The Role of Angiopoietins in Cardiovascular Outcomes of Kidney Transplant Recipients: An Ancillary Study from the FAVORIT.

INTRODUCTION: Kidney transplant recipients (KTRs) have increased risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality. We investigated vascular biomarkers, angiopoietin-1, and angiopoietin-2 (angpt-1, -2), in CVD development in KTRs. METHODS: This ancillary study from the FAVORIT evaluates the associations of baseline plasma angpt-1, -2 levels in CVD development (primary outcome) and graft failure (GF) and death (secondary outcomes) in 2000 deceased donor KTRs. We used Cox regression to analyze the association of biomarker quartiles with outcomes. We adjusted for demographic; CVD- and transplant-related variables; medications; urine albumin-to-creatinine ratio; and randomization status. We calculated areas under the curves (AUCs) to predict CVD or death, and GF or death by incorporating biomarkers alongside clinical variables. RESULTS: Participants' median age was 52 IQR [45, 59] years: with 37% women and 73% identifying as white. Median time from transplantation was 3.99 IQR [1.58, 7.93] years and to CVD development was 2.54 IQR [1.11-3.80] years. Quartiles of angpt-1 were not associated with outcomes. Whereas higher levels of angpt-2 (quartile 4) were associated with about 2 times the risk of CVD, GF, and death (aHR 1.85 [1.25-2.73], p < 0.01; 2.24 [1.36-3.70)], p < 0.01; 2.30 [1.48-3.58], p < 0.01, respectively) as compared to quartile 1. Adding angiopoietins to preexisting clinical variables improved prediction of CVD or death (AUC improved from 0.70 to 0.72, p = 0.005) and GF or death (AUC improved from 0.68 to 0.70, p = 0.005). Angpt-2 may partially explain the increased risk of future CVD in KTRs. Further research is needed to assess the utility of using angiopoietins in the clinical care of KTRs. CONCLUSION: Angpt-2 may be a useful prognostic tool for future CVD in KTRs. Combining angiopoietins with clinical markers may tailor follow-up to mitigate CVD risk.

Global hemodialysis vascular access care: Three decades of evolution.

The development of vascular access for hemodialysis has come a long way since 1943 when the first hemodialysis treatment was performed in humans by connecting an artery and vein using an external glass canula. Since then, vascular access care has evolved robustly through contributions from numerous countries and professional nephrology societies, worldwide. To understand the global distribution and contribution of different specialties to medical literature on dialysis vascular access care, we performed a literature search from 1991 to 2021 and identified 2768 articles from 74 countries. The majority of publications originated from the United States (41.5%), followed by China (5.1%) and the United Kingdom (4.6%). Our search results comprise of observational studies (43%), case reports/series (27%), review articles (16.5%) and clinical trials (12%). A large proportion of articles were published in Nephrology journals (49%), followed by General Medicine (14%), Surgery (10%), Vascular Medicine (8%), and Interventional Radiology journals (4%). With the introduction of interventional nephrology, nephrologists will be able to assume the majority of the responsibility for dialysis vascular access care and above all maintain a close interdisciplinary collaboration with other specialties to provide optimum patient care. In this review article, we discuss the history, evolving knowledge, challenges, educational opportunities, and future directions of dialysis vascular access care, worldwide.

Severe psoriasis presenting with rapidly progressive (crescentic) IgA-predominant glomerulonephritis.

IgA nephropathy (IgAN) is commonly associated with psoriasis; however, psoriasis presenting with crescentic IgAN is uncommon. A 49-year-old man with erythrodermic psoriasis with arthritis and stage 2 chronic kidney disease presented to the emergency department with worsening peripheral oedema and difficulty breathing. The patient had been hospitalised previously for a psoriasis flare. He was found to have an acute kidney injury on chronic kidney disease and was diagnosed with crescentic IgA glomerulonephritis on his first hospitalisation. He was treated with corticosteroids and was discharged stable with a plan to start cyclophosphamide in the outpatient setting. On his current hospitalisation, cyclophosphamide was added to his corticosteroids. Crescentic IgAN is rare. Its management has been based largely on observational studies. Our case highlights the importance of starting combined corticosteroids and cyclophosphamide early in crescentic IgAN and that corticosteroid monotherapy is insufficient in controlling disease progression.

Scombroid pancreatitis from mahi-mahi consumption.

A 61-year-old woman with no significant previous medical history presented to an urgent care facility with generalised rash, flushing and abdominal pain after eating mahi-mahi. She was diagnosed with an allergic reaction and discharged home. Later she experienced severe acute abdominal pain and multiple episodes of vomiting, which prompted her to go to the hospital. On admission, the patient had an elevated white count, lipase, amylase and C reactive protein with normal liver enzymes and bilirubin. Imaging showed acute pancreatitis that was suspected to be secondary to scombroid poisoning. This was confirmed by elevated immunoglobulin E and histamine levels. The acute pancreatitis was treated with pain management and supportive treatment. Scombroid poisoning is a well-recognised disease, however, acute pancreatitis secondary to this is rare as only two cases have been reported in the literature, one with codfish and the second an unknown type of fish.

Pulmonary embolism as the primary presentation of IgA vasculitis.

A 47-year-old man presented to the emergency department with acute onset of dyspnoea and a week history of painful erythematous rash on both of his legs. CT angiogram of the chest showed saddle pulmonary embolism resulting in right ventricular strain and obstructive shock. Due to the atypical nature of his skin rash, a skin biopsy from one of these lesions was done and came consistent with the diagnosis of IgA vasculitis.