Allopurinol lowers uric acid and improves insulin resistance and systemic inflammation in asymptomatic hyperuricemia. Larger clinical trials are recommended to determine if lowering uric acid can help prevent type 2 diabetes.

Baseline serum uric acid concentration is directly proportional to the rate of decline in renal functions in patients with IgAN. Uric acid-lowering treatments may be beneficial for the prevention of progression of IgAN. However, randomized controlled studies are needed for this purpose.

OBJECTIVE: Vitamin D insufficiency might have a role in numerous diseases including autoimmune disease, cancer, diabetes mellitus, hypertension and heart diseases. The relationship between vitamin D insufficiency and hyperuricemia has been shown previously but there are conflicting results in studies. MATErIAl and METhODS:A total of 1562 patients who had serum uric acid and vitamin D levels measured at the same time were enrolled. Patients who were on vitamin D replacement therapy, receiving calcium and/or allopurinol, or had gout and chronic kidney disease were excluded. rESulTS: Hyperuricemic patients had significantly lower levels of serum vitamin D level compared with normouricemic patients (p<0.001) whereas there was no difference between the groups in terms of serum calcium, phosphorus, parathormone and alkaline phosphatase. Severe deficiency (25(OH) vitamin D <10) was significantly more common among patients with hyperuricemia (p<0.001). When vitamin D levels were analyzed according to age, a significant inverse correlation between vitamin D and serum uric acid level was found in decades 7 and 8. Age, eGFR and vitamin D level below 20 appeared as independent associates of serum uric acid levels.COnCluSIOn: These data suggest that hyperuricemia associates with vitamin D deficiency. Further studies are needed to understand the mechanism underlying this association and its potential clinical implications. BulGulAr: Hiperürisemik hastaların serum vitamin D düzeyleri normoürisemik hastalara göre daha düşük olduğu görülmesine (p<0.001) karşın, gruplar serum kalsiyum, fosfor, parathormon ve alkalen fosfataz düzeyleri bakımından benzerdi. D vitamini düzeylerine göre değerlendirildiğinde ağır (vitamin D <10) düzeyde eksikliği olan hastaların daha çok hiperürisemik (p<0.001) grupta olduğu görüldü. Yaşa göre serum D vitamini ve ürik asit düzeyleri arasında anlamlı derecede negatif korelasyonun 7. ve 8. dekatlarda olduğu görüldü. Yaş, serum D vitamini düzeyinin <20 olması ve eGFR düzeyleri, serum ürik asit düzeyi ile anlamlı korelasyon gösterdiği görüldü.SOnuç: Çalışmamızda, hiperüriseminin D vitamini eksikliği ile ilişkili olduğu saptanmıştır. Bu ilişkiyi açıklayabilecek mekanizma ve bunun klinik açıdan etkilerine yönelik daha ileri çalışmalara ihtiyaç vardır.

CRS is associated with ED and atherosclerosis, as indicated by decreased FMD and increased CIMT in patients with CRS. Further studies are necessary to identify the exact pathophysiologic mechanisms responsible for our findings.

Background: Here we aimed to investigate the predictors of catheter-related bloodstream infections (CRBSI) in patients with acute kidney injury or chronic kidney disease who required renal replacement therapy through a non-tunneled hemodialysis catheter. Methods: A total of 111 patients who received non-tunneled hemodialysis catheters were retrospectively evaluated. Patients were divided into two groups; those who developed CRBSI and those who did not. Patient’s demographic data, laboratory results at admission, information regarding catheter infections, and culture results were obtained from electronic medical records. Results: The mean age of the patients was 64 ± 16 years, and 51 of them were male. CRBSI occurred in 14 patients (12.6%). Admission serum albumin level (OR: 0.119, 95% CI: 0.019–0.756, p = 0.024), admission mean platelet volume (OR: 2.207, 95% CI: 1.188–4.100, p = 0.012) and catheter duration (OR: 1.580, 95% CI: 1.210–2.064, p = 0.001) were independent predictors for the CRBSI development. ROC curve analysis demonstrated that a catheter duration of 22 days was predictive for presence of CRBSI (78% sensitivity, 76% specificity, AUC: 0.825, 95% CI: 0.724–0.925, p < 0.001). Conclusions: Prolonged catheter duration, low serum albumin, and high mean platelet volume independently predict the development of CRBSI in patients undergoing hemodialysis for acute kidney injury or chronic kidney disease.

Solitary extramedullary plasmacytoma (EMP) is a rare plasma cell disorder mostly involving the upper airway; however, retroperitoneal infiltration is very rare. Kidney injury associated with EMP is exceptionally rare with only anecdotal reports. Herein we report a case of retroperitoneal EMP causing renal failure by the way of direct renal parenchymal infiltration. Renal parenchymal invasion should be considered in aggressive and refractory plasma cell dyscrasias with unexplained renal failure.

A 37-year-old female patient was admitted with exertional dyspnea. Her serum creatinine was 2.4 mg/dL and anti-nuclear antibody was positive in a titer of 1/320. Renal biopsy revealed diffuse proliferative lupus nephritis. Echocardiography and cardiac magnetic resonance (MR) imaging showed increased apical trabeculations compatible with left ventricular noncompaction (LVNC), which is a rare genetic cardiomyopathy. The patient expressed a marked improvement in exertional dyspnea after the immune-suppressive treatment for systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Control echocardiography revealed a significant increase of ejection fraction. SLE may cause a kind of cardiomyopathy with high resemblance to LVNC.Discrimination of these two similar clinical entities is important because SLE-induced cardiomyopathy is potentially reversible after the immune-suppressive treatment for SLE.

Serum amylase activity was found to be an independent predictor of mortality in ESRD patients. Relatively low serum pancreatic enzyme levels in CKD may be regarded as a novel component of the malnutrition-inflammation-atherosclerosis syndrome.