Background/Aim: Mortality resulting from cardiovascular disease in patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) is high. In this study we sought to investigate the clinical value of the malnutrition-inflammation-atherosclerosis (MIA) syndrome for long-term prediction of cardiovascular mortality in patients treated with ESRD. Methods: A total of 42 ESRD patients on hemodialysis were enrolled. Inflammatory markers and nutritional parameters were determined. Carotid atherosclerosis was investigated by ultrasonographically evaluated carotid intima-media thickness (cIMT). Mortality was evaluated at a 5-year follow-up. Results: No correlation was evident between nutritional markers and inflammatory indexes. cIMT was inversely correlated with predialysis serum albumin. In the overall population of 42 patients, 11 (26.2%) died of cardiovascular causes during follow-up. Kaplan-Meier survival curves indicate that cIMT (≧0.9 mm), C-reactive protein (CRP) (>1 mg/dl), and serum albumin (<3.5 g/dl) predict cardiovascular death in patients with ESRD. Conclusions: We have demonstrated that cIMT, CRP and serum albumin predict long-term mortality in ERSD patients. Our study suggests that further investigation of the MIA syndrome will provide insights into the susceptibility to CVD in this patient group.

Objectives This study aimed to compare sonoelastographic findings for the quadriceps tendon in patients with chronic renal failure who were in a dialysis program to findings in a control group. Methods Fifty‐three randomly allocated patients (mean age, 54.3 years; range, 27–86 years) with chronic renal failure who were in a dialysis program 3 days a week between January and May 2012 were included. The measurements were performed in both knees of 53 patients undergoing dialysis and 25 individuals in the control group. The tendons were classified as follows: type 1, very stiff tissue (blue); type 2, stiff tissue (blue‐green); and type 3, intermediate tissue (green‐yellow) according to color mapping. Results The mean quadriceps tendon thicknesses in the patient group were 4.9 mm (range, 1.9–6.5 mm) for the right knee and 4.9 mm (1.4–6.5 mm) for the left knee; the values in the control group were 5.4 mm (3.6–7.0 mm) for the right knee and 5.4 mm (3.4–7.0 mm) for the left knee. The mean elasticity scores in the patient group were 3.14 (1.03–5.23) for the right knee and 3.33 (1.29–5.00) for the left knee; in the control group, the values were 3.79 (1.73–5.23) and 3.69 (1.23–5.53) for the right and left knees, respectively (right knee, P = .025; left knee, P = .018; Mann‐Whitney U test). The quadriceps tendons were significantly thinner in the patient group (right knee, P = .054; left knee, P = .015; Mann‐Whitney U test). Conclusions Quadriceps tendons in patients with chronic renal failure are thinner and have lower elasticity scores compared to controls.

No abstract

We propose that HLA-Bw4 and DQ1 antigens may be responsible for susceptibility to COU while HLA-A24 may have a protective role in the Turkish population.

Studies performed recently have determined that aldosterone has not only a major role in electrolyte and water balance and K excretion, but it also modulates myofibroblast growth in the heart and blood vessels and causes fibrosis. This study investigated the effects of aldosterone blockers in rats with anti-thy 1.1 nephritis, both on proliferation and fibrosis, by comparing it to an angiotensin receptor inhibitor valsartan. Rats with anti-thy 1.1 nephritis were randomly allocated to one of the three following groups of treatment: the control group (group 1); those treated with the aldosterone receptor blocker spironolactone (group 2); and those treated with the ATRB valsartan (group 3). On day 7, the parameters of glomerular fibrosis [transforming growth factor beta, TGF staining areas %], proliferation (Ki-67), and renal damage scores were determined. The TGF-beta and Ki-67 levels of control group were significantly more than the other two groups (p<0.01). The TGF staining areas percentages were significantly decreased compared to control group. The artery, glomerular, and renal injury scores evaluated between the groups were found to be significantly decreased compared to control group. In line with previous studies, this study found that in anti-thy 1.1 mesangioproliferative glomerulonephritis, aldosterone blockage affected proliferation and fibrosis.