Influence of hydroxyurea on tubular phosphate handling in sickle cell nephropathy.

OBJECTIVE: This study aims to evaluate the markers of tubular phosphate handling in adults with sickle cell anemia (SCA) and the influence of hydroxyurea (HU), the degree of anemia and Hb F concentration on these markers. METHODS: Eighty-eight steady state SCA patients in outpatient follow-up in Fortaleza, Ceara, Brazil and 31 healthy individuals were included in this study. Vitamin D (25OHD) was measured by enzyme-bound fluorescence assay, intact parathyroid hormone (iPTH) by electrochemiluminescence, and serum and urinary phosphate and creatinine by colorimetric methods. Details of Hb F and HU use were obtained from clinical records. Tubular reabsorption of phosphate (TRP) and maximum tubular reabsorption of phosphate (MTRP) were calculated. SCA patients were stratified according to the use of HU, degree of anemia and percentage of Hb F. The significance level was set for p-values <0.05. RESULTS: Compared to controls the 25OHD level (25 ± 11 vs. 30 ± 9 pg/mL) was lower in SCA, while serum phosphate and MTRP were higher (3.86 ± 0.94 vs. 3.46 ± 0.72 and 3.6 ± 1.21 vs. 3.21 ± 0.53, respectively). There was no significant difference in iPTH, TRP and phosphaturia. Serum phosphate showed correlation with TRP (r = 0.32; p-value = 0.008) and MTRP (r = 0.9; p-value <0.001) in SCA. Patients taking HU, especially those with Hb F >10 % presented reduced serum phosphate levels, and TRP and MTRP rates. Those with mild anemia presented reduced serum phosphate levels and MTRP rates. CONCLUSION: Serum phosphate levels and renal phosphate reabsorption rate were increased in SCA. HU use, high Hb F concentration and total Hb were associated with better control of tubular phosphate handling markers.

Níveis séricos de vitamina D e urinários de KIM-1 e MCP-1 em pacientes com anemia falciforme / Serum levels of vitamin D, and urinary levels of KIM-1 and MCP-1 in patients with sickle cell anemia

Objetivo: realizar dosagens de biomarcadores de função renal não convencionais em pacientes com anemia falciforme e associar com os níveis séricos de vitamina D. Métodos: trata-se de um estudo observacional, analítico de corte transversal. Participaram do estudo 51 pacientes adultos com anemia falciforme, e o grupo controle foi composto por 17 adultos saudáveis doadores de sangue. Os níveis séricos de 25- hidroxi-vitamina D foram determinados por imunoensaio quimioluminecente de micropartículas (CMIA), e a função renal foi avaliada pelas dosagens de molécula-1 de lesão renal (KIM-1) e proteína-1 quimiotática de monócitos (MCP-1). Os resultados foram expressos como mediana (intervalo interquartil). Os testes t-Student de amostras independentes, análise de variância de Welch e teste não paramétrico de Kruskal-Wallis foram realizados para comparar as diferenças entre os grupos. Resultados: os pacientes apresentaram níveis séricos de vitamina D superiores ao grupo controle, além de uma maior prevalência de suficiência de vitamina D. Os níveis urinários de KIM-1 e MCP-1 estavam aumentados nos pacientes em relação ao grupo controle. Não houve relação entre baixos níveis séricos de vitamina D e a probabilidade de desenvolvimento de doença renal. Conclusões: este estudo fornece dados importantes sobre a prevalência da deficiência de vitamina D em pacientes com anemia falciforme e demonstra não haver relação entre baixos níveis de vitamina D e desenvolvimento de doença renal.

Objective: to measure non-conventional renal function biomarkers in patients with sickle cell anemia and associate them with serum levels of vitamin D. Method: this is an observational, analytical, cross-sectional study. Fifty-one adult patients with sickle cell anemia participated in the study, and the control group consisted of 17 healthy adult blood donors. Serum levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D were determined by chemiluminescent microparticle immunoassay (CMIA), and renal function was assessed by measuring urinary Kidney Injury Molecule-1 (KIM-1) and Monocyte Chemoattractant Protein-1 (MCP-1). Results were expressed as median (interquartile range). Student's t-test, Welch analysis of variance, and non-parametric Kruskal-Wallis test were performed to compare differences between groups. Results: patients had higher serum levels of vitamin D than the control group, besides a higher prevalence of vitamin D sufficiency. Urinary levels of KIM-1 and MCP-1 were increased in patients compared to the control group. There was no relationship between low serum vitamin D levels and the likelihood of developing kidney disease. Conclusions: this study provides important data on the prevalence of vitamin D deficiency in patients with sickle cell anemia and demonstrates that there is no relationship between low levels of vitamin D and the development of kidney disease.

Avaliação do perfil clínico-terapêutico e da resposta à profilaxia dos portadores de hemofilia A e B em um centro de referência no Ceará / Evaluation of the clinical-therapeutic profile and the response to prophylaxis of patients with hemophilia A and B in a reference center in Ceará

Objetivo: Avaliar o perfil clínico-terapêutico e a resposta à profilaxia em pacientes hemofílicos A e B em um centro de referência no Ceará. Métodos: Estudo de coorte retrospectivo, com dados de 133 hemofílicos A e B, em profilaxia entre 2016 e 2021, por meio de prontuários médicos e sistema Web Coagulopatias. Resultados: Os pacientes todos do sexo masculino em sua maioria foram hemofílicos A (93,2%), na forma grave, residentes em Fortaleza, com maior prevalência do município de Guaiúba. A maioria fazia uso de Fator VIII recombinante e em profilaxia secundária, em relação ao comprometimento articular a maioria não apresentou relato de hemartroses (66,9%), articulação-alvo (87,9%) ou artropatia (54,9%), porém os hemofílicos em profilaxia terciária apresentaram um maior comprometimento articular em relação a profilaxia primária e secundária. Verificou-se uma correlação negativa entre o tempo de profilaxia e a dose de fator utilizada, demonstrando que quanto maior o tempo de profilaxia menor a dose do fator utilizada. Um total de 13 hemofílicos A grave desenvolveram inibidor de fator VIII realizando imunotolerância (ITI) com sucesso total em 84,6%. Por meio da curva ROC, foi verificado uma associação entre a necessidade de ITI e a dose de fator de coagulação, com acurácia de 67,7% de que o uso de doses maiores de fator predispõe ao desenvolvimento de inibidores. Conclusão: Os dados do estudo permitem inferir que quanto mais precoce o tratamento de profilaxia menor é comprometimento articular, dose do fator utilizada e menor predisposição de desenvolver inibidores dos fatores da coagulação.

Objective: to evaluate the clinical-therapeutic profile and response to prophylaxis in hemophiliac A and B patients at a referral center in Ceará. Methods: Retrospective cohort study, with data from 133 hemophiliacs A and B, undergoing prophylaxis between 2016 and 2021, using medical records and the Web Coagulopathies system. Results: Most of the patients were male patients with severe hemophilia A (93.2%), residing in Fortaleza, with a higher prevalence in the city of Guaiúba. Most made use of recombinant Factor VIII and in secondary prophylaxis, in relation to joint involvement, the majority did not report hemarthroses (66.9%), target joint (87.9%) or arthropathy (54.9%). however, hemophiliacs on tertiary prophylaxis showed greater joint impairment in relation to primary and secondary prophylaxis. There was a negative correlation between the prophylaxis time and the factor dose used, demonstrating that the longer the prophylaxis time, the lower the factor dose used. A total of 13 severe A hemophiliacs developed factor VIII inhibitor performing immunotolerance (ITI) with total success in 84.6%. Using the ROC curve, an association was verified between the need for ITI and the dose of coagulation factor, with an accuracy of 67.7% that the use of higher doses of factor predisposes to the development of inhibitors. Conclusion: The study data allow us to infer that the earlier the prophylaxis treatment, the less joint impairment, the dose of the factor used and the less predisposition to develop coagulation factor inhibitors.

Use of non-conventional biomarkers in the early diagnosis of acute kidney injury in preterm newborns with sepsis / Biomarcadores não tradicionais de lesão renal aguda em recém-nascidos prematuros com sepse: diagnóstico precoce

Abstract Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a common finding in Neotatal Intensive Care Units (NICU). Sepsis is one the main causes of AKI in preterm newborns. AKI has been associated with significant death rates. Early detection of the condition is the first step to improving prevention, treatment, and outcomes, while decreasing length of hospitalization, care costs, and morbimortality. AKI may progress to chronic kidney disease (CKD), a condition linked with dialysis and greater risk of cardiovascular disease. This review article aims to discuss cases of AKI in preterm newborns with sepsis, the use of biomarkers in lab workup, and the use of non-conventional biomarkers for the early identification of AKI.

Resumo A lesão renal aguda (LRA) é comum na Unidade de Terapia Intensiva Neonatal (nUTI) e a sepse é uma de suas principais causas, especialmente em prematuros. Apresenta altas taxas de mortalidade e sua detecção precoce é o primeiro passo para a prevenção dessa condição, pois permite o tratamento adequado e melhora o desfecho, diminui o tempo de internação, os custos não médicos e a morbimortalidade. Destaca-se ainda que a LRA pode evoluir para doença renal crônica (DRC), havendo a necessidade de diálise, com maior risco de desenvolver doenças cardiovasculares. Este artigo de revisão tem como objetivo discutir a LRA em recém-nascidos (RNs) prematuros com sepse, abordando biomarcadores utilizados na rotina laboratorial e principalmente a utilização de biomarcadores não tradicionais para identificação precoce de LRA.

Use of non-conventional biomarkers in the early diagnosis of acute kidney injury in preterm newborns with sepsis.

Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a common finding in Neotatal Intensive Care Units (NICU). Sepsis is one the main causes of AKI in preterm newborns. AKI has been associated with significant death rates. Early detection of the condition is the first step to improving prevention, treatment, and outcomes, while decreasing length of hospitalization, care costs, and morbimortality. AKI may progress to chronic kidney disease (CKD), a condition linked with dialysis and greater risk of cardiovascular disease. This review article aims to discuss cases of AKI in preterm newborns with sepsis, the use of biomarkers in lab workup, and the use of non-conventional biomarkers for the early identification of AKI.

Sickle Cell Disease and the Kidney: Pathophysiology and Novel Biomarkers.

Clinical Background: Renal involvement in sickle cell disease (SCD), called sickle cell nephropathy (SCN), includes several renal manifestations, such as renal acidification defect, distal nephron dysfunction, renal papillary necrosis, and proteinuria related to glomerular injury, leading to end-stage renal disease. Epidemiology: Many patients with SCD have a defect in urinary concentration, a problem caused by the destruction of the renal medulla that initiates in childhood. The presence of proteinuria in SCD is age-related and starts as microalbuminuria in adolescence and progresses to macroalbuminuria. Proteinuria is responsible for the progression to chronic kidney disease in some patients with SCD with glomerular filtration rate (GFR) decreased due to interactions between various processes involving the vascular, glomerular, tubular, and interstitial compartments of the kidney. Challenges: Renal complications are hardly identifiable in the early stages, as serum creatinine increases only in the final stages of SCN. Subnormal GFR and elevated serum creatinine levels develop only when there is significant proteinuria. Prevention and Treatment: The identification of biomarkers of early, non-invasive kidney injury, and their inclusion in clinical practice will contribute to the identification of the mechanisms involved in the development of renal syndromes, facilitating the development of more effective strategies in the prevention and treatment of SCD.

Renal changes in COVID-19 infection.

The COVID-19 (SARS-CoV-2) infection started in China, Wuhan City, Hubei Province, in December 2019, and it was declared a pandemic in mid-March 2020, caused by a new coronavirus strain called SARS-CoV-2. The pathogenesis of kidney injury attributed to SARS- CoV-2 is not well defined yet. Observations show that the kidney damage caused by the new virus mutation is mainly tubular, with impairment of glomerular filtration and high levels of urea and creatinine. A study with seriously ill patients with COVID-19 showed that acute kidney injury was present in 29%. In the face of this evidence, based on recent studies, we can see the great renal contribution as an impact factor in the evolution of COVID-19, not just as a complicator of severity, but maybe part of the initial cascade of the process, requiring a deeper analysis using conventional biomarkers of kidney injury and more aggressive clinical intervention in patients at risk, in an attempt to reduce mortality.

Renal changes in COVID-19 infection

SUMMARY The COVID-19 (SARS-CoV-2) infection started in China, Wuhan City, Hubei Province, in December 2019, and it was declared a pandemic in mid-March 2020, caused by a new coronavirus strain called SARS-CoV-2. The pathogenesis of kidney injury attributed to SARS- CoV-2 is not well defined yet. Observations show that the kidney damage caused by the new virus mutation is mainly tubular, with impairment of glomerular filtration and high levels of urea and creatinine. A study with seriously ill patients with COVID-19 showed that acute kidney injury was present in 29%. In the face of this evidence, based on recent studies, we can see the great renal contribution as an impact factor in the evolution of COVID-19, not just as a complicator of severity, but maybe part of the initial cascade of the process, requiring a deeper analysis using conventional biomarkers of kidney injury and more aggressive clinical intervention in patients at risk, in an attempt to reduce mortality.

RESUMO Infecção pelo COVID-19 (SARS-CoV-2) começou na China, cidade de Wuhan, província de Hubei, em dezembro de 2019, e foi declarada pandemia em meados de março de 2020, causada por uma nova cepa de coronavírus chamada SARS-CoV-2. A patogênese da lesão renal atribuída à SARS-CoV-2 ainda não está bem definida. Observações mostram que o dano renal causado pela nova mutação viral é principalmente tubular, com comprometimento da filtração glomerular e apresentação de altos níveis de uréia e creatinina. Estudo com pacientes gravemente enfermos com COVID-19 mostrou que a lesão renal aguda estava presente em 29%. Diante dessas evidências, com base em estudos recentes, podemos ver a grande contribuição renal como um fator de impacto na evolução do COVID-19, não apenas como um complicador da gravidade, mas talvez como parte da cascata inicial do processo, exigindo uma investigação de análise mais profunda usando biomarcadores convencionais de lesão renal e intervenção clínica mais agressiva em pacientes em risco, na tentativa de reduzir a mortalidade.

Impact of Treatment Prior to Allogeneic Transplantation of Hematopoietic Stem Cells in Patients with Myelodysplastic Syndrome: Results of the Latin American Bone Marrow Transplant Registry.

It has been suggested that bridging therapy with intensive chemotherapy and/or hypomethylating agents followed by hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) can be valuable in the treatment of patients with myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS). However, the influence of this approach on HSCT outcomes remains poorly defined. Therefore, our objective was to investigate the influence of treatment before HSCT in patients with MDS. We retrospectively analyzed data from the Latin American registry of 258 patients from 17 Latin American centers who underwent HSCT from 1988 to 2019. Our data showed that there was pre-HSCT. We detected no significant difference regarding the impact on overall survival of treated and untreated patients before HSCT. Despite these data, the type of previous treatment among treated patients showed a significant difference in overall survival. Treatment with hypomethylating agents together with pre-HSCT chemotherapy seems to result in better survival of the studied population. These data correspond to the first results obtained through cooperative work between various centers in Latin America comparing the different approaches to patients and reflecting their reality and challenges. Therefore, the selection of pretransplant bridge therapy should be analyzed and focus given primarily to those approaches that result in better survival of patients with MDS.

Non-invasive urinary biomarkers of renal function in sickle cell disease: an overview.

Sickle cell disease (SCD) is a hereditary condition characterized by homozygosis of the hemoglobin S (HbS) gene. Marked morbimortality is observed due to chronic hemolysis, endothelial injury, and episodes of vaso-occlusion, which leads to multi-organ damage. Renal impairment is common and may have different presentations, such as deficiency in urinary acidification or concentration, glomerulopathies, proteinuria, and hematuria, frequently resulting in end-stage renal disease (ESRD). Novel biomarkers of renal function, such as kidney injury molecule 1 (KIM-1), and neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL) and monocyte chemoattractant protein 1 (MCP-1) are being studied in order to enable early diagnosis of kidney damage in SCD.

Prolonged response to recombinant human erythropoietin treatment in patients with myelodysplastic syndrome at a single referral centre in Brazil.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the effects of epoetin (EPO) alfa treatment on overall survival, event-free survival and response duration in patients with myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) who were treated at a haematological referral centre in northeastern Brazil. METHODS: This was a retrospective cohort study of 36 patients diagnosed with MDS and treated with EPO alfa at 30,000 to 60,000 IU per week. Clinical data were collected from medical records. The events assessed were non-response to treatment and progression to acute myeloid leukaemia (AML). Statistical analyses were performed using GraphPad Prism 7 and SPSS 24 software. RESULTS: The overall survival of patients who received EPO alfa treatment was 51.64%, with a median of 65 months of treatment, and the overall survival of this group was 100% during the first 24 months. We detected a 43.5-month median event-free survival, with a response rate of 80.5%. We observed responses from 25 to 175 months. Patients with transfusion dependence and those with a high-risk stratification, as determined by the International Prognostic Scoring System (IPSS), the Revised International Prognostic Scoring System (IPSS-R), the WHO classification-based Prognostic Scoring System (WPSS) and the WHO 2016, had a lower event-free survival than other patients. CONCLUSIONS: Despite the wide use of EPO alfa in the treatment of anaemia in patients with MDS, the median response duration is approximately only 24 months. Our data provide encouraging results concerning the benefits of using EPO alfa for the improvement of the quality of life, as patients treated with EPO showed higher overall survival, event-free survival rates and longer response durations than have been previously described in the literature.