Humans ; Kidney Calculi/surgery* ; Nephrolithotomy, Percutaneous ; Nephrostomy, Percutaneous ; Obesity, Morbid/surgery* ; Radiography ; Retrospective Studies ; Treatment Outcome

Chronic mitral valve disease (CMVD) is the most common cardiovascular disease in dogs, causing decreased cardiac output that results in poor tissue perfusion and tissue damage to kidneys, pancreas, and other organs. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the relationships between heart disease severity and N-terminal pro B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) and lipase in dogs with CMVD, as well as to evaluate longitudinal changes in these values. A total of 84 dogs participated in this 2015 to 2017 study. Serum values of NT-proBNP and lipase were analyzed; radiography was used to measure the vertebral heart score and assess various echocardiographic values. NT-proBNP showed a strong positive correlation with increasing stage of heart disease; lipase showed a mild positive correlation with heart disease stage. When the three values (NT-proBNP, lipase and month) were continuously measured at 6-month intervals, all showed a correlation with the increasing length of the disease.
Animals ; Cardiac Output ; Cardiovascular Diseases ; Dogs ; Echocardiography ; Heart ; Heart Diseases ; Kidney ; Lipase ; Mitral Valve ; Natriuretic Peptide, Brain ; Pancreas ; Perfusion ; Radiography

BACKGROUND: Serum myostatin levels are increased according to renal function decline and myostatin may be a main mediator of chronic kidney disease–related sarcopenia. A previous study reported that serum myostatin level was negatively associated with abdominal aortic calcification (AAC) in older males. The aim of this study was to assess the association between serum myostatin level and AAC among dialysis patients of both sexes. In addition, we analyzed the relationship between serum myostatin level, muscle mass, and bone mineral density (BMD).METHODS: In this cross-sectional study, we evaluated AAC in the lateral lumbar spine using plain radiography and BMD in 71 patients undergoing dialysis. We classified patients into two groups according to the median value of myostatin as follows: those with high myostatin levels (≥ 5.0 ng/mL) and those with low myostatin levels (< 5.0 ng/mL).RESULTS: The proportion of patients with an AAC score of five points or more was higher among those with low myostatin levels. Myostatin level was negatively associated with AAC scores on plain radiography and had a positive association with skeletal muscle mass and T-scores for BMD measured at the total hip and femur neck. Lower myostatin levels were independently associated with higher AAC scores following adjustment for age, sex, diabetes mellitus, dialysis vintage, dialysis modality, and osteoprotegerin level.CONCLUSION: Lower serum myostatin levels were associated with higher AAC scores, lower muscle mass, and lower BMD in dialysis patients. Further, prospective studies and those with larger cohorts are necessary to validate these findings.
Bone Density ; Cohort Studies ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Diabetes Mellitus ; Dialysis ; Femur Neck ; Hip ; Humans ; Kidney ; Male ; Muscle, Skeletal ; Myostatin ; Osteoprotegerin ; Prospective Studies ; Radiography ; Sarcopenia ; Spine ; Vascular Calcification

PURPOSE: To characterize the course of treatment for nonmonosymptomatic enuresis with overactive bladder (OAB) in a real clinical setting. METHODS: Data from 111 OAB patients with moderate to severe enuresis were analyzed. The baseline analysis included a questionnaire, voiding diary, uroflowmetry with postvoid residual urine measurement, and plain abdominal radiography of the kidneys, ureters, and bladder (KUB). Following standard urotherapy for 1 month, anticholinergic medication was administered with or without laxatives. Desmopressin was added if there was a partial response to OAB. Patients were followed every 3 months to evaluate the status of OAB and enuresis. Multivariate analysis was performed to identify predictors associated with the lack of complete response (CR) in enuresis at 12 months. RESULTS: Following 12 months of treatment, 64% and 88% of patients experienced at least partial response in enuresis and OAB, respectively. Urgency improved more quickly than enuresis, supporting the need to address daytime symptoms before enuresis. Seventy-nine patients (71%) had fecal impaction on KUB and/or subjective constipation. The combination of anticholinergics with either laxatives or desmopressin fared better than anticholinergics alone. Daytime incontinence and anticholinergics-only treatment were associated with a lack of CR during 12 months of treatment. CONCLUSIONS: The data confirmed the validity of addressing OAB before treating enuresis. The results of this study also highlight the need to address fecal impaction. Patients should be counseled about the need for a prolonged course of treatment before starting treatment. Anticholinergics should be accompanied with either desmopressin or laxatives for better control of enuresis.
Cholinergic Antagonists ; Constipation ; Deamino Arginine Vasopressin ; Enuresis* ; Fecal Impaction ; Humans ; Kidney ; Laxatives ; Multivariate Analysis ; Radiography, Abdominal ; Ureter ; Urinary Bladder ; Urinary Bladder, Overactive*

A 35-year-old man presented with progressive dyspnea and hemoptysis. His blood pressure was 230/140 mmHg and serum creatinine level was 20.13 mg/dL. Chest radiography and computed tomography revealed pulmonary hemorrhage. His renal function was low, thus emergent renal replacement therapy was required. Malignant hypertension and acute kidney injury were diagnosed, and antihypertensive therapy and hemodialysis started immediately. Renal biopsy was performed to examine the underlying disease. Typical pathological changes of malignant hypertension, fibrinoid necrosis of the afferent arterioles, and proliferative endoarteritis at the interlobular arteries were observed. His renal function improved gradually and pulmonary hemorrhage completely disappeared with administration of antihypertensive agents. Here, we report this rare case of malignant hypertension with pulmonary alveolar hemorrhage and speculate that the hemorrhage may be related to vascular injuries at the alveolar capillary level caused by malignant hypertension.
Acute Kidney Injury ; Adult ; Antihypertensive Agents ; Arteries ; Arterioles ; Biopsy ; Blood Pressure ; Capillaries ; Creatinine ; Dialysis* ; Dyspnea ; Hemoptysis ; Hemorrhage* ; Humans ; Hypertension, Malignant* ; Necrosis ; Pulmonary Alveoli ; Radiography ; Renal Dialysis ; Renal Replacement Therapy ; Thorax ; Vascular System Injuries

OBJECTIVE: To compare the apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) values of upper abdominal organs with 2 different 3.0 tesla MR systems and to investigate the usefulness of normalization using the spleen. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Forty-one patients were enrolled in this prospective study, of which, 35 patients (M:F, 27:8; mean age ± standard deviation, 62.3 ± 12.3 years) were finally analyzed. In addition to the routine liver MR protocol, single-shot spin-echo echo-planar diffusion-weighted imaging using b values of 0, 50, 400, and 800 s/mm2 in 2 different MR systems was performed. ADC values of the liver, spleen, pancreas, kidney and liver lesion (if present) were measured and analyzed. ADC values of the spleen were used for normalization. The Pearson correlation, Spearman correlation, paired sample t test, Wilcoxon signed rank test and Bland-Altman method were used for statistical analysis. RESULTS: For all anatomical regions and liver lesions, both non-normalized and normalized ADC values from 2 different MR systems showed significant correlations (r = 0.5196-0.8488). Non-normalized ADC values of both MR systems differed significantly in all anatomical regions and liver lesions (p < 0.001). However, the normalized ADC of all anatomical regions and liver lesions did not differ significantly (p = 0.065-0.661), with significantly lower coefficient of variance than that of non-normalized ADC (p < 0.009). CONCLUSION: Normalization of the abdominal ADC values using the spleen as a reference organ reduces differences between different MR systems, and could facilitate consistent use of ADC as an imaging biomarker for multi-center or longitudinal studies.
Aged ; *Diffusion Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Echo-Planar Imaging ; Female ; Humans ; Image Processing, Computer-Assisted ; Kidney/*radiography ; Liver/*radiography ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Pancreas/*radiography ; Prospective Studies ; Spleen/*radiography

Neostigmine can successfully decompress patients with acute colonic pseudo-obstruction (ACPO) who are unresponsive to conservative therapy. However, neostigmine is contraindicated in renal failure, so it is underused in ACPO patients with renal failure who would be otherwise appropriate candidates. We described the first successfully treated case of acute kidney injury (AKI) with neostigmine in a patient with ACPO. A 72-year-old man who underwent a coronary artery bypass graft surgery 11 days prior presented to the emergency room with abdominal distension, peripheral edema, and dyspnea on exertion. Plain abdominal radiographs and abdomen computed tomography scan showed diffuse colonic dilatation without obstruction. Serum creatinine level was increased five-fold over baseline. We diagnosed the patient as ACPO with AKI. With conservative treatment, renal function failed to improve because the ACPO was not corrected. Administration of neostigmine rapidly resolved ACPO and renal function, avoiding more invasive procedures such as colonoscopic decompression and hemodialysis. Neostigmine appears to be an effective and safe treatment option for ACPO patients with renal failure. Prospective large-scale studies should be carried out to determine the safety and efficacy of neostigmine in ACPO patients with renal failure.
Acute Kidney Injury/*drug therapy/etiology ; Aged ; Cardiac Surgical Procedures ; Colonic Pseudo-Obstruction/*complications ; Creatinine/blood ; Humans ; Male ; Neostigmine/*therapeutic use ; Radiography, Abdominal

PURPOSE: To assess the potential of dual-energy computed tomography (DECT) to identify urinary stone components, particularly uric acid and calcium oxalate monohydrate, which are unsuitable for extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL). MATERIALS AND METHODS: This clinical study included 246 patients who underwent removal of urinary stones and an analysis of stone components between November 2009 and August 2013. All patients received preoperative DECT using two energy values (80 kVp and 140 kVp). Hounsfield units (HU) were measured and matched to the stone component. RESULTS: Significant differences in HU values were observed between uric acid and nonuric acid stones at the 80 and 140 kVp energy values (p<0.001). All uric acid stones were red on color-coded DECT images, whereas 96.3% of the nonuric acid stones were blue. Patients with calcium oxalate stones were divided into two groups according to the amount of monohydrate (calcium oxalate monohydrate group: monohydrate> or =90%, calcium oxalate dihydrate group: monohydrate<90%). Significant differences in HU values were detected between the two groups at both energy values (p<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: DECT improved the characterization of urinary stone components and was a useful method for identifying uric acid and calcium oxalate monohydrate stones, which are unsuitable for ESWL.
Adult ; Aged ; Calcium Oxalate/analysis ; Female ; Humans ; Kidney Calculi/*chemistry/*radiography/therapy ; *Lithotripsy ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Patient Selection ; Radiography, Dual-Energy Scanned Projection ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed/*methods ; Ureteral Calculi/*chemistry/*radiography/therapy ; Uric Acid/analysis

The aim of this study was to evaluate the diagnostic and prognostic value of clinical-positive nodes at preoperative imaging (cN1) in patients with non-metastatic renal cell carcinoma (RCC) treated with lymph node dissection (LND). We retrospectively reviewed data for a cohort of 440 consecutive patients (cN0, 76.8%; cN1, 23.2%) with cTanyNanyM0 RCC who underwent nephrectomy and LND from 1994 to 2013. Metastasis-free survival (MFS) and cancer-specific survival (CSS) were estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method. Multivariate Cox regression analysis was performed to determine significant predictors of MFS and CSS. The mean number of lymph nodes (LNs) examined for all patients was 8.3, and pN1 disease was identified in 31 (7.0%). LN staging by preoperative imaging had a sensitivity of 65%, a specificity of 80%, and an accuracy of 77%. During a median follow-up of 69 months, 5-yr MFS and CSS were 83.6% and 91.3% in patients with cN0 and 49.2% and 70.1% in patients with cN1, demonstrating a trend toward worse prognosis with radiologic lymphadenopathy (all P < 0.001). Furthermore, differences in MFS and CSS between the cN0pN0 and cN1pN0 groups were significant (all P < 0.001). Clinical nodal involvement is an important determinant of adverse prognosis in patients with non-metastatic RCC who undergo LND.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Carcinoma, Renal Cell/*mortality/*secondary/surgery ; Female ; Humans ; Kidney Neoplasms/*mortality/radiography/*surgery ; Lymph Node Excision/*mortality ; Lymphatic Metastasis ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Nephrectomy/*mortality ; Prevalence ; Prognosis ; Reproducibility of Results ; Republic of Korea/epidemiology ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk Assessment ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Survival Rate ; Young Adult

This study was conducted to determine clinical parameters predicting future major adverse cardiovascular events (MACEs) in patients without significant stenosis on coronary computed tomographic angiography (CCTA). A total of 625 patients with suspected coronary artery disease (CAD) who underwent CCTA that revealed insignificant (< 50%) CAD was reviewed in three cardiac centers. The MACEs including cardiac death, non-fatal myocardial infarction (MI), unstable angina and late (> 90 days after CCTA) revascularization were assessed. During the mean follow-up period of 819 +/- 529 days (median 837 days), there were 28 cases of MACEs (4.5%). In multivariable Cox regression analysis, independent predictors for MACEs were male sex (hazard ratio [HR], 2.40; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.01-5.69; P = 0.046) and low estimated creatinine clearance (eCCr) (< 60 mL/min/1.73 m2) (HR, 3.07; 95% CI, 1.22-7.74; P = 0.017). Low eCCr was the only independent predictor for hard events including cardiac death and MI (HR, 17.6, 95% CI, 1.44-215.7; P = 0.025). In conclusion, renal function is an independent predictor for cardiovascular events among patients without significant CAD by CCTA. Careful monitoring and preventive strategy are warranted in patients with impaired renal function even without significant CAD.
Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Cardiovascular Diseases/diagnosis/*mortality ; Comorbidity ; Coronary Angiography/*statistics & numerical data ; Coronary Stenosis/mortality/radiography ; Female ; Humans ; Incidence ; Kidney Diseases/*diagnosis/*mortality ; Kidney Function Tests/*statistics & numerical data ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Prognosis ; Reproducibility of Results ; Republic of Korea/epidemiology ; Risk Assessment ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Survival Rate ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed/*statistics & numerical data