How to Choose the Right Treatment for Membranous Nephropathy.

Membranous nephropathy is an autoimmune disease affecting the glomeruli and is one of the most common causes of nephrotic syndrome. In the absence of any therapy, 35% of patients develop end-stage renal disease. The discovery of autoantibodies such as phospholipase A2 receptor 1, antithrombospondin and neural epidermal growth factor-like 1 protein has greatly helped us to understand the pathogenesis and enable the diagnosis of this disease and to guide its treatment. Depending on the complications of nephrotic syndrome, patients with this disease receive supportive treatment with diuretics, ACE inhibitors or angiotensin-receptor blockers, lipid-lowering agents and anticoagulants. After assessing the risk of progression of end-stage renal disease, patients receive immunosuppressive therapy with various drugs such as cyclophosphamide, steroids, calcineurin inhibitors or rituximab. Since immunosuppressive drugs can cause life-threatening side effects and up to 30% of patients do not respond to therapy, new therapeutic approaches with drugs such as adrenocorticotropic hormone, belimumab, anti-plasma cell antibodies or complement-guided drugs are currently being tested. However, special attention needs to be paid to the choice of therapy in secondary forms or in specific clinical contexts such as membranous disease in children, pregnant women and patients undergoing kidney transplantation.

Comparison between Creatinine Clearance and eGFRcyst-crea: a real-life experience.

Introduction: The evaluation of renal function is computed using the estimated glomerular filtration rate methods or the measured glomerular filtration rate. Cystatin C has been well studied as marker of renal function compared to serum creatinine, but only few studies compare Glomerular Filtration Rates estimated including both creatinine and cystatin (eGFRcyst-crea) to creatinine clearance (CrCl). This cross-sectional study compares CrCl and eGFRcyst-crea with eGFRcrea and searches for correlation with comorbidities. Methods: This cross-sectional study consists of 78 patients hospitalized for acute and/or chronic renal disease. We performed the concordance correlation coefficient analysis between the eGFRcrea and the CrCl and eGFRcyst-crea in the whole sample and in the various subgroups. Results: Steiger's comparison of correlations from dependent samples showed a correlation coefficient between C-reactive protein and eGFRcyst-crea stronger than between C-reactive protein and CrCl (Z: 2.51, p=0.012). Similar results were showed with the association with procalcitonin (Z: 5.24, p<0.001), serum potassium (Z: -3.13, p=0.002), and severe CKD (Z: -2.54, p=0.011). The concordance correlation coefficient test showed major differences between diagnostic methods compared to eGFR-crea in diabetic subgroup, severe CKD, and in procalcitonin higher than 0.5ng/ml. Discussion: The demonstration of a strong concordance between the eGFRcrea and the eGFRcyst-crea allows us to diagnose and to stage CKD better than creatinine clearance in patients with high inflammatory status. Furthermore, this information opens new research scenarios, and further, larger studies are needed to confirm these hypotheses.

Role of Zinc in Diabetic Kidney Disease.

Diabetic Kidney Disease (DKD) represents the most common cause of Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) in developed countries. Approximately 30% to 40% of diabetes mellitus (DM) subjects develop DKD, and its presence significantly increases the risk for morbidity and mortality. In this context, Zinc seems to have a potential role in kidney and body homeostasis in diabetic individuals as well as in patients at a high risk of developing this condition. This essential element has functions that may counteract diabetes-related risk factors and complications, which include stabilization of insulin hexamers and pancreatic insulin storage and improved glycemic control. In our review, we analyzed the current knowledge on the role of zinc in the management of renal impairment in course of DM. Several studies underline the critical role of zinc in reducing oxidative stress levels, which is considered the common denominator of the mechanisms responsible for the progression of kidney disease. Reaching and maintaining a proper serum zinc level could represent a valuable target to reduce symptoms related to DM complications and contrast the progression of kidney impairment in patients with the high risk of developing end-stage renal disease. In conclusion, analyzing the beneficial role of zinc in this review would advance our knowledge on the possible strategies of DM and DKD treatment.

Potential Role of Copper in Diabetes and Diabetic Kidney Disease.

Copper is a fundamental element for the homeostasis of the body. It is the third most abundant essential transition metal in humans. Changes in the concentration of copper in the blood are responsible for numerous diseases affecting various organs, including the heart, brain, kidneys, and liver. Even small copper deficiencies can lead to the development and progression of several pathologies. On the other hand, excessive exposure to copper can cause toxicity in many human organs, leading to various systemic alterations. In the kidney, increased copper concentration in the blood can cause deposition of this element in the kidneys, leading to nephrotoxicity. One of the most interesting aspects of copper balance is its influence on diabetes and the progression of its complications, such as Diabetic Kidney Disease (DKD). Several studies have shown a close relationship between copper serum levels and altered glycemic control. An imbalance of copper can lead to the progression of diabetes-related complications and impaired antioxidant homeostasis. A high Zinc/Copper (Zn/Cu) ratio is associated with improved renal function and reduced risk of poor glycemic control in patients with type two diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Furthermore, the progression of DKD appears to be related to the extent of urinary copper excretion, while regulation of adequate serum copper concentration appears to prevent and treat DKD. The aim of this review is to evaluate the possible role of copper in DKD patients.