Infection is a common, serious and costly complication in patients with chronic renal failure (CRF) and has been the major cause of high mortality in these patients. Increased evidences suggest that prophylaxis can significantly decrease the prevalence of infections in CRF patients, such as tuberculosis, S. aureus infection and hepatitis virus induced liver diseases. It remains an important issue for clinical nephrologists to investigate and to provide strategies for prevention and treatment of various infections in CRF patients.

Objective To evaluate the clinical characteristics and prognostic factors in patients with acute renal failure (ARF) due to sepsis. Methods A case-control retrospective study was carried out in patients with acute renal failure due to sepsis and non-sepsis. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed to find the correlation among prognosis, clinico-biochemical parameters and scoring indexes of APACHE II and ATN-ISI. Results The incidence of septic ARF was 15. 6% in all ARF patients. Multiple organ failure was most common (87.9% ) in these patients with a high mortality (69. 7% ). Single-variable analysis showed that surgery, respiratory failure, hepatic failure, mechanical ventilation, oliguria, coma, multiple organ failure, ARF occurred during ICU stay and chronic health points were factors influencing prognosis. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that oliguria, ARF occurred during ICU stay, chronic health points, and multiple organ failure were the independent predictors of hospital mortality. Conclusion Outcome of septic ARF is correlated with factors including oliguria, ARF occurred during ICU stay, chronic health points and multiple organ failure.

The rats were fed on low salt diet for seven days,and then were randomly divided into five groups: control (n=7), CsA treated (n=7), CsA+Verapamil (n=7), CsA+Enalapril (n=7) and CsA+Losartan (n=7).CsA was given by subcutaneous injection (15mg?kg -1?d -1) for four weeks. The apoptosis of tubular and interstitial cells was detected by TUNEL assay. The proliferating cell nuclear antigen and Fas antigen expression were examined by immunohistochemical staining. Apoptosis of tubular and interstitial cells increased in CsA treated rats. CsA+Losartan and CsA+Enalapril treated rats had a statistically significant decrease in apoptosis when compared to CsA treated rats (7.3?1.1 and 6.6?0.8 vs 13.9?1.2 respectively, P

Objective To investigate hyperhomocysteinemia in chronic renal failure (CRF), its prevalence, etiology and potential relationship to arteriosclerotic events. Methods Plasma total homocysteine (tHcy) was measured in 160 patients with CRF, 31 patients with coronary artery disease and 45 healthy controls by using fluorescence polarization immunoassay. Results Eighty-two percent of CRF patients had hyperhomocysteinemia compared to 22% in patients with coronary artery disease. Mean plasma tHcy level in heomodialysis (HD) patients [(24. 13 ?12. 68) ?mol/L] was significantly higher than that in continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) patients [(16. 43?5. 58) ?mol/L] and that in normal controls [(7. 97 ?2. 65)?mol/L] . Plasma tHcy level in dialysis patients with cardiovascular diseases [(27. 12 ?15. 94)?mol/L, n=30] was higher than that in those without clinical manifestation of these complications [(20. 17?8. 71) ?mol/L, n = 62] . The levels of tHcy correlated inversely with Ccr (r = -0. 374, P

To elucidate the effects of pro inflammatory mediators on mRNA expression of AGE receptors in type B synovial cells, type B synovial cells from normal subjects were isolated and cultured in vitro with human serum albumin modified with advanced glycation end products (AGE HSA), tumor necrosis factor ?(TNF ?)and interleukin 1?(IL 1?). The expression of RAGE mRNA and AGE R3 mRNA was examined by RT PCR techniques. TNF ?, AGE HSA and IL 1? up regulated the expression of AGE R3 mRNA in type B synovial cells in a dose and time dependent manner. In contrast, TNF ? and AGE HSA down regulated the expression of RAGE mRNA in a dose and time dependent manner. IL 1? had no effect on RAGE mRNA expression. The regulatory responses induced by AGE HSA were blocked by a neutralizing polyclonal anti human TNF ? antibody, suggesting that the effects of AGE HSA were mediated by TNF ?. The proinflammatory mediators may regulate the gene expression of AGE receptors in type B synovial cells, and the regulatory role of these receptors is different in response to the proinflammatory mediators.

Objective To investigate the relationship between hyperhomocysteinemia and cardiovascular structure in maintenance hemodialysis uremia.Methods One hundred and twenty-two patients with maintenance hemodialysis were involved in the study.The level of plasma total homocysteine(tHcy) was determined by fluorescence polarization immunoassay.The morphosis of left artrium was investigated by Doppler echocardiography.Echocardiographic parameters such as interventricular septum thickness(IVST),left ventricular posterior wall thickness(PWTH),left ventricular mass index(LVMI) and left ventricular ejection fraction(EF) were measured.Results The mean level of tHcy in the patients on hemodialysis was(23.52?11.91)?mol/L and the prevalence of hyperhomocysteinemia was 77.0%.The overall prevalence of left ventricular hypertrophy(LVH) was 42.6%.The level of tHcy in the group with LVH was higher than that of the group without LVH(31.75?10.43 vs 15.89?4.15?mol/L)(P

Objective To elucidate the clinical characteristics and the outcome of acute renal failure (ARF) in the elderly. Methods Clinical data of 109 elderly patients(≥60 years) with ARF were analysed and compared with that of 175 younger adult ARF patients(18 40 years) in the same period. Results 109 out of 422 patients(25 8%) with ARF were more than 60 years. The mortality rate of ARF in these patients was 58 7%. ARF was induced mainly by prerenal factors (20 2%) and sepsis (15 6%). Complications such as infections (52 3% vs 29 7%), cardiovascular events (64 2% vs 38 3%), respiratory failure (43 1% vs 20 0%) and hyperkalemia (29 4% vs 15 4%) were more prevalent in elderly patient than that in the younger adult ARF patients ( P

To elucidate the role of reactive carbonyl compounds in the pathogenesis of vascular complication in patients with chronic renal failure or diabetes. Vascular endothelial cells (VECs) were isolated from human umbilical vein and cultured with 3-deoxyglucosone (3-DG) or methylglyoxal(MGO) in vitro. Expression of ICAM-1 and VCAM-1 on the surface of VECs was detected by flow cytometer. The results showed that up-regulation of expression of ICAM-1 and VCAM-1 was observed when either 3-DG or MGO was added into the cultures, which was inhibited by a carbonyl compounds scavanger, aminoguanidine. These data suggested that accumulation of reactive carbonyl compounds in patients with chronic renal failure or diabetes might be involved in the mechanism of arteriosclerosis.

Objective: Enhanced expression of adhesion molecules on synovial tissu e has been demonstrated in patients with dialysis-related amyloidosis (DRA). T he study was conducted to elucidate the mechanisms by which the expression of adh esion molecules on synovial cells was up-regulated.Methods: Human type-B synov ial cells were cultured in vitro with β2-microglobulin modified with adva nced glycation end products (AGE-β2m) , native β2-microglobulin (β2 m) , tumor necrosis factor-α（TNF-α）and interleukin -1β（ IL-1β）. The expression of intercellular adhesion molecule-1(ICAM-1), vasc ular cell adhesion molecule-1(VCAM-1), and E-selectin was examined by immunofluor esc enct staining and flow cytometer analysis. Results:ICAM-1 and VCAM-1, but not E -selectin, were constitutively expressed on human type-B synovial cells. TNF -α a nd IL-1β enhanced the expression of ICAM-1 and VCAM-1 in a dose- and time - depen dent manner. Neither of these cytokines appeared to induce the expression of E - selectin. Both β2m and AGE-β2m had no direct effect on the expression of the a dhesion molecules.Conclusion: Elevated level of IL-1β and TNF-α in the synov ial tissue may up-regulate the expression of adhesion molecules on synovial cel ls and therefore promote local monocytes infiltration.

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of patients isolation,paying careful attention to hygienic measure and strict sterilization on prevention of hepatitis C infection in hemodialysis(HD) unit. Patients in our HD unit from May 1994 to May 1998 were isolated and strict sterilization of dialysis apparatuses were performed, while patients from April 1990 to April 1994 were not isolated. The rate of HCV infection in these two groups of patients were 18 20% and 26 72%, respectively ( P