Low serum uromodulin levels and their association with lupus flares.

BACKGROUND: Only two previous studies in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients have identified that the blood concentrations of uromodulin are lower in nephritis. However, none of them had evaluated whether a low serum uromodulin adjusted by the glomerular filtration rate (sUromod/eGFR index) contributed to identify patients in risk of lupus nephritis (LN) using multivariable models. AIM: Therefore, this study aimed two objectives to evaluate the association between low serum uromodulin levels and low sUromod adjusted by eGFR with renal flares in SLE excluding effects of potential confounders in multivariable analyses; and to identify the value of low sUmod and low sUmod/eGFR index as a potential diagnostic marker of LN. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Design: Cross-sectional study. SLE patients (n = 114) were investigated for lupus flare with renal SLEDAI. Two groups: a) SLE with renal flare (renal-SLEDAI≥4, n = 41) and b) SLE non-renal flare (renal SLEDAI<4, n = 73). SLE patients were evaluated by other indices including a global disease activity index (SLEDAI) and SLICC renal disease activity score. Serum uromodulin levels (ng/mL) were quantified by ELISA. Serum uromodulin was adjusted by eGFR (sUromod/eGFR index). Cutt-offs of low sUromodulin and low sUromod/eGFR index were computed, ROC curves were performed and values of diagnostic tests were obtained. Multivariable logistic regression models were performed to identify if low sUromod/eGFR index is associated to renal flares. RESULTS: Low serum uromodulin and low sUromod/eGFR index correlated to high scores of renal-SLEDAI, SLICC-renal and proteinuria. SLE patients with a renal flare had lower uromodulin levels compared to SLE patients without renal flare (p = 0.004). After adjusting by potential confounders, the low sUromod/eGFR index (<0.80 ng/mL) increased the risk of a renal flare (OR, 2.91; 95%CI, 1.21 to 6.98; p = 0.02). CONCLUSIONS: We propose the low sUromod/eGFR index as a potential new marker of renal disease activity in SLE.

[Effect of ramipril on the glucose/insulin coefficient and the ventricular mass index in patients with light to moderate arterial hypertension]. / Efecto del ramipril sobre el cociente glucosa/insulina y el índice de masa ventricular izquierda en pacientes con hipertensión arterial leve a moderada.

This longitudinal prospective study was designed to assess the effects of the angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor (ACEI) ramipril on ventricular mass, left ventricle (LV) diastolic function and blood pressure in patients with mild to moderate essential hypertension and hyperinsulinemia. LV diastolic dysfunction is the first target organ alteration occurring in hypertensive patients, while ventricular hypertrophy is the most relevant predictive factor for cardiovascular morbility and mortality in systemic hypertension. Because several studies have demonstrated that there is no direct correlation between blood pressure values and the severity of LV hypertrophy or diastolic dysfunction, it is assumed that other factors are involved in the genesis of these functional alterations. Moreover, the hypertensive effect of insulin is caused by sympathetic stimulation, sodium and water renal retention and protooncogene stimulation leading to myocardial and vascular fibrosis and hypertrophy. We studied 24 hypertensive patients with hyperinsulinemia. All patients underwent an overall and cardiologic clinical evaluation, and electrocardiographic and ecocardiographic studies were performed at baseline and 6 months after being treated with 2.5 to 5 mg/day ramipril. Ramipril treatment significantly reduced systolic (12 mmHg) and diastolic (12 mmHg) pressure levels, basal insulin serum levels (23.62 pmol/dL vs 10.42 pmol/dL), and left ventricle mass index values (143.8 g/m2 vs 118.2 g/m2). Among the variables assessing LV diastolic function, only the transmitral flow E/A wave ratio showed significant differences in women. Ramipril was well tolerated and no significant adverse events were reported.