Dalteparin sodium-associated retroperitoneal hematoma in a patient with diabetic nephropathy / 대한내과학회지

Retroperitoneal Hematoma is a rare intraabdominal bleeding occurring in patients with low- molecular weight heparin anti-coagulant therapy. We report a case of dalteparin sodium-associated retroperitoneal hematoma in a 70-year-old man with diabetic nephropathy with review of this condition in the literature. He had been suffered from type 2 diabetes mellitus and hypertension for 15 years. In July 2002, he was admitted to our hospital because of unstble angina and left pleural effusion. He was treated with dalteparin sodium and aspirin for unstable angina. On the second hospital day, he was refered to division of nephrology for diabetic nephropathy. Laboratory data on admission included white blood cell count of 4,500/mm3, hemoglobin 9.6 g/dL, platelet count 294,000/mm3, BUN 58.1 mg/dL, serum creatinine 4.1 mg/dL, blood glucose 178 mg/dL, hemoglobin A1c 5.9%, PT 13.9 sec (INR: 1.09), and aPTT 50 sec. On days 6 through 8, he had lower back pain, lower extremity pain and neuropathy, anemia and hypotension. Abdominal ultrasound showed 6 x 6 cm-sized well marginated mixed echogenic lesion in psoas muscle and fluid collection in retroperitoneal cavity. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) showed increased signal intensity and thickening of the right psoas muscle including 4.7 x 2.3 x 2.1 cm-sized cytic lesion and 6.2X5.3X3.7 cm-sized cystic lesion on the lateral portion of right psoas muscle in T2-weighted images. Percutaneous drainage of cystic lesion was performed by right lateral approach. Hemodialysis was begun without heparinization. Abdominal CT showed 5.5X5 cm-sized high attenuated lesion in right psoas muscle and 5X3 cm, 3X2 cm, 4.5 x 2.5 cm, 4 x 2.5 cm-sized heterogenous, slightly high attenuated lesions in the right lower abdomen and cul-de-sac in the scans with no enhancement. He was treated by conservative therapy. He recovered gradually. Patients with kidney diseases receiving low molecular weight heparin (dalteparin, enoxaparin, etc.) should be closely monitored to prevent serious bleeding complications. The possibility of retroperitoneal hematoma should be considered, whenever symptoms including lower back pain, inguinal pain, leg pain, anemia, or hypotension occured during the lower molecular weight heparin anticoagulant therapy. To our knowledge, this is the first reported case of retroperitoneal hematoma in a patient during dalteparin sodium (Fragmin(R)) anticoagulant therapy.

Unilateral Autosomal Dominant Polycystic Kidney Disease with Contralateral Renal Agenesis: A Case Report

Autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD) is the most common hereditary renal disease. There are some reports in the literature concerning unilateral ADPKD. However, in adults, only a few cases of unilateral ADPKD with agenesis of contralateral kidney have been reported. We present a case of unilateral ADPKD with agenesis of contralateral kidney in a 66-yr-old man. Radiographic images showed the enlarged right kidney with multiple variable-sized cysts and the absence of the left kidney. The diagnosis of ADPKD was confirmed by the family screening. The patient received maintenance hemodialysis for endstage renal disease. We report a case of unilateral ADPKD associated with contralateral renal agenesis in a 66-yr-old male patient with a literature review.

Hydronephrosis by an Aberrant Renal Artery: A Case Report

Ureteropelvic junction obstruction is usually intrinsic and is most common in children. Aberrant renal arteries are present in about 30% of individuals. Aberrant renal arteries to the inferior pole cross anteriorly to the ureter and may cause hydronephrosis. To the best of our knowledge, although there are some papers about aberrant renal arteries producing ureteropelvic junction obstruction, there is no report of a case which is diagnosed by the new modalities, such as computed tomography angiogram (CTA) or magnetic resonance angiogram (MRA). We describe a 36-year-old woman with right hydronephrosis. Kidney ultrasonogram and excretory urogram revealed right hydronephrosis. CTA and MRA clearly displayed an aberrant renal artery and hydronephrosis. The patient underwent surgical exploration. For the evaluation of hydronephrosis by an aberrant renal artery, use of CTA and MRA is advocated.

Erectile dysfunction in diabetic nephropathy / 대한내과학회지

BACKGROUND: Erectile dysfunction (ED) is prevalent among patients with diabetes mellitus and impaired renal function. To estimate the prevalence of ED in diabetic nephropathy and to identify its risk factors, we carried out a survey of patients with diabetic nephropathy attending Chonnam University Hospital. METHODS: The presence of ED was assessed among 106 type 2 diabetic patients with microalbuminuria or overt diabetic nephropathy or renal replacement therapy using its self- administered International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF). ED was also classified into five validated severity levels, ranging from none (22-25), mild (17-21), mild/moderate (12-16), moderate (8-11), through severe (5-7). Logistic regression was used to examine associations between ED and other medical conditions. RESULTS: The mean age was 45.30+/-8.57 years in patients without ED and 58.53+/-8.46 years in patients with ED. The prevalence of any level of ED was 72% using IIEF. An independent t-test and chi-square demonstrated age, smoking, smoking duration, degree of nephropathy, coronary heart disease, neuropathy, diabetic foot, and retinopathy to be associated with the presence of any level of ED. Patients with ED had lower serum levels of hemoglobin, albumin, triglyceride, HDL-cholesterol and higher serum levels of BUN in unadjusted analyses compared with patients without ED. A multivariable logistic regression demonstrated age, serum creatinine concentration, and renal replacement therapy to be independently associated with the presence of any level of ED. CONCLUSION: ED is extremely prevalent among type 2 diabetic patients with microalbuminuria or overt diabetic nephropathy or renal replacement therapy. Increased age and serum creatinine concentration, and renal replacement therapy were associated with higher prevalence of ED.

Diabetic Muscle Infarction in a Patient with Continuous Ambulatory Peritoneal Dialysis / 대한신장학회잡지

Diabetic muscle infarction (DMI) is a rare condition occurring in subjects with long-standing complicated diabetes mellitus. We report DMI in a 65-year-old man with type 2 diabetes mellitus undergoing continous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) with review of this condition in the literature. He had been suffered from type 2 diabetes mellitus for 21 years. In 1997, he reached end-stage renal disease and had received on renal replacement therapy with CAPD since then. In June 2002, he presented with sudden and spontaneous onset of severe pain in the right thigh region. He was afebrile, and the right thigh was swollen and tender but not erythematous. Laboratory data on admission included white blood cell count of 15, 800/mm3, hemoglobin 9.0 g/dL, platelet count 264, 000/mm3, BUN 102.3 mg/dL, serum creatinine 9.9 mg/dL, fasting blood glucose 85 mg/dL, postprandial 2 hours blood glucose 162 mg/ dL, hemoglobin A1C 5.84%, ESR 125 mm/h (it was 52 mm/h one month earlier), CRP 18.9 mg/dL, and normal levels of creatinine kinase. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) showed asymmetry of the muscle in T1-weighted images and increased signal intensity involving the medial portion of right thigh (adductor longus, adductor magnus, vastus intermedius muscle, etc) in T2-weighted images with no contrast enhancement. Radioisotope venography of the ileo-femoral veins was normal, excluding deep venous thrombosis as a cause. The right thigh was explored surgically and a biopsy taken from the vastus intermedius muscle was consistent with chronically inflammed scar tissue with no evidence of malignancy. A biopsy taken from the vastus intermedius muscle showed hemorrhagic necrosis of skeletal muscle, with lymphcytic infiltration. Most of the blood vessels appeared normal. The swelling resolved spontaneously following a few weeks of bedrest and analgesia. To our knowledge, this is the first reported case of DMI in patients undergoing renal replacement therapy in Korea.

The Efficacy and Safety of Intravenous Iron Sucrose in Hemodialysis Patients / 대한신장학회잡지

BACKGROUND: The objective of the present study was to assess the efficacy and safety of iron sucrose by determining the subsequent change in hemoglobin (Hgb), hematocrit (Hct), transferrin saturation (TAST), serum ferritin values and blood pressures in hemodialysis patients receiving Epoetin. METHODS: A total of 19 adult patients who had been receiving hemodialysis three times a week at Chonnam Natinal University Hospital were assigned. Their Hgb level was less than 10 g/dL and their serum ferritin level was less than 100 ng/mL, and/or TSAT was less than 20%. Iron sucrose was administered as 1,000 mg in 10 divided doses diluted in 100 mL normal saline over the last 60 minutes during hemodialysis with a one-time prior test dose of 20 mg on 10 consecutive dialysis sessions. Iron sucrose dosage was adjusted to 25-100 mg/week depending on serum ferritin level, and TSAT in the following 3 months. Epoetin administration was stopped due to insurance regulation when Hgb level was more than 10 g/dL and Hct level was more than 30 %. To evaluate efficacy of iron sucrose, assessment of serum iron parameters and anemia indices was determined just before the first dose (baseline), at 1 month after the first dose (loading) and then, monthly for 3 months (maintenance). To evaluate safety of iron sucrose, we recorded blood pressure 1 hour before and at the time of completion of iron sucrose injection, and also recorded blood pressure during observation sessions before dialysis and at intervals of 2 hours and 4 hours after starting dialysis. We determined routine serum chemistry and hematologic results at 1 month after the first dose and compared results with those obtained at baseline. RESULTS: 1,000 mg iron surcose injection in 10 divided dose (loading) produced a significant rise in Hgb, Hct, serum iron, serum ferritin, TSAT, MCV and MCH at 1 month after first dose (respectively p<0.001, p<0.001, p<0.01, p<0.001, p<0.01, p<0.01, p< 0.01). During the following maintenance period of 3 months, Hgb, Hct, serrum ferritin, and TSAT level remained more elevated than at baseline respectively. In 19 enrolled patients, we experienced no serious adverse drug reactions and no significant changes in intradialytic blood pressure associated with iron sucrose administration. Serum albumin concentrations was higher at 1 month than at base line and however, changes in other serum chemistry and hematologic results were not statistically significant. CONCLUSION: Intravenous iron sucrose administration is an efficient and safe method to supply iron in end-stage renal disease patients receiving Epoetin with iron deficiency, who are undergoing hemodialysis.

Serum homocysteine concentration in kidney transplant recipients / 대한내과학회지

BACKGROUND: Cardiovascular disease (CVD) after kidney transplantation is a major cause of both graft loss and patient death in kidney transplant recipeints. There are several well known risk factors of CVD, such as hyperlipidemia, hypertension, diabetes melitus, old age and smoking. Non-classic risk factors are acute rejection episode, LVH, C-reactive protein and hyperhomocysteinemia. Homocysteine is an amino acid filtered through the glomerulus and hyperhomocysteinemia is considered as a risk factor of CVD in end-stage renal disease (ESRD) and kidney transplant patients. So homocysteine lowering trials, such as folic acid and vitamine supplement therapy, are being made. We evaluated the prevelance and determinants of hyperhomocysteinemia in kidney transplant recipients. METHODS: We measured serum total homocysteine concentration (tHcy) and its determinants in 21 normal persons, 37 chronic renal failure (CRF) patients with conservative treatment (predialysis) and 48 kidney transplant patients. RESULTS: The prevalence of hyperhomocysteinemia was 4.8%, 83.8% and 45.8% among normal persons, predialysis and kidney tranplant patients, respectively. Among the kidney transplant recipients the prevelence of hyperhomocysteinemia was 18.8% in normal renal function (serum creatitine concentration male: below 1.2 mg/dL, female: below 1.1 mg/dL) group and 59.4% in abnormal renal function group. The tHcy values in kidney transplant patients are significantly lower than those in predialysis patients (16.38+/-6.48 nmol/L vs. 24.68+/-9.01 nmol/L, p < 0.01), but higher than those in normal persons (16.38+/-6.48 nmol/L vs. 8.80+/-2.07 nmol/L, p < 0.01). Among the kidney transplant recipients the tHcy values in normal creatinine group are significantly lower than those in abnormal creatinine group (12.02+/-3.68 nmol/L vs. 18.57+/-6.51 nmol/L, p < 0.01). Using muliple regression analysis, this study showed increased serum creatinine concentration is a major determinant of tHcy concentrations in kidney transplant recipients and hyperhomocysteinemia is not correlated with whole blood trough level of cyclosporin (mean 126.26+/-62.19 ng/mL, range: 26~322 ng/mL) or vitamines supplement therapy. CONCLUSION: In this study the serum homocysteine values in kidney transplant recipients were higher than in normal control group but significantly lower than in CRF patients with conservative treatment. The major determinant for serum homocysteine concentration is a serum creatinine concentration.

Serum CRP level is positively correlated with the cardiovascular disease in dialysis patients / 대한내과학회지

BACKGROUND: Atherosclerosis, a major problem in patients undergoing chronic dialysis treatment, has been characterized as an inflammatory disease. Cardiovascular disease is the major cause of mortality, accouting for approximately half of all deaths in this population. The present study was aimed whether CRP, an important inflammatory marker, might be associated with cardiovascular risk in dialysis patients. METHODS: We performed retrospective study in 77 dialysis patients. Patients were divided into the elevated CRP group (>8 mg/L, n=11) and the normal CRP group (8 mg/L) showed significant higher cardiovascular events (by chi-squre test, p=0.032). BMI, smoking, alcohol, dialysis modality, lipid parameters, BUN, serum creatinine, serum protein, serum albumin and seurm TIBC did not show significant difference between two groups. Correlation between CRP and other biochemical parameters was analysed. Only ESR was positively correlated with CRP. In a subsequent analysis, elevated CRP group had significantly higher cardiovascular risk (by stepwise logistic regression method, odd ratio = 6.59;95% CI, 1.13 to 38.28). CONCLUSION: These results suggest that CRP level is correlated with cardiovascular risk in dialysis patients.

Effects of prednisolone on eosinophils, IL-5, eosinophil cationic protein, EG2+ eosinophils, and nitric oxide metabolites in the sputum of patients with exacerbated asthma

Corticosteroids are considered to be one of the most effective medicine for asthma by suppressing airway inflammation. This study was carried out to investigate the effects of prednisolone in the sputum of exacerbated asthmatics. Clinical severity, cell differentials, levels of interleukin (IL)-5, eosinophil cationic protein (ECP), EG2+ eosinophils, and nitric oxide (NO) metabolites were measured. Sputum was examined 2 weeks apart in 13 exacerbated asthmatics before and after prednisolone treatment, and once in 12 stable asthmatics. We used a sandwich ELISA for IL-5, fluoroimmunoassay for ECP, immunohistochemical staining for EG2+ eosinophils, a NO metabolites assay using modified Griess reaction. Exacerbated asthmatics, in comparison with stable asthmatics, had significantly higher proportion of eosinophils, higher level of ECP, higher percentage of EG2+ eosinophils, and NO metabolites. Exacerbated asthmatics after treatment with prednisolone had reduced the proportions of eosinophils, reduced level of IL-5, ECP and percentage of EG2+ eosinophils. FEV1 was correlated with the proportion of eosinophils, ECP, and IL-5 respectively. These findings suggest that prednisolone is considered to be effective medicine for asthma by suppressing eosinophil activation through IL-5.

Serum Lipids and Lipoproteins in Patients with Chronic Renal Failure / 대한신장학회잡지

We measured serum lipoprotein (a) [Lp (a)] concentrations in 304 uremic patients treated on predialysis, hemodialysis (HD) and continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD), and compared them with those in 43 normal controls. The mean values were 46.1mg/dl in predialysis, 35.7mg/dl in HD, 54.7mg/dl in CAPD patients and 17.0mg/dl in controls, respectively. Serum Lp (a) levels were elevated both in the predialysis patients (P<0.001) and in the CAPD patients (P<0.001) compared with those in controls, and were also elevated in the CAPD patients (P<0.01) compared with HD patients. Serum Lp (a) levels tended to be higher in HD patients compared with controls, although these differences did not reach statistical significance. We observed statistically significant positive correlations of Lp (a) to serum levels of total cholesterol (TC) (r=0.279, P<0.01), LDL-cholesterol (r=0.335, P<0.01), and Apo (B) (r=0.352, P<0.01), and significant negative correlation of Lp (a) to serum level of albumin (r=-0.278, P<0.01) in 304 CRF patients. CAPD patients had a more atherogenic lipoprotein profile than did HD patients; besides significantly higher Lp (a) levels (P<0.01), total (P<0.001) and LDL (P<0.001) cholesterol, triglycerides (P<0.05), and apo (B) (P<0.001) were significantly elevated in comparison to HD patients. The marked elevation of serum Lp (a) in patients on CAPD may be due to increased hepatic synthesis as a consequence of the substantial amounts of plasma proteins lost in the dialysate. The increased serum concentrations of Lp (a) may contribute to the high risk for atherosclerosis in end stage renal disease, especially in patients treated by CAPD.

Peritoneal Equilibration Tests on Continuous Ambulatory Peritoneal Dialysis patients / 대한내과학회지

OBJECTIVES: The peritoneal equilibration test(PET) is routinely performed in adults treated with chronic peritoneal dialysis to assess the peritoneal transport rate and to optimize treatment prescription. This study focuses on the evaluation of characteristics of peri toneal solute transport rates and physical and serological factors affecting peritoneal transport rate performed in our continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis(CAPD) patients due to guide adequate peri toneal dialysis form. METHODS: We analyzed 95 PET results which had been tested on the 28th day of CAPD and physical and serological values, such as age, sex, diabetes mellitus, height, weight, body surface area, arterial blood pressure, blood urea nitrogen, creatinine, glucose, cholesterol, triglyceride, total protein, albumin, hematocrit, hemoglo bin, sodium, potassium, phosphate which had been ob tained on the day of PET. RESULTS: 1) According to transport rate, high transport rate group was 9 cases(9.5%), high average transport group 26 cases(27.4%), low average transport rate group 32 cases(33.6%), and low transport rate group 28 cases (29.5%) respectivly. 2) The average of 4hour D/PCr was 0.60, 4hour D/Do glucose was 0.46, and drain volume was 2480ml. Thus the average of peritoneal solute transport rate of total patients was low average transport rate. 3) Factors affecting peritoneal solute transport rate were age, body surface area, plasma albumin, serum creatinine and triglyceride level. CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that high dose peritoneal dialysis form should be used in our CAPD patients because most of them have low average peritoneal transport rate, and age, body surface area, plasma albumin, serum creatinine, and triglyceride level should be consid ered when select the adequate peritoneal dialysis form.