Diabetic nephropathy among Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus patients in Dr. Cipto Mangunkusumo Hospital.

Diabetic nephropathy has been known as one of the most serious long-term complications of diabetes mellitus (DM), which could lead to end-stage kidney failure. However, data showing the presence of diabetic nephropathy among ambulatory type 2 diabetic patients is currently not available. This cross-sectional study was conducted to find the prevalence of diabetic nephropathy among non-hospitalized type 2 diabetic patients, who came for the first time to the Metabolic and Endocrinology Clinic, Dr. Cipto Mangunkusumo Hospital, Jakarta. From December 2001 to June 2002, 100 new type 2 diabetic patients were included in the study. Forty-two of them were men and the mean age was 54 ± 9.6 years. Overt nephropathy (macroalbuminuria) was found in 11% of patients, while incipient nephropathy (microalbuminuria) was 26%, and the rest were normal (normoalbuminuria). Duration of illness of more than 5 years was significantly correlated with the degree of albuminuria. However, there is no significant correlation between the degree of albuminuria and other risk factors, i.e. patient’s age, dyslipidemia, hypertension, obesity, HbA1c level. All patients with overt nephropathy had creatinine clearance test below 75 ml/ min. (mean 45.3 mL/min), significantly lower than patients with micro- or normoalbuminuria (p=0.01). Retinopathy was found in 10 out of 11 (90%) patients with overt nephropathy. Multivariate analysis showed that the duration of illness and retinopathy was significantly correlated with the presence of diabetic nephropathy (p< 0.05). We concluded that the prevalence of diabetic nephropathy (i.e. overt nephropathy with retinopathy) among non-hospitalized type 2 diabetic patients was 10%. The duration of illness was an important risk factor for the development of this complication.

Endotoxin in patients with terminal renal failure undergoing dialysis with re-processing dialyser.

AIM: to determine the level of endotoxin in the blood of patients with renal failure prior to and following hemodialysis using re-processing dialyser to know possibility of pyrogenic reactions in hemodialysis patients. METHODS: this study subjects consisted of 10 patients with terminal renal failure undergoing regular hemodialysis. The collected samples were then sent in frozen condition for endotoxin examination in Japan. The normal level of endotoxin in the blood was < 9.8 pg/ml based on standard E.Coli E.0111 endotoxin quantitatively measured using Limulus Amoebocyte lysate test (the endospecy test). Statistical analysis was performed using paired student test. RESULTS: Ten patients with terminal renal failure who were undergoing hemodialysis were obtained, consisting of 1 female and 9 males. The mean age was 55.5 years (SD 6.74), the mean hemoglobin level 7.26 g/dl (SD 2.19), mean white blood cell (WBC) count 8660/mm(3) (SD 3064.2), and mean albumin level 3.59 g/l (SD 247). The etiologies of renal failure were as follows: glomerulonephritis (GN) 30%, Diabetic nephropathy (DN) 20%, hypertension (HT) 10%, interstitial nephritis (IN) 10%, obstruction/infection (01) 10%, unknown (U) 10%. The mean duration of hemodialysis was 97.9 month (SD 54.86). The mean endotoxin level prior to hemodialysis (ET pre-hemodialysis) was 5.4 pg/dl (SD 8). CONCLUSION: we conclude that terminal renal patients who undergoing re-processing hemodialysis did not have endotoxemia both prior to and following hemodialysis unless if they associated with infection, or other complications.

Correlation between cortisol levels and myocardial infarction mortality among intensive coronary care unit patients during first seven days in hospital.

AIM: To measure cortisol level, its relationship with myocardial infarction, and to determine the correlation of elevated cortisol levels with the outcome of myocardial infarction. METHODS: This study was designed as a pre and post study. The diagnosis of myocardial infarction was established based on the WHO criteria. The patients were followed for seven days. Blood specimens were collected on day 1, 3, 5 and 7. RESULTS: Thirty six patients with myocardial infarction were studied. Four patients (11.1%) died and 32 patients (88.9%) survived. Nineteen patients (52.7%) had large infarcts and 23 patients (63.9%) had myocardial complications. The deceased patient's cortisol level differed significantly from those tht survived (65.68 + 29.07 vs 21350 + 15.82 microg/dl, p < 0.05). The groups with large infarcts and myocardial infarct complications had higher cortisol levels, but the difference was not significant compared with the group with small infarcts and patients without complications. Six patients (16.6%) who received thrombolytic therapy had significantly lower cortisol levels as compared to patients without thrombolytic therapy. The duration of elevation cortisol elevation in the deceased patient was longer than that among those who survived. Similar findings were also true for those with large infarcts when compared to those with small infarcts, as well as myocardial infarct patients with complications when compared to those without. However, the duration of cortisol elevation was shorter among patients who received thrombolytic therapy. CONCLUSION: Cortisol level can be used as a prognostic marker for myocardial mortality.