The effect of gabapentin on muscle cramps during hemodialysis: A double-blind clinical trial.

Hemodialysis-associated muscle cramps (HAMC) are a common complication during hemodialysis (HD) sessions. A number of pharmacologic agents have been evaluated to prevent and or diminish HAMC; however, none of them has an established role. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to evaluate the possible effect of gabapentin on HAMC. In a double-blinded clinical trial, we compared the possible effect of gabapentin with a placebo in prevention and or diminishing episodes of HAMC in HD patients who had experienced frequent intradialytic muscle cramps. At first, placebo was given before each dialysis session for four weeks and then, after a two-week washout period, 300 mg of gabapentin was given before each dialysis session for four weeks to verify the effect of gabapentin on HAMC. Overall, 15 patients (seven men and eight women; mean age, 52.02 years) with frequent intradialytic muscle cramps were enrolled in the study. The incidence of symptomatic muscle cramp decreased in the gabapentin group compared with the placebo group, with a significant difference between them (P = 0.001). The intensity of muscle cramps also decreased in the gabapentin group (P = 0.001). There was no significant association between HAMC in male and female patients (P = 0. 397), mean age of HD patients (P = 0.226) and cause of end-stage renal disease (P = 0.551). According to the results of our study, gabapentin prescription before each HD session significantly reduced the frequency and the intensity of muscle cramps during HD without any major side-effects.

Effect of kidney transplantation on early and late post-transplant prostate-specific antigen levels.

The aim of this study was to determine the effect of kidney transplantation on serum prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels. Forty patients who were on peritoneal dialysis or hemodialysis underwent kidney transplantation at our department. The immunosuppressive protocol was uniform during the study period. The creatinine and prostate specific antigen (PSA) levels, both free and total, were measured by immunofluorometric assays immediately before transplantation and on post-transplant Days 1, 7, 90 and 180. The mean age of the patients was 49.97 ± 4.4 years. After transplantation, there was a significant decrease in free PSA, but there was no correlation between total PSA and serum creatinine. Free PSA levels were significantly decreased after kidney transplantation but total PSA remained unchanged. This was observed in post-transplant patients irrespective of whether they had delayed graft function, slow graft function or immediate graft function during the observed period. Therefore, total PSA can be used as a marker for prostate cancer screening after kidney transplantation.

RIFLE criteria for acute kidney injury in the intensive care units.

BACKGROUND: Acute kidney injury (AKI) is commonly occurred in intensive care unit (ICU) patients. The aim of the study was a comparison of RIFLE (Risk of renal injury/Injury to the kidney/Failure of kidney function/Loss of kidney function/End stage disease) classification with other scoring systems in the evaluation of AKI in ICUs. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We performed a retrospective study on 409 ICU patients who were admitted during the 5 years period. RESULTS: At the 1(st) day of admission and time of discharge, the total and non-renal Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II and sequential organ failure assessment scores were compared to max RIFLE criteria. In this assessment, there was concordance among the results (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: The RIFLE classification can be used for detection of AKI in ICU patients.

Association of urinary lipocalin-2 with lupus nephritis.

OBJECTIVE(S): Lupus nephritis (LN) is the main cause of mortality and disability in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients. Therefore, utilizing a reliable and non-invasive method for serial measurements of renal function seems to be necessary. The aim of this study was to evaluate the role of urinary lipocalin-2 as a biomarker of renal involvement in SLE patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Fifty two lupus patients in this cross sectional study were divided into two groups: patients with and without nephritis. For each group, urinary lipocalin-2, values were measured and reported according to urinary lipocalin-2/creatinine. Urinary lipocalin-2/creatinine sensitivity and specificity for identifying biopsy-proven nephritis were calculated, and a receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was constructed. Results : The mean urinary lipocalin-2/creatinine value of patients with biopsy-proven LN was 2.99 ± 4.1 ng/mg, and in non-LN patients was 1.16 ± 1.27 ng/mg. Urinary lipocalin-2/creatinine levels in LN patients were significantly higher than those in non-LN patients (P- Value = 0.03). In LN patients, urinary lipocalin-2/creatinine significantly correlated with proteinuria (r = 0.68; P = 0.0001). Using a cutoff value of 0.896 ng/mg, urinary lipocalin-2/creatinine had a sensitivity of 89.7% and a specificity of 39.1% for identifying SLE patients with biopsy-proven LN. The area under the ROC curve was 0.664 ± 0.076 with a 95% confidence interval of 0.52-0.81 (P=0.04). Analysis of variance showed that urinary lipocalin-2/creatinine is the same in different classes of LN (P-value=0.28). CONCLUSION: An important clinical conclusion is that measurement of urinary Lipocalin-2 may result in earlier diagnosis of LN.

A review article: access recirculation among end stage renal disease patients undergoing maintenance hemodialysis.

BACKGROUND: The presence of arterio-venous (A-V) fistula recirculation among hemodialysis (HD) patients markedly decrease adequacy of dialysis. OBJECTIVES: The present article summarize some of observations about clinical significance, causes, the most common techniques for measurement, and main source of pitfall in calculation of access recirculation. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A variety of literature sources such as PubMed, Current Content, Scopus, Embase, and Iranmedex; with key words such as inadequate dialysis and arterio-venous fistula access recirculation were used to collect current data. Manuscripts published in English language as full-text articles or as abstract form were included in our review study. RESULTS: Any access recirculation among HD patients should be considered abnormal and if it presents prompt investigation should be performed for its causes. There are two most common techniques for accurate assessment of access recirculation: Urea (or chemical) and nonurea-based method by ultrasound dilution technique. The most common causes of access recirculation are the presence of high-grade venous stenosis, inadequate arterial blood flow rate, close proximity, or misdirection of arterial and venous needles placement by HD staff especially in new vascular accesses due to a lack of familiarity with the access anatomy. CONCLUSIONS: The presence of access recirculation among HD patients can lead to significant inadequate dialysis thereby resulting in reducing the survival of these patients. Therefore, periodic assessment of access recirculation should be performed in HD wards.

Dose kidney transplant nephrectomy stop disease progression in plasma exchange resistant post transplant hemolytic uremic syndrome? A case report.

BACKGROUND: Two different case reports, which have been published previously, suggested that bilateral nephrectomy can improve sever and refractory hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) in adults without a history of transplantation. At this study, kidney transplant nephrectomy in a patient with sever post transplant HUS was investigated. CASE: Patient was a 55 years old man with a single small size kidney and end-stage renal disease (ESRD). He had received a kidney from an unrelated donor three months before admission. The patient was admitted with fever and acute renal failure. Clinical and laboratory evaluation wereconsistent with sever De novo hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS). Different therapeutic regimens administered in this patient including intensive plasma exchange, plasma infusion, empirical antibiotics, and high doses of corticosteroid. Although Cyclosporine was changed to Tacrolimus. After 45 days of treatment, patient's condition did not improve and sever thrombocytopenia (10000-15000/µL) developed. Patient was also suffered from severe hypersensitivity reaction (fever, chills, and itching) following each plasma exchange. Kidney transplant nephrectomy was done. However, sever post operativebleedingoccurred.HUS and thrombocytopenia did not improve and patient died two days after operation. CONCLUSIONS: According to this experience, Kidney transplant nephrectomy may not be an effective treatment and is not recommended in the treatment of severe and refractory post transplant HUS.

Tuberous sclerosis, deep vein thrombosis and lack of C and S proteins: A case report.

INTRODUCTION: Tuberous sclerosis, an autosomal dominant disorder, is characterized by hamartomas in different organs of body. Kidney involvement is quite common in this disorder and sometimes it is accompanied by adult polycystic kidney disease. CASE: A 46-year-old woman who was being treated for adult polycystic kidney disease and systemic hypertension was admitted to this hospital because of acute lower limb edema. Color Doppler sonography study showed deep vein thrombosis of lower limbs and also left iliac vein. Despite the initiation of hourly heparin infusion, the patient involved by pulmonary emboli on the 2(nd)day of admission. Lab tests revealed protein C and S deficiency. The patient had already experienced episodes of pneumothorax too. Cutaneous lesions due to sebaceous adenoma were seen on her cheeks, nose and neck. She had also periungual fibroma suggestive of tuberous sclerosis. CONCLUSION: Although, according to our patient with both tuberous sclerosis and protein C and S deficiency, a significant relation between these two diseases, cannot confirmed, however, evaluation of other patients who have tuberous sclerosis can help to confirm or rule out this relation.

Urine Monocyte Chemoattractant Protein-1(UMCP-1) as a Biomarker of Renal Involvement in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus.

OBJECTIVES: Lupus nephritis (LN) is frequently associated with a poor long-term prognosis. Renal biopsy is the diagnostic method of choice in this condition. Urine biomarkers have been mentioned in the diagnosis of LN. The study(,)s purpose was to evaluate the performance of urinary monocyte chemoattractant protein 1(UMCP-1) as a biomarker of renal involvement in systemic lupus erythematosus. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Forty-one recently diagnosed systemic lupus erythematosus patients (8 male and 33 female) without renal involvement (group 1) and twenty six patients (8 male and 18 female) with LN (group 2), proven by biopsy, were recruited to this study. UMCP-1 sensitivity and specificity for identifying biopsy-proven nephritis were calculated, and a receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was constructed to quantify how definitely UMCP-1 distinguishes between patients with and without LN. RESULTS: The mean value of UMCP-1 levels were 733.07 pg/ml ± 1282.54 and 144.16 pg/ml ± 137.90 in patients with and without LN respectively. The UMCP-1 level was significantly higher in group 2 than group 1. There was no significant correlation between UMCP-1 and 24-hour urine protein (r = 0.031, P= 0.874). The area under the ROC curve was 0.727 with a CI 95% of 0.597 to 0.857 (P=0.002). Using a cut-off value of 82 pg/ml,UMCP-1 had a sensitivity of 88.5% and a specificity of 46.3% for identifying LN. CONCLUSION: UMCP-1 can serve as a biomarker of LN although further longitudinal studies of these biomarkers are required in LN.