New clinical practice guidelines for chronic kidney disease: a framework for K/DOQI

Inflammation and Adverse Outcomes in Patients With Acute Ischemic Stroke With and Without Chronic Kidney Disease

BACKGROUND

Elevated white blood cell count, fibrinogen levels, and lower levels of albumin signify higher systemic inflammatory response, hypercoagulable state, and poorer nutritional status, respectively. However, a consistent conclusion could not be drawn on whether the association between inflammatory markers and cardiovascular disease was affected by the presence of chronic kidney disease (CKD). We aimed to explore the association between inflammation and adverse outcomes in patients with acute ischemic stroke (AIS), as well as whether this association differs due to the presence of CKD.

METHODS AND RESULTS

This research was based on the Third China National Stroke Registry. The main adverse outcomes were poor functional outcome, stroke recurrence, and combined vascular event after 1 year. Inflammation was defined as the worst quartile of at least 2 of the aforementioned 3 markers. Finally, 8493 patients with AIS were enrolled in this study. The adjusted odds ratios/hazard ratios and 95% CIs of inflammation were 1.58 (1.34-1.86) for poor functional outcomes, 1.25 (1.06-1.47) for stroke recurrence, and 1.25 (1.06-1.46) for combined vascular event. The association between inflammation and adverse outcomes existed only in patients with AIS without CKD, although the interaction between CKD and inflammation was not statistically significant. (P for interaction >0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

Inflammation, which was defined as a combination of fibrinogen, white blood cell count, and albumin, was associated with all 1-year adverse outcomes among patients with AIS. Routine assessment of these biomarkers could become a potential part of the clinical evaluation for patients with AIS, especially those without CKD, aiding clinicians in risk stratification and treatment decision-making.

Adolescence-onset atypical hemolytic uremic syndrome: is it different from infant-onset?

BACKGROUND

Atypical hemolytic uremic syndrome (aHUS) is a rare, mostly complement-mediated thrombotic microangiopathy. The majority of patients are infants. In contrast to infantile-onset aHUS, the clinical and genetic characteristics of adolescence-onset aHUS have not been sufficiently addressed to date.

METHODS

A total of 28 patients (21 girls, 7 boys) who were diagnosed as aHUS between the ages of ≥10 years and <18 years were included in this study. All available data in the Turkish Pediatric aHUS registry were collected and analyzed.

RESULTS

The mean age at diagnosis was 12.8±2.3 years. Extra-renal involvement was noted in 13 patients (46.4%); neurological involvement was the most common (32%). A total of 21 patients (75%) required kidney replacement therapy. Five patients (17.8%) received only plasma therapy and 23 (82%) of the patients received eculizumab. Hematologic remission and renal remission were achieved in 25 (89.3%) and 17 (60.7%) of the patients, respectively. Compared with the infantile-onset aHUS patients, adolescent patients had a lower complete remission rate during the first episode (p = 0.002). Genetic analyses were performed in all and a genetic variant was detected in 39.3% of the patients. The mean follow-up duration was 4.9±2.6 years. At the last visit, adolescent patients had lower eGFR levels (p = 0.03) and higher rates of chronic kidney disease stage 5 when compared to infantile-onset aHUS patients (p = 0.04).

CONCLUSIONS

Adolescence-onset aHUS is a rare disease but tends to cause more permanent renal dysfunction than infantile-onset aHUS. These results may modify the management approaches in these patients.

Effects of a High-Protein Diet on Kidney Injury under Conditions of Non-CKD or CKD in Mice

Considering the prevalence of obesity and global aging, the consumption of a high-protein diet (HPD) may be advantageous. However, an HPD aggravates kidney dysfunction in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). Moreover, the effects of an HPD on kidney function in healthy individuals are controversial. In this study, we employed a remnant kidney mouse model as a CKD model and aimed to evaluate the effects of an HPD on kidney injury under conditions of non-CKD and CKD. Mice were divided into four groups: a sham surgery (sham) + normal diet (ND) group, a sham + HPD group, a 5/6 nephrectomy (Nx) + ND group and a 5/6 Nx + HPD group. Blood pressure, kidney function and kidney tissue injury were compared after 12 weeks of diet loading among the four groups. The 5/6 Nx groups displayed blood pressure elevation, kidney function decline, glomerular injury and tubular injury compared with the sham groups. Furthermore, an HPD exacerbated glomerular injury only in the 5/6 Nx group; however, an HPD did not cause kidney injury in the sham group. Clinical application of these results suggests that patients with CKD should follow a protein-restricted diet to prevent the exacerbation of kidney injury, while healthy individuals can maintain an HPD without worrying about the adverse effects.

Shenkang injection combined with alprostadil for chronic renal failure: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Objective

To systematically evaluate the clinical efficacy and safety of Shenkang injection (SKI) combined with alprostadil in the treatment of chronic renal failure (CRF).

Method

Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of Shenkang injection combined with alprostadil in CRF treatment were investigated by retrieving a total of 7 databases including CNKI, Wanfang database, VIP, CBM, PubMed, Embase and Cochrane Library, with the search time ranging from 2012 to now. Revman 5.2 software was used for data analysis, and Cochrane bias risk tool was used to evaluate the quality of the included literature. The final results were represented by relative risk (RR), mean difference (MD) and 95% confidence interval (95% CI).

Results

A total of 20 RCTs and 1,573 patients were included in this study. Meta-analysis showed that the overall response rate (ORR) of the treatment group was superior to the control group [RR = 0.20, 95% CI (0.16, 0.25), P &lt; 0.00001]. Compared with the control group, the treatment group achieved favorable improvement in terms of the creatinine clearance rate (Ccr) [MD = 9.48, 95% CI (8.73, 10.24), P &lt; 0.00001], serum creatinine (Scr) [MD = −55.12, 95% CI (−63.42, −46.82), P &lt; 0.00001], quantitative urine protein (Upro) [MD = −0.48, 95% CI (−0.53, −0.43), P &lt; 0.00001], and blood urea nitrogen (BUN) [MD=-3.73, 95% CI (−4.08, −3.3) 7, P &lt; 0.00001]. There was no statistical difference in the incidence of adverse reactions in each group.

Conclusion

Currently, Shenkang injection combined with alprostadil has been widely used in clinical treatment of CRF due to the certain effect superior to other methods. However, its specific efficacy and safety need to be further verified through numerous large-scale clinical trials.

Effects of sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitors and aldosterone antagonists, in addition to renin-angiotensin system antagonists, on major adverse kidney outcomes in patients with type 2 diabetes and chronic kidney disease: A systematic review and network meta-analysis

AIMS

To compare the efficacy of sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 (SGLT2) inhibitors, nonsteroidal mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists (MRAs), selective aldosterone antagonists and nonselective aldosterone antagonists, on top of renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS) blockade, in reducing kidney-specific composite events, cardiovascular outcomes, and other events of special interest in participants with type 2 diabetes (T2D) and chronic kidney disease (CKD).

METHODS

PubMed, EMBASE and CENTRAL were searched for studies published up to January 20, 2022. Randomized clinical trials enrolling participants with T2D and CKD were included, in which SGLT2 inhibitors, nonsteroidal MRAs, selective aldosterone antagonists and nonselective aldosterone antagonists were compared with either each other, or with placebo or no treatment. A network meta-analysis using a Bayesian approach was performed. The primary outcome was a kidney-specific composite event. Secondary outcomes included death from cardiovascular causes, nonfatal myocardial infarction, nonfatal stroke, hospitalization for heart failure, and all-cause mortality. We also examined blood pressure and safety outcomes of interest, including acute kidney injury, hyperkalaemia, hyponatraemia, and volume reduction events. All research was conducted according to a protocol registered in the PROSPERO database (CRD42022307113).

RESULTS

This meta-analysis of 17 trials randomizing 22 981 participants found SGLT2 inhibitors (odds ratio [OR] 0.62, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.52 to 0.73) and nonsteroidal MRAs (OR 0.76, 95% CI 0.66 to 0.88) were associated with significantly lower kidney-specific composite events than the control groups. Nonsteroidal MRAs (OR 0.78, 95% CI 0.66 to 0.92) and SGLT2 inhibitors (OR 0.57, 95% CI 0.45 to 0.72) were associated with greater reductions in hospitalization for heart failure than the control groups. SGLT2 inhibitors were associated with a lower risk of hospitalization for heart failure events compared with nonsteroidal MRAs (OR 0.73, 95% CI 0.55-0.97). SGLT2 inhibitors were associated with a reduction in cardiovascular death (OR 0.80, 95% CI 0.65 to 0.98) and all-cause mortality (OR 0.79, 95% CI 0.66 to 0.93) compared with the control groups. When compared to the control groups, both nonsteroidal MRAs (weighted mean difference [WMD] -10.96, 95% CI -20.49 to -1.46) and SGLT2 inhibitors (WMD -3.50, 95% CI -6.01 to -1.013) were linked with lower systolic blood pressure, nonsteroidal MRAs (OR 2.27, 95% CI 2.02 to 2.56) and nonselective aldosterone antagonists (OR 3.22, 95% CI 1.43 to 7.66) were associated with an increased risk of hyperkalaemia, nonsteroidal MRAs were linked with an increased risk of hyponatraemia (OR 16.56, 95% CI 2.78 to 455.19), and SGLT2 inhibitors were associated with an increased risk of volume reduction events (OR 1.28, 95% CI 1.06 to 1.56). SGLT2 inhibitors were ranked the best for our primary and secondary outcomes. Confidence in the evidence was often high or moderate.

CONCLUSIONS

In this network meta-analysis, the use of SGLT2 inhibitors or nonsteroidal MRAs, combined with RAAS blockade, was associated with a reduction in kidney-specific composite events and hospitalization for heart failure events in patients with T2D and CKD compared to placebo or no treatment. SGLT2 inhibitors were associated with a lower risk of hospitalization for heart failure events compared with nonsteroidal MRAs. Use of SGLT2 inhibitors was associated with lower mortality than placebo or no treatment.

Risk Factors for Nephrotoxicity due to Tacrolimus Therapy for Ulcerative Colitis

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

The calcineurin inhibitor tacrolimus is reportedly effective for moderate/severe ulcerative colitis (UC); however, it is also reportedly associated with nephrotoxicity. We investigated the risk factors for tacrolimus-induced nephrotoxicity and whether renal impairment adversely affected the outcomes of tacrolimus treatment in patients with UC.

METHODS

We conducted a retrospective study of 93 patients with UC who were administered tacrolimus leading to high trough levels (10-15 ng/mL) for 2 weeks and low trough levels (5-10 ng/mL) for 3 months.

RESULTS

Acute kidney injury (AKI) occurred in 44 patients (47.3%) during tacrolimus treatment. Of these patients, 34 (36.6%) developed AKI during the high trough phase and 17 (18.3%) developed AKI when the trough value exceeded the original target value of 15 ng/mL. Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that the male sex was significantly associated with AKI (p = 0.002, AOR = 4.38, 95% CI [1.69-11.3]). Clinical remission rate after 4, 8, 12, and 24 weeks of tacrolimus treatment in patients with AKI was lower than that in patients without AKI. Six patients (6.5%) had chronic kidney disease (CKD) after tacrolimus treatment completion, and all patients with CKD developed AKI during treatment. The median duration of treatment with no improvement in AKI was significantly longer in patients with CKD than in those without CKD (p = 0.016).

CONCLUSION

We revealed the risk factors for tacrolimus-induced nephrotoxicity. Renal impairment occurrence adversely affected the tacrolimus treatment outcome; therefore, it is important to carefully administer tacrolimus to prevent renal impairment.

Factors Associated With Major Complications and Mortality During Hospitalization in Patients With Ankylosing Spondylitis Undergoing Surgical Management for a Spine Fracture

STUDY DESIGN

Retrospective study.

OBJECTIVES

To analyze factors associated with major complications (MC) in patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS) undergoing surgical management for a spine fracture.

METHODS

Included were all persons with spine fractures and AS in a teriary health care center between 2003 and 2019. Clinical data and MC were characterized with descriptive characteristics. Multivariable analyses were used to find factors associated with MC.

RESULTS

In total, 174 traumatic fracture incidents in 166 patients with AS were included, with a mean patient age of 70.7 ± 13.1 years. The main reason for spine fracture was minor trauma (79.9%). Spinal cord injuries (SCI) were described in 36.7% of cases. The majority of patients (54.6%) showed more than one fracture of the spine, with cervical fractures being the most common (50.5%). Overall, the incidences of surgical site infection, implant failure, nosocomial pneumonia (NP), and mortality were 17.2%, 9.2%, 31%, and 14.9%, respectively. ICU stay > 48 hours was associated with MC (including death). Posterior approach for spondylodesis, ICU stay > 48 hours and cervical SCI were related to MC (excluding death). Age > 70 years, NP and Charlson comorbidity index > 5 points were associated with in-hospital mortality.

CONCLUSIONS

Patients with AS and surgical treatment of spine fractures are at high risk for MC. Therefore, our results might give physicians better insight into the incidence and sequelae of major complications and therefore might improve patient and family expectations.

Impact of Preoperative Occult Renal Dysfunction on Early and Late Outcomes After Off-Pump Coronary Artery Bypass

BACKGROUND

Renal dysfunction is independently associated with increased early and late mortality after coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery. Off-pump CABG (OPCABG) avoids postoperative complications from the cardiopulmonary bypass, but it is unclear how it is impacted by occult renal dysfunction (ORD). This study aimed to investigate the effects of ORD on early and late outcomes after OPCABG.

METHODS

This retrospective and observational cohort study reviewed data on 1,188 patients who underwent first isolated OPCABG with normal serum creatinine (SCr) levels. According to preoperative estimated creatinine clearance (eCrCl) by the Cockcroft-Gault formula, the patients were divided into an ORD group (n=260, eCrCl <60 mL/min/1.73 m²) and a control group (n=928, eCrCl ≥60 mL/min/1.73 m²).

RESULTS

The ORD patients presented with older age, higher incidence of small body surface area, hypertension, low preoperative eCrCl, cerebrovascular accident, peripheral vascular disease, New York Heart Association (NYHA) Ⅲ, and high risk score. The prevalence of hospital mortality, postoperative acute kidney injury (AKI), peak postoperative SCr, and prolonged hospital stay were greater in the ORD patients than the control patients. Multivariable logistic regression analysis showed that the ORD patients were at significantly higher risk of postoperative AKI (OR, 2.702; 95% CI, 1.994-3.662) and in-hospital mortality (OR, 2.884; 95% CI, 1.293-6.432). Multivariate Cox proportional hazard models confirmed that ORD was significantly associated with high later mortality (HR, 2.847; 95% CI, 1.262-6.425).

CONCLUSIONS

Occult renal dysfunction is an independent risk factor for postoperative AKI in-hospital and later mortality in patients undergoing OPCABG with normal SCr levels.

Erythropoietin Treatment Is Associated with Decreased Blood Glucose Levels in Hematologic Patients

BACKGROUND

Erythroid stimulating agents (ESAs) have pleiotropic effects, and in animal and human studies those exposed to high erythropoietin had lower blood glucose.

OBJECTIVE

To determine the association between ESA and glucose in anemia-treated patients with myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) or multiple myeloma (MM).

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Patients' glucose levels were compared while on to while off ESA, and all served as their own controls. To test the association between ESA and blood glucose, we employed a linear mixed model, accounting for variability in the number of measurements for each patient.

RESULTS

Charts of 20 patients were reviewed. Mean age was 77 ± 9.8 years (range 50-91). Thirteen patients had MDS, and 8 had MM (1 with both). Glucose (mean ± standard error of the mean) was 116.38 ± 5.21 mg/dL without ESA, as opposed to 105.64 ± 5.11 mg/dL with ESA (p < 0.0001). The 3 diabetic and 5 steroid-treated patients also demonstrated reduced glucose by approximately 19 mg/dL with ESA (p = 0.003 and p = 0.0001, respectively). There was no difference in collective hemoglobin levels between the 2 groups.

CONCLUSION

ESA treatment for anemia is associated with lower blood glucose in hematologic patients. In those who also have diabetes mellitus, ESA might contribute to glucose control, and even to hypoglycemia. Glucose monitoring is thus advised. Further studies with both diabetic and nondiabetic patients are needed to clarify this association and underlying mechanisms.

A concise predictive nomogram for renal artery stenosis in selective patients undergoing coronary angiography

As reported scoring systems of renal artery stenosis (RAS) screening were not easily validated, we further proposed a simple method to predict or rule out RAS in selective patients undergoing coronary angiography (CAG). After preliminary inclusive criterion (severe hypertension or atherosclerosis, flash pulmonary edema, or unexplained renal dysfunction), 503 and 158 consecutive patients undergoing renal arteriography at the timing of CAG were separately enrolled between 2012 and 2015, and 2016 and 2017 as the development and validation cohort. A nomogram was derived from the multivariable logistic regression model, and its accuracy was assessed by the area under the receiver operating characteristic. Hypertension (odds ratio [OR] 17.92), estimated glomerular filtration rate ≤72.66 mL/min·1.73 m² (OR 2.75), early to late transmitral flow velocity ratio ≤1.02 (OR 2.58) and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol ≤3.17 mmol/L (OR 1.85) were identified as independent predictors for RAS. The area under the curve of the nomogram in the development and validation cohort were 0.754 (0.704, 0.804) and 0.772 (0.700, 0.844). The negative predictive value of hypertension (88.9%) was much higher than the other three predictors. The concise predictive nomogram can effectively estimate the probability of significant RAS during CAG. Along with normotensive, findings reported could easily evaluate RAS screening necessity based on clinical data.

The relationship between inflammatory factors, oxidative stress and DIO-1 concentration in patients with chronic renal failure accompanied with or without euthyroid sick syndrome

Objective

To investigate the relationship between inflammatory factors, oxidative stress and type 1 deiodinase (DIO-1) concentration in patients with chronic renal failure (CRF) with or without euthyroid sick syndrome (ESS).

Methods

This study recruited patients with CRF and divided them into two groups: group 1 had low free triiodothyronine (FT3) levels; and group 2 had normal FT3 levels. Group 3 consisted of healthy volunteers. Serum levels of interleukin (IL)-6, IL-1β, tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-α, 8-isoprostane and DIO-1 were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. Multiple regression analysis was used to analyse correlations between parameters.

Results

Sixty patients were enrolled into each group and the groups were comparable in terms of vital signs, white blood cell count, free thyroxine and thyroid stimulating hormone concentrations. The serum DIO-1 concentration was significantly higher in group 2 than in groups 1 and 3. Multivariate regression analysis revealed that the DIO-1 concentration was inversely correlated with the TNF-α concentration.

Conclusions

Patients with CRF without ESS showed higher concentrations of DIO-1 than patients with ESS. The DIO-1 concentration was inversely correlated with the TNF-α concentration, which might indicate that the inflammatory response was milder in the patients with CRF without ESS than in those with ESS.

Association between plasma levels of PCSK9 and the presence of coronary artery disease in Japanese

The ability of pro-protein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9) levels to predict the presence or severity of coronary artery disease (CAD) remains controversial. The purpose of this study was to investigate these associations. We enrolled 393 patients who were clinically suspected to have CAD or who had at least one cardiac risk factor and underwent multidetector-row computed tomography coronary angiography. The presence of CAD (≥50% coronary stenosis), the number of significantly stenosed coronary vessels, and plasma levels of PCSK9 by ELISA were analyzed. Plasma PCSK9 levels (log-transformed data) were significantly associated with the presence of CAD. Next, we divided the patients into two groups (non-statin and statin groups) according to statin treatment. PCSK9 levels in the non-statin group were significantly lower than those in the statin group. There were no significant differences in PCSK9 levels between the absence and presence of CAD in the statin group. However, in the non-statin group, PCSK9 levels in patients with CAD were significantly higher than those in patients without CAD. PCSK9 levels, in addition to age, gender, BMI, DM and HDL-C, were independently associated with the presence of CAD by a multivariable analysis. In conclusion, our results demonstrated that plasma PCSK9 levels may be a marker for evaluating the presence of CAD.

Recovery of renal function in a heart transplantation recipient with over 300 days of iatrogenic anuria: A case report

RATIONALE

Anuria is a severe symptom indicating severe kidney damage. Patient recovery from prolonged anuria is rarely reported.

PATIENT CONCERNS

A 15-year-old boy received gender- and weight-mismatch heart transplantation (HT) due to dilated cardiomyopathy. He developed severe hypotension, and heart failure 24 hours after surgery, which were relieved by preload reduction treatments. Although, routine examinations did not show any abnormalities in renal function before surgery, anuria occurred 4 days after preload reduction treatments (24-hour urine volume was 23 mL).

DIAGNOSIS

The patient was diagnosed with acute kidney injury (AKI).

INTERVENTIONS

He was admitted to continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT) or hemodialysis.

OUTCOMES

Surprisingly, his urine volume was gradually, and miraculously, restored to more than 1000 mL/24 hours after over 300 days of anuria. Hemodialysis was not needed in the twentieth month after surgery. Moreover, he partially, recovered renal function.

LESSONS

This case indicates the likelihood of recovery from long-term anuria.

The economic burden of kidney disorders in Korea

AIMS

To estimate the economic burden of kidney disorders in Korea.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The economic burden of kidney disorders was estimated using a prevalence-based approach. Related kidney diseases in patients with kidney disorders (RPWKD) were defined using codes from the tenth International Classification of Disease (E70-E90, F30-F48, F60-F69, F90-F99, K65-K67, N00-N08, N17-N19, and N30-N39). All diseases in patients with kidney disorders (APWKD) were defined as kidney disorders that involved all disease codes. Economic costs were divided into direct costs (medical costs and non-medical costs) and indirect costs (productivity loss because of morbidity and premature mortality).

RESULTS

The prevalence of kidney disorders increased from 0.08% (2008) to 0.11% (2011). The total economic burden of RPWKD also substantially increased from $898.9 million (2008) to $1.43 billion (2011). This ∼59.4% increase in the economic burden was equal to 0.12% of the Korean gross domestic product. The economic burden of APWKD also increased during the study period: $1.06 billion (2008), $1.23 billion (2009), $1.44 billion (2010), and $1.46 billion (2011).

CONCLUSIONS

The present study provides the first data regarding the economic burden of kidney disorders in Korea. The findings support the need for early intervention services and prevention programs to prevent, identify, and manage kidney disorders.

Clinical features and CKD-related quality of life in patients with CKD G3a and CKD G3b in China: results from the Chinese Cohort Study of Chronic Kidney Disease (C-STRIDE)

Background

This study aimed to compare clinical features and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in the Chinese chronic kidney disease (CKD) 3 population and determined the necessity of the subdivision of CKD3 in Chinese patients with CKD.

Methods

Participants with stage 3 CKD (18–74 years of age) were recruited at 39 clinical centers located at 28 cities in 22 provinces of China. The sociodemographic status, medical history, anthropometric measurements, and lifestyle behaviors were documented at entry, and blood and urine samples were collected. The estimated glomerular filtration rate was calculated using the CKD-EPI creatinine equation. The HRQoL was evaluated using the kidney disease quality-of-life instrument. A linear regression model was used to estimate the association between HRQoL and CKD stages (G3b vs G3a).

Results

The levels of intact parathyroid hormone, systolic blood pressure, uric acid, and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol were statistically significantly higher, whereas the levels of serum bicarbonate and hemoglobin were statistically significantly lower in the G3b group compared with the G3a group. Compared with CKD G3a group, the proportions of subjects with hyperuricemia and anemia were significantly higher in CKD G3b group (61.4% vs. 52.0% and 26.4% vs. 17.9%, respectively, P< 0.01). The HRQoL scores in “physical functioning (PCS)”, “symptoms and problems”, “effects of the kidney disease” and “burden of the kidney disease” were statistically significantly lower in the CKD G3b group compared with the CKD G3a group (90.88 ± 11.05 vs. 89.30 ± 11.52, 88.29 ± 11.94 vs. 86.49 ± 13.45, 55.86 ± 26.40 vs. 52.10 ± 27.64, 46.56 ± 8.16 vs. 44.51 ± 9.22, respectively, P< 0.01). Further, CKD G3b was associated with a lower score of physical functioning compared with G3a (regression coefficient =−1.12 [95%CI: −2.23, −0.16]).

Conclusions

The preliminary results of this study suggested that modest differences existed in many important clinical features and KDQoL between patients with G3a and G3b CKD in a Chinese population. Also, a significant association between CKD3 subdivision of the disease and PCS was detected. Although further work is needed, we can speculate based on these results the CKD3 subdivision may be clinically meaningful for Chinese patients with CKD.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (doi: 10.1186/s12882-017-0725-0) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Dialysis: A Review of the Mechanisms Underlying Complications in the Management of Chronic Renal Failure

Chronic renal failure (CRF) is the most prevalent, worldwide public health problem of the elderly population. The main cause of CRF is a damaged kidney. There are five stages of CRF based on the glomerular filtration rate (GFR), and stage 5 (GFR < 15 ml/min/1.73m²) is often called an end-stage renal disease (ESRD). In CRF, there is an accumulation of toxins and excess water due to compromised renal function. Dialysis is the preferred way to treat ESRD and remove accumulated toxins from the body. The cardiovascular risk associated with dialysis is 10 to 20 times higher in patients undergoing dialysis than in normal people. The inflamed kidneys and the process of dialysis also affect endothelial function, aggravating the risk of hypertension and cardiac problems. Therefore, both physicians and patients should be aware of the consequences of undergoing dialysis. There is an urgent need to educate CRF patients regarding facts about the disease, medications, dietary habits, and various measures required to manage the condition and lead a normal life. This paper attempts to delineate the mechanisms that could result in cardiovascular and other complications among CRF patients undergoing dialysis.

Cartilage MRI T2∗ relaxation time and perfusion changes of the knee in a 5/6 nephrectomy rat model of chronic kidney disease

OBJECTIVE

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is characterized by metabolic disturbances in calcium and phosphorus homeostasis as kidney function declines. Alterations in blood perfusion in bone resulting from arteriosclerosis of bone vessels may relate to the progression of CKD. Herein, change in dynamic contrast enhanced (DCE) MRI parameters (A: amplitude, k_el: elimination constant, and k_ep: permeability rate constant) and MRI T2^∗ relaxation time of the knee cartilage were measured in a rodent nephrectomy model in order to (1) examine the relationship of peripheral blood perfusion to CKD and (2) demonstrate the feasibility of using DCE-MRI parameters and MRI T2^∗ as imaging biomarkers to monitor disease progression.

DESIGN

Two groups of male Sprague-Dawley rats received either (1) no intervention or (2) 5/6 nephrectomy.

RESULTS

We found that the CKD group (compared with the control group) had lower A and k_el values and similar k_ep value in the lateral and medial articular cartilages beginning at 12 weeks (P < 0.05); statistically significantly higher T2^∗ values in the lateral and medial articular cartilages beginning at 18 weeks (P < 0.05); statistically significantly decreased inner luminal diameter of the popliteal artery, and altered structure of the lateral and medial articular cartilages (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

Perfusion deficiency and CKD may be related. DCE parameters and MRI T2^∗ could serve as imaging biomarkers of cartilage degeneration in CKD progression.

Primary care and chronic disease: the intersection of comfort and specialty involvement - a cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND

Primary care referrals to specialty physicians play an integral role in patient care and health care costs. Multiple factors play into the primary care physician's decision to refer, including comfort managing particular conditions. As the burden of chronic disease climbs, the relationship between patients, primary care physicians and specialists in accurately diagnosing, managing and treating chronic conditions needs clarity. The objective of this study is to assess the relationship between specialty physician involvement and the care of three chronic conditions: diabetes mellitus (DM), chronic kidney disease (CKD) and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).

METHODS

To achieve this objective, we performed a cross-sectional study of 2013 MarketScan data (875 million billing records) for three chronic medical conditions. Participants were identified in the dataset by having received a diagnosis code for DM, CKD or SLE in an outpatient care setting during 2013. The study compared proportions of outpatient visits with specialty physicians in endocrinology, nephrology and rheumatology for patients with DM, CKD and SLE respectively.

RESULTS

Data included 1 615 609 visits with the diagnosis of DM, 158 424 visits with the diagnosis of CKD and 103 910 visits with SLE. Diabetic patients met endocrinologists (10.2%) at a smaller proportion of their visits than patients with CKD saw nephrologists (41.2%, P < 0.0001). Further, CKD patients met with nephrologists (41.2%) at a significantly fewer proportion of outpatient visits than SLE patients saw rheumatologists (51.8%, P < 0.0001).

CONCLUSIONS

Differences in primary care physicians' comfort with diagnosis, therapy and adherence to published guidelines affect the rate with which primary care providers seek specialty consultation.

Erythropoietin administration is associated with improved T-cell properties in patients with myelodysplastic syndromes

The immune system is impaired in myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) and plays a role in the pathogenesis of the disease. Here we show effects of recombinant human erythropoietin (rHuEPO) on T cell (CD4⁺, CD8⁺ and CD4⁺CD25⁺) number and function in MDS patients. Healthy (20 subjects), MDS patients without rHuEPO treatment ('MDS', 13), and MDS patients treated with rHuEPO ('MDS+EPO', 17) were examined. CD4⁺ and CD8⁺ T cell numbers were reduced and increased respectively in MDS compared to healthy subjects. EPO treatment normalized these levels. CD4⁺CD25⁺ cell numbers, lower in MDS, were normalized in MDS+EPO. In vitro activation of CD4⁺ and CD8⁺ cells with phytohemagglutinin as measured by CD69 expression, demonstrated a 7.2 fold increase in CD4⁺ activation vs 13.6 fold for MDS and MDS+EPO respectively (p=0.004); and 10.2 fold (MDS) vs 18.6 fold (MDS+EPO, p<0.003) for CD8⁺ T cells. Expression of the co-stimulatory marker CD28, decreased in CD4⁺ and CD8⁺ T cells in MDS, was normalized in MDS+EPO CD4⁺ T cells. Subgroup analysis of milder disease (WHO RA and RARS) and more advanced disease revealed no difference in CD4⁺ and CD8⁺ T cell numbers. However, the activation of these cells in the RA/RARS subgroup was impaired in EPO-untreated and enhanced in EPO-treated MDS patients. Our data suggest that EPO treatment improves immune abnormalities in MDS and may depend on disease severity.

Concomitant coronary and renal revascularization improves left ventricular hypertrophy more than coronary stenting alone in patients with ischemic heart and renal disease

Percutaneous transluminal renal artery stenting (PTRAS) has been proved to have no more benefit than medication alone in treating atherosclerotic renal artery stenosis (ARAS). Whether PTRAS could improve left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) and reduce adverse events when based on percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) for patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) and ARAS is still unclear. A retrospective study was conducted, which explored the effect of concomitant PCI and PTRAS versus PCI alone for patients with CAD and ARAS complicated by heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF). A total of 228 patients meeting inclusion criteria were divided into two groups: (1) the HFpEF-I group, with PCI and PTRAS; (2) the HFpEF-II group, with PCI alone. Both groups had a two-year follow-up. The left ventricular mass index (LVMI) and other clinical characteristics were compared between groups. During the follow-up period, a substantial decrease in systolic blood pressure (SBP) was observed in the HFpEF-I group, but not in the HFpEF-II group. There was marked decrease in LVMI in both groups, but the HFpEF-I group showed a greater decrease than the HFpEF-II group. Regression analysis demonstrated that PTRAS was significantly associated with LVMI reduction and fewer adverse events after adjusting for other factors. In HFpEF patients with both CAD and ARAS, concomitant PCI and PTRAS can improve LVH and decrease the incidence of adverse events more than PCI alone. This study highlights the beneficial effect of ARAS revascularization, as a new and more aggressive revascularization strategy for such high-risk patients.

DNA copy number variants: A potentially useful predictor of early onset renal failure in boys with posterior urethral valves

INTRODUCTION

Posterior urethral valves (PUV) are among the most common urological causes of chronic kidney disease (CKD) in childhood. Recently, genomic imbalances have been cited as potential risk factors for altered kidney function and have been associated with CKD. The phenotypic effects of a copy number variant (CNV) in boys with PUV are unknown. Here, it was hypothesised that the progression to early renal failure in PUV patients may be influenced by genetic aberrations.

OBJECTIVE

To assess the relationship between CNVs and renal outcomes.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Between September 2012 and July 2015, 45 children with PUV were recruited to evaluate the presence of CNVs in their DNA. The patients' medical records were retrospectively reviewed. The criteria for outcomes of renal function included: assessments of the nadir serum creatinine in the first year of life, the estimated glomerular filtration rate at 1 and 5 years, and the requirement for renal replacement.

RESULTS

Thirteen CNVs were identified in 12 boys (29% of the cohort). Microarray analysis revealed two pathogenic CNVs (well-established CNVs known to be associated with genetic disease) and 11 of unknown significance (CNVs with insufficient current available evidence for unequivocal determination of clinical significance), including genes that have been previously implicated in kidney diseases and urogenital disorders. The median follow-up was 10.2 years (range 3-17.5) in the group of patients with CNV compared with 5.8 years (range 1-16.6) in those CNV-. The nadir creatinine values were significantly higher in boys with CNVs than in those without CNVs (57.5 μmol/L (range 23-215) and 28 μmol/L (range 18-155), respectively (P = 0.05) (Figure). Boys CNV+ had a worse prognosis, with a higher incidence of Stage-V CKD compared with the control group (33% with CNVs vs. 9% in CNV-, P = 0.06) at a median age of 22 months (range 8 months-16 years). Four (33%) patients CNV+ underwent renal transplantation.

DISCUSSION

The role of CNVs in the deterioration of renal function remains unknown. It can be hypothesised that CNVs could be a contributing factor or may serve as an accelerant for the progression to renal failure.

CONCLUSION

The CNVs >100 Kb were significantly associated with early onset renal failure in children with PUV. Prenatal detection of CNV could help to identify foetuses at high risk of severe renal impairment in cases of suspected PUV, especially in cases without oligohydramnios or severe pulmonary hypoplasia. These preliminary results should be confirmed in a larger cohort of patients.

Hemoglobin discriminates stages of chronic kidney disease in elderly patients

The prevalence of chronic kidney disease (CKD) increases with age, and anemia is known to affect the outcome of subjects with CKD. However, little is known with regard to the associations between metabolic complications and stages of CKD among elderly patients. Thus, the aim of the present study was to investigate the prevalence of CKD in elderly Chinese patients, as well as the associations between stages of CKD and clinically important complications of anemia. In total, 2,258 individuals with CKD, divided into younger (n=989) and elderly (n=1,269) groups, were enrolled in the study between June 2009 and December 2011. The glomerular filtration rate (GFR) was assessed using a 99mTc-DTPA renal dynamic imaging method (modified Gate's method). The levels of serum creatinine (SCr) and hemoglobin (Hb), and the hematocrit (HCT) were measured simultaneously per manufacturer's instructions. In the elderly group, the levels of SCr and proportional ratios were higher, while the GFR, Hb level, HCT and proportional ratios were lower when compared with the values in the younger group. Statistically significant differences were observed in the Hb concentrations when comparing individuals classified with different stages of CKD in the younger and elderly groups. In the younger group, there was no significant difference in the Hb concentrations between the stage 3a and 3b CKD patients. However, in the elderly group, the Hb concentrations were significantly higher in patients classified with stage 3a CKD when compared with those with stage 3b, whose GFR cutoff point was <60 ml/min/1.73 m². In conclusion, the results indicated that Hb levels may be used to discriminate stages of CKD in elderly patients; thus, Hb may be used as a biomarker to assess the severity of CKD.

Ischemic diabetic retinopathy as a possible prognostic factor for chronic kidney disease progression

PURPOSE

To assess the value of diabetic retinopathy (DR) severity as a possible predictive prognostic factor for the progression of chronic kidney disease (CKD).

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Retrospective cohort study. Patients (51) who were initially diagnosed with DR and CKD were enrolled and their medical records were evaluated. The following ophthalmic factors were assessed by fluorescein angiography at the initial visit: area of capillary nonperfusion, presence of neovascularization and vitreous hemorrhage, and DR grade. The effect of these factors on CKD progression over the 2-year period of the study, defined as doubling of serum creatinine or the development of end-stage renal disease requiring dialysis or renal transplant, was evaluated.

RESULTS

The study included 51 patients with DR and CKD; of these, 11 patients (21.6%) were found to have proliferative DR (PDR) and seven patients (13.7%) had high-risk PDR at baseline. Patients with ischemic DR, who showed extensive capillary nonperfusion (≥ 10 optic disc areas) in the retina, had a greater risk for CKD progression (hazard ratio = 6.64; P = 0.002).

CONCLUSION

We found that extensive capillary nonperfusion in the retina greatly increased the risk of progression of CKD in patients with DR. This suggests that the retina and the kidney may have shared risk factors for microvascular disease secondary to diabetes mellitus, and emphasizes the need for a team approach to diabetes care.

Comparison of creatinine clearance estimates with routine measured clearance in adult Jordanians with a kidney transplant

OBJECTIVES

There are conflicting data on using the Cockroft-Gault formula and the Modification of Diet in Renal Disease formula to assess graft function in kidney transplants. This study uses a cohort of Jordanian kidney transplant patients to assess performance of the Cockroft-Gault formula and the Modification of Diet in Renal Disease equations by using the criterion standard of measured creatinine clearance.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Creatinine clearance measured by 24-hour urine creatinine in patients with a kidney transplant was compared with the estimated clearance using the Cockroft-Gault formula and the Modification of Diet in Renal Disease equations. Correlation, limits of agreement, and concordance analyses were used.

RESULTS

There was a positive correlation between both the Cockcroft-Gault (r=0.878; P < .001) and the Modification of Diet in Renal Disease (r=0.732; P < .001) equations with creatinine clearance. The former was statistically superior (P = .0416). Using Bland-Altman plots, the limits of agreement were wide for both methods. After log transformation, the limits of agreement were -0.06 to +0.27 for the Cockcroft-Gault formula, and -0.21 to + 0.26 for the Modification of Diet in Renal Disease. Concordance analyses showed a correlation coefficient of 0.7384 (95% CI: 0.6134 to 0.8273) when the Cockcroft-Gault formula was used, and 0.7257 (95% CI: 0.5622 to 0.8345) for the Modification of Diet in Renal Disease. Pearson P coefficient (precision) and bias correction factor Cb (accuracy) for the Cockcroft-Gault formula and for the Modification of Diet in Renal Disease were 0.8762, 0.8427, 0.7324, and 0.9908.

CONCLUSIONS

In Jordanian patients with a renal transplant, although the Cockcroft-Gault formula performed slightly better than the Modification of Diet in Renal Disease equation in estimating creatinine clearance, neither of these equations can accurately predict renal graft function.

Impact of occult renal impairment on early and late outcomes following coronary artery bypass grafting

OBJECTIVES

High serum creatinine is considered an independent risk factor for poor outcomes following coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). However, the impact of occult renal impairment (ORI), defined as an impaired glomerular filtration rate (GFR) with a normal serum creatinine (SCr) level, remains unclear. Thus, we sought to investigate the impact of ORI on outcomes after CABG.

METHODS

Among patients undergoing their first percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) or CABG enrolled in the CREDO-Kyoto Registry (a registry of first-time PCI and CABG patients in Japan), 1842 patients with normal SCr levels undergoing CABG were enrolled in the study. Patients were divided into two groups based on preoperative estimated GFR calculated by the Cockcroft-Gault equation: 1339 patients with estimated GFR of ≥ 60 ml/min/1.73 m(2) (normal group) and 503 with estimated GFR of <60 ml/min/1.73 m(2) (ORI group).

RESULTS

Preoperative estimated GFR differed between the groups (51.3 ± 6.6 vs 85.8 ± 23.0 ml/min/1.73 m(2), P < 0.01). ORI was associated with high in-hospital mortality (3.2 vs 1.0%, P < 0.01) and need for dialysis (2.0 vs 0.2%, P < 0.01). In terms of long-term outcomes, ORI was associated with high mortality compared with the normal (hazard ratio [95% confidence interval]: 1.72 [1.16-2.54], P < 0.01) and high incidence of composite cardiovascular events (death, stroke or myocardial infarction: 1.53 [1.16-2.02], P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONS

ORI was an independent risk factor for early and late death as well as cardiovascular events in patients undergoing CABG with normal SCr levels. A more accurate evaluation of renal function through a combination of SCr and estimated GFR is needed in patients with normal SCr levels.

Different Mid-Term Prognostic Predictors of Major Adverse Events in Diabetic and Nondiabetic Peripheral Artery Disease Presenting With Critical Limb Ischemia

We compared midterm prognostic predictors of peripheral artery disease (PAD) with or without diabetes mellitus (DM) presenting with critical lower limb ischemia (CLI). A total of 172 patients with PAD (109 DM; 63 non-DM) were enrolled. The major adverse events (MAEs) were death or amputation. The diabetic group had a higher MAE rate (39% vs 22%, P = .042) with a mean follow-up duration of 30 ± 19 months. In a multivariate binary logistic regression analysis, revascularization (odds ratio = 0.289, P = .006) and higher serum cholesterol (odds ratio=0.988, P = .027) predicted a lower MAE rate in the DM group. In contrast, the presence of severe chronic kidney disease (stage 4 or 5, odds ratio = 5.238, P = .025) was a positive predictor of MAEs in the nondiabetic group. In conclusion, the prognostic predictors of MAE in diabetic and nondiabetic patients with PAD and CLI were different.

Atorvastatin: safety and tolerability

IMPORTANCE OF THE FIELD

Atorvastatin is the most widely used statin administered in a variety of settings, including primary and secondary prevention of cardiovascular events, in the elderly, in patients with chronic kidney disease and in diabetic patients. Therefore, the safety and tolerability of atorvastatin is of paramount importance.

AREAS COVERED IN THIS REVIEW

We searched MEDLINE for literature published between 1997 and 2010 on the safety and tolerability of atorvastatin. We retrieved data from randomized controlled trials, meta-analyses, post-marketing studies, reports to regulatory bodies and case reports of rare adverse events.

WHAT THE READER WILL GAIN

The reader will gain insight into the incidence, severity, prevention and management of the major adverse effects of atorvastatin (i.e., liver function abnormalities and muscle-related side effects) overall and in special populations.

TAKE HOME MESSAGE

The existing data suggest that atorvastatin is generally well tolerated across the range of its therapeutic dosage (10 - 80 mg/day).

Angiotensin II overcomes strain-dependent resistance of rapid CKD progression in a new remnant kidney mouse model

The remnant kidney model in C57BL/6 mice does not develop progressive chronic kidney disease (CKD). In this study we modified the model to mimic features of human CKD and to define accelerants of disease progression using three strains of mice. Following the procedure, there was a progressive increase in albuminuria, progressive loss in renal function, severe glomerulosclerosis and interstitial fibrosis, hypertension, cardiac fibrosis, and anemia by 4 weeks in CD-1 mice and by 12 weeks in 129S3 mice. In contrast, even after 16 weeks, the C57BL/6 mice with a remnant kidney had modestly increased albuminuria without increased blood pressure and without developing CKD or cardiac fibrosis. The baseline blood pressure, determined by radiotelemetry in conscious animals, correlated with CKD progression rates in each strain. Administering angiotensin II overcame the resistance of C57BL/6 mice to CKD following renal mass reduction, displaying high blood pressure and albuminuria, severe glomerulosclerosis, and loss of renal function by 4 weeks. Decreasing blood pressure with olmesartan, but not hydralazine, in CD-1 mice with a remnant kidney reduced CKD progression and cardiac fibrosis. C57BL/6 mice with a remnant kidney and DOCA-salt hypertension developed modest CKD. Each strain had similar degrees of interstitial fibrosis in three different normotensive models of renal fibrosis. Thus, reducing renal mass in CD-1 or 129S3 mice mimics many features of human CKD. Angiotensin II can convert the C57BL/6 strain from CKD resistant to susceptible in this disease model.

Hyperuricaemia--where nephrology meets rheumatology

Rheumatologists care for patients with gouty arthritis, a condition caused by chronic and uncontrolled hyperuricaemia. Hyperuricaemia, gout and renal dysfunction are often bedfellows, raising the possibility of the former causing the latter. We sought the answer to the question 'Among patients with normal measures of glomerular filtration, does hyperuricaemia predict future renal disease'? We identified prospective cohort studies evaluating the relationship between serum uric acid and chronic kidney function from the past 20 yrs, through MEDLINE, Cochrane Library and EMBASE searches and bibliography cross-referencing. Nine cohort studies that met the selection criteria were found. Because of the extreme heterogeneity, a statistical meta-analysis was not performed. Most (eight out of nine) studies found an independent risk factor for deterioration of kidney function. Nearly all published prospective studies support the role of hyperuricaemia as an independent risk factor for renal dysfunction. In the absence of large randomized controlled trials of uric acid reduction, it remains uncertain if this relation is causal or merely an epiphenomenon. Regardless, our review suggests that hyperuricaemia is a useful, inexpensively measured, widely available and useful early marker for chronic kidney disease.

Estimating renal function in lupus nephritis: comparison of the Modification of Diet in Renal Disease and Cockcroft Gault equations

Estimates of renal function are widely used in clinical practice and research. We assessed the performance of the Cockcroft-Gault (CG) and the Modification of Diet in Renal Disease (MDRD) equations in lupus nephritis patients. Data from ninety-seven lupus nephritis patients in the Hopkins Lupus Cohort were reviewed. Two renal function estimates, the CG and the MDRD, were compared with the 24 h creatinine clearance (CrCl). In the entire group of patients, the CG and MDRD equations had good global agreement with CrCl (R-square = 0.91 and 0.69, respectively). On average the CG equation overestimated CrCl by 2.36 mL/min/1.73 m(2), whereas the MDRD equation underestimated CrCl by 5.85 mL/min/1.73 m(2), P = 0.0004. The CG equation had greater accuracy (mean squared error) than the MDRD equation (14.93 versus 28.47 mL/min/1.73 m(2), P = 0.002) when predicting CrCl. Although both equations lacked precision (standard deviation of the difference scores) in patients with CrCl > or = 60 mL/min/1.73 m(2), the CG equation was more precise than the MDRD equation in this group, (15.68 versus 29.58 mL/min/1.73 m(2), P = 0.003). In lupus nephritis patients, the CG equation was superior to the MDRD equation as an estimate of CrCl. However, both equations lacked precision in patients with CrCl > or = 60 mL/min/1.73 m(2).

Erythropoietin treatment in advanced multiple myeloma is associated with improved immunological functions: could it be beneficial in early disease?

Erythropoietin (Epo) is the main growth regulator of red blood cells, and recombinant human erythropoietin (rHuEpo) is thus used in clinical practice for the treatment of anaemia, primarily in kidney disease and cancer. rHuEpo treatment was found to be associated with prolonged survival of multiple myeloma (MM) patients. This clinical observation was then supported by studies on murine myeloma models. It thus appeared that rHuEpo had an anti-myeloma effect, causally related to an immunomodulatory function of rHuEpo. The present study investigated whether rHuEpo-treated MM patients acquire improved immunological functions. Treatment with rHuEpo, prescribed for anaemia that occurs in advanced disease, was associated with effects on a variety of immunological parameters and functions. This was expressed in an actual normalisation of the CD4:CD8 cell ratio, enhanced T cell phytohaemagglutinin-mediated activation and proliferation potential, T cell expression of the costimulatory CD28 and inhibitory CTLA-4 molecules, as well as reduced interleukin-6 serum values to normal levels. Furthermore, it was demonstrated that immunological abnormalities manifest in patients even in the early stages of MM. Our findings thus suggest that rHuEpo treatment might be effective in the early stages of MM, before anaemia develops. It is expected that this would boost the immune system, consequently achieving an anti-myeloma function; affecting disease progression and improving the prognosis.

When chronic kidney disease becomes advanced. Guidelines for care in the emergency department and hospital

Patients with advanced chronic kidney disease or end-stage renal disease live with a serious condition that often necessitates visits to an emergency department and subsequent hospitalization. Often, physicians in these settings are not trained in nephrology. Emergency department physicians and other nonnephrologists who regularly manage advanced chronic kidney disease and end-stage renal disease need to follow several basic principles to provide excellent care to patients with these conditions.

Renin-angiotensin system gene polymorphisms predict the progression to renal insufficiency among Asians with lupus nephritis

The renin-angiotensin system (RAS) is a strong candidate as a mediator for the development and progression of lupus nephritis (LN). We performed an ethnically stratified analysis of 642 systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients to determine whether various functional RAS gene polymorphisms are associated with SLE renal outcomes. Patients were genotyped for two angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) gene polymorphisms: Alu insertion/deletion (I/D) and 23 949 (CT)(2/3), and for two angiotensinogen (Atg) gene polymorphisms: M235T and C-532T. Multivariate analyses demonstrated associations between the ACE I/D, ACE (CT)(2/3) and Atg C-532T functional polymorphisms and LN among Asians. In stratified analyses among LN cases according to high vs low glomerular filtration rate (GFR), associations remained significant for the ACE D (odds ratio (OR) 5.9, P=0.001) and (CT)(2) (OR 6.2, P=0.001) alleles among Asian subjects with low GFR. Lastly, we found allelic dose-dependent associations between the ACE I/D (P=0.003), ACE (CT)(2/3) (P=0.005) and Atg M235T (P=0.04) polymorphisms, and GFR analyzed as a continuous variable among Asians. These findings suggest a significant role for ACE and Atg gene sequence variation and severity of LN among Asians with SLE.