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Background COVID-19 has exposed hemodialysis patients and kidney transplant recipients to an unprecedented life-threatening infectious disease raising concerns about kidney replacement therapy (KRT) strategy during the pandemic. The present study investigated the association of type of KRT with COVID-19 severity adjusting for differences in individual characteristics. Methods Data on kidney transplant recipients and hemodialysis patients diagnosed with COVID-19 between February 1st and December 1st 2020 were retrieved from ERACODA. Cox regression models adjusted for age, sex, frailty and comorbidities were used to estimate hazard ratios (HR) for 28-day mortality risk in all patients and in the subsets who were tested because of symptoms Results In total, 1,670 patients (496 functional kidney transplant and 1,174 hemodialysis) were included. 16.9% of kidney transplant and 23.9% of hemodialysis patients died within 28 days of presentation. The unadjusted 28-day mortality risk was 33% lower in kidney transplant recipients compared with hemodialysis patients (HR: 0.67, 95%CI: 0.52-0.85). In a fully adjusted model, the risk was 78% higher in kidney transplant recipients (HR: 1.78, 95%CI: 1.22-2.61) compared with hemodialysis patients. This association was similar in patients tested because of symptoms (fully adjusted model HR: 2.00, 95%CI: 1.31-3.06). This risk was dramatically increased during the first post-transplant year. Results were similar for other endpoints (e.g. hospitalization, ICU admission, mortality beyond 28 days) and across subgroups. Conclusions Kidney transplant recipients had a greater risk of a more severe course of COVID-19 compared with hemodialysis patients; they therefore require specific infection mitigation strategies.

Background/Aim: Recently emerging evidence suggests that oxidative stress (SOX) may participate in atherogenesis. The aim of the present study was to establish whether enhanced SOX, involving endothelial injury, activation of coagulation, and inflammatory reaction, could be implicated in atherosclerotic diseases in haemodialysis (HD) patients. Methods: Markers of SOX, endothelial injury, coagulation, and cytokines, were measured in the plasma of HD patients with and without cardiovascular disease (CVD), and of healthy controls by ELISA methods. Remodeling of the carotid arteries was assessed by measuring the intima-media thickness (IMT) as a surrogate of atherosclerotic disease in all groups. Results: Markers of SOX, endothelial injury, and extrinsic coagulation pathway activation and IMT values were significantly elevated in HD patients, especially in those with CVD when compared with the control group. The von Willebrand factor antigen (vWF:Ag) levels were more increased in the patients with CVD than in those without. Furthermore, the plasma levels of tumour necrosis factor alpha, monocyte chemo-attractant protein 1, and macrophage inflammatory protein 1 beta were significantly higher only in the HD group with CVD when compared with the controls. The IMT was strongly and directly correlated with Cu/Zn superoxide dismutase. Both IMT and Cu/Zn superoxide dismutase were positively correlated with age, thrombomodulin, vWF:Ag, tissue factor, tissue factor pathway inhibitor, prothrombin fragment F1 + 2, monocte chemo-attractant protein 1, macrophage inflammatory protein 1 beta, and tumour necrosis factor alpha levels. Multivariate analysis identified vWF:Ag as the only independent variable significantly associated with an increased IMT. Conclusions: The present study suggests that enhanced SOX, involved pro-atherogenic cytokine and chemokines levels, endothelial injury, and coagulation activation may constitute a pathway for accelerated atherosclerosis in HD patients. The significant, independent association between IMT and vWF:Ag should be assessed in future studies to determine whether vWF:Ag elevation is causative or a by-product of the increased IMT.

Adiponectin has antiatherogenic properties and attenuates endothelial inflammatory responses. CD146 is a novel cell adhesion molecule localized at the endothelial junction. In renal failure, endothelial dysfunction and atherosclerosis are almost universal. We studied possible correlations between adiponectin, CD146, and other markers of endothelial cell injury in patients with chronic renal failure (CRF) on conservative treatment and patients with and without diabetic nephropathy maintained on chronic ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD). We assessed adiponectin, tissue factor pathway inhibitor (TFPI), plasminogen activator inhibitor (PAI-1), thrombin-activatable fibrinolysis inhibitor, and endothelial function/injury markers: von Willebrand factor, thrombomodulin, vascular cell adhesion molecule (VCAM), intercellular adhesion molecule, and CD146. Adiponectin was elevated in patients with CRF and on CAPD. It correlated significantly, with PAI-1, thrombin-activatable fibrinolysis inhibitor, intercellular adhesion molecule, VCAM, and CD146 in nondiabetics on CAPD. In diabetics, CAPD adiponectin correlated positively with C146 and VCAM and negatively with PAI and TFPI. In multivariate regression analysis, only CD146 remained a positive predictor of adiponectin in all CAPD patients. In CRF, adiponectin correlated with CD146. In healthy volunteers, adiponectin correlated with TFPI and CD146. Elevated adiponectin related to CD146 may be the expression of a counterregulatory response aimed at mitigating the consequences in endothelial damage and increased cardiovascular risk in renal failure.

Background/Aims: Impaired renal function is a strong risk factor for cardiovascular diseases and worsens a patient’s prognosis. Renal dysfunction predicts mortality after acute stroke in the long term. On the other hand, in-hospital mortality after acute stroke is strongly associated with disorders of consciousness at the onset of stroke, severity of stroke, body temperature, blood sugar and some other comorbidities. The aim of the study was to analyze the possible role of renal dysfunction and/or signs of renal disease (proteinuria) on 30-day mortality after acute ischaemic stroke (AIS) based on the hospital medical records of one county. Methods: Medical records of 312 consecutive patients admitted to Ostrołęka County Hospital (Department of Neurology) between March 2000 and October 2002 for AIS were retrieved retrospectively to determine factors influencing 30-day survival. None of patients received thrombolytic therapy. Results: Among the patients analyzed, 74 (23.7%) died during the 30-day period. In a simple Cox proportional hazards regression model, negative predictive factors were: older age, higher pulse rate, lower estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), proteinuria, elevated plasma glucose level, diabetes mellitus, atrial fibrillation and chronic heart failure. In a multivariate analysis, independent negative predictors of 30-day morbidity were: age hazard ratio (HR) 1.05 (95% CI 1.02–1.08), eGFR <60 ml/min HR 1.75 (95% CI 1.21–2.19), dipstick proteinuria HR 2.28 (95% CI 1.74–2.82) and plasma glucose level >100 mg/dl HR 2.96 (95% CI 2.22–3.70). Conclusion: The results of this study identify decreased eGFR and presence of dipstick proteinuria as a strong negative predictor of 30-day survival after AIS in patients not treated with thrombolytic agents.