Objective To evaluate the efficacy and safety of short-term restriction of dietary protein intake (DPI) supplemented with α-keto acids on chronic hepatitis B patients complicated with chronic kidney diseases (CKD). Methods A prospective randomized controlled trial was carried out.Seventeen chronic hepatitis B patients with CKD were randomized to either low DPI with α-keto acid-supplemented (sLP) or low DPI (LP) group for 3 months.Low-protein diet (LPD) was individualized with total energy intake 125.52-146.44 kJ·kg-1 ·d-1,and protein intake of 0.6-0.8 g·kg-1·d-1.α-keto acid was supplied in a dosage of 0.1 g·kg-1·d-1.Nutritional indexes were recorded and other clinical indexes were measured to evaluate the efficacy and safety respectively. Results The urine protein excretion level and microalbuminuria were significantly decreased at the end of the observation period in the sLP group compared to the basal value and the LP group [24 h urine protein:baseline (4.52±1.74) g,the 1st month (3.19±1.52) g,the 2nd month (2.19±1.1) g,the 3rd month (1.64±0.77) g,P＜0.05; microalbuminyria:baseline (2855.43±248.03) mg/L,the 1st month (2157.14±218.15) mg/L,the 2nd month (1681.57±146.18) mg/L,the 3rd month (924.29±83.33) mg/L,P＜0.05].No significant difference was found in Scr and eGFR.Nutritional indexes (SGA,serume albumin) were significantly higher at the end of 3 months in the sLP group (P＜0.05).No obvious side-effect occurred. Conclusions Short-term restriction of DPI is safe,and when combined with α-keto acids,can increase serum protein and decrease urine protein excretion in chronic hepatitis B patients complicated with CKD without significant sideeffect.

Objective To investigate the effect of high glucose on the expression of liver X receptors (LXRs) and ATP-binding cassette transporter A1 (ABCA1) in human macrophages (THP-1 cell line). Methods THP-1 monocytes were differentiated into macrophages by induction of phorbol 12, 13-dibutyrate (PMA). Surface markers of macrophages were identified by CD68 immunohistochemistry. The macrophages were cultured with different concentration (5.6, 11.1, 22.2 and 33.3 mmol/L) of glucose and different time (0, 0.5, 2, 6, 12, 24, 48, 72 h). Real time PCR and Western blotting methods were used to examine the mRNA and protein expression of LXRs and ABCA1. Results As compared to 5.6 mmol/L glucose, macrophage LXRβ and ABCA1 were decreased significantly at both mRNA and protein levels in dose-and time-dependent manner (P<0.05). Conclusion Hyperglycemia may play a role in the pathogenesis of arteriosclerosis through the inhibition of LXRs and ABCA1 expression in diabetic patients.

Objective:To evaluate the influencing factors of carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (CF-PWV) and its value to predict outcomes in peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients.Methods:Eligible patients undergoing PD in Renji Hospital of Shanghai Jiao Tong University between August 2016 and July 2018 were recruited and prospectively followed up until death, PD cessation, or to the end of the study. CF-PWV was measured by an arterial pulse wave velocity meter to assess arterial stiffness (July 31, 2020). Overhydration was measured by bioimpedance spectroscopy. The patients were divided into CF-PWV≤10 m/s group and CF-PWV>10 m/s group according to the measured value of CF-PWV. The influencing factors of elevated CF-PWV were analyzed by multivariate logistic regression. Survival curves were generated using the Kaplan-Meier method and multivariate Cox proportional hazards models were used to analyze the difference for all-cause mortality and cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality between the two groups.Results:A total of 224 PD patients were enrolled, including 133 males (59.4%). The age was (55.2±13.4) years old, and median PD vintage was 22.3(6.5, 59.3) months. Among them, 47(21.0%) patients were comorbid with diabetes, and 37(16.5%) patients had CVD history. The median CF-PWV was 9.6(8.4, 11.4) m/s for the cohort, and 105(46.9%) participants had CF-PWV over 10 m/s. Compared with CF-PWV≤10 m/s group, CF-PWV>10 m/s group patients had older age, increased percentage of diabetes and CVD (all P<0.05). Multivariate logistic analysis showed that increased age ( OR=1.070, 95% CI 1.043-1.099, P<0.001), diabetes ( OR=3.693, 95% CI 1.646-8.287, P=0.002) and higher overhydration ( OR=1.238, 95% CI 1.034-1.483, P=0.020) were independent influencing factors for elevated CF-PWV in PD patients. After followed up for 37.4(25.6, 41.7) months, 24 patients died, including 19 cases of CVD-related deaths. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis showed that all-cause mortality and CVD mortality were significantly higher in the CF-PWV>10 m/s group than those in CF-PWV≤10 m/s group (Log-rank χ2=6.423, P=0.011; Log-rank χ2=6.243, P=0.012, respectively). Multivariate Cox proportional hazards models showed that increased age was an independent influencing factor for both all-cause mortality and CVD mortality ( HR=1.057, 95% CI 1.010-1.107, P=0.018; HR=1.062, 95% CI 1.009-1.118, P=0.022). Conclusions:Increased arterial stiffness is relatively common in PD patients. Higher CF-PWV in PD patients is associated with increased age, diabetes and higher overhydration, and it is probably a valuable predictor of outcome in PD patients.

Objective To compare the efficacy and safety of leflunomide (LEF) combined with medium/low dose corticosteroids and full dose of corticosteroids in the treatment of IgA nephropathy. Method Primary IgAN patients diagnosed by renal biopsy with 18?65 years old and eGFR≥30 ml·min?1·(1.73 m2)?1 and proteinuria>0.5 g/24 h were enrolled in a prospective controlled clinical study. They were randomly divided into leflunomide combined with medium/low dose corticosteroids (LEF group) and corticosteroids alone (steroid group). The primary outcomes were (1) end stage renal disease or dialysis (2) 50% increase in serum creatinine above the baseline. Secondary outcome was the remission of proteinuria. Results Ninety patients completed the follow?up. The 24?hour proteinuria at baseline were 2.00(1.10, 2.88) g and 1.87(1.13 ,3.08) g in LEF group and steroid group respectively. Compared with baseline, it was significantly decreased in both groups at 6 months [0.30(0.11, 0.93) g, 0.30(0.14, 1.33) g] and 12 months [0.30(0.09, 0.82) g, 0.32(0.14, 0.66) g], (P<0.05). Estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) at baseline, 6 months and 12 months were (80.39 ± 28.56), (87.12±28.70) and (88.20±30.26) ml·min-1·(1.73 m2)-1. It was decreased in steroid group (P<0.05), while no significant difference was detected in LEF group[baseline (87.63 ± 27.35), 6 months (86.91 ± 32.45), 12 months (90.06 ± 30.00) ml·min-1·(1.73 m2)-1, P>0.05]. At 6 and 12 months, there was no significant difference in terms of 24?hour proteinuria, serum creatinine and eGFR (CKD?EPI) between groups (P>0.05). There was no statistically significant difference in adverse events between groups during the treatment (9/40 cases in LEF group and 11/50 cases in steroid group, P>0.05). The average follow?up was 79 months, and there was no difference in the renal prognosis between the two groups. Multivariate Cox regression analysis revealed that serum creatinine at baseline and renal interstitial inflammatory cell infiltration predicted the risk of the progress of IgA nephropathy. Conclusion Leflunomide plus medium/low dose corticosteroids has a similar effect as full dose of corticosteroids in IgA nephropathy and does not increase the risk for adverse events during the treatment.

Objective To compare the complications and outcomes of urgent?start peritoneal dialysis (PD) and hemodialysis (HD) in end?stage renal disease (ESRD) patients, and explore the safety and effectiveness of PD which was as an urgent?start dialysis modality in ESRD patients. Methods All patients for urgent?start dialysis, who initiated dialysis without a long?term dialysis access or had the long?term dialysis access under 30 days in Renji Hospital from January 1st 2013 to December 31st 2014, were enrolled. According to the dialysis modalities, patients were divided into PD group and HD group. Participants were followed up until death, transferred to other centers, lost of follow up or January 1st 2016. Dialysis?related complications within 30 days of implantation, complications of reimplantation and the occurrence of bacteremia between two groups were compared, and their survival rates were tested by Kaplan?Meier curves. Results Among 178 patients in this study, there were 96 (53.9%) patients in PD group and 82 (46.1%) patients in HD group. Compared with those of HD group, patients of PD group presented more cardiovascular disease [21(21.9%) vs 8(9.8%), P=0.029], higher serum potassium [(4.5±0.8) mmol/L vs (4.3±0.8) mmol/L, P=0.038], but less heart failure (NYHA Ⅲ?Ⅳ) [26(30.2%) vs 40 (48.8%), P=0.014], lower brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) [328.5 (129.5, 776.8) ng/L vs 503.5(206.0, 1430.0) ng/L, P=0.008], higher hemoglobin [(81.5 ± 17.7) g/L vs (75.3 ± 22.5) g/L, P=0.039], higher serum albumin (33.5±5.7) g/L vs (31.3±6.7) g/L, P=0.022] and higher serum pre?albumin (304.5±78.0) mg/L vs (257.0 ± 86.1) mg/L, P<0.001]. PD group presented less dialysis?related complications [5 (5.2%) vs 20(24.4%), P<0.001], less dialysis?related complications requiring reimplantation [1(1.0%) vs 20(24.4%), P<0.001] and less bacteraemia [3(3.1%) vs 11(13.4%), P=0.011]. The 3?, 6?and 12?month patient survival rates of PD and HD group were 97.9% vs 98.4%, 97.9% vs 98.4%, and 92.1%vs 93.0% respectively, and no significant difference was found (Log ? rank=0.004, P=0.947). Conclusions Patients with urgent?start PD have less complications within 30 days of implantation and occurrence of bacteremia than patients with urgent?start HD, and the same survival rates. PD may be a feasible and safe urgent?start dialysis modality for ESRD patients.

Objective To investigate the factors affecting the efficacy of leflunomide combined with medium/low dose corticosteroids in the treatment of progressive IgA nephropathy (IgAN).Methods Clinical and pathological parameters were collected retrospectively in patients of primary IgAN with proteinuria＞ 1.0 g/24 h and chronic kidney disease (CKD) stage 1-3 treated with leflunomide combined with medium/low dose corticosteroids in Ren Ji Hospital,School of Medicine,Shanghai Jiao Tong University from Jan 2005 to Dec 2010.According to the treatment effects,patients were divided into complete remission group and non-complete remission group.The biochemical and pathological indexes of the two groups were compared.Results A total of 42 patients were included.The remission rates at 3,6,9 and 12 months were 62％,64％,67％ and 74％,respectively.Seventeen (40.5％) and fourteen (33.3％) patients achieved complete and partial remission after one-year treatment,and the remission rate remained stable within one year after withdrawal of drugs.The 24hour proteinuria was 1.50 (0.67,2.66) g,which was significantly reduced compared with the baseline 2.44 (1.36,3.74) g (P ＜ 0.01).The decrease rate was 31.3％.There was a slight decrease in proteinuriawithin one year after withdrawal of drugs.Estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) remained stable during the treatment and a year of follow-up.No serious adverse event was observed during the followup period.Among 31 responder patients,6(19.4％) patients relapsed.Logistic multivariate regression analysis suggested that the degree of renal interstitial inflammatory infiltration was an independent predictor of complete remission with one-year treatment of leflunomide combined with medium / low dose corticosteroids (HR=0.067,95％ CI 0.008-0.535,P=0.011).Conclusions IgAN treated with leflunomide and medium/low dose corticosteroids can achieve remission in early stage,and the remission rate remains stable after withdrawal of drugs.It is a safe option for the treatment of IgAN.Renal interstitial inflammatory infiltration is an independent predictor of complete remission.

Objective:To investigate the predictive value of peritoneal protein clearance (Pcl) for cardiovascular events and cardiovascular mortality in peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients.Methods:Eligible PD patients were prospectively enrolled from January 2014 to April 2015 in the PD Center of Renji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University. All patients were followed up until death, withdrawing from PD, transferring to other centers, or the end of study period (October 1, 2018). The patients were divided into high Pcl group and low Pcl group by the median Pcl, and the differences of related indicators between the two groups were compared. A multiple linear regression model was used to analyze the influencing factors of Pcl. The Kaplan-Meier method and Log-rank test were used to compare the cumulative survival rates of patients between the two groups. A multivariate Cox regression model was used to estimate the risk of cardiovascular events and cardiovascular mortality in relation to Pcl in PD patients.Results:A total of 271 patients were enrolled, with 135 males (49.8%), age of (56.92±0.84) years old and a median PD duration of 38.77(19.00, 63.10) months. There were 70 patients (25.8%) comorbiding with diabetes and 81 patients (29.9%) with cardiovascular diseases (CVD). The median Pcl of this cohort was 67.93(52.31, 88.36) ml/d. Compared with the low Pcl group (Pcl<67.93 ml/d), the high Pcl group (Pcl≥67.93 ml/d) had older age, and greater proportion of CVD, body mass index (BMI), pulse pressure, brain natriuretic peptide, mass transfer area coefficient of creatinine (MTACcr), and lower serum albumin (all P<0.05). There was no significant difference in gender, dialysis duration, proportion of diabetes, proportion of angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor and angiotensin receptor blocker, proportion of continuous ambulatory PD, high sensitivity C reactive protein, fluid removal including 24 h urine volume and 24 h ultrafiltration, and residual renal function between the two groups (all P>0.05). Multiple linear regression analysis showed that serum albumin ( β=-0.388, P<0.001), BMI ( β=0.189, P<0.001), and MTACcr ( β=0.247, P<0.001) were independently related to lg(Pcl). During the study period, 55 patients experienced one or more cardiovascular events and 39 patients had cardiovascular mortality. According to Kaplan-Meier analysis, cardiovascular mortality in the high Pcl group was higher than that of low Pcl group (Log-rank χ2=6.902, P=0.009). Multivariate Cox regression analysis showed that, high lg(Pcl) was an independent influencing factor of cardiovascular events in PD patients ( HR=7.654, 95% CI 1.676-34.945, P=0.009). Conclusions:Serum albumin, BMI and MTACcr are independently associated with Pcl, and Pcl is an independent predictor of cardiovascular events in PD patients.

Objective To investigate the prevalence and risk factors of sarcopenia in peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients.Methods The patients who underwent regular peritoneal dialysis at Renji Hospital affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine between November 2016 and March 2018 were enrolled.Handgrip strength (HGS) was measured to assess muscle strength.Bioelectrical impedance spectroscopy (BIS) was applied to measure the lean tissue index (LTI).Reduced LTI plus decreased HGS was defined as sarcopenia.The prevalence of sarcopenia in PD patients was evaluated.According to the presence or absence of sarcopenia,they were divided into the sarcopenia group and the non-sarcopenia group,and the differences in clinical indicators between the two groups were compared.Multivariate logistic regression was used to explore the risk factors of sarcopenia in PD patients.Results A total of 207 patients were enrolled in the study with age of (55.3±13.7) years and a median PD duration of 22.9(7.3,60.9) months.Of them,122 patients (58.9％) were male,45 patients (21.7％) had diabetics and 32 patients (15.5％) suffered from cardiovascular diseases.There were 27 patients (13.0％) diagnosed with sarcopenia.These patients presented with longer PD duration,more prevalent diabetics,lower residual renal function (RRF) and serum pre-albumin,greater ratio of extracellular water to intracellular water (ECW/ICW) and high sensitive C-reactive protein in contrast with those in the non-sarcopenia group (all P ＜ 0.05).Multivariate logistic analysis showed that male (OR=3.94,95％ CI 1.35-11.50,P=0.O12),longer PD duration (OR=1.01,95％CI 1.00-1.02,P=0.029) and higher ECW/ICW (OR=1.09,95％CI 1.05-1.14,P ＜ 0.001) were independent risk factors of sarcopenia in PD patients.Conclusions Sarcopenia is common in PD patients.Male,longer PD duration and higher ECW/ICW were independent risk factors of sarcopenia in PD patients.

Objective:To explore the association of abdominal aortic calcification score (AACS) with cardiovascular disease (CVD) outcomes in peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients.Methods:The patients who underwent regular PD at Renji Hospital between July 2011 and July 2014 were recruited and prospectively followed up until the end of the study (August 31, 2018), death, or dropout PD. Abdomen lateral X-ray was used to determine AACS for each patient at enrollment. Patients were divided into three groups based on the tertiles of AACS: non-calcified group, AACS group (AACS=0), mild-moderate calcification group AACS group (0