Outcomes of COVID-19 in kidney transplant recipients in the vaccination Era: A national multicenter cohort from Thailand.

Introduction: The mortality rate of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in kidney transplant recipients (KTR) has significantly decreased with the implementation of vaccination programs. However, the real-world information on the impact of vaccinations, particularly in resource limited settings in Asia, is still limited. Methods: The Thai Transplant Society conducted a prospective multicenter cohort registry, including KTR diagnosed with COVID-19. Cox proportional hazards regression was used to examine factors associated with poor COVID-19 outcomes and complications, including death, COVID-19 pneumonia, and superimposed bacterial infection. Results: A total of 413 patients from 17 transplant centers who developed COVID-19 were analyzed. The COVID-19 mortality rate was 5.6 % and the incidence of pneumonia was 18.8 %. With each 10-year increase in age, the risk of death, pneumonia, and bacterial infection increased by 61 %, 32 %, and 43 %, respectively. A total of 11.4 % of KTR received one dose of COVID vaccination (incomplete vaccination), 25.7 % received two doses (complete primary vaccination), 42.6 % received three doses (first booster dose), and 10.4 % received four doses of vaccination (second booster dose). Even a single dose of vaccination significantly decreased the risk of death, pneumonia, and superimposed bacterial infection among KTR compared to those who remained unvaccinated. Completing the primary vaccination (2-dose) reduced the risk of death by 89 %, pneumonia by 88 %, and bacterial infection by 83 % compared to unvaccinated KTR. Receiving a booster dose (third or fourth dose) further reduced the risk of death by 94 %, pneumonia by 95 %, and bacterial infection by 96 % compared to unvaccinated individuals. Conclusions: This Asian cohort demonstrated that the mortality and complications of COVID-19 significantly decreased in KTR after the national immunization. Our study suggests that any type of COVID-19 vaccine can be beneficial in preventing adverse outcomes. Administering booster vaccinations is strongly recommended.

First Asian Kidney Donor Profile Index (KDPI) and Estimated Post-Transplant Survival (EPTS) models, with validation against US models in Thai population.

INTRODUCTION: Differences in transplant characteristics limit the application of kidney donor profile index (KDPI) and estimated post-transplant survival (EPTS) models developed in Western countries to Asian populations. METHODS: We analyzed data of the Thai Transplant Registry and the Thai Red Cross Society on 2558 DDKTs performed between 2001 and 2014. Thai KDPI and EPTS models were developed using Cox regression, and validation against the US models. RESULTS: Thai KDPI was developed based on seven donor factors: age, height, best estimated glomerular filtration rate, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, cerebrovascular accident, and adrenaline infusion. The Thai and US donor risk index had comparable predictive abilities for transplant survival (C-statistics .5871 vs. .5548; P = .429). KTs from donors with a US KDPI > 70% demonstrated significantly worse 5-year transplant survival. The Thai EPTS model was developed from four recipient factors: age, body weight, diabetes mellitus, and hepatitis C infection. The C-statistics of the Thai and US EPTS models were comparable (.5924 vs. .6039; P = .360). A US EPTS > 70% was revealed in only 2.5% of our cohort. CONCLUSIONS: The first simplified KDPI and EPTS models for an Asian population were developed. Our models are available at www.thai-kdpi-epts.org.

Impact of Cytomegalovirus Serostatus on Allograft Loss and Mortality Within the First Year After Kidney Transplantation: An Analysis of the National Transplant Registry.

BACKGROUND: Cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection is one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality in kidney transplantation (KT) recipients. We investigated the association of CMV serostatus and patient outcomes within the first year after KT. METHODS: All KT recipients between January 1, 2007 and December 31, 2017 were identified from the Thai Transplant Registry. The prevalence rates of allograft loss and mortality within the first year after KT were estimated by the Kaplan-Meier method. The CMV serostatus in donors (D) and recipients (R) was assessed as a prognostic factor for allograft loss and mortality within the first year by the Cox proportional hazards model. RESULTS: During the 10-year study period (2007-2017), there were 4556 KT recipients with a mean ± standard deviation age of 43 ± 14 years, and 63% of the recipients were male. Deceased-donor KT and induction therapy were performed in 52% and 58% of the recipients, respectively. Among the 3907 evaluable patients, the rates of cases with D+/R+, D+/R-, D-/R+, and D-/R- as the CMV serostatus were 88.9%, 6.1%, 2.9%, and 1.9%, respectively. The estimated prevalence rates of allograft loss and mortality within the first year were 3.8% and 2.8%, respectively. In univariate analysis, CMV D+/R- serostatus was significantly associated with mortality (hazard ratio [HR], 2.10; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.18-3.75; P = .01) but not with an allograft loss (HR, 1.51; 95% CI, 0.85-2.66; P = .16) within the first year after KT. In multivariate analysis, CMV D+/R- serostatus of D+/R- was associated with mortality within the first year after KT (HR, 2.04; 95% CI, 1.05-3.95; P = .04). Other independent prognostic factors for mortality were old recipient age, deceased-donor KT, and hemodialysis after KT. CONCLUSIONS: In a national setting with predominant CMV seropositivity in both D and R, CMV seromismatch was associated with poor patient survival within the first year after KT.

The First Asian Kidney Transplantation Prediction Models for Long-term Patient and Allograft Survival.

BACKGROUND: Several kidney transplantation (KT) prediction models for patient and graft outcomes have been developed based on Caucasian populations. However, KT in Asian countries differs due to patient characteristics and practices. To date, there has been no equation developed for predicting outcomes among Asian KT recipients. METHODS: We developed equations for predicting 5- and 10-year patient survival (PS) and death-censored graft survival (DCGS) based on 6662 patients in the Thai Transplant Registry. The cohort was divided into training and validation data sets. We identified factors significantly associated with outcomes by Cox regression. In the validation data set, we also compared our models with another model based on KT in the United States. RESULTS: Variables included for developing the DCGS and PS models were recipient and donor age, background kidney disease, dialysis vintage, donor hepatitis C virus status, cardiovascular diseases, panel reactive antibody, donor types, donor creatinine, ischemic time, and immunosuppression regimens. The C statistics of our model in the validation data set were 0.69 (0.66-0.71) and 0.64 (0.59-0.68) for DCGS and PS. Our model performed better when compared with a model based on US patients. Compared with tacrolimus, KT recipients aged ≤44 years receiving cyclosporine A had a higher risk of graft loss (adjusted hazard ratio = 1.26; P = 0.046). The risk of death was higher in recipients aged >44 years and taking cyclosporine A (adjusted hazard ratio = 1.44; P = 0.011). CONCLUSIONS: Our prediction model is the first based on an Asian population, can be used immediately after transplantation. The model can be accessed at www.nephrochula.com/ktmodels.

Predictive Factors for Death After Snake Envenomation in Myanmar.

INTRODUCTION: Factors predictive for death from snake envenomation vary between studies, possibly due to variation in host genetic factors and venom composition. This study aimed to evaluate predictive factors for death from snake envenomation in Myanmar. METHODS: A prospective study was performed among adult patients with snakebite admitted to tertiary hospitals in Yangon, Myanmar, from May 2015 to August 2016. Data including clinical variables and laboratory parameters, management, and outcomes were evaluated. Multivariate regression analysis was performed to evaluate factors predictive for death at the time of presentation to the hospital. RESULTS: Of the 246 patients with snake envenomation recruited into the study, 225 (92%) survived and 21 (8%) died during hospitalization. The snake species responsible for a bite was identified in 74 (30%) of the patients; the majority of bites were from Russell's vipers (63 patients, 85%). The independent factors predictive for death included 1) duration from bite to arrival at the hospital >1 h (odds ratio [OR]: 9.0, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.1-75.2; P=0.04); 2) white blood cell counts >20 ×103 cells·µL-1 (OR: 8.9, 95% CI: 2.3-33.7; P=0.001); and 3) the presence of capillary leakage (OR: 3.7, 95% CI: 1.2-11.2; P=0.02). A delay in antivenom administration >4 h increases risk of death (11/21 deaths). CONCLUSIONS: Patients who present with these independent predictive factors should be recognized and provided with early appropriate intervention to reduce the mortality rate among adults with snake envenomation in Myanmar.

Clinical and laboratory parameters associated with acute kidney injury in patients with snakebite envenomation: a prospective observational study from Myanmar.

BACKGROUND: Snakebite-related acute kidney injury (AKI) is a common community-acquired AKI in tropical countries leading to death and disability. The aims of this study were to (1) determine the occurrence of snakebite-related AKI, (2) assess factors at presentation that are associated with snakebite-related AKI, and (3) determine the outcomes of patients with snakebite-related AKI. METHODS: We conducted a prospective observational study of patients with snake envenomation at the three academic tertiary care hospitals in Yangon, Myanmar between March 2015 and June 2016. Patient data including baseline characteristics, clinical and laboratory findings, hospital management, and outcomes were recorded in a case report form. A stepwise multivariate logistic regression analysis using a backward selection method determined independent factors significantly associated with AKI. RESULTS: AKI was observed in 140 patients (54.3%), the majority of whom were AKI stage III (110 patients, 78.6%). AKI occurred at presentation and developed during hospitalization in 88 (62.9%) and 52 patients (37.1%), respectively. Twenty-seven patients died (19.3%), and 69 patients (49.3%) required dialysis. On multivariate logistic regression analysis, (1) snakebites from the Viperidae family (odds ratio [OR]: 9.65, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 2.42-38.44; p = 0.001), (2) WBC >10 × 103 cells/µL (OR: 3.55, 95% CI: 1.35-9.34; p = 0.010), (3) overt disseminated intravascular coagulation (OR: 2.23, 95% CI: 1.02-4.89; p = 0.045), (4) serum creatine kinase >500 IU/L (OR: 4.06, 95% CI: 1.71-9.63; p = 0.001), (5) serum sodium <135 mmol/L (OR: 4.37, 95% CI: 2.04-9.38; p < 0.001), (6) presence of microscopic hematuria (OR: 3.60, 95% CI: 1.45-8.91; p = 0.006), and (7) duration from snakebite to receiving antivenom ≥2 h (OR: 3.73, 95% CI: 1.48-9.37; p = 0.005) were independently associated with AKI. Patients bitten by Viperidae with normal renal function who had serum sodium <135 mmol/L had a significantly higher urine sodium-to-creatinine ratio than those with serum sodium ≥135 mmol/L (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Identifying factors associated with snakebite-related AKI might help clinicians to be aware of snakebite patients who are at risk of AKI, particularly patients who demonstrate renal tubular dysfunction after Viperidae bites.

Beta Cell Function and Insulin Resistance After Conversion from Tacrolimus Twice-Daily to Extended-Release Tacrolimus Once-Daily in Stable Renal Transplant Recipients.

BACKGROUND Post-transplantation diabetes mellitus is a major metabolic adverse effect of tacrolimus (TAC). The objective of this study was to determine if the conversion from tacrolimus twice-daily (TAC-BID) to extended-release tacrolimus once-daily (TAC-OD) in stable renal transplant recipients had any effect on beta cell function (HOMA-b), insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), patient preference, and expense. MATERIAL AND METHODS Twenty-eight renal transplant recipients were recruited and converted from TAC-BID to TAC-OD at the same dose. Primary outcomes were beta cell function and insulin resistance in stable renal transplant recipients at 4, 8, and 16 weeks after conversion. Secondary outcomes were patient satisfaction and expense of medication. RESULTS No significant change in the HOMA-ß and HOMA-IR was found in any of the 28 renal transplant recipients. However, HOMA-ß increased from 60 (37.33, 109.71) to 78.5 (44.3, 108.4) (p=0.02) in 15 patients who had the conversion within 4 years after renal transplantation. In multivariate regression analysis, the conversion from TAC-BID to TAC-OD significantly increased HOMA-b at 4 months at 1.21 mIU/mmol (95%CI 0.54-1.88 mIU/mmol, p=0.01) in this subgroup. The renal transplant recipients reported the conversion was more satisfactory and cost of treatment was comparable. CONCLUSIONS In short-term follow-up, conversion from TAC-BID to TAC-OD is safe in stable renal transplant recipients and might be beneficial in term of improved beta cell function in the early years after renal transplantation. The conversion caused comparable cost and was preferred by renal transplant recipients.

Metabolic Syndrome in Thai Renal Transplant Recipients: A Multicenter Study.

BACKGROUND Many renal transplant recipients develop complications such as obesity, posttransplantation diabetes mellitus, and dyslipidemia. There have been few studies of metabolic syndrome (MS) in Asian renal transplant recipients. MATERIAL AND METHODS This cross-sectional study was performed in 303 patients in 5 transplant centers in Bangkok, Thailand. The diagnosis of MS was based on the criteria of the modified NCEP-ATPIII, and chronic allograft dysfunction was defined as estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) <60 mL/min/1.73 m^2. RESULTS Of 303 recipients, MS was diagnosed in 94 cases (31.0%) and the prevalence of MS in the first 3 years and after 3 years posttransplantation were 21.4% and 34.7% (P=0.042), respectively. There was an association between advanced age and chronic allograft dysfunction and higher prevalence of MS. Regarding non-anti-hypertensive and non-hypoglycemic medications, m-TOR inhibitor (odds ratio [OR], 2.14; 95% CI, 1.02-4.5) was associated with the prevalence of MS. Multivariate analysis revealed MS was associated with the use of beta-blockers (OR, 3.17; 95% CI, 1.88-5.32). Patients with no MS components had 26.9% prevalence of chronic allograft dysfunction and patients with higher numbers of MS components had 87.5% prevalence of chronic allograft dysfunction, which was significantly different (P=0.022). CONCLUSIONS Our study revealed that the prevalence of MS was higher in patients with higher numbers of MS components, especially after 3 years posttransplantation. Presence of more components of MS was associated with worse renal function in renal transplant recipients.

Effect of enhanced external counterpulsation treatment on renal function in cardiac patients.

BACKGROUND: Enhanced external counterpulsation (EECP) enhances coronary perfusion and reduces left ventricular afterload. However, the role of EECP on renal function in cardiac patients is unknown. Our aim was to assess renal function determined by serum cystatin C in cardiac patients before and after EECP treatment. METHODS: A prospective observational longitudinal study was conducted in order to evaluate renal function using serum cystatin C (Cys C) and estimated glomerular filtration rate (GFR) after 35 sessions of EECP treatment in 30 patients with chronic stable angina and/or heart failure. The median (IQR) time for follow-up period after starting EECP treatment was 16 (10-24) months. RESULTS: Cys C significantly declined from 1.00 (0.78-1.31) to 0.94 (0.77-1.27) mg/L (p < 0.001) and estimated GFR increased from 70.47 (43.88-89.41) to 76.27 (49.02-91.46) mL/min/1.73 m(2) (p = 0.006) after EECP treatment. Subgroup analysis showed that patients with baseline GFR <60 mL/min/1.73 m(2) or NT-proBNP >125 pg/mL had a significant decrease in Cys C when compared to other groups (p < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: The study demonstrated that EECP could improve long-term renal function in cardiac patients especially in cases with declined renal function or with high NT-proBNP. TRIAL REGISTRATION: The study was registered in the clinical trial as International Standard Randomized Controlled Trial Number ISRCTN11560035.

Acute Renal Failure in Patients with Severe Falciparum Malaria: Using the WHO 2006 and RIFLE Criteria.

There are limited data on the application of the RIFLE criteria among patients with severe malaria. This retrospective study was conducted by reviewing 257 medical records of adult hospitalized patients with severe falciparum malaria at the Mae Sot General Hospital, Tak province in the northern part of Thailand. The aims of this study were to determine the incidence of acute renal failure (ARF) in patients with severe falciparum malaria and its association with RRT as well as in-hospital mortality. Using the WHO 2006 criteria, ARF was the second most common complication with incidence of 44.7% (115 patients). The requirement for RRT was 45.2% (52 patients) and the in-hospital mortality was 31.9% (36 patients). Using the RIFLE criteria, 73.9% (190 patients) had acute kidney injury (AKI). The requirement for RRT was 11.6% (5 patients) in patients with RIFLE-I and 44.9% (48 patients) in patients with RIFLE-F. The in-hospital mortality gradually increased with the severity of AKI. The requirement for RRT (P < 0.05) and the in-hospital mortality (P < 0.05) were significantly higher in ARF patients with severe falciparum malaria using both criteria. In conclusion, the RIFLE criteria could be used for diagnosing AKI and predicting outcomes in patients with severe malaria similar to the WHO 2006 criteria.

Triple immunosuppressive therapy can accelerate the recovery of antibody-mediated pure red cell aplasia and allow successful concurrent resumption of erythropoietin.

Antibody (Ab)-mediated pure red cell aplasia (PRCA) is a rare hematologic disorder. For the first time here, the authors report the use of combination therapy which consists of mycophenolate mofetil 500-1000 mg/day, intravenous cyclophosphamide 600 mg monthly and monthly intravenous methylprednisolone 1 gm/day for 2 days followed by oral prednisolone 10 mg/day. A 62-year-old woman developed Ab-mediated PRCA after using subcutaneous erythropoietin-beta 3000 U weekly for 14 months at the predialysis stage. Ab-mediated PRCA was diagnosed based on (1) the transfusion need of more than 1 unit/wk to keep hemoglobin level stable, (2) corrected reticulocyte count 0.36% and (3) < 5% erythroblasts with normal myeloid cells and megakaryocytes in bone marrow biopsy. Serum assay confirmed the anti-erythropoietin antibody of 230 ng/mL. The patient recovered from PRCA after the triple immunosuppressive therapy for 3 months. The rapid recovery occurred despite the fact that the patient was receiving intravenous erythropoietin-alpha while having the antibody in the serum. The present case describes the acceleration of the recovery and successful resumption of erythropoietin concurrently despite the positive serum anti-erythropoietin antibody.

Isometric tubular vacuolization in renal transplant recipient: the first case report in Thailand.

Cyclosporine can cause acute and chronic nephrotoxicity. Renal biopsy is a reliable tool for the diagnosis of cyclosporine nephrotoxicity. The authors report a 56-year-old Thai female with a history of end-stage renal disease who underwent cadaveric renal transplantation. A transplanted kidney biopsy was performed on day 9 post-transplant to identify the cause of delayed graft function. Light and electron microscopic findings revealed widespread (> 50% involvement) numerous tubules filled with uniformly-sized vacuoles in cytoplasm (isometric vacuolization). Serum cyclosporine trough level was 534 ng/mL. Neither acute rejection nor acute tubular necrosis was seen. Diagnosis of acute cyclosporine nephrotoxicity was made. Isometric vacuolization in more than 50% involvement of the tubules is rare (3%) in biopsy specimens. The tubular isometric vacuolization might not have the strong impact to the long term graft outcome. This is the first case report of isometric tubular vacuolization due to cyclosporine toxicity in renal transplant recipient in Thailand.

A single-centre experience: peritoneal dialysis-related infections in patients on long-term dialysis.

OBJECTIVE: Peritoneal dialysis is a convenient way of maintaining patients with end stage renal disease (ESRD) and in the present days, the Thai government supports all payments for ESRD patients. Continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis-(CAPD) related infections are the major cause of morbidity and mortality. The present study was conducted to identify the incidence and epidemiological data of CAPD-related infection. MATERIAL AND METHOD: Medical records of 333 CAPD patients attending the Dialysis Unit of Phramongkutklao Hospital from January 1983 to June 2007 were reviewed. The historical cohort study was focused on the incidence of CAPD-related infections, causing pathogens, risk factors, and patient outcome. RESULTS: In total, 73.3% of episodes developed peritoneal infection. The incidences of peritonitis, exit site infection, and tunnel infection were 0.864, 0.213, and 0.034 episodes per patient per year, respectively. The most common infecting organisms were gram positive cocci (49.1%). The main pathogens were Coagulase-negative staphylococcus (15.9%), Staphylococcus aureus (15.2%) and Pseudomonas spp. (14.2%). CAPD-related infections increased in patients who had age > 60. A total of 81% of the infections responded to initial antibiotic therapy administered in the dialysis fluid. Overall, there were 10 episodes (1.9%) of the refractory group and 83 episodes (15.4%) of peritoneal catheter loss, with an overall mortality rate of 1.1%. Non-vancomycin based regimens were applied in 63.9% of peritoneal infected patients. CONCLUSION: The authors' center's CAPD-related infection rate achieved the International Society for Peritoneal Dialysis (ISPD) recommendation. A significantly enhanced incidence of CAPD-related infection occurred in advanced age. Coagulase-negative staphylococcus is still a very common organism that generally responds well to antibiotic therapy.

Use of high-dose gadolinium as contrast media to avoid radiocontrast media-induced nephropathy.

Patients at risk for radiocontrast media-induced nephropathy (RCIN) with suspected peripheral vascular disease were evaluated with high-dose (0.4 mmol/kg) gadolinium-based (Gd) contrast angiography (AG). The patients who were considered susceptible to RCIN were defined by having one or more of the following: (1) pre-existing serum creatinine (SCr) >124 micromol/l, (2) diabetes mellitus and (3) age >60 years. An increase in SCr > or = 44 micromol/l or > or = 25% of baseline was considered significant. Ten patients underwent peripheral AG using a high dose of Gd without any adverse reaction. The mean age was 67.8 years. Nine (90%) patients were diabetic. The quality of these images was satisfactory for diagnosis in eight out of 10 patients. None of these patients had significant change in SCr. The mean SCr (+/-SD) before, at 48 hours and at 72 hours after AG were 182 +/- 97, 177 +/- 99 and 177 +/- 98 micromol/l, respectively. Based on this limited study, Gd is a promising agent for peripheral angiographic study. In patients at risk for RCIN, the high dose of Gd appears to be safe without obvious nephrotoxicity.

An Asian regional analysis of cost-effectiveness of early irbesartan treatment versus conventional antihypertensive, late amlodipine, and late irbesartan treatments in patients with type 2 diabetes, hypertension, and nephropathy.

OBJECTIVE: The prevalence of type 2 diabetes, often leading to diabetic nephropathy, has increased globally, especially in Asia. Irbesartan treatment delays the progression of kidney disease at the early (microalbuminuria) and late (proteinuria) stages of nephropathy in hypertensive type 2 diabetics. This treatment has proven to be cost-effective in Western countries. This study assessed the cost-effectiveness of early irbesartan treatment in Asian settings. METHODS: An existing lifetime model was reprogrammed in Microsoft Excel to compare irbesartan started at an early stage to irbesartan or amlodipine started at a late stage, and standard treatments from a health-care perspective in China, Malaysia, Thailand, South Korea, and Taiwan. The main effectiveness parameters were incidences of end-stage renal disease, time in dialysis, and life expectancy. All costs were converted to 2004 US$ using official purchasing power parity. Local data were obtained for costs, transplantation,dialysis, and mortality rates. Probabilities regarding disease progression after treatment with the investigated drugs were extracted from two published clinical trials. A probabilistic sensitivity analysis was performed. RESULTS: Early use of irbesartan yielded the largest clinical and economic benefits reducing need for dialysis by 61% to 63% versus the standard treatment, total costs by 9% (Thailand) to 42% (Taiwan), and increasing life expectancy by 0.31 to 0.48 years. Early irbesartan had a 66% (Thailand) to 95% (Taiwan) probability of being dominant over late irbesartan. CONCLUSION: Although the absolute results varied in different settings, reflecting differences in epidemiology, management, and costs, early irbesartan treatment was a cost-effective alternative in the Asian settings.

Distinct roles for renal particulate and soluble guanylyl cyclases in preserving renal function in experimental acute heart failure.

Worsening renal function in the setting of human acute heart failure (AHF) predicts poor outcomes, such as rehospitalization and increased mortality. Understanding potential renoprotective mechanisms is warranted. The guanylate cyclase (GC) enzymes and their second messenger cGMP are the target of two important circulating neurohumoral systems with renoprotective properties. Specifically, natriuretic peptides (NP) released from the heart with AHF target particulate GC in the kidney, while the nitric oxide (NO) system is an activator of renal soluble GC. We hypothesized that both systems are essential to preserve renal excretory and hemodynamic function in AHF but with distinct roles. We investigated these roles in three groups of anesthetized dogs (6 each) with AHF induced by rapid ventricular pacing. After a baseline AHF clearance, each group received intrarenal vehicle (control), N(G)-monomethyl-l-arginine (l-NMMA), a competitive NO inhibitor (50 microg.kg(-1).min(-1)) or a specific NP receptor antagonist, HS-142-1 (0.5 mg/kg). We observed that intrarenal l-NMMA decreased renal blood flow (RBF) without significant decreases in glomerular filtration rate (GFR), urinary sodium excretion (UNaV), or urinary cGMP. In contrast, HS-142-1 resulted in a decrease in UNaV and cGMP excretion together with a reduction in GFR and an increase in distal fractional tubular sodium reabsorption. We conclude that in AHF, the NP system plays a role in maintaining sodium excretion and GFR, while the function of NO is in the maintenance of RBF. These studies have both physiological and therapeutic implications warranting further research into cardiorenal interactions in this syndrome of AHF.

Viral hepatitis infections among dialysis patients: Thailand registry report.

BACKGROUND: Patients on dialysis are at high risk of acquiring viral hepatitis infections. However, there were only few data from Thailand. The aim of the present study was to assess the prevalence, incidence and associated risk factors of viral hepatitis infections among dialysis patients. METHODS: A retrospective study was conducted to evaluate 5179 medical records of dialysis patients from the Thailand Renal Replacement Therapy Registry. RESULTS: In 2002, the seroprevalence of hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) infections were 6.3% (n = 2454) and 4.8% (n = 2167), respectively. HBV and HCV seroprevalence became 6.5% (n = 2585) and 4.3% (n = 2399) in 2003. The incidence of HBV and HCV infections were 1.5 and 2.4 cases per 1000 patient-years, respectively. Logistic regression analysis showed that age and gender were significant risk factors for HBV infection, but not for HCV infection. CONCLUSION: In Thailand, it was not uncommon for dialysis patients to acquire viral hepatitis infections. However, our prevalence is similar to reports from some other South-East Asian countries.

Significance of antiphospholipid antibodies in lupus nephritis.

BACKGROUND: Some autoantibodies have been associated with lupus nephritis but the role of antiphospholipid antibodies (APA) is controversial. OBJECTIVE: The present study was to explore the role of APA by comparing demographic profiles and the presence of anticardiolipin antibody (aCL) and lupus anticoagulant (LA) in systemiclupus erythematosus 1 (SLE) patients with and without nephritis. MATERIAL AND METHOD: The cross-sectional study in a tertiary center was conducted in 77 SLE patients. All patients attended our renal or rheumatology clinics between June 2002 and December 2003. RESULTS: Sixty-three (82%) of the 77 SLE patients had nephritis. The prevalence of antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) was 10% (8 patients), positive aCL (IgG) was 26% (20 patients) and positive LA was 26% (20 patients). The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) method was applied to assess the significance of aCL in both nephritis and non-nephritis groups. Area under the ROC curve was 0.538 (95%CI 0.312-0.765), a cutoff value of 20.5 GPL had a sensitivity of 75% and a specificity of 53%. In univariate analysis, neither positivity for anticardiolipin antibody nor lupus anticoagulant was associated with lupus nephritis. Analyzed in only the lupus nephritis group, LA-positive lupus nephritis patients had higher systolic blood pressure (SBP) (133.7 vs 121.9 mmHg, p = 0.005), lower platelet count (209.8 vs 264.4 x 10(3)/microL, p = 0.02) and higher 24-hr urine protein excretion (2.6 vs 1.4 g, p = 0.02) than LA-negative lupus nephritis patients. Serum creatinine was higher in LA-positive lupus nephritis than LA-negative (233.0 vs 94.9 micromol/L), but did not reach statistical significance. CONCLUSION: APA are frequently seen in SLE patients, but not associated with lupus nephritis. However lupus anticoagulant tends to associate with lupus nephritis. Detection of LA in lupus nephritis patients could identify patients who had increased risk to develop bad renal outcomes (elevated SBP and 24-hr urine protein excretion).