Renal involvement in sarcoidosis: Histologic findings and clinical course

Background: Renal failure in sarcoidosis is rare and data on its long-term outcome are scarce. Aim: To investigate the pattern of renal involvement in sarcoidosis, its clinical course and response to treatment in the long-term. Methods: A single-center retrospective study with review of renal biopsies and medical charts was performed. Results: Between January 2005 and December 2016, seven patients with sarcoidosis underwent a kidney biopsy. This is equivalent to a frequency of 1.6% in a total of 434 biopsies from native kidney performed in our institution. All patients presented with renal failure. Five patients had granulomatous interstitial nephritis (GIN) and one patient each interstitial nephritis without granuloma and nephrocalcinosis. Three patients had concomitant glomerular disease: IgA nephropathy (n = 2), membranous and focal proliferative glomerulonephritis (n = 1). Most patients (n = 5) presented with hypercalcemia. All patients initially received oral prednisolone 1 mg/kg/day (n = 3) or 0.5 mg/kg/day (n = 4), respectively, with subsequent tapering or suspension. One patient was started on azathioprine after 18 months to spare steroids. After a mean follow-up of 59 months mean estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) had improved from 19 ± 7 at presentation to 49 ± 16 mL/min. No patient required dialysis. All patients started on prednisolone 1 mg/kg/day developed transient diabetes mellitus while patients on 0.5 mg/kg/day did not. Renal function improvement did not differ between both treatment groups. Conclusion: GIN was the most common diagnosis in sarcoidosis patients with renal failure. Initial hypercalcemia was observed in the majority. Early steroid treatment lead to sustained renal function improvement.

Light and heavy chain deposition revealed by repeat renal biopsy after inconclusive initial biopsy

Monoclonal gammopathy is a premalignant condition associated with an abnormal circulating immunoglobulin indicative of an expanded B cell clone. Apart from monitoring, no other intensive management is prescribed in these cases. Periodic bone marrow biopsies when free light chain imbalances are detected are used to spot incidental cases of multiple myeloma. New reports have suggested the existence of a monoclonal gammopathy of renal significance where a circulating antibody and normal bone marrow biopsy results may be associated with proteinuric renal disease due to monoclonal immunoglobulin deposition. We report a case of a 65-year-old male with an immunoglobulin G kappa monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance, chronic kidney disease, proteinuria, and an initial inconclusive renal biopsy. His chronic kidney disease worsened with persistence of 0.5 g of proteinuria. Given the finding of ongoing Bence Jones proteinuria, a repeat renal biopsy was done revealing monoclonal immunoglobulin G kappa deposition disease. Bone marrow biopsy showed 20% plasma cells that could be consistent with smoldering myeloma. The patient’s renal disease has stabilized after starting treatment for the monoclonal gammopathy of renal significance. This case illustrates the importance of renal biopsy in making the diagnosis of monoclonal immune deposition disease and monoclonal gammopathy of renal significance.

Peritoneal dialysis and colonic angiodysplasia bleeding: Are they connected?

Angiodysplasia is the most common gastrointestinal vascular lesion and a frequent cause of hidden bleeding. Here, we present the case of two patients with severe colonic angiodysplasia-related anemia on peritoneal dialysis. Several attempts to reduce gastrointestinal bleeding have been made without a definitive solution. For these patients, peritoneal dialysis was considered better than hemodialysis because anticoagulation is not needed. However, later the switch from peritoneal dialysis to hemodialysis has been made and an improvement of anemia, due to the cessation of the gastrointestinal bleeding, has been noted. Chronic kidney disease patients are at high risk of bleeding for several reasons. Our hypothesis is that filling the abdomen with peritoneal dialysis solution increases the peritoneal pressure, worsening the colonic venous blood flow and probably peritoneal dialysis with this mechanism sustains the angiodysplasia bleeding. Our conclusions are that peritoneal dialysis indication and peritoneal dialysis prescription should be evaluated with attention in patient with colonic angiodysplasia for its uncertain effect on bleeding.

Proteinuria in pregnancy: Clinically driven considerations

Introduction: Proteinuria assessment is a key test in pregnancy to evaluate renal and systemic well-being. The finding of proteinuria may allow diagnosis and ready intervention for pre-eclampsia and glomerulonephritis, which may compromise a favorable delivery. Moreover, pathological-range isolated proteinuria is a risk factor by itself for adverse outcomes during pregnancy. An appropriate interpretation of pathologic values of proteinuria is therefore of crucial importance. Patient presentation: We present the case of a 33-year-old apparently healthy woman at her first pregnancy who developed a clinically significant proteinuria during the first trimester; we describe the clinical workup and the management of the patient up to delivery. Conclusion: Urine analysis with dipstick or protein-to-creatinine ratio is part of the routine prenatal clinical care during pregnancy. Detection of a pathological proteinuria (>300 mg/24 h or equivalent) should never be underestimated, and timed urine collection is required, as well as a thorough medical examination. The main goal is to exclude pre-eclampsia, whereas the suspect of a primary kidney disease can be managed together with the nephrologist, both for management and treatment.

What we do and do not know about women and kidney diseases; questions unanswered and answers unquestioned: Reflection on World Kidney Day and International Woman’s Day

Chronic kidney disease affects approximately 10% of the world’s adult population: it is within the top 20 causes of death worldwide, and its impact on patients and their families can be devastating. World Kidney Day and International Women’s Day in 2018 coincide, thus offering an opportunity to reflect on the importance of women’s health and specifically their kidney health, on the community, and the next generations, as well as to strive to be more curious about the unique aspects of kidney disease in women, so that we may apply those learnings more broadly. Girls and women, who make up approximately 50% of the world’s population, are important contributors to society and their families. Gender differences continue to exist around the world in access to education, medical care, and participation in clinical studies. Pregnancy is a unique state for women, offering an opportunity for diagnosis of kidney disease but also a state where acute and chronic kidney diseases may manifest, and which may impact future generations with respect to kidney health. There are various autoimmune and other conditions that are more likely to impact women with profound consequences for childbearing, and on the fetus. Women have different complications on dialysis than men and are more likely to be donors than recipients of kidney transplants. In this editorial, we focus on what we do and do not know about women, kidney health, and kidney disease, and what we might learn in the future to improve outcomes worldwide.

Elderly patient: which vascular access? Choice and management of vascular access in the elderly patient

The optimal vascular access for elderly patients remains a challenge due to the difficult balance between risks and benefits in a population with increased comorbidity and decreased survival. Long dependence to central vein catheter, patient comorbidities, life expectancy, and complication rates are important influencing the indications for arteriovenous fistula or an arteriovenous graft. Although central vein catheters are simpler way to start a hemodialysis treatment, elderly patients are also at higher risk of death from infection or other complications associated with them more than for younger patients. The discussion revolves around the following key questions: What are the limiting factors for a vascular access in the elderly patients? Central venous catheter—is it still an option for elderly patients? Is still the autologous arteriovenous fistula playing a pivotal role as hemodialysis access in the elderly patients? Are there any real surgical contraindication to perform a vascular access in elderly patients? Is the old age a limiting factor for the vascular access management?

Type-5 Cardiorenal Syndrome (CRS-5): An up to Date

Cardiorenal syndromes (CRS) involve disorders of the heart or kidney whereby one organ dysfunction leads to the dysfunction of another. Five types of CRS are defined. While the first 4 types describe acute/chronic cardiorenal or renocardiac syndromes, type-5 CRS refers to secondary CRS or cardiorenal involvement in systemic conditions and describes the concomitant presence of renal and cardiovascular dysfunction. Type-5 CRS is a recently defined clinical syndrome and complete epidemiological data on this entity are still lacking. In the following review, epidemiological, pathophysiological, clinical, and therapeutic approaches to type-5 CRS will be discussed according to more recent findings.

A Young Woman with Recurrent Kidney Stones: Questions on Hypokalaemic Tubular Acidosis

This paper discusses the diagnostic and therapeutic approach to the problem of a young woman presenting with recurrent kidney stones. In the clinical work-up, a hypokalaemic normal anion gap metabolic acidosis was found. The diagnostic tests to solve this common clinical problem and some therapeutic recommendations are discussed. Question on hypokalaemic tubular acidosis: 1. What is the significance of the plasma anion gap (PAG)? 2. How does one appreciate the respiratory component of the acid base status? 3. How does one perform tests for tubular acidification disturbances? 4. What is the pathogenesis of distal tubular acidification disturbances? 5. What is the explanation of the hypokalaemia in distal tubular acidosis? 6. What is the pathogenesis of nephrolithiasis in distal tubular acidosis? 7. How does one treat a patient with distal tubular acidosis and recurrent nephrolithiasis?

Influence of Hemodialysis on the Physical Activity and Motor Capacity of Patients with Chronic Renal Disease, Stage 4-5 (K/DOQI): Study Synopsis

Purpose Elderly patients who undergo hemodialysis are more fragile than older persons not on dialysis. However, it is not clear if this frailty exists before hemodialysis or if it becomes evident or more acute at the time of beginning a dialysis therapy program. The purpose of this study is to analyze if changes at both the motor and cognitive levels go hand in hand with the beginning of dialysis, and, if this is the case, to identify possible risk factors associated with the functional decline in these patients. Methods A multicentric prospective pilot observational study was conducted in an ambulatory population with the primary objective to represent the evolution of functional gait capacity in patients before and during hemodialysis treatment, to show gait insecurity during treatment follow-up, if it is present. The secondary objectives are to identify risk factors in the development of gait insecurity, and to measure the prevalence of falls during the follow-up period. Results The enrolment of patients began in January 2015 and the duration of the data collection will be at least 36 months. In the first 24 months, 19 patients have been included in the study. Preliminary data analysis is not expected before July 2018. Conclusions The identification of frailty predictors is of major importance in order to identify and target patients at the highest risk of frailty who may be likely to benefit from preventive intervention.

Antidiabetic Medication in Patients with Chronic Kidney Disease: What's New?

Diabetic nephropathy is one of the most frequent microvascular complications in diabetic patients. This report describes a case of diabetic nephropathy in an male adult (diabetic) patient treated with standard therapy and the contribution of the new antidiabetic drugs on the progression of the disease. We will deal the following questions: 1. What do we know about diabetic nephropathy and its natural history? 2. How should we manage diabetic nephropathy and what do the guidelines suggest on hyperglycemia? 3. How do we manage hyperglycemia in diabetic patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD)? Standard treatment. 4. What's news about antidiabetic medication? New treatment. 5. What's next?