hearing loss, have been mainly described in association with mutations in one gene instead of the others. Nevertheless, the diagnosis of distal renal tubular acidosis is essentially based on clinical and laboratory findings, and the series of patients described so far are usually represented by small cohorts. Therefore, a strict genotype-phenotype correlation is still lacking, and questions about whether clinical and laboratory data should direct the genetic analysis remain open. Here, we applied next-generation sequencing in 89 patients with a clinical diagnosis of distal renal tubular acidosis, analyzing the prevalence of genetic defects in SLC4A1, ATP6V0A4, and ATP6V1B1 genes and the clinical phenotype. A genetic cause was determined in 71.9% of cases. In our group of sporadic cases, clinical features, including sensorineural hearing loss, are not specific indicators of the causal underlying gene. Mutations in the ATP6V0A4 gene are quite as frequent as mutations in ATP6V1B1 in patients with recessive disease. Chronic kidney disease was frequent in patients with a long history of the disease. Thus, our results suggest that when distal renal tubular acidosis is suspected, complete genetic testing could be considered, irrespective of the clinical phenotype of the patient.

Paricalcitol for secondary hyperparathyroidism in renal transplantation.

Secondary hyperparathyroidism contributes to post-transplant CKD mineral and bone disorder. Paricalcitol, a selective vitamin D receptor activator, decreased serum parathyroid hormone levels and proteinuria in patients with secondary hyperparathyroidism. This single-center, prospective, randomized, crossover, open-label study compared the effect of 6-month treatment with paricalcitol (1 µg/d for 3 months and then uptitrated to 2 µg/d if tolerated) or nonparicalcitol therapy on serum parathyroid hormone levels (primary outcome), mineral metabolism, and proteinuria in 43 consenting recipients of renal transplants with secondary hyperparathyroidism. Participants were randomized 1:1 according to a computer-generated sequence. Compared with baseline, median (interquartile range) serum parathyroid hormone levels significantly declined on paricalcitol from 115.6 (94.8-152.0) to 63.3 (52.0-79.7) pg/ml (P<0.001) but not on nonparicalcitol therapy. At 6 months, levels significantly differed between treatments (P<0.001 by analysis of covariance). Serum bone-specific alkaline phosphatase and osteocalcin decreased on paricalcitol therapy only and significantly differed between treatments at 6 months (P<0.001 for all comparisons). At 6 months, urinary deoxypyridinoline-to-creatinine ratio and 24-hour proteinuria level decreased only on paricalcitol (P<0.05). L3 and L4 vertebral mineral bone density, assessed by dual-energy x-ray absorption, significantly improved with paricalcitol at 6 months (P<0.05 for both densities). Paricalcitol was well tolerated. Overall, 6-month paricalcitol supplementation reduced parathyroid hormone levels and proteinuria, attenuated bone remodeling and mineral loss, and reduced eGFR in renal transplant recipients with secondary hyperparathyroidism. Long-term studies are needed to monitor directly measured GFR, ensure that the bone remodeling and mineral effects are sustained, and determine if the reduction in proteinuria improves renal and cardiovascular outcomes.

Secondary hyperparathyroidism in chronic dialysis patients: results of the Italian FARO survey on treatment and mortality.

INTRODUCTION: Vitamin D receptor activator (VDRA) therapy has been shown to be associated with reduced mortality rates in chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients with secondary hyperparathyroidism (SHPT). However, differences between VDRAs in their ability to reduce both all-cause and cardiovascular-related mortality rates are not yet fully elucidated. METHODS: The objective of the current analysis was to determine the effect of VDRA therapy on mortality in an Italian dialysis population, observed prospectively every 6 months for 18 months. Patients were investigated for all-cause and cardiovascular-related mortality risk adjusted for various demographic, clinical, and/or SHPT treatment variables. RESULTS: The cumulative probabilities of all-cause and cardiovascular-related mortality were lower for patients who received any VDRA treatment compared with those who did not (p < 0.001) regardless of all measured variables. Additionally, patients who received paricalcitol and/or cinacalcet (with or without VDRAs) compared with calcitriol showed a significant improvement in both all-cause and cardiovascular-related mortality (p < 0.001). Cinacalcet with or without VDRAs was not associated with a further decrease of mortality hazard ratios compared with paricalcitol monotherapy. CONCLUSIONS: VDRA therapy (associated or not with cinacalcet) was associated with improved survival in dialysis patients, independent of demographic and clinical variables.

Application of a new method for GWAS in a related case/control sample with known pedigree structure: identification of new loci for nephrolithiasis.

In contrast to large GWA studies based on thousands of individuals and large meta-analyses combining GWAS results, we analyzed a small case/control sample for uric acid nephrolithiasis. Our cohort of closely related individuals is derived from a small, genetically isolated village in Sardinia, with well-characterized genealogical data linking the extant population up to the 16(th) century. It is expected that the number of risk alleles involved in complex disorders is smaller in isolated founder populations than in more diverse populations, and the power to detect association with complex traits may be increased when related, homogeneous affected individuals are selected, as they are more likely to be enriched with and share specific risk variants than are unrelated, affected individuals from the general population. When related individuals are included in an association study, correlations among relatives must be accurately taken into account to ensure validity of the results. A recently proposed association method uses an empirical genotypic covariance matrix estimated from genome-screen data to allow for additional population structure and cryptic relatedness that may not be captured by the genealogical data. We apply the method to our data, and we also investigate the properties of the method, as well as other association methods, in our highly inbred population, as previous applications were to outbred samples. The more promising regions identified in our initial study in the genetic isolate were then further investigated in an independent sample collected from the Italian population. Among the loci that showed association in this study, we observed evidence of a possible involvement of the region encompassing the gene LRRC16A, already associated to serum uric acid levels in a large meta-analysis of 14 GWAS, suggesting that this locus might lead a pathway for uric acid metabolism that may be involved in gout as well as in nephrolithiasis.