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Background: Diabetic nephropathy (DN) is a common cause of end stage renal disease (ESRD). The benefits and effects of renin-angiotensin system blocker drugs are obvious in decreasing albuminuria, but there is a need to find other drugs that can decrease albuminuria. The aim of our study is to evaluate the effect of short term administration of curcumin on overt albuminuria in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Materials and Methods: A randomized, double blind clinical trial was performed on 46 patients with T2DM, overt albuminuria ≥300 mg/24 h, and estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) ≥30 mL/min/1.73 m². After the random allocation of the patients, they were divided into two groups. In the curcumin group, the patients received 500 mg (one capsule) of curcumin with each meal (three times/day after meal) for 16 weeks. Other variables including blood urea nitrogen (BUN), creatinine (Cr), fasting blood sugar (FBS), 2 h postprandial blood sugar (2 h pp BS), lipid profile, 24 h urine analysis for albuminuria, serum albumin, and hemoglobin A1C (HbA1C) were checked at baseline and bimonthly too. Results: two groups at baseline were comparable in terms of basic characteristics (P > 0.05). Albuminuria decreased significantly from 900.42 ± 621.91 at the baseline to 539.68 ± 375.16 at the end of the study in the curcumin group (PTime = 0.002); however, no statistically significant changes were observed in the placebo group (519.94 ± 214.33 at the baseline vs. 444.00 ± 219.10 at the end of the trial; PTime = 0.43), and the decrease was significantly higher in the curcumin group than that of the placebo group (PIntervention = 0.01). No significant differences were observed between the placebo and curcumin in terms of changes in serum BUN, Cr, FBS, 2 h pp BS, HbA1C, lipid profile, and albumin. Conclusion: Our study showed that curcumin as an active turmeric metabolite was an effective adjuvant therapy for ameliorating macroscopic proteinuria in type 2 diabetic patients. Its effect may appear after 2 months of therapy and even in patients with a mild decrease in GFR. Further studies with larger sample size and longer duration are recommended. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hyperphosphatemia is a risk factor for ectopic calcification and coronary artery diseases in end stage renal diseases (ESRD). The aim of this study was to assess the effect of low-dose nicotinic acid on hyperphosphatemia in patients with ESRD. This randomized, double-blind clinical trial was done on 70 ESRD patients with serum phosphoure ≥5.5 mg/dl. Patients were randomly divided into two equal groups (n = 35) and the intervention group received niacin 25 mg/day as the initial dose. After 4 weeks, in patients who did not respond to treatment, niacin dose was increased up to 50 mg/dl. At the end of week 8, in case there was no treatment effect, the dose was raised to 100 mg/day. The appropriate response to treatment was defined as serum phosphorous level reductions <5.5 mg/dl. The age was 50.5 ± 14.3 years and duration of dialysis 5.1 ± 5.3 months. In the niacin group, mean phosphorus level decreased from 6.7 ± 0.84 mg/dl at the end of the 1st month to 5.8 ± 1.0 mg/dl at the end of the 2nd month and to 4.4 ± 1.4 mg/dl at the end of the 3rd month (P = 0.004). In the placebo group, mean phosphorus level increased from 6.5 ± 1.2 mg/dl to 7.2 ± 0.91 mg/dl at the end of the 3rd month (P = 0.006). In the niacin group, high density lipoprotein (HDL) increased significantly from 45.00 ± 14.9 to 47.2 ± 11.6 (P = 0.009). We conclude that niacin (100 mg/day) decreased phosphorus serum level and increased HDL serum level in patients on dialysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hemodialysis has improved the morbidity and mortality associated with end stage renal disease. In India, hemodialysis prescription is empiric, which leads to complications related to under-dialysis. Hence, adequacy of hemodialysis in Indian setting was analyzed in this study. A total of 50 patients on twice per week hemodialysis were assessed for 1 month. The number of sessions meeting standards laid out by Kidney Diseases Outcome Quality Initiatives (KDOQI) guidelines were calculated. They were divided into two groups: one in whom dialysis was monitored and session length enhanced to meet the minimum standard Kt/V of 2 and second control group; where Kt/V was not monitored. Hemoglobin (Hb) levels, albumin levels, mean arterial pressure and World Health Organization (WHO) quality of life (QoL) score were compared in the two groups after 6 months. Only 28% of hemodialysis sessions were adequate as per KDOQI guidelines. There was significant improvement in Hb levels (1.47 vs. 0.15 g/dl), mean arterial pressure levels (15.2 vs. 3.16 mm Hg), serum albumin levels (0.82 vs. 0.11 g/dl) and WHO QoL score (17.2 vs. 2.24) in study group as compared to control group. Standard Kt/V can be used as an important tool to modify twice weekly dialysis sessions to provide better QoL to the patients. However, studies with larger sample size are required to conclusively prove our results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Chronic kidney disease is a progressive and irreversible loss of renal function. Anemia is one of the main complications of end-stage renal disease (ESRD) which is linked closely with other complications of the disease. The primary therapy for anemia in these patients is erythropoietin (EPO). The goal of this study was to find the effect of Vitamin D administration in addition to the appropriate dose of EPO in ESRD patients with Vitamin D deficiency. Materials and Methods: This was a double-blind clinical trial on 64 ESRD patients undergoing hemodialysis in Amin and Noor Hospitals of Isfahan, Iran. The patients were divided into two groups of control and intervention. The intervention group was given Vitamin D supplements and the control group received placebo. The required dose of EPO to reach the target hemoglobin (Hb) was measured and statistically analyzed. Results: A total number of 32 females and 32 males were included in this study. All the patients in the treatment group were aged between 18 and 76 and the patients in the control group were aged between 21 and 76 years old. There was a significant statistical relationship between Vitamin D administration and the required dose of EPO in both groups (P = 0.013). However, there was no correlation between the concentration of Hb and serum Vitamin D levels. Conclusion: Based on the main finding of this study, the relationship between Vitamin D administration and required dose of EPO seems that the predicted dose of Vitamin D prescribing strategy in Kidney Disease Outcomes Quality Initiative guidelines is not adequate to achieve normal serum Vitamin D in ESRD patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]