Use of the low-dose desferrioxamine test to diagnose and differentiate between patients with aluminium-related bone disease, increased risk for aluminium toxicity, or aluminium overload.

BACKGROUND: Aiming at a safe method in the diagnosis of aluminium-related bone disease (ARBD)/aluminium overload the low-dose desferrioxamine (DFO) test was developed. In a multicentre study histological and histochemical data and aluminium bulk analysis of bone biopsies of 77 dialysis patients were correlated with the results of both the 5 mg/kg and 10 mg/kg DFO tests. METHODS: ARBD was considered to be present when > 15% of the bone surface was positively stained for aluminium and the bone formation rate was below 220 microns 2/mm2/day. Patients in which the Aluminon staining was positive (> 0%) were considered at an increased risk for aluminium toxicity independent of the type of renal osteodystrophy. Patients were considered aluminium overloaded when the bone aluminium content was > 15 micrograms/g wet weight and/or the Aluminon staining was positive (> 0%). RESULTS: Using the proposed criteria 15 patients were found to have ARBD; 13 of them presenting with a serum iPTH below 150 ng/l. In conjunction with an iPTH measurement the DFO test had a more than acceptable sensitivity and specificity in the diagnosis of ARBD. The test was considered positive when a post-DFO serum aluminium increment (delta sA1) above 50 micrograms/l (5 mg/kg) or 70 micrograms/l (10 mg/kg) together with a serum iPTH below 150 ng/l was found. Using these cut-off levels the 5 and 10 mg/kg tests in the diagnosis of ARBD had a sensitivity of 87% and a specificity of 95% and 92% respectively whereas the predictive value for a positive test for the population under study was 80% (5 mg/kg). Not a single patient with a serum iPTH > 650 ng/l had a positive staining (> 0%) even when the bone aluminium level was elevated (> 15 micrograms/g wet weight). In the detection of patients at risk for aluminium toxicity delta sA1 thresholds of 50 micrograms/l (5 mg/kg) and 70 micrograms/l (10 mg/kg) in combination with a serum iPTH < 650 ng/l had a sensitivity of 92% and specificity of 86% and 84% respectively. In the clinical setting of aluminium overload, threshold delta sA1 levels of 50 micrograms/l (5 mg/kg) and 70 micrograms/l (10 mg/kg) had a sensitivity of 91% and a specificity of 95% and 90% respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The low-dose DFO test is a reliable test for the detection of aluminium overload; however, it is not specific enough to differentiate between ARBD, increased risk of aluminium toxicity, and aluminium overload unless it is used in combination with a serum iPTH measurement. In conjunction with a serum iPTH measurement it is an important tool in the differential diagnosis and may avoid the necessity of a bone biopsy in the majority of patients. Data obtained in the present study have allowed us to update the strategies for monitoring, diagnosis and patient follow-up proposed at the Consensus Conference on Diagnosis and Treatment of Aluminium Overload in End-Stage Renal Failure; Paris, 1992.

[Experimental pancreas transplantation]. / Transplante de páncreas experimental.

Experimental pancreatic transplantation was performed in dogs using different surgical techniques. Ten dogs underwent whole organ graft with diversion of exocrine secretion by anastomosis of duodenal segment to bladder (six animals) and of duodenum to a jejunal loop (four animals). Segmental pancreatic grafts were performed in 10 dogs with ductal filling with polymer in six animals and duct ligation in four dogs. It is concluded that segmental pancreatic graft with ductal filling with polymer is preferable to the other surgical techniques.

Transplante de páncreas experimental. / [Experimental pancreas transplantation]

Experimental pancreatic transplantation was performed in dogs using different surgical techniques. Ten dogs underwent whole organ graft with diversion of exocrine secretion by anastomosis of duodenal segment to bladder (six animals) and of duodenum to a jejunal loop (four animals). Segmental pancreatic grafts were performed in 10 dogs with ductal filling with polymer in six animals and duct ligation in four dogs. It is concluded that segmental pancreatic graft with ductal filling with polymer is preferable to the other surgical techniques.

Transplante de páncreas experimental. / [Experimental pancreas transplantation]

Experimental pancreatic transplantation was performed in dogs using different surgical techniques. Ten dogs underwent whole organ graft with diversion of exocrine secretion by anastomosis of duodenal segment to bladder (six animals) and of duodenum to a jejunal loop (four animals). Segmental pancreatic grafts were performed in 10 dogs with ductal filling with polymer in six animals and duct ligation in four dogs. It is concluded that segmental pancreatic graft with ductal filling with polymer is preferable to the other surgical techniques.