The influence of lead exposure on renal function was studied. Eighty nine lead exposed workers who worked in 2 storage battery factories, and seventy one control workers were chosen for this study. Blood lead(pbB) and zinc protoporphyrin in whole blood(ZPP) were selected as indicators of lead exposure. As indicators of renal function, urinary N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminidase(NAG), blood urea nitrogen(BUN), serum creatinine(S-Cr), total protein in urine(U-Tp),and serum uric acid(S-Ua) were selected. The results obtained were as follows: 1. while the mean values of lead exposure indicators of lead workers were significantly different from non-exposed ones, the mean values of NAG, U-TP, BUN and S-Cr of renal function indicators of exposed were also significantly different from non-exposed but their mean values were all within normal limits. 2. BUN, logarithmic U-TP, logarithmic NAG and S-Cr showed statistically significant correlation with pbB. 3. The proportion of workers whose values of renal function indicators were over the normal limits(NAG7.5 U/g cr; U-TP 10.9mg/dl; BuN20 mg/dl; S-Cr1.2 mg/dl; S-Ua7.0 mg/dl) by the level of lead absorption in terms of pbB and ZPP were calculated. The proportion of workers with over the normal limits of U-TP among total workers showed the dose-response relationship. when age is adjusted, U-TP showed significantly strong dose-response relationship with the level of pbB and ZPP.
Absorption ; Blood Urea Nitrogen ; Humans ; Male* ; Urea ; Zinc

The activation of c-fos protein (FOS) in ventrol- ateral preoptic neuron (VLPO) induces sleep (Science 271; 216-219, 1996). Although sleep disturbance are very common in patients with chronic renal failure, its mechahanism of sleep disturbance is not clear. The purpose of this study was to evaluate sleep dissturbance and expression of FOS in VLPO of chronic uremic rats. Chronic uremic rats were induced by 5/6 nephrectomized rnodel. After 4 weeks, blood urea nitrogen and serum creatinine in uremic rats (n=14 were higher than in control (n=17) (blood urea nitrogen; 73.6+/-24.8 mg/dl vs. 23.3+/-2.9 mg/dl, P<0.001 serum creatinine', 1.49+/-0.42 mg/dl vs. 0.66+/-0.12 mg/dl, P<0.001). General activity was counted with infrared during day time (08:00-20:00) and night time (20:00-08:00). Rats were killed at 10:00 or 16:00 during day time (uremic rats 7, control 9) and at 22:00 during night time (uremic rats 7, control 7). The expression of FOS in VLPO was examined with immunohistochernical method. The number of day tirne general activity in uremic rats was significantly higher than in control (458+/-185 vs. 222+/-41, P<0.001), and the number of night time general activity in uremic rats was lower than in control (949+/- 430 vs. 1618+/-261, P<0.001). During day time, the number of FOS immunoreactive cell in uremic rats was lower than in control (18.4+/-5.3 vs. 42.8+/-6.3, P<0.001), but there was no difference between 2 groups at night time (10.8+/-8.4 vs 12.5+/-5.1, P=0.62). There was strong negative correlation between the number of activity and the number of FOS immunoreactive cell in control (r= -0.93, P<0.001), but there was no correlation in uremic rats. This study shows that sleep disturbance in chronic uremic rats might be related to decrease of expression of FOS in VLPO.
Animals ; Blood Urea Nitrogen ; Creatinine ; Humans ; Hypothalamus* ; Kidney Failure, Chronic ; Neurons ; Nitrogen ; Rats* ; Urea ; Uremia

Renal blood flow was measured by single injection technique of HippuranI13 in 13 patients with chronic glomerulonephritis and 11 control subjects. There was a significant decrease in renal blood flow in chronic glomerulonephritis particulary in those with elevated blood urea nitrogen. Renal blood flow was inversely proportionate to renal vascular resistance but no correlation was noted between renal blood flow and creatinine clearance.
Blood Urea Nitrogen ; Creatinine ; Glomerulonephritis* ; Humans ; Renal Circulation* ; Vascular Resistance

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study is to assess whether the patients with dysphagia, who must take fluid thickener and dysphagia diet, have adequate fluid and calory intake. METHOD: Fifteen patients with dysphagia were participated in this study. In all of them, dysphagia was documented by videofluoroscopy and viscosity modification was recommended. The amount of fluid and calory intake was measured for 3 consecutive days during taking thickened fluid and dysphagia diet. serum sodium, blood urea nitrogen (BUN) and creatinine (Cr) level were measured. RESULTS: Fourteen of 15 patients with dysphagia took adequate fluid and calory. In thirteen of 14 patients, BUN/Cr ratio and serum sodium were within normal limit. In one of 14 patients, BUN/Cr ratio was elevated due to excessive protein intake. One of 15 patients with dysphagia took the fluid and calory under the standard. Her BUN/Cr ratio was 27.2. But this patient took more fluid and nutrition day after day. At 3rd day after measurement, she took adequate fluid and calory. CONCLUSION: Sufficient fluid and calory could be supplied with fluid thickener and dysphagia diet. But physician should observe carefully whether dysphagic patient consume adequate amount of fluid and calory.
Blood Urea Nitrogen ; Creatinine ; Deglutition Disorders* ; Diet ; Humans ; Sodium ; Viscosity

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of low dose aspirin on serum and urinary uric acid level in gouty arthritis patients. METHODS: 22 male gouty arthritis patients (12 treated with allopurinol and 10 with benzbromarone) were enrolled in a prospective study. Mean age (+/-SD) was 57.3+/-10.4 years. Patients had been treated with hypouricemic agent for at least 3 months. Low dose of aspirin (100 mg/ day) were administered for 4 weeks. During the study period, hypouricemic agents were remained on the same dosage. Demographic data were collected at baseline. Laboratory tests including serum uric acid, blood urea nitrogen, creatinine, 24 hours urine uric acid, creatinine clearance (Ccr), and 24 hours urine urea nitrogen were measured at baseline and then every 4 weeks for 12 weeks. RESULTS: At baseline, there was no difference in age, serum uric acid, 24 hours urine uric acid, Ccr and 24 hours urine urea nitrogen between allopurinol and benzbromarone groups. After aspirin treatment, levels of serum uric acid (p=0.901 by paired t-test in allopurinol group, p=0.617 in benzbromarone group), 24 hours urine uric acid (p=0.789, p=0.410), Ccr (p=0.480, p=0.219), 24 hours urine urea nitrogen (p=0.284, p=0.250) did not change significantly at 0 and 4 weeks. Acute gouty attack did not occur during the study period. CONCLUSION: Low dose aspirin does not influence serum uric acid level or urinary uric acid excretion in gouty arthritis patients treated with allopurinol or benzbromarone.
Allopurinol ; Arthritis, Gouty* ; Aspirin* ; Benzbromarone ; Blood Urea Nitrogen ; Creatinine ; Gout ; Humans ; Male ; Nitrogen ; Prospective Studies ; Urea ; Uric Acid*

BACKGROUND: We performed the study on the changes of beta2-microglobulin(beta2M) clearance and urea reduction ratio after reuse of dialyzers with three different membranes. METHODS: 9 patients who had received regular hemodialysis more than five years were enrolled. Three kinds of dialyzer membrane were used; i.e. : Two of them were high-flux and the other was low-flux. Dialyzer reprocessing was performed by an automated machine using glutaraldehyde and bleach. Each dialyzer was reused 10 times. Solute clearance was determined for each dialyzer after the 1st, 5th, 8th and 10th reuse. RESULTS: Urea clearance was well maintained after reuse with both high-flux and low-flux membrane but beta2M clearance was significantly greater with high-flux dialyzers than low-flux dialyzer. Effects of each dialyzer reuse on beta2M clearance showed no significant decrease until the 10th reuse and no significant difference in beta2M clearance between the two high-flux dialyzers(polyamide vs PEPA membrane, p= 0.197). CONCLUSION: Reuse of dialyzers was cost-effective. After reuse of dialyzer, clearance of solute was maintained in both small and large solutes until the 10 th reuse. Further study is needed regarding the maintenance of solute clearance with increased number of reuses.
Blood Urea Nitrogen* ; Cellulose ; Glutaral ; Humans ; Membranes* ; Nylons ; Renal Dialysis ; Urea

Neurological symptoms may develope when the blood urea nitrogen is lowered too rapidly by hemodialysis. It is known that these symptoms, known as dialysis disequilibrium are associated with cerebral edema. However, the pathogenesis of brain swelling and neurological deterioration after rapid hemodialysis is controversial. The reverse urea hypothesis suggests that hemodialysis removes urea more slowly from the brain than from the plasma, creating an osmotic gradient that results in cerebral edema. The idiogenic osmole hypothesis proposes that an osmotic gradient between brain and plasma develops during rapid dialysis because of newly formed brain osmoles. Authors report a such case and discuss the possible mechanism and preventive methods.
Blood Urea Nitrogen ; Brain ; Brain Edema ; Dialysis* ; Humans ; Plasma ; Renal Dialysis ; Urea

Urea clearance index (KT/Vurea) and creatinine clearance weekly (Ccr) are main indexes to evaluate dialysis adequacy. In order to discuss whether they are suitable to evaluate peritoneal dialysis adequacy, we applied trans-peritoneum transport kinetic model and explored the transport characteristics of fluid and various solutes. We found that: (1) There was no specific relationship among the removal of solutes with different molecular weights; (2) There was significant difference between urea removal and fluid and sodium removal. Our results suggest that urea and creatinine removal do not represent other solutes and fluid removal. KT/Vurea and Ccr may thus not suit to be used alone to evaluate peritoneal dialysis adequacy.
Biomarkers ; metabolism ; Blood Urea Nitrogen ; Creatinine ; metabolism ; Humans ; Peritoneal Dialysis, Continuous Ambulatory ; Urea ; metabolism

The clinical trial was carried out with Bunazosin in 31 patients with essential hypertension. The results were as follows : 1) Before and after 1, 2, 4, 6, and 8 weeks of medications, the overall average systolic and distolic blood pressure were 166.5+/-21.8/105.7+/-10.6, 152.7+/-17.2/99.8+/-11.1, 149.5+/-18.1/98.4+/-11.7, 148.5+/-16.9/97.3+/-11.3, 148.5+/-16.7/95.6+/-10.9 and 144.0+/-14.9/94.2+/-11.1mmHg. As a result, blood pressure significantly fell within 1week of medication, and marked and moderate degree of hypetensive effect was observed within 8weeks og medication in 45% of all cases. 2) Before and after 1, 2, 4, 6, and 8weeks of medication, the overall average heart rates were 79.7+/-10.1, 78.3+/-9.1, 79.4+/-7.4, 80.8+/-8.3, 79.2+/-8.9 and 80.1+/-8.3 beats/minute. There were no significant change in heart rates before and after medication. 3) There were no significant changes in values of complete blood counts, GOT, GDT, blood urea nitrogen, serum creatinine and total cholesterol before and after medication. On the basis of these results, we observed that Bunazosin was effective hypertensive drug.
Blood Cell Count ; Blood Pressure ; Blood Urea Nitrogen ; Cholesterol ; Creatinine ; Heart Rate ; Humans ; Hypertension

BACKGROUND: Point-of-care testing (POCT) is designed to be used near the site where the clinical care is being delivered. The demand for POCT in the medical field is expanding significantly, given that rapid results can eventually lead to early diagnosis and immediate clinical management of diseases. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the performance of the i-STAT POC analyser (Abbott Diagnostics, USA) for testing 8 chemical analytes (viz., sodium, potassium, chloride, total carbon dioxide, blood urea nitrogen, creatinine, glucose, and ionised calcium) and 2 hematological analytes (hematocrit [HCT], hemoglobin [Hb]). METHODS: The precision and linearity of the 10 analytes were measured according to Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) EP15-A3 and EP6-A guidelines. Comparisons with a central laboratory hematology analyser, Coulter LH 780 (Beckman Coulter Inc., USA), and a chemical analyser, UniCel DxC 880i (Beckman Coulter Inc.), were performed using 85 patient samples according to CLSI EP9-A3. RESULTS: The coefficient of variation values for the within-run precision and total precision at 3 levels of all analytes were within 5%, except those for low level creatinine. In the aspect of linearity, the correlation coefficient values of all analytes were over 0.975 in the clinically important concentration range. A very high correlation was observed in glucose, blood urea nitrogen and creatinine (R>0.975), high correlation was observed in sodium, potassium, Hct and Hb (R>0.9), and relatively good correlation was observed in chloride and total carbon dioxide (R>0.7) compared to the central laboratory analysers. CONCLUSIONS: i-STAT showed relatively high precision and linearity, and comparable data to that of routine hematology and chemistry analysers. This device was concluded to have potential for providing faster results and relatively acceptable values to clinicians in need of immediate results.
Blood Glucose ; Blood Urea Nitrogen ; Carbon Dioxide ; Chemistry ; Creatinine ; Early Diagnosis ; Glucose ; Hematology ; Humans ; Nitrogen ; Point-of-Care Systems* ; Point-of-Care Testing ; Potassium ; Sodium ; Urea