SummaryNon-HLA antibodies (Abs) targeting vascular receptors are thought to have an impact on renal transplant injury. Anti-angiotensin II type 1-receptor-activating antibodies (anti-AT1R) have been mentioned to stimulate a severe vascular rejection, but the pretransplant screening has not been introduced yet. The aim of our study was to assess the incidence and importance of anti-AT1R antibodies and their influence on renal transplant in the 1st year of observation. We prospectively evaluated the presence of anti-AT1R antibodies in 117 consecutive renal transplant recipients in pre-and post-transplant screening. Anti-AT1R antibodies were observed in 27/117 (23%) of the analyzed recipients already before transplantation. The function of renal transplant was considerably worse in anti-AT1R(+) group. The patients with anti-AT1R Abs >9 U/ml lost their graft more often. Biopsy-proven AR was described in 4/27 (15%) pts in the anti-AT1R(+) group and 13/90 (14.4%) in the anti-AT1R(À) group, but more severe cases of Banff IIB or antibody-mediated rejection (AMR) were more often observed in anti-AT1R (+) 4/27 (15%) vs. 1/90 (1.1%) in anti-AT1R(+) (P = 0.009). Patients with anti-AT1R Abs level >9 U/ml run a higher risk of graft failure independently of classical immunological risk factors. The recipients with anti-AT1R Abs developed more severe acute rejections described as IIB or AMR in Banff classification. More recipients among the anti-AT1R-positive ones lost the graft. Our study suggests monitoring of anti-AT1R Abs before renal transplantation for assessment of immunologic risk profiles and the identification of patients highly susceptible to immunologic events, graft failure, and graft loss.

Background-In previous studies on the effect of renal stenting on arterial hypertension, patients were selected mainly on the basis of angiographic parameters of the renal artery stenosis. The aim of the present study was to evaluate whether translesional pressure gradients could identify the patients with renal artery stenosis who might benefit from stenting. Methods and Results-A total of 53 consecutive hypertensive patients with unilateral RAS scheduled for renal artery intervention were recruited. Transstenotic pressure gradients were measured at baseline and during maximal hyperemia, before renal artery stenting. Twenty-four-hour ambulatory blood pressure measurements were performed in all patients before and 3 months after the intervention. Average reductions in systolic blood pressure and diastolic blood pressure at follow-up were Ϫ20Ϯ30 mm Hg and Ϫ2Ϯ12 mm Hg, respectively. At multivariate analysis, dopamine-induced mean gradient was the only independent predictor of the variations of both systolic blood pressure (regression coefficientϭϪ4.03, standard errorϭ1.11; PϽ0.001) and diastolic blood pressure (regression coefficientϭϪ3.11, standard errorϭ1.20; Pϭ0.009). Patients who showed a decline in systolic blood pressure from the baseline value Ͼ20 mm Hg were considered as "responders." The optimal cutoff for identification of "responders" was a dopamine-induced mean gradient Ն20 mm Hg (area under the curve, 0.77; 95% confidence interval, 0.64 to 0.90; Pϭ0.001). Conclusions-A dopamine-induced mean pressure gradient of Ն20 mm Hg is highly predictive of arterial hypertension improvement after renal stenting, and therefore this measurement is useful for appropriate selection of patients with arterial hypertension. (Circ Cardiovasc Interv. 2010;3:537-542.)

The association between fibromuscular dysplasia (FMD) and spontaneous cervical artery dissection (SCeAD) has been recognized, but the available evidence on this relationship is scant. Therefore, the main goal of our study was to systematically evaluate FMD frequency, clinical characteristics and vascular bed involvement in patients with SCeAD. Among 230 patients referred to the ARCADIA-POL study, 43 patients (mean age 44.1 ± 8.9 years; 15 men and 28 women) with SCeAD were referred. Also, 135 patients with FMD were compared to patients with and without SCeAD. Patients underwent: ambulatory blood pressure measurements, biochemical evaluation, echocardiographic examination, and whole body computed tomographic angiography. FMD changes were found in 39.5% of patients with SCeAD. There were no differences in clinical characteristics between patients with SCeAD and FMD and those without FMD, except for a tendency towards a higher female ratio in SCeAD patients with FMD. There were no differences in other parameters describing target organ and SCeAD characteristics. Patients with SCeAD and FMD compared to those without SCeAD were characterized by a lower frequency of hypertension and a higher frequency of hyperlipidemia and history of contraceptive hormone use. Our study indicates a high incidence (39.5%) of FMD in subjects with SCeAD. Since there are no distinctive discriminating factors between patients with SCeAD and FMD and those without FMD, FMD should be suspected in all patients with SCeAD.

Background: Patients with heart failure (HF) are at high risk of unfavorable courses of COVID-19. The aim of this study was to evaluate characteristics and outcomes of COVID-19 patients with HF. Methods: Data of patients hospitalized in a tertiary hospital in Poland between March 2020 and May 2021 with laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 were analyzed. The study population was divided into a HF group (patients with a history of HF) and a non-HF group. Results: Out of 2184 patients (65 ± 13 years old, 50% male), 12% had a history of HF. Patients from the HF group were older, more often males, had more comorbidities, more often dyspnea, pulmonary and peripheral congestion, inflammation, and end-organ damage biomarkers. HF patients had longer and more complicated hospital stay, with more frequent acute HF development as compared with non-HF. They had significantly higher mortality assessed in hospital (35% vs. 12%) at three (53% vs. 22%) and six months (72% vs. 47%). Of 76 (4%) patients who developed acute HF, 71% died during hospitalization, 79% at three, and 87% at six months. Conclusions: The history of HF identifies patients with COVID-19 who are at high risk of in-hospital complications and mortality up to six months of follow-up.