Acute kidney injury as a risk factor for chronic kidney diseases in disadvantaged populations.

Acute kidney injury (AKI) is considered to be a potential cause for developing chronic kidney disease (CKD); on the other hand, CKD predisposes to AKI. The lack of adequate epidemiological data makes it difficult to determine if AKI induces CKD in less developed countries. The etiology of AKI in rich populations, in whom sophisticated surgery, interventional radiology and oncology treatments are usually the cause of AKI, is very different from that of disadvantaged populations, where the origin of AKI is associated with endemic infections, obstetric problems, poisons, toxins and natural disasters. Any conclusions extrapolated from these two settings should be treated with caution. Moreover, people living in disadvantaged conditions are usually much younger than those in rich areas and this age factor could facilitate total recovery of renal function after AKI if treatment based on an adequate supply of water, rehydration and anti-infectious measures were provided. In the small segment of the population of less developed countries having an income per capita similar to that observed in the developed countries, the long-term outcome of AKI should also be expected to be similar. New data coming from two single centers analyzing only the long-term outcome of acute tubular necrosis (ATN) patients, with a normal or near normal renal function prior to the AKI episode, coincide in reporting a requirement for chronic dialysis among the surviving patients of 2%. If these data are confirmed, the importance of AKI as cause of CKD should be reconsidered, both in developed and less developed countries.

[Control of the dialysis dose by ionic dialysance and bioimpedance]. / Control de la dosis de diálisis mediante dialisancia iónica y bioimpedancia.

INTRODUCTION: The ionic dialysance monitor allows an automated measure of Kt in each dialysis session. Bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) determines the total body water which it is equivalent to the urea volume of distribution (V). If the Kt, determined by ionic dialysance, is divided by the V, estimated by bioelectrical impedance, a Kt/V at the end of dialysis session (Kt/VDiBi) is obtained. AIM OF THE STUDY: To evaluate the agreement between the Kt/VDiBi and the Kt/V obtained by two simplified formulas: the monocompartimental (Kt/Vm) and the equilibrated (Kt/Ve) Daugirdas equations. METHODS: The Kt/VDiBi, the Kt/Vm and the Kt/Ve were determined in 38 hemodialysis patients (27 males and 11 females) in the same hemodialysis session. The patients were on dialysis three times a week for 3.5 to 4 hours. The V was determined by monofrequency bioelectrical impedance (50 kHz) at the end of the dialysis session. RESULTS: The Kt/VDiBi, Kt/Vm and Kt/Ve were 1.29+/-0.26, 1.54+/-0.29 and 1.36+/-0.25, respectively (p<0.001 between the Kt/VDiBi and the KtVm, and p<0.001 between the KtV/DiBi and the Kt/Ve). The intraclass correlation coefficient showed better concordance between the KtV/DiBi and the Kt/Ve (coefficient 0.88) than between the Kt/VDiBi and the KtVm (coefficient 0.65). The relative difference of the Kt/VDiBi was 8.3+/-6.4% with respect to the Kt/Ve and 18.4+/-7.8 % with respect to the Kt/Vm (p<0.001). The relative difference between the Kt/VDiBi and the Kt/Ve was lower than 15% in the 84% of the patients and lower than 10% in the 64% of the patients. CONCLUSIONS: If the V obtained by bioelectrical impedance analysis is included in the ionic dialysance monitor, we can obtain a Kt/V for each patient in real time, which is similar to the equilibrated Kt/V obtained from the Daugirdas equation.

Evidence that addition of azathioprine improves renal function in cyclosporine-treated patients with allograft dysfunction.

Several approaches have been attempted to manage renal allograft dysfunction in cyclosporine-prednisone (CsA-Pred)-treated patients. Conversion to conventional therapy and perioperative triple drug have been associated with high rates of acute rejection episodes, infections, or neoplasms. We report our experience in delayed addition of azathioprine (1-2 mg/kg/day) to CsA/Pred protocol in three groups of patients. Group I (n = 9) had chronic renal function deterioration due to chronic rejection; group II (n = 10) had repeated or severe acute rejection episodes despite adequate CsA levels; and group III (n = 8) had CsA toxicity despite drug tapering. In group I, serum creatinine (SCr) had risen from 2.2 +/- 0.9 to 2.9 +/- 0.7 mg/dl over the 6 months prior to Aza addition (P less than 0.05), renal function declining at a rate of -0.14 +/- 0.12 Cr-1/year. In the 6-month post-Aza, renal function improved at a rate of 0.06 +/- 0.06 Cr-1/year and during the entire follow-up at a rate of 0.04 +/- 0.12 Cr-1/year (P less than 0.05) with stable CsA levels (288 +/- 167 vs. 251 +/- 172 ng/dl, NS). In group II response was worse, though the rate of declining renal function prior to Aza (-0.10 +/- 0.10 Cr-1/year) was almost stopped after Aza. In group III there was very good response to Aza addition, as 7 out of 8 patients improved graft function (baseline SCr 2.5 +/- 0.7 mg/dl vs. 1.9 +/- 0.6 mg/dl at last follow-up, P less than 0.05), with significantly decreased CsA levels (480 +/- 97 vs. 268 +/- 120, P less than 0.05). One patient from group II died from pneumonia, and 6 patients (1 from group I and 5 from group II) lost their grafts. Fifteen patients improved graft function, and 9 worsened after addition of Aza. The bad-responders had significantly higher SCr at baseline compared with the good-responders (3.8 +/- 1.8 vs. 2.7 +/- 0.6 mg/dl, P less than 0.01). Amelioration of chronic graft dysfunction can be achieved by delayed addition of Aza to CsA-Pred in patients with chronic rejection or CsA toxicity. This is accompanied by low rate of acute rejection, good patient and graft survival, and low rate of infections. A worse outcome can be seen in patients with high-baseline SCr levels, suggesting the need for addition of Aza in the initial chronic graft dysfunction.

Laryngeal tuberculosis in renal allograft patients.

Laryngeal tuberculosis, although the most common granulomatous disease of the larynx, is a rare form of extrapulmonary tuberculosis, never reported in immunosuppressed allograft recipients. We present two cases of laryngeal tuberculosis in renal transplant patients and a review of the literature. Two women, a 29-year-old and a 60-year-old, each more than 9 years after their cadaveric renal allograft, presented with a 2-week febrile illness with hoarseness and dysphagia, and both were found to have laryngeal tuberculosis by direct laryngoscopy. Although both radiographs were unremarkable, both patients had sputum positive for acid-fast bacilli that subsequently grew Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Clinical response promptly followed institution of isoniazid, rifampicin, and pyrazinamide in each case, although both required threefold increases in daily cyclosporin A dosage to maintain therapeutic levels.

Outcomes in acute renal failure.

Although patients with acute renal failure (ARF) are now older and sicker than in the past, mortality remains constant or even slightly lower, which suggests a better management of the syndrome. Several clinical conditions, mainly assisted respiration, hypotension, oliguria, coma and jaundice, have a detrimental effect on outcome. Previous health status, original disease, a hospital and/or ICU start of the ARF, and age of the patient also seem to affect outcome of these patients. ARF observed in the ICU setting has a poorer prognosis than the ARF treated in other hospital areas. This is because of the higher number of associated organ failures observed in the ICU. Estimation of outcome could be done either using specific ARF or general ICU score systems. They allow risk stratification of the patients, and some of them give an individual prognosis that at present should not be used for a withdrawal decision. Functional outcome of ARF is usually good, although some patients need to be maintained on chronic dialysis.

Causes and prognosis of acute renal failure in the very old. Madrid Acute Renal Failure Study Group.

OBJECTIVES: There is a tendency to treat older people with Acute Renal Failure (ARF) less aggressively because of the presumed less acceptable end results. This has not been proved, and their prognosis may be similar to that found in the younger population. There are no studies on the incidence, causes, and evolution of ARF in patients 80 years of age and older. DESIGN: A multicenter, prospective, longitudinal study. SETTING: The 13 hospitals with nephrology units that serve the 4.2 million people in Madrid, Spain. MEASUREMENTS: A number of demographic, clinical, and therapeutic variables were studied in each case. RESULTS: One hundred three episodes of ARF occurred in patients 80 years of age and older (Group 1), 256 in patients aged 65 to 79 years (Group 2), and 389 in people younger than age 65 (Group 3). Acute tubular necrosis was diagnosed in 39% of cases in Group 1, in 48% in Group 2, and in 55% in Group 3 (P = .004, 1 vs 3); prerenal ARF was diagnosed in 30%, 28%, and 21% (P = .054, 1 vs 3) and obstructive ARF in 20%, 11%, and 7% (P < .001, 1 vs 3) of cases, respectively. Serum creatinine at admission, peak values, values at discharge or death, duration of both admission and ARF episode, and mortality were similar in all groups. In stratified analysis, relative risk for mortality in patients aged more than 80 years was 1.09 [95%CI 0.86,1.36 (P = .562)], and in those aged 65 to 79 it was 0.99 [95%CI 0.83,1.18 (P = .954)] compared with patients aged less than 65 years. Risk of death was also similar when only acute tubular necrosis cases were considered. Sustained hypotension was associated with higher mortality (44% of nonsurviving older persons vs 9% of survivors, P < .001). CONCLUSION: Age is not a particularly poor prognostic sign, and outcome seems to be within acceptable limits for very old patients with ARF. Acute dialysis should not be withheld from patients solely because they are more than 80 years of age.

Incidence and prognosis of acute renal failure in older patients.

Few studies have assessed the prevalence and outcome of acute renal failure (ARF) in the elderly. Among 437 ARF cases prospectively studied during a nine-year period in a nephrology department, 152 (35%) occurred in patients over 70 years of age (Group 1). Patients over 70 account for only 10.5% of all hospital admissions in our country, and prevalence of ARF was 3.5 times higher in these patients than in younger people. Acute tubular necrosis (ATN) was diagnosed in 40% of Group 1 and 52% of the younger patients (Group 2) (P less than .05), whereas prerenal ARF was found in 47% and 32%, respectively (P less than .001). Dehydration was the most frequent cause of prerenal ARF in the elderly (51%). The etiological distribution of ATN was similar in both groups, being of multifactorial origin in most cases. Oliguria was present in 49% of ATN in Group 1 and in 66% of Group 2 (P less than .05). There were no significant differences in dialysis needs. Mortality was higher in the elderly in all types of ARF, although differences did not reach statistical significance. Need for dialysis, mechanical respiration, decreased level of consciousness, and hypotension were associated with poor prognosis in both groups. Total recovery from ARF in older persons was less frequent and slower than in younger patients. It may be concluded that patients over 70 years of age are at high risk for developing ARF; nevertheless, age should not be used as a discriminating factor in therapeutic decisions concerning ARF.

The spectrum of acute renal failure in the intensive care unit compared with that seen in other settings. The Madrid Acute Renal Failure Study Group.

Acute renal failure (ARF) is at a crossroads between nephrology and intensive care medicine. However, there seems to be wide differences between the ARF observed in the intensive care unit (ICU) compared to that observed in other areas of the hospital, particularly when examining the mortality rate. Among the ICU patients the 70% mortality rate is higher to the 50% found in an overall series of studies. Recently, Druml proposed that there is a changing trend in the clinical spectrum of ARF as a convincing reason to justify these differences. According to him, we are moving from an ARF seen as a mono-organ failure to another one observed in a multiorgan dysfunction syndrome (MODS) context. Although extremely coherent, this hypothesis has not been fully confirmed in a prospective study. In fact, most authors seem to look at the problem from opposite sides of the river, either from the critical medicine or the nephrological bank. To the best of our knowledge, only one retrospective study has dealt with this topic by comparing outcome of ARF in ICU and non-ICU patients. In this article we aim to overcome this problem by reviewing the data of the prospective epidemiological ARF study carried out in Madrid using two different approaches: (1) comparing the ARF cases observed in the ICU setting with those ARF studied outside the ICU, and (2) comparing the outcome of isolated ARF with the outcome of ARF as part of a MODS in patients treated in both settings.

Regression of left ventricular hypertrophy after partial correction of anemia with erythropoietin in patients on hemodialysis: a prospective study.

Myocardial effects of recombinant human erythropoietin (rhEPO) treatment were prospectively investigated in 15 hemodialysis (HD) patients with severe anemia (hematocrit [Ht] 19.7 +/- 2.5%). Echocardiographic studies were performed after a midweek HD session just before and after a year of rhEPO. At the end of the study period, Ht had improved to 32.2 +/- 3.5% and cardiac index significantly decreased (5.48 +/- 1.54 vs 3.97 +/- 0.94 l/min/m2, p less than 0.001). Left ventricular mass index (LVMi) decreased with rhEPO (210.7 +/- 48.3 vs 139 +/- 50 g/m2, p less than 0.05). This decrease was concomitant with a decrease of LV end-diastolic diameter (4.89 +/- 0.44 vs 4.57 +/- 0.64 cm, p less than 0.05), interventricular septum thickness (IVST, 1.42 +/- 0.33 vs 1.07 +/- 0.13 cm, p less than 0.01) and LV posterior wall thickness (LVPWT, 1.28 +/- 0.21 vs 1.01 +/- 0.11 cm, p less than 0.01). Eight patients were hypertensive well controlled with hypotensive drugs (group I) and 7 normotensive (group II). LVMi was higher in group I than in group II before rhEPO (235.2 +/- 40 vs 182.7 +/- 43.1 g/m2, p less than 0.05) and significantly decreased after rhEPO in both groups (28.5% and 41.4% respectively). LVMi remained higher in group I than in group II at the end of the study (168.5 +/- 0.9 vs 106.7 +/- 24 g/m2, p less than 0.025). A moderately elevated IVST/LVPWT was reduced with a year of rhEPO (1.14 +/- 0.40 vs 1.05 +/- 0.15, p less than 0.05), disclosing correction of asymmetric septal hypertrophy. We conclude that left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) regression is obtained after partial correction of anemia with rhEPO. Previous hypertension with current need of antihypertensive treatment has also a significant effect in the development of LVH. Whether this regression would improve outcome in HD patients remains to be established.

A low incidence of new-onset insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus using tacrolimus in kidney recipients in Europe.

Employing tacrolimus (Tac) for routine immunosuppression in renal transplantation (RT), produced an incidence of new-onset, insulin-treated, diabetes mellitus (newDM) as high as 20%. More recently, several large multicenter kidney studies using Tac as the primary immunosuppressant have been reported in Europe. Between 1997 and 2001, we performed 155 RTs using Tac (0.2 mg/k/per day, targeting whole blood trough levels <15 ng/mL) with a rapid steroid taper. The acute rejection rate was 13%, and 89% of grafts are still functioning. Only 5 Tac-treated patients not previously requiring insulin needed insulin therapy for > or =30 days (3.2%). Eight separate studies employing Tac in at least one arm (N=2728) have been reported between 1997 and 2002. Tac was combined with azathioprine or MMF, and/or steroids. The incidence of new DM at study end ranged from 2.3% to 8.3%. The only trial with >6% incidence was the first one, using an initial dose of 0.3 mg/kg per day. The most recent studies utilized an initial dose of 0.2 mg/kg per day, targeting whole blood trough levels of <15 ng/mL and a steroid taper, with newDM at <6%. On the basis of these data, we confirm in that the use of Tac as a first-line immunosuppressant in renal transplant patients affords protection against acute rejection with a low level of newDM. The tendency to employ lower oral doses of Tac, lower blood target levels, and a reduced steroid dose appear to minimize glucose disturbances in RT.

Cytomegalovirus infection after renal transplantation: selective prophylaxis and treatment.

We have reviewed our experience in selective cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection prophylaxis and treatment in our renal transplant population. Between 1996 and 2001, 263 cadaveric renal transplant recipients had at least 6 months follow up. Immunosuppression was based on cyclosporine Neoral (n=108) or tacrolimus (n=155). CMV infection prophylaxis (oral acyclovir or gancyclovir at half usual doses) was only prescribed in recipients receiving a CMV positive ve kidney and in recipients treated with OKT3. CMV infection was diagnosed by a positive pp65 antigenemia upon appearance of CMV-related symptoms, leading to specific treatment (IV ganciclovir) only if symptoms were intense or there was visceral involvement. Thus, no preemptive treatment or programmed or periodic antigenemia was performed in any case. Nineteen episodes of symptomatic CMV infection were diagnosed (prevalence 7.2%). The frequency was similar for all immunosuppressive regimens. Only 9 of 19 (47%) of patients were given IV ganciclovir; the others were not treated. All patients survived without apparent complications, relapses, or recurrences. No oral gancyclovir was delivered after IV treatment. Our CMV prophylaxis protocol was limited to high-risk patients, using lower gancyclovir dosages than those usually advocated. It does not include programmed or scheduled search for CMV antigenemia in asymptomatic renal transplant patients. Despite these factors, our CMV infection rate and severity were similar to those reported with more aggressive protocols, with extended prophylaxis, preemptive therapy, or intense surveillance.

Blood pressure after three different forms of correction of anemia in hemodialysis.

It is not known whether recombinant human erythropoietin has a direct, clinically apparent pressor effect in hemodialysis patients or whether hypertension developing or aggravated in these patients merely reflects increased hematocrit. We compared blood pressure after three different methods of partial correction of anemia in hemodialysis patients with similar baseline hematocrits (erythropoietin n = 12, intravenous iron alone n = 10, androgens n = 9). Shortly after the start of treatment and with a minimally increased hematocrit, the need for antihypertensive medication increased in the erythropoietin group. No such pressor effect was observed with iron or androgens. These data suggest a direct hypertensive effect of erythropoietin in some patients on hemodialysis.

Hemodynamic and cardiac effects of erythropoietin in patients on regular dialysis.

The long-term impact of erythropoietin (EPO) treatment on cardiac structures and function was prospectively studied in eight hypertensive (Group I) and seven normotensive (Group II) patients on hemodialysis (HD). Doppler-echocardiograms were done before EPO and at two and twelve months of treatment. Mean hemoglobin (+/- SD) before EPO was 6.4 +/- 0.9; it rose significantly up to two months and then remained constant. At two months, cardiac index (CI) had significantly decreased, while peripheral vascular resistances increased. Five patients required increased antihypertensive drug treatment. No changes were seen in myocardial parameters at this short follow-up. After one year, left ventricular mass index (LVMi) decreased (p less than 0.05) in both groups concomitantly with a decrease in diastolic diameter and septum and posterior wall thicknesses. Basal LVMi was higher in Group I than in Group II, and after one year the regression was more marked in Group II. Left cardiac work showed prompt and steady improvement in both groups. Maintained partial correction of anemia with EPO during one year was associated with a return to normal of high CI, decreased left cardiac work and impressive regression of left ventricular hypertrophy.

[Relationship between ionic dialysance and urea clearance]. / Relación entre la dialisancia iónica y el aclaramiento de urea.

INTRODUCTION: Ionic dialysance is a method of continuous on-line monitoring of delivered dialysis without blood sampling. To compare the results obtained by ionic dialysance and those obtained by the traditional measurements of the dialysis dose, it is necessary to know the relationship between the ionic dialysance and urea clearance. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Ionic dialysance and the urea clearance were determined in 18 patients (13 dialyzed with cuprophan and 5 patients with AN69). Urea clearance was measured by 6 different methods: urea clearance in whole blood calculated with the arteriovenous difference in the urea concentration rates and the arterial flow measured by the rolling pump (KBAVb) or by ultrasounds (KBAVu); urea clearance in whole blood measured by the urea concentration in the dialysate (KBD); urea blood water clearance measured by the arteriovenous difference in the concentration rates using the arterial flow measured by the roller pump (KwBAVb) or by ultrasounds (KwBAVu) and urea blood water clearance measured by the urea concentration in dialysate (KwBD). RESULTS: The mean arterial flow measured by the roller pump was 314.4 +/- 16.2 ml/min and 275.1 +/- 13.8 ml/min when measured by ultrasounds (p < 0.001). The data of ionic dialysance and urea clearances were as follow (ml/min): ionic dialysance 185.6 +/- 11.7; KBAVb 245.7 +/- 15.7; KBAVu 215.4 +/- 13.2; KBD 231.6 +/- 13.1; KwBAVb 218.1 +/- 14; KwBAVu 191.2 +/- 11.8; KwBD 183.1 +/- 11.7. The absolute difference of ionic dialysance with the KwBAVu was 8.4 +/- 6 ml/min (range between -17.8 and 11.5 ml) and with the KwBD was 7.6 +/- 5.4 ml (range between -12.9 and 21.4 ml). CONCLUSIONS: There was a relationship between ionic dialysance and urea blood water clearance. The best concordance was obtained when the clearance was calculated with the urea concentration of dialysate, or with the arteriovenous difference of the urea concentration rates and the arterial blood flow measured by ultrasounds.

[Estimate of the dialysis dose using ionic dialysance]. / Cálculo de la dosis de diálisis mediante dialisancia iónica.

UNLABELLED: The Diascan equipment (Hospal) measures ionic dialysance from which it derives the Kt/V. It is automatic, does not need blood samples and displays the results in real time. The aim of the present study was to compare the Diascan Kt/V with the Kt/V obtained with four simple formulas: two based on a single pool model of urea kinetics (Lowrie 1983 and Daugirdas 1993) and the other based on the two pool model (Maduell formulation applied to Lowrie Kt/V and that proposed by Daugirdas 1995). We have analyzed the inter-method variability, the degree of relationship among the different procedures for Kt/V calculation and the intra-individual variability. The intermethod variability between Kt/V Diascan and Kt/V calculated by the four simple formulas were studied in one hemodialysis session in 19 patients. The Kt/V Diascan was statistically different from that calculated by the four formulas (1,021 +/- 0.140 Diascan vs 1,147 +/- 0.124 for Lowrie-83; vs 1,373 +/- 0.164 for Daugirdas-93; vs 0.963 +/- 0.105 for Maduell and vs 1,173 +/- 0.143 for Daugirdas-95, p < 0.01). The lowest inter-method variability was obtained with the Maduell's Kt/V (relative difference 9%) but even in this case 37% of patients had a variability above 10%. The correlation coefficient was not high enough to allow an estimation of the different Kt/V measurements from the Diascan Kt/V by a regression equation. To study the individual relationship between the Diascan Kt/V and the Kt/V calculated by the four formulations, we have determined the Kt/V every 30 minutes in one hemodialysis session in 30 patients. In all patients we observed a good relationship between the Diascan Kt/V and the other four (correlation coefficient of 0.9952 for Lowrie-83, 0.9976 for Daugirdas-93, 0.9961 for Maduell and 0.9971 for Daugirdas-95); with these correlation coefficientes it was possible to derive regression equations and to obtain an estimation of the four Kt/V's from the Diascan Kt/V. To study the individual variability of each procedure used in the Kt/V calculations we determined the coefficient of variation of the different methods in 5 consecutive hemodialysis sessions performed under identical conditions in 19 patients. The coefficient of variation was 3.7 +/- 1.8% for the Diascan Kt/V; 6.0 +/- 2.8 for the Lowrie-83 Kt/V; 5.8 +/- 2.4 for the Daugirdas-93 Kt/V; 6.5 +/- 2.6% for the Maduell Kt/V; and 5.7 +/- 2.2% for the Daugirdas-95 Kt/V (p < 0.01 between the Diascan Kt/V and the other four). CONCLUSIONS: Although the Diascan Kt/V was statistically different from the other four Kt/V's calculated by the usual formulas, the Diascan Kt/V has an excellent correlation with all of them and showed a lower intra-individual variability. It is possible to obtain an estimation of the calculated Kt/V for each patient by linear regression equation.

[Hepatitis C virus infection in patients treated with hemodialysis]. / Infección por el virus de la hepatitis C en enfermos tratados con hemodiálisis.

The prevalence of hepatitis C infection was evaluated (Ortho HCV Antibody ELISA Test) in 64 patients with chronic renal failure treated in a single hemodialysis unit. None of these patients was a carrier of hepatitis B virus nor of antibodies against human immunodeficiency virus. Antibodies against hepatitis C virus were detected in 11 patients (17%). The prevalence was higher in the 13 previously diagnosed of non A, non B hepatitis (77%) than in the 51 without previous hepatitis (2%) (p less than 0.001). A relationship between the infection rate and the number of previous blood transfusions was also observed: 5% in the patients without previous transfusions, 13% in the 30 patients who had received between 1 and 10 blood units and 40% in the 15 who had received more than 10 blood units (p less than 0.05). These data suggest that the hepatitis C virus may be responsible for most episodes previously diagnosed as non A, non B hepatitis, and that blood transfusions are the major risk factor.

Causes of graft bruits other than of renal arterial stenosis.

Hypertension and bruit over the graft are commonly associated to renal arterial stenosis in transplant patients. However, these findings can have other origins, too. In the present work we report on two patients in whom remote arteriovenous fistulas were the cause of a spurious bruit heard over the kidney allograft.

[Progressive external ophthalmoplegia]. / Oftalmoplejia externa progresiva.

Progressive external ophthalmoplegia is a myopathic alteration of slow progression which affects the extrinsic ocular muscles; ptosis of the eyelid being the most characteristic sign. Nowadays, it is included as type of muscular dystrophy. Even though mitochondrial changes have been described, they are not specific to this disease. 2 cases are described in this paper, commenting on clinical, electromyographic and pathological aspects.