Frequency of Nerve Root Sleeve Cysts in Autosomal Dominant Polycystic Kidney Disease.

BACKGROUND: There is sporadic data about the occurrence of spinal meningeal cysts in patients with autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD). We suggest that there is a relationship with the frequency and size of spinal meningeal cysts and headache, intracranial aneurysms, and cerebrospinal fluid leakage in patients with ADPKD. AIM: To investigate the relationship with spinal meningeal cyst, cerebrospinal fluid leakage, and headache in patients with ADPKD. STUDY DESIGN: Cross-sectional study. METHODS: We enrolled 50 patients with ADPKD and 37 healthy volunteers. This cross-sectional study included patients with ADPKD and matched healthy volunteers. Magnetic resonance imaging myelography was performed using the 3D-T2 HASTE technique in an MRI scanner. We questioned our subjects regarding presence of headache and evaluated headache severity using a visual analog scale. The relationship between the number and size of spinal meningeal cysts with headache, intracranial aneurysms, and liver cysts was also investigated. RESULTS: Spinal meningeal cysts were more numerous and larger in patients than in controls (14.8±11.6 vs. 6.4±4.6 cysts respectively, p<0.001, 68.3±49.3 vs. 25.4±20.1 mm, p<0.001, respectively). Spinal cyst number and size were similar in APDKD patients with or without intracranial aneurysms. Headache score was correlated with the size and number of spinal meningeal cysts. This was valid only in patients with ADPKD. CONCLUSION: Abnormality involving the vessel wall in ADPKD may explain the increased number of spinal meningeal cysts in ADPKD. Moreover, leakage of cerebrospinal fluid secondary to spinal meningeal cyst may be responsible for recurrent severe headache by causing spontaneous intracranial hypotension in these patients.

Serum paraoxonase 1 activity in patients with iron deficiency anemia.

INTRODUCTION: In this study we aimed to detect paraoxonase 1 (PON-1) activity in iron deficiency anemia (IDA) and to compare it with healthy controls by observing the change after iron therapy. MATERIAL AND METHODS: In this study, 50 adult patients with IDA and 40 healthy subjects were enrolled. All patients were analyzed at the beginning and after treatment according to laboratory assessments. RESULTS: Mean paraoxonase and arylesterase activities in the iron deficiency anemia group were significantly lower than mean activities of the control group (102.4 ±19.2 U/l and 163.3 ±13.68 U/l, respectively and 157.3 ±26.4 U/l and 256.1 ±24.6 U/l, respectively; p = 0.0001 for both). Paraoxonase and arylesterase activities significantly increased after treatment for IDA (143.2 ±13.9 and 197.6 ±27.9 U/l, respectively, p = 0.0001). Mean activities after treatment with iron were significantly lower than mean activities in the control group (p = 0.002; p = 0.0001 respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Paraoxonase and arylesterase activities in patients with IDA significantly increased after treatment with iron therapy. In adults IDA may also be one of the factors associated with increased risk of atherosclerosis.

Comparison of serum paraoxonase and arylesterase activities between iron deficiency anemia patients and chronic kidney disease patients with anemia.

OBJECTIVE: Altered paraoxonase (PON) and arylesterase (ARE) activities have been shown in anemic chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients and in iron deficiency anemia (IDA) patients. Whether accompanying anemia alone is responsible for this diminished PON and ARE activities in CKD patients or an additive factor for this is not well studied. Therefore, we tried to clarify this issue here. METHODS: A total of 82 subjects that consisted of 19 patients with IDA (group 1), 23 anemic CKD patients (group 2), and 40 age and sex matched healthy subjects (group 3) were enrolled. Carotid intima media thickness (CIMT), serum total thiol (-SH), PON, and ARE activities of the participants were analyzed. RESULTS: Group 2 patients had significantly lowest serum levels of Total -SH, PON and ARE. Further comparison showed that total -SH, PON and ARE levels were lower in group 1 than group 3 (p = 0.0001 in both). Regarding comparison of group 1 and 2, only serum ARE levels were significantly lower in group 2 (p = 0.001). PON activity was not different between group 1 and group 2 whereas ARE activity was lower in group 2 than groups 1 and 3. In addition, correlation analysis showed that CIMT was negatively correlated with PON and ARE. CONCLUSIONS: This markedly decreased ARE activity in CKD patients, which could not be explained by the anemia alone, may have a role in the pathogenesis of increased atherosclerosis in such patients. Still further studies are needed to certain this.

Comparison of risk factors for cardiovascular disease in hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis patients.

OBJECTIVE: In this study, we aimed to compare the cardiovascular risk factors that might be associated with inflammation, atherosclerosis and metabolic syndrome between hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis patients. METHODS: Fifty hemodialysis and 50 peritoneal dialysis patients who had been receiving dialysis therapy for at least one year were included in the study. Venous blood samples were taken after 12 hours of fasting, and serum glucose, triglyceride, low-density lipoprotein (LDL)-cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein (HDL)-cholesterol, C-reactive protein, fibrinogen and homocysteine levels were measured. The presence of atherosclerotic plaques in the carotid artery was evaluated by carotid Doppler ultrasound. These data were analyzed by Student's t test, the chi-square test and the Mann-Whitney U test, as appropriate. RESULTS: No difference was found between the hemodialysis (n=50) and peritoneal dialysis (n=50) patient groups regarding mean age, gender distribution, body mass index or dialysis duration (p=0.269, 0.683, 0.426, and 0.052, respectively). LDL-cholesterol, fibrinogen and homocysteine levels were significantly higher in peritoneal dialysis patients (p=0.006, 0.001, and 0.002, respectively). In patients with diabetes mellitus (n=17) who were undergoing renal replacement therapy, LDL-cholesterol and fibrinogen levels were significantly higher than in patients without diabetes mellitus who were undergoing renal replacement therapy (p=0.001 and 0.004, respectively). CONCLUSION: In our study, cardiovascular risk factors (especially LDL-cholesterol) were more frequent in peritoneal dialysis patients than in hemodialysis patients.

Comparison of risk factors for cardiovascular disease in hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis patients

OBJECTIVE:In this study, we aimed to compare the cardiovascular risk factors that might be associated with inflammation, atherosclerosis and metabolic syndrome between hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis patients.METHODS:Fifty hemodialysis and 50 peritoneal dialysis patients who had been receiving dialysis therapy for at least one year were included in the study. Venous blood samples were taken after 12 hours of fasting, and serum glucose, triglyceride, low-density lipoprotein (LDL)-cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein (HDL)-cholesterol, C-reactive protein, fibrinogen and homocysteine levels were measured. The presence of atherosclerotic plaques in the carotid artery was evaluated by carotid Doppler ultrasound. These data were analyzed by Student’s t test, the chi-square test and the Mann-Whitney U test, as appropriate.RESULTS:No difference was found between the hemodialysis (n=50) and peritoneal dialysis (n=50) patient groups regarding mean age, gender distribution, body mass index or dialysis duration (p=0.269, 0.683, 0.426, and 0.052, respectively). LDL-cholesterol, fibrinogen and homocysteine levels were significantly higher in peritoneal dialysis patients (p=0.006, 0.001, and 0.002, respectively). In patients with diabetes mellitus (n=17) who were undergoing renal replacement therapy, LDL-cholesterol and fibrinogen levels were significantly higher than in patients without diabetes mellitus who were undergoing renal replacement therapy (p=0.001 and 0.004, respectively).CONCLUSION:In our study, cardiovascular risk factors (especially LDL-cholesterol) were more frequent in peritoneal dialysis patients than in hemodialysis patients.

Comparison of insulin resistance in the various stages of chronic kidney disease and inflammation.

OBJECTIVE: In this study, we compared predialysis and dialysis patients with the controls in terms of insulin resistance and evaluated the association with inflammation that is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 134 non-diabetic patients with controls (n=33), predialysis (n=29) and dialysis patient group (n=72) were included in the study. Fasting blood glucose, insulin, C-peptide, albumin, CRP (C-reactive protein) and homocysteine plasma levels were simultaneously analyzed in all the patients. HOMA-IR index was calculated to show existence of insulin resistance. RESULTS: Mean insulin and HOMA-IR index values were found to be higher in the predialysis and dialysis patient groups than in the control group (p=0.019, p=0.014; respectively). When three groups were compared in terms of C-peptide levels; these values were found to be statistically significantly higher in the predialysis patients than in controls (p=0.017) and in the dialysis group than in the predialysis patients and controls (p=0.0001, p=0.0001; respectively). CRP and homocysteine levels were found to be statistically higher (p=0.0001, p=0.0001; respectively), while albumin levels were significantly lower (p=0.0001) in the dialysis patient group. CONCLUSION: In our study, we demonstrated that insulin resistance was higher in patients in the various stages of chronic kidney disease compared to healthy population. We found that insulin resistance, C-peptid and inflammation related cardiovascular risk factors increased.

Prognostic importance of fibroblast growth factor-23 in dialysis patients.

Introduction. In this study, we aimed to demonstrate the correlation of FGF-23 levels with bone-mineral metabolism, anemia, and the treatment in dialysis patients. Methods. Eighty-nine patients with similar age, gender, dialysis duration, and dialysis adequacy who were receiving hemodialysis replacement therapy for at least 6 months were included in the study. Serum iron, iron binding capacity, ferritin, hemoglobin (Hb), hematocrit (Htc), calcium (Ca), phosphorus (P), intact parathormone (iPTH), and FGF-23 levels were studied. In addition, active vitamin D and phosphate binders calcimimetic therapies that patients have received in the last 6 months were recorded. Results. It was determined that there was a positive correlation between serum FGF-23 values and PTH values (P < 0, 01) and Ca∗P values (P < 0, 01). A positive correlation was found between serum FGF-23 values and Ca values at a rate of 24,6% (P < 0, 05) and between P values at a rate of 59,1% (P < 0, 01). A positive correlation was determined between serum FGF-23 values and hemoglobin (Hb) values (P < 0, 05) and hematocrit (Htc) values (P < 0, 05). In multivariate analysis, no significant correlation was found between serum FGF-23 levels and Hb and Htc. Conclusion. The effects of high serum FGF-23 levels on different parameters may be correlated with the development of refractory secondary hyperparathyroidism.