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Children and young adults with chronic renal failure (CRF) present with an impaired immune response. Our aim was to analyze whether leukocyte migration, determined by adhesion molecules, is disturbed in the course of CRF, hemodialysis (HD), and peritoneal dialysis (PD). Soluble (s) VCAM-1, ICAM-1, and L-selectin serum levels were evaluated by ELISA in 15 patients with CRF, 22 patients on cuprophane membrane HD, 24 patients on PD, and in 15 controls. The sVCAM-1 levels in all groups were significantly elevated compared with controls. The levels in HD patients were higher than in CRF patients (P<0.05), while levels in PD patients were higher than in CRF and HD (P<0.001 and P<0.01, respectively). The sICAM-1 concentrations in CRF and PD patients were significantly elevated compared with controls (P<0.001 and P<0.0001, respectively); in PD patients sICAM-1 levels were higher than in HD patients (P<0.001), but there were no differences between other groups. sL-selectin levels were decreased in all groups compared with controls. The levels in HD patients were the lowest and the differences, compared with CRF and PD patients, were significant (P<0.05 and P<0.01, respectively). Children and young adults with CRF and on maintenance dialysis have altered concentrations of soluble adhesion molecules, resulting from either inadequate clearance or disturbed synthesis and release. The differences in sVCAM-1 levels between CRF and both groups of patients on dialysis, as well as the differences in sL-selectin concentrations between HD and CRF patients, indicate that these disturbances are aggravated by maintenance dialysis, particularly HD.

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BackgroundWe examined skin autofluorescence (sAF) in chronic kidney disease children (CKD) in relation to renal function and dialysis modality.MethodsTwenty children on hemodialysis (HD), 20 on peritoneal dialysis (PD), 36 treated conservatively, and 26 healthy subjects were enrolled into the study. In all children sAF, pulse-wave velocity indexed to height (PWV/ht), left ventricular mass index (LVMI), blood pressure (BP), serum lipid profile, phosphate (P), calcium (Ca), and homocysteine were measured.ResultssAF was significantly elevated in CKD groups vs. controls and was significantly associated with PWV/ht, LVMI, BP, P, Ca × P product and homocysteine. sAF in HD and PD groups was positively correlated with dialysis vintage, and in the predialysis group negatively correlated with glomerular filtration rate (eGFR). Multiple regression analysis showed significant association of sAF with LVMI and P in the CKD patient group, and with dialysis treatment duration and BP in dialyzed children.ConclusionsIn CKD children, tissue accumulation of advanced glycation end-products (AGEs) was observed. This was aggravated as eGFR declined and was related to early cardiovascular changes and some biochemical cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk markers. sAF as a non-invasive method may be a useful tool for identification of a clinical risk factors of cardiovascular disease in CKD children.

Children with chronic kidney disease (CKD) are affected by cardiovascular complications, including disturbances in the intraventricular conduction system. Body surface potential mapping (BSPM) is a non-invasive method of assessing the cardioelectrical field. Our aim was to investigate conduction disturbances in young CKD patients using ventricular activation time (VAT) maps. Our study comprised 22 CKD children (mean age: 13.1 ± 2.5 years) treated conservatively and 29 control patients. For each child 12-lead electrocardiogram (ECG) readings were taken, and blood pressure and serum concentrations of iPTH, Pi, t-Ca, creatinine, Fe+3, ferritin, and Hb, as well as eGFR were measured. All children underwent registration in the 87-lead BSPM system, and group-mean VAT maps and a difference map, which presents statistically significant differences between the groups, were created. The VAT map distribution in CKD patients revealed abnormalities specific to left anterior fascicle block. The difference map displays the areas of intergroup VAT changes, which are of discriminative value in detecting intraventricular conduction disturbances. Intraventricular conduction impairments in the left bundle branch may occur in children with CKD. BSPM enables conduction disturbances in CKD children to be detected earlier than using 12-lead ECG. The difference map derived from the group-mean isochrone maps precisely localizes the sites of disturbed conduction in the heart intraventricular conduction system.

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Osteocalcin is a calcium-binding bone protein whose blood concentrations are correlated with bone synthesis and resorption. The level of blood osteocalcin is determined by several factors. Laboratory monitoring of blood osteocalcin is helpful in patient diagnosis and managment. This study presents the known biosynthesis of osteocalcin and its role as an index of bone turnover,

Sirtuins, silent information regulator 2 (Sir 2) proteins, belong to the family of NAD(+)-dependent enzymes with deacetylase or mono-ADP-ribosyltransferase activity. These enzymes are responsible for processes of DNA repair or recombination, chromosomal stability and gene transcription. In mammals, sirtuins occur in seven varieties, from 1 to 7 (SIRT1-SIRT7), differing among themselves with location. SIRT1, the best known variety, exerts its effects on proteins via NAD(+) coenzymes, being thus associated with cellular energetic metabolism and the 'red-ox' state. Its deficits are, among others, concomitant with stressful situations and associated with pathophysiologies of many medical conditions, including diabetes mellitus, cardiovascular diseases, neurodegenerative syndromes and kidney diseases. In kidney disorders, it promotes (stimulates) the survival of cells in an affected kidney by modulating their responses to various stress stimuli, takes part in arterial blood pressure control, protects against cellular apoptosis in renal tubules by catalase induction and triggers autophagy. More and more available in vitro and in vivo data indicate SIRT1 activity to be oriented, among others, towards nephroprotection. Thus, SIRT1 may become a novel element in the therapy of age-related renal diseases, including diabetic nephropathy.