Bilateral Renal Autotransplantation May Be an Effective and Definitive Treatment in Case of Loin Pain Haematuria Syndrome.

Loin pain haematuria (LPHS) is a rare and difficult-to-diagnose syndrome. Different therapeutic approaches have been used historically with little or no success. We report a case of LPHS in which bilateral renal autotransplantation led to pain relief, cessation of all medication and no recurrence beyond two years of follow-up.

Treatment of atypical hemolytic uremic syndrome and thrombotic microangiopathies: a focus on eculizumab.

Uncontrolled complement activation is central to the occurrence of atypical hemolytic uremic syndrome (aHUS) and can result in thrombotic microangiopathies (TMAs). These terms encompass a group of heterogenic inherited or acquired diseases that recent research suggests may be triggered by the complement cascade. Pathogenetic triggers of complement activation include immunologic disorders, genetics, infections, systemic diseases, pregnancy, drug administration, metabolic diseases, transplantation, or triggers of mixed cause. Hallmarks of aHUS and other TMAs include increased vascular endothelium thromboresistance, leukocyte adhesion to damaged endothelium, complement consumption, coagulation abnormalities, and vascular shear stress, whereas common end points of these mechanisms include hemolytic anemia, thrombocytopenia with microvascular infarction, and predisposition for decreased kidney function and other organ involvement. The central role of the complement cascade as a disease trigger suggests a possible therapeutic target. Eculizumab, a first-in-class humanized monoclonal anti-C5 antibody that has been successful in the treatment of paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria, a disorder of complement-induced hemolytic anemia, received approval for the treatment of aHUS in the United States and Europe in late 2011. We review the treatment of aHUS and other TMAs, focusing on the role of eculizumab, including its pharmacology, mechanism of action, and approved dosing recommendations and health economic considerations. Finally, the potential for future indications for eculizumab use in other complement-driven diseases is discussed.

[Neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin as a new diagnostic tool for acute kidney injury]. / Intérêt de lato neutrophil gelatinase- associated lipocalin comme aide au diagnostic de l'insuffisance rénale aiguë.

Diagnosing acute kidney injury (AKI) may be a challenging situation in the daily practice. Generally, only serum creatinine has been used as a biomarker. However, its value does not exactly represent the actual renal function. The non-existence of early and reliable biomarkers delays targeted treatment and can quickly put at stake the renal. Recent discovery of neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL) as structural marker heralds an important step in diagnostic of AKI. The early diagnostic of AKI made possible with detection of urinary or plasmatic NGAL allows early appropriate intervention, which is crucial to short and long-term clinical outcome.

High prevalence of anti-apolipoprotein/A-1 autoantibodies in maintenance hemodialysis and association with dialysis vintage.

Autoantibodies to apolipoprotein/A-1 (anti-ApoA-1 IgG) have pro-atherogenic properties in patients at high cardiovascular risk, but its prevalence in patients with end-stage kidney disease is unknown. The aims of this single-center, cross-sectional study were to assess the prevalence of anti-ApoA-1 antibodies in patients on maintenance hemodialysis (MHD), and to examine its correlation with inflammatory biomarkers related to atherosclerotic plaque vulnerability and dialysis vintage. To this purpose, anti-ApoA-1 IgG levels and the concentrations of interleukin-6 (IL-6), interleukin-8 (IL-8), monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1), metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9), tumor necrosis factor-α, and C-reactive protein (CRP) were assessed in the sera of 66 MHD patients (mean age: 68 ± 14 years, 36% women, 32% diabetics). Anti-ApoA-1 IgG positivity (defined as a blood value ≥ 97.5(th) percentile of the normal distribution as assessed in healthy blood donors) was 20%. Circulating levels of anti-ApoA-1 IgG correlated positively with dialysis vintage, but not with cardiovascular risk factors or previous cardiovascular events; no significant correlations were found between the anti-ApoA1 IgG levels and circulating levels of IL-6, IL-8, MCP-1, MMP-9, CRP, or low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol. In multivariable linear regression, adjusted for age and sex, only dialysis vintage remained positively and independently associated with anti-ApoA-1 titers (ß = 0.05, 95% CI: 0.006; 0.28, P = 0.049). In conclusion, the prevalence of anti-ApoA-1 IgG is raised in the MHD-population, and positively associated with dialysis vintage, a major determinant of cardiovascular outcome. Whether antiApoA-1 antibodies play a role in the pathophysiology of accelerated atherosclerosis in the MHD-population merits further study.

[Hypomagnesemia and proton pump inhibitors]. / Hypomagnésémie et inhibiteurs de la pompe a protons.

Magnesium (Mg2+) is the second intracellular cation after potassium and is an important cofactor in cellular enzymatic reactions. Its homeostasis is essential for many cells including those of the nervous system, cardiomyocytes and smooth or striated muscle cells. The balance of serum Mg2+ depends mainly on its intestinal absorption and its excretion by the renal distal convoluted tubule. While many etiologies including genetic diseases have been described as sources of imbalance in serum Mg2+, the occurrence of hypomagnesaemia during proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) treatment is rarely reported. The pathogenesis is poorly understood, and might be due to a decrease in intestinal absorption of Mg2+ during IPPs treatment.

Better renoprotective effect of angiotensin II antagonist compared to dihydropyridine calcium channel blocker in childhood.

BACKGROUND: The dihydropyridine calcium channel blocker amlodipine and the angiotensin II antagonist irbesartan effectively reduce blood pressure in hypertensive children. METHODS: Eligible for the open-label, randomized study were nephropathic children between 6.0 and 18 years of age with plasma creatinine <177 micromol/L, overt proteinuria, untreated arterial hypertension (systolic, 5 to 30 mm Hg; and diastolic, 1 to 15 mm Hg;>95th centile) and stable immunosuppressive treatment. The initial dose of amlodipine was 5 mg (body weight, 20 to 40 kg) and 10 mg (body weight,>40 kg), respectively, that of irbesartan, which was 75 mg (body weight, 20 to 40 kg) and 150 mg (body weight,>40 kg), respectively. The dosage was doubled if necessary. RESULTS: A total of 26 children aged 6.1 to 17 years were allocated to receive either amlodipine (N = 13) or irbesartan (N = 13) for 16 weeks. Severe edema and headache occurred in two patients on amlodipine who withdrew from the study. No adverse experiences were noted in patients given irbesartan. Amlodipine [by 12 (10 to 14)/7 (5 to 10) mm Hg; median and interquartile range, respectively] and irbesartan [by 13 (9 to 16)/9 (7 to 11) mm Hg, respectively] reduced blood pressure (P < 0.01) in a similar fashion. Heart rate, plasma sodium, and creatinine did not change. Irbesartan slightly increased plasma potassium [by 0.1 (0.0 to 0.2) mmol/L; P < 0.05]. Plasma albumin and the urinary albumin/creatinine ratio were similar before and with amlodipine. On the contrary, irbesartan increased plasma albumin [by 4 (3 to 5) g/L; P < 0.03] and decreased the urinary albumin/creatinine ratio [by 242 (68 to 312) mg/mmol; P < 0.03]. CONCLUSION: The study demonstrates that in children the effect of angiotensin II antagonists on proteinuria is better than that of dihydropyridine calcium channel blockers.

Posttransplant lymphoproliferative disorder associated with an Epstein-Barr-related virus in cynomolgus monkeys.

BACKGROUND: Human posttransplant lymphoproliferative disorder (PTLD) has been shown to be associated with Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection. Primate animal models of PTLD and the use of molecular markers in its diagnosis have not been reported. This study was designed to evaluate the frequency, pathology, and molecular characteristics of PTLD in cynomolgus kidney allograft recipients. METHODS: Over a 5-year period (January 1995 to November 2000), 160 primate renal transplants were performed at the Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH). Of these, all cases (n=9) that developed PTLD were included. H&E stained paraffin sections of all available tissue samples from the cases were evaluated for the presence of PTLD. Immunoperoxidase staining for T cells (CD3), B cells (CD20), kappa and lambda light chains as well as EBV nuclear antigens (EBNA2) and latent membrane proteins (EBV LMP-1) was done on paraffin sections using standard immunohistochemical (IHC) methods. In situ hybridization for EBV encoded RNA (EBER) was performed in all tissue samples with atypical lymphoid proliferations, using a novel EBER nucleotide probe based on consensus gene sequences from EBV and the related herpes lymphocryptoviruses (LCV) infecting baboons and rhesus macaques. RESULTS: Of 160 consecutive primate renal transplants performed at MGH, 5.6% developed PTLD 28-103 days after transplantation. In all cases, the lymph nodes were involved and effaced by an atypical polymorphous lymphoid proliferation of EBER+ B cells, diagnostic for PTLD. Focal staining for EBNA-2 was noted in tumor cells. In 67% (six of nine) the PTLD infiltrates were present in extra nodal sites, notably liver (56%), lung (44%), heart (44%), renal allograft (44%), and native kidney (22%). The spleen was involved by PTLD in all four animals that had not undergone a pretransplant splenectomy. The PTLD morphology was similar in all cases and predominantly of the polymorphous type, however, some of these showed areas that appeared minimally polymorphous. No cases of monomorphic PTLD were seen. CONCLUSIONS: By in situ hybridization, expression of the RNA product, homologous for EBV-encoded RNA (EBER) was identified in the PTLD tumor cells of all cases, indicating latent primate EBV- related infection. This report identifies a novel animal model of EBV associated PTLD in the setting of kidney transplantation, with valuable implications for managing and understanding human PTLD and oncogenesis.

C1-inhibitor for prophylaxis of xenograft rejection after pig to cynomolgus monkey kidney transplantation.

BACKGROUND: Early rejection of discordant porcine xenografts in primate recipients is initiated by the intragraft binding of either preformed (hyperacute xenograft rejection) or induced (acute vascular rejection) antiporcine recipient antibodies with subsequent complement activation via the classical pathway. We have investigated the efficacy of the supplemental administration of C1-inhibitor (C1-INH), a specific inhibitor of the classical complement activation pathway, for prophylaxis of xenograft rejection in a pig to primate kidney xenotransplantation setting. METHODS: Based on the results of pharmacokinetic studies performed in two nontransplanted monkeys, supplemental C1-INH therapy was administered daily to three Cynomolgus monkeys receiving a life-supporting porcine kidney transplant together with cyclophosphamide-induction/cyclosporine A/mycophenolat-mofetil/steroid immunosuppressive therapy. RESULTS: In the three monkeys receiving porcine kidney xenografts and continuous C1-INH treatment none of the grafts underwent hyperacute rejection; all xenografts showed initial function. Recipient survival was 13, 15, and 5 days. No graft was lost due to acute vascular rejection. All animals died with a functioning graft (latest creatinine 96, 112, and 96 micromol/liter) due to bacterial septicemia. CONCLUSION: We conclude that, in our model, supplemental C1-INH therapy together with a standard immunosuppressive regimen can be helpful for prevention of xenograft rejection in a pig to primate kidney xenotransplantation setting. The optimal dose and duration of C1-INH treatment, however, has yet to be determined.