Use of enteric-coated mycophenolate sodium in de novo renal transplant recipients with high incidence of delayed graft function.

Patients with delayed graft function (DGF) are at risk of increased incidence for acute rejection episodes (ARE). Mycophenolate mofetil or induction therapy has produced a reduction in ARE incidence. An open, prospective, 3-month trial was performed in a group of Argentinian renal transplant recipients. We recruited 46 patients, 71.7% men, aged 41.7 +/- 13.8 years; including 36 (78.3%) recipients of cadaveric donors (CD) who were aged 43.4 +/- 15.5 years with a cold ischemia time of 19.4 hours +/- 5.4 minutes, and 10 (27.7%) recipients of living donors (LD) aged 37.8 +/- 12.9 years. HLA mismatches >or= 3 were observed in 58.4% of CD and in 7% of LD. All patients received two doses of basiliximab (20 mg each, days 0 and 4), cyclosporine microemulsion (CsA-ME) monitored by the second-hour concentrations (C2), enteric-coated mycophenolate sodium (EC-MPS; 720 mg twice a day, and steroids. A 58% incidence of DGF was observed. At the end of the third month the incidence of biopsy-proven ARE was 15%, with a median serum creatinine of was 1.54 +/- 0.42 mg/dL, including three grafts lost. Two patients died. No patient required EC-MPS dose discontinuation but 20% of patients required dose adjustments. The absence of discontinuations and the low incidence of dose adjustments of EC-MPS in this high-risk de novo population provided support of a suitable tolerability profile for this EC-MPS, and the possibility to impact efficacy results.

Total serum bile acids in renal transplanted patients receiving cyclosporine A.

BACKGROUND: A direct relationship between serum bile acids (SBA) and hepatic and hepatobiliary dysfunction has been demonstrated. However, there is little evidence that SBA are related to renal insufficiency. In a previous study, we showed that hemodialysis patients with advanced chronic renal failure (ACRF) have an increase of SBA in predialysis and a decrease in postdialysis. Consequently, it was assumed that the restoration of renal function in transplanted patients might decrease SBA levels. AIM OF THIS STUDY: Transplanted patients receiving cyclosporine A (CyA) were studied by monitoring CyA and SBA levels to determine if a probable relationship exists between renal function, CyA treatment and SBA levels. SUBJECTS. MATERIALS AND METHODS: SBA levels were determined in 15 recently transplanted patients receiving CyA for 18 months and longer. In addition, 22 renal patients transplanted not less than 6 years ago were also included in the study and were characterized as the stable group. Five patients from this group received mycophenolate or azathioprine instead of CyA as immunosuppressant. In addition to SBA and CyA, creatinine, cholesterol, y-GT, viral markers and triglycerides were also determined in all patients. RESULTS: A significant and constant increase in SBA levels was observed in the recently transplanted group. However, after 18 months, SBA levels gradually decreased to those of patients considered stable under CyA treatment. In both recently transplanted and stable patients who received CyA, SBA values remained higher than normal, but stable patients under mycophenolate or azathioprine treatment showed no such increase. CONCLUSIONS: In recently transplanted patients, in patients studied for 18 months post transplant and in stable patients receiving CyA, the increase of SBA levels might be related to CyA treatment. This effect might be attributed to its cholestatic effect and also to a modification in uptake, metabolism, synthesis and excretion of SBA in the hepatocyte. These conclusions are supported by the results obtained in stable transplanted patients without CyA treatment showing normal SBA levels.

Serum bile acids and pruritus in hemodialysis patients.

BACKGROUND: Chronic renal failure (CRF) patients usually suffer from pruritus. The pathophysiology of pruritus is still incompletely understood. SUBJECTS, MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this paper we determined serum total bile acids (STBA) in hemodialysis patients with advanced CRF (ACRF) in order to obtain STBA concentration in predialysis, to assess their probable relation among patients with pruritus and in postdialysis using a polysulfone membrane for dialysis. STBA were determined in 49 ACRF patients with chronic hemodialysis and values were compared to 20 control subjects. Hemodialysis patients were divided in two groups: with and without pruritus. In all these patients, month of renal replacement therapy, diabetic patients, dose of dialysis (Kt/V), viral markers, serum creatinine, serum glucose, aspartate and alanine aminotransferase, alkaline phosphatase, hematocrits and albumin were determined. The intensity of itching among pruritic patients was measured by a score system: mild (M), moderate (MO) and severe (S). RESULTS: No significant differences were found in patients with and without pruritus in months of renal replacement therapy, duration of dialysis or dose of dialysis (Kt/V). STBA were determined in all ACRF patients in predialysis and they showed significant differences compared to controls (p < 0.05), however, no differences were observed in the results obtained when control subjects were compared to ACRF patients without pruritus. Also in predialysis, pruritic patients showed significant differences in STBA compared to patients without pruritus (p < 0.001). STBA concentration showed a significant decrease in postdialysis using a polysulfone membrane in ACRF patients with and without pruritus. Finally, correlation with STBA and itch score of pruritus was significant (p < 0.02). CONCLUSION: Hemodialysis patients with ACRF and pruritus showed an increase of STBA in predialysis and a decrease in postdialysis.

Calcifilaxia en tres pacientes con insuficiencia renal terminal / Calciphilaxis in thre patients with end stage renal disease

Calcifilaxia es una afección poco frecuente y grave que afecta casi exclusivamente a pacientes con enfermedad renal terminal y se caracteriza por presentar necrosis cutáneas que evoluciona e4n un alto porcentaje a la muerte por sepsis. En todos los casos se observa estrechamiento y oclusión de arterias y arteriolas con calcificación intramural, con ó sin fibrosis de la intima y formación de trombos en venúlas y arteriolas de pequeño y mediano calibre. Su etiología es incierta y las terapeúticas instituidas hasta el momento insatisfactorias

Calcifilaxia en tres pacientes con insuficiencia renal terminal / Calciphilaxis in thre patients with end stage renal disease

Calcifilaxia es una afección poco frecuente y grave que afecta casi exclusivamente a pacientes con enfermedad renal terminal y se caracteriza por presentar necrosis cutáneas que evoluciona e4n un alto porcentaje a la muerte por sepsis. En todos los casos se observa estrechamiento y oclusión de arterias y arteriolas con calcificación intramural, con ó sin fibrosis de la intima y formación de trombos en venúlas y arteriolas de pequeño y mediano calibre. Su etiología es incierta y las terapeúticas instituidas hasta el momento insatisfactorias(AU)

A propósito de un caso de enfermedad de Ormond: fibrosis retroperitoneal idiopática / Apropos of a case of Ormond's disease: idiopathic retroperitoneal fibrosis

Este trabajo presente un caso de enfermedad de Ormond en un hombre de 56 años de edad. El cuadro se caracterizó por presentar un síndrome general, edemas en ambos miembros inferiores, insuficiencia renal y anemia. No presentó dolor abdominal o lumbar, ni hubo ingestión previa de metisergida, betabloqueantes u otras drogas. Tampoco había evidencias de enfermedad asociada alguna. Seis meses antes, el paciente no había presentado este síndrome y después de 37 días de postoperatorio, fue dado de alta hospitalaria. Por ecografía y tomografía computada se constató una masa retroperitoneal, cuya histopatología demostró que se trataba de una fibrosis retroperitoneal idiopática (IRF). La ureterolisis presentó dificuldades técnicas. El paciente comenzó a ser tratado con progesterona después de un mes de la operación. Seis meses después de su egreso, se efectuó una nueva TC que demuestra remisión total de su enfermedad hasta la fecha, encontrándose el paciente asintomático y con función renal normal

A propósito de un caso de enfermedad de Ormond: fibrosis retroperitoneal idiopática / Apropos of a case of Ormonds disease: idiopathic retroperitoneal fibrosis

Este trabajo presente un caso de enfermedad de Ormond en un hombre de 56 años de edad. El cuadro se caracterizó por presentar un síndrome general, edemas en ambos miembros inferiores, insuficiencia renal y anemia. No presentó dolor abdominal o lumbar, ni hubo ingestión previa de metisergida, betabloqueantes u otras drogas. Tampoco había evidencias de enfermedad asociada alguna. Seis meses antes, el paciente no había presentado este síndrome y después de 37 días de postoperatorio, fue dado de alta hospitalaria. Por ecografía y tomografía computada se constató una masa retroperitoneal, cuya histopatología demostró que se trataba de una fibrosis retroperitoneal idiopática (IRF). La ureterolisis presentó dificuldades técnicas. El paciente comenzó a ser tratado con progesterona después de un mes de la operación. Seis meses después de su egreso, se efectuó una nueva TC que demuestra remisión total de su enfermedad hasta la fecha, encontrándose el paciente asintomático y con función renal normal (AU)