Kidney biomarkers in tropical infections: an update.

Neglected tropical diseases affect over 1 billion people, and cause 170,000 deaths each year. They result in disability, stigma and disfigurement, and also push families into poverty. Tropical infections can involve the kidney, presenting as a wide variety of ways, varying from transient urinary abnormalities to severe acute kidney injury (AKI). It is important to assess renal function in patients with tropical infections for earlier detection of AKI, appropriate treatment and prevention of Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) outcome in some of them. There was an exponential increase in research on new kidney biomarkers that were earlier and specific for renal damage but few in the scope of tropical infections. In this review, we focus on kidney biomarkers that are being studied in some of the most prevalent tropical infections such as visceral leishmaniasis, leptospirosis, malaria, schistosomiasis and leprosy. Further studies are needed to evaluate the usefulness of renal biomarkers in the early diagnosis of renal diseases associated with tropical infections.

Caracterização da saúde bucal de indivíduos renais crônicos aptos a transplante / Characterization of the oral health of transplant-ready chronic kidney disease patients

Introdução: A doença renal crônica leva a alterações salivares que interferem na saúde bucal. A imunossupressão no pós-transplante pode facilitar que situações restritas à boca se tornem sistêmicas. Objetivo: Caracterizar a saúde bucal de pacientes renais crônicos aptos a transplante, avaliando fluxo e pH salivar, capacidade tamponante salivar (CTS), lesões estomatológicas, sangramento gengival, cálculo e índice de dentes cariados, perdidos e obturados (CPOD). Material e método: Estudo transversal, observacional e analítico. Foi coletada saliva não estimulada de 83 voluntários, com hipofluxo salivar caracterizado como < 0,3 mL/min. O pH salivar foi mensurado por fita e considerado alcalino quando > 7. A CTS foi avaliada pela Técnica de Ericsson. Um único examinador calibrado procedeu às avaliações clínicas. Foram utilizados Teste Exato de Fisher, ANOVA e Regressão Linear, com nível de significância de 0,05 e Intervalo de Confiança de 95%. Resultado: Hipofluxo salivar esteve presente em 61% da amostra e foi influenciado pelo ganho hídrico interdialítico (p=0,01). A presença de pH salivar alcalino foi influenciada pela ureia sérica (p<0,01) e pela hiperfosfatemia (p=0,01). A CTS foi ótima em 92% e sofreu influência do pH salivar (p=0,02). Três indivíduos apresentaram lesões estomatológicas infecciosas. Sangramento gengival esteve presente em 55%, cálculo em 94% e cárie em 88%. O índice CPOD da amostra foi 17,9 ± 7,48. Conclusão: A saúde bucal dos voluntários foi considerada precária e esse agravo pode se tornar mais maléfico se esses indivíduos forem transplantados. Salienta-se a importância da inserção do Dentista na equipe que assiste o renal crônico.

Introduction: Chronic kidney disease (CKD) promotes salivary alterations that impact oral health. Post-transplantation immunosuppression could lead to localized mouth conditions becoming systemic. Objective: To characterize the oral health of transplant-ready CKD patients by evaluating salivary flow and pH, salivary buffering capacity (SBC), oral lesions, gingival bleeding, calculus, and index of decayed, missing and filled teeth (DMFT). Material and method: In the present cross-sectional, observational, and analytic study, spontaneous saliva was collected from 83 volunteers, with hyposalivation defined as < 0.3 mL/min. Salivary pH was measured using a test strip and considered alkaline when >7. Ericsson's technique was used to assess SBC. A single trained examiner conducted the clinical assessments. Fisher's exact test, ANOVA, and linear regression were used in the statistical analysis, with a level of significance of 0.05 and 95% confidence interval. Result: Hyposalivation occurred in 61% of the sample and was influenced by interdialytic fluid gains (p = 0.01). The presence of alkaline salivary pH was influenced by serum urea (p < 0.01) and hyperphosphatemia (p = 0.01). Salivary buffering capacity was optimal in 92% of patients and was influenced by salivary pH (p = 0.02). Three individuals exhibited infectious oral lesions. Gingival bleeding occurred in 55%, calculus in 94%, and caries in 88% of patients. The DMFT index of the sample was 17.9 ± 7.48. Conclusion: The participants' oral health was considered poor; this condition can worsen if these individuals undergo transplantation. The importance of having a dentist in the team assisting the CKD patient is paramount.