Background: Focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS) is a clinicopathological syndrome that presents with proteinuria, usually in the nephrotic range and evidence of histologic lesions of focal and segmental glomerular sclerosis with diffuse foot-process effacement. Recently, suPAR (soluble urokinase-type plasminogen activator receptor) was proposed as the potential circulating causative factor for primary FSGS. Objectives: We performed a cross-sectional study with the aim to determine whether there is a relationship between suPAR serum levels and primary FSGS. The secondary aim was to associate serum suPAR levels with kidney dysfunction. Patients and Methods: We enrolled a total of 90 patients with both suPAR serum levels and proteinuria. From these, 61 patients performed a renal biopsy. Results: The mean age was 49.8 ± 17.2 years, 37 was females (60.7%) and 54 were Caucasian race (91.5%). FSGS was diagnosed in 30 patients (49%). suPAR levels were positive in 34 patients (55.7%) and negative in 27 (44.3%). Concerning the positive results, 17 patients had the histologic diagnosis of FSGS, which gives the test a sensibility of 28%. Concerning the negative results, 14 patients had a different histologic diagnosis other than FSGS, which gives the test a specificity of 23%. The predicted positive value was 50% and the predicted negative value was 52%. suPAR serum levels were not correlated with 24 hours proteinuria (P = 0.5), but we found a positive correlation with C-reactive protein (P = 0.037) and an inverse correlation with estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) (P < 0.001). Conclusions: We found that a positive suPAR test is not a marker of FSGS, but it can be a marker of podocyte and glomerular lesion, as it is inversely correlated with renal function in a cohort of proteinuric patients. Further studies are needed to further validate suPAR as a specific biomarker of glomerular damage. ABSTRACT Implication for health policy/practice/research/medical education:Some research groups proposed soluble urokinase-type plasminogen activator receptor (suPAR) as a potential circulating causative factor for primary focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS). In this study we obtained very low sensibility (28%) and specificity (23%) of SuPAR for FSGS, and very low predicted positive value (50%) and predicted negative value (52%) was seen too. We found an inverse correlation with eGFR (P < 0.001). Our results show that suPAR test is not a marker of FSGS, but it can be a marker of podocyte and glomerular lesions in a cohort of proteinuric patients. Please cite this paper as: Verdelho M, Ferreira AC, Santos MC, Góis M, Viana H, Carvalho F, et al. Soluble urokinase-type plasminogen activator receptor as a biomarker for focal segmental glomerulosclerosis; a retrospective analysis.
Renal failure due to leukemic infiltration of kidney in chronic lymphocytic leukemia is an extremely rare condition. The authors report a case of a 59-year-old white female, with a past medical history of chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) with 2 years of evolution without medical therapy, admitted with nonoliguric acute renal failure needing dialysis. Renal biopsy showed extensive small lymphocytes' infiltration in the cortical interstitium by CLL cells. Cyclophosphamide and prednisolone were started and 1 month later changed to fludarabine plus cyclophosphamide with improvement of renal function. Although renal failure due to leukemic infiltration has been described in many cases of acute leukemia, only 11 cases of renal failure due to CLL cells' infiltration have been described in the literature. Renal histology is an extremely important tool to confirm diagnosis.
Purpose This paper aims to investigate how personal values relate to the psychological contract employees establish with their employers. Design/methodology/approach The sample consisted of 223 frontline employees from a major Portuguese company. The paper used stepwise regressions analysis to test the research hypotheses. Findings Collectivistic-oriented values were generally related to psychological contract features such as long time frame, lower tangibility, flexibility, inequality and collective regulation. Conversely, individualistic-oriented values were generally associated with a short time frame and a more tangible, stable, equal and individually regulated type of contract with a narrow scope. Research limitations/implications This study uses cross-sectional data collected from a single Portuguese company. While common method bias could potentially affect the results, various procedural remedies were used to control for it. Finally, the study relied on stepwise regression, which is a data-driven approach. Practical implications The study supports the contentions that internal dispositions are related to psychological contracts. Originality/value This paper innovates by exploring how employees’ personal values are associated with the psychological contract from a feature-oriented approach. In addition, this study was carried out in Portugal, highlighting the importance of exploring existing models and theories in different cultural contexts.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.
hi@scite.ai
10624 S. Eastern Ave., Ste. A-614
Henderson, NV 89052, USA
Copyright © 2024 scite LLC. All rights reserved.
Made with 💙 for researchers
Part of the Research Solutions Family.