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A 53-year-old man on hemodialysis suffered from short bowel syndrome after subtotal colectomy and partial resection of the small intestine. Laboratory tests showed multiple electrolyte disorders and enlarged sodium and chloride ion (Cl(−)) gaps despite treatment with large volume of sodium chloride replacement via central venous infusion. Blood gas analysis showed slightly high bicarbonate ion levels and metabolic alkalosis was suspected, which is uncommon in end stage kidney disease. The measurement of electrolytes in feces from ileostomy showed relatively high Cl(−) excretion. The loss of Cl(−) to feces may have caused the metabolic alkalosis; thus, additional Cl(−) replacement may have been necessary.

Background and Aims Plasma potassium levels are impacted by decreased kidney function and are known to be associated with increased mortality, adverse cardiovascular events and adverse kidney events. However, the prognostic implication of urinary potassium is unclear. Method We conducted an observational study of 1102 patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) who were hospitalized between 2010 and 2018. The expected primary outcomes were all-cause mortality, adverse cardiovascular events and CKD progression. CKD progression was defined as a 30% increase in serum creatinine, the initiation of maintenance dialysis or the need for kidney transplantation. The Cox proportional hazards model was used to analyse the association between urinary potassium excretion and adverse clinical outcomes after adjustment for potential confounders. Results At baseline, 66% of the patients were men, with a median age of 72 years (interquartile range or IQR, 64–79 years); 61% of the patients were diabetic, and 54% of them were hypertensive. The median values for estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) was 12 mL/min/1.73m2 (IQR, 8–18), serum potassium 4.5 mmol/L (IQR, 4.1–5.1) and urinary potassium/creatinine ratio (UK/Cr) 27 mmol/gCr (IQR, 20–38). Over a median follow-up period of 2.6 years (IQR 0.2–4.5), the number of all-cause deaths was 87. There were 171 cases of cardiovascular events and 860 cases of CKD progression. After adjusting for the eGFR, serum potassium level, proteinuria, renin–angiotensin system inhibitors, diuretics and other potential confounders, UK/Cr was found to be neither significantly associated with all-cause mortality nor with adverse cardiovascular events. However, a low UK/Cr was associated with an increased risk of CKD progression (adjusted hazard ratio [95% confidence interval] for the first, second and third quartiles, compared with the fourth quartile, were as follows: 2.09 [1.43-3.06], 1.33 [0.96-1.86] and 1.05 [0.75-1.46]) Conclusion A low UK/Cr might be an independent risk factor for poor renal outcome.

Background and Aims Tolvaptan (TV) slows down the increase in total kidney volume (TKV) in patients with autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD). The efficacy of TV in patients with moderate-to-severe renal dysfunction (RD) in ADPKD remains unknown. Method This was a single-centre retrospective study involving 27 patients with ADPKD who took TV and visited our hospital in the past six years. The participants were divided into two groups: the normal-to-mild RD (estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) ≥ 45mL/min/1.73m2) group and the moderate-to-severe RD (eGFR < 45mL/min/1.73m2) group. Treatment effects were evaluated using ΔTKV, which was calculated as post-/pre-treatment annual TKV change. Continuous variables are presented using the median [interquartile range]. Results The moderate-to-severe RD group comprised 11 patients. Baseline characteristics of the normal-to-mild vs. moderate-to-severe RD group were as follows: eGFR, 56 [50–69] vs. 29 [24–38] mL/min/1.73m2; age, 48 [39–55] vs. 49 [43–58] years; male gender, 57% vs. 36%; body mass index (BMI) , 26 [23–28] vs. 24 [22–27] kg/m2; TKV 1700 [1084–2574] vs. 1827 [1331–2424] mL; family history of ADPKD, 100% vs. 82%; history of cerebral aneurysm, 19% vs. 36%; hypertension, 81% vs. 82%; hyperuricemia, 13% vs. 27%; dyslipidaemia, 19% vs. 18%; diabetes, 6.1% vs. 9.1% and systolic blood pressure (sBP) on admission 138 [129–144] vs. 131 [128-137] mmHg. No significant differences were noted in all these parameters, except for renal function. The starting dose of TV was 60 mg/day in all cases (0.9 [0.7–1.0] vs. 0.9 [0.8–1.1] mg/kg; P = 0.35). Urine volume (7.5 [5.7–9.6] vs. 4.0 [3.3–4.7] L/day; P = 0.006) and urinary sodium excretion (163 [126–226] vs. 89 [81–120] mEq/day; P = 0.003) were higher in the normal-to-mild RD group. Between the groups, there were no differences in urine protein (0.12 [0.0–0.3] vs. 0.16 [0.08–0.29] g/day; P = 0.31) and ΔeGFR (98% [88–123] vs. 106% [102–112]; P = 0.45), which was calculated as post-/pre-treatment annual eGFR change. Although both groups experienced the therapeutic effects of TV, the efficacy was poorer in the moderate-to-severe RD group (ΔTKV, 82% [76–85] vs. 96% [86–97]; P = 0.001). Conclusion The efficacy of TV patients with moderate-to-severe RD in ADPKD might be modest.

Selectivity index (SI) of proteinuria, calculated using the clearance ratio of immunoglobulin G to transferrin, predicts the response to glucocorticoids in patients with nephrotic syndrome. However, there is disagreement regarding the suitability of SI. Therefore, alternate indices should be considered. This study investigated whether or not selectivity index protein fraction (SIPF) was inferior to SI for the prediction of the response to glucocorticoids.Forty-nine patients with nephrotic syndrome were evaluated. On the basis of molecular weight and protein fraction, as an inexpensive substitute for SI, the clearance ratio of the albumin to γ fractions measured in serum and urine protein fractions was defined as SIPF. The quality of SIPF was examined. Moreover, the best cutoff value of SIPF was determined; and SIPF distribution, according to histopathological diagnosis by renal biopsy, was examined.SIPF was strongly correlated with SI (r = 0.79, P 0.001). The area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve of SIPF and SI was not significantly different (P = 0.18). The best cutoff value of SIPF was 0.45. In the group with SIPF 0.45, only two patients with minimal change disease (MCD) achieved complete remission. In the group with SIPF ≤ 0.45, all patients with MCD achieved complete remission, although eight patients with other histopathological diagnoses did not achieve complete remission.Analysis of protein fractions as a substitute for SI may be useful for predicting response to glucocorticoids in patients with nephrotic syndrome.

A 71-year-old woman with polymyositis presenting with left thigh pain and an intermittent fever was admitted to Osaka Rosai Hospital. We initially diagnosed that her pain and fever were caused by a soft tissue infection because her polymyositis was controlled. She did not respond to various antibiotic therapies. Chest computed tomography demonstrated miliary tuberculosis (TB). Ziehl-Neelsen staining of liver biopsy specimens revealed epithelioid cell granuloma and acid-fast bacilli. Therefore, we finally diagnosed the lesion as TB fasciitis that improved with anti-TB drug therapy. The atypical presentation of TB fasciitis demonstrates the clinical importance of eliminating TB infections in immunocompromised hosts.

OBJECTIVEThe purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between vertebral bodies, psoas major morphology, and the course of lumbar nerve tracts using diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) before lateral interbody fusion (LIF) to treat spinal deformities.METHODSDTI findings in a group of 12 patients (all women, mean age 74.3 years) with degenerative lumbar scoliosis (DLS) were compared with those obtained in a matched control group of 10 patients (all women, mean age 69.8 years) with low-back pain but without scoliosis. A T2-weighted sagittal view was fused to tractography from L3 to L5 and separated into 6 zones (zone A, zones 1–4, and zone P) comprising equal quarters of the anteroposterior diameters, and anterior and posterior to the vertebral body, to determine the distribution of nerves at various intervertebral levels (L3–4, L4–5, and L5–S1). To determine psoas morphology, the authors examined images for a rising psoas sign at the level of L4–5, and the ratio of the anteroposterior diameter (AP) to the lateral diameter (lat), or AP/lat ratio, was calculated. They assessed the relationship between apical vertebrae, psoas major morphology, and the course of nerve tracts.RESULTSAlthough only 30% of patients in the control group showed a rising psoas sign, it was present in 100% of those in the DLS group. The psoas major was significantly extended on the concave side (AP/lat ratio: 2.1 concave side, 1.2 convex side). In 75% of patients in the DLS group, the apex of the curve was at L2 or higher (upper apex) and the psoas major was extended on the concave side. In the remaining 25%, the apex was at L3 or lower (lower apex) and the psoas major was extended on the convex side. Significant anterior shifts of lumbar nerves compared with controls were noted at each intervertebral level in patients with DLS. Nerves on the extended side of the psoas major were significantly shifted anteriorly. Nerve pathways on the convex side of the scoliotic curve were shifted posteriorly.CONCLUSIONSA significant anterior shift of lumbar nerves was noted at all intervertebral levels in patients with DLS in comparison with findings in controls. On the convex side, the nerves showed a posterior shift. In LIF, a convex approach is relatively safer than an approach from the concave side. Lumbar nerve course tracking with DTI is useful for assessing patients with DLS before LIF.

Diffusion-weighted whole-body imaging with background body signal suppression/T2 image fusion (DWIBS/T2) is useful for the diagnosis of cancer as it presents a clear contrast between cancerous and non-cancerous tissue. The present study investigated the limitations and advantages of DWIBS/T2 with regards to the diagnosis of colorectal polyp (CP) or cancer (CRC). The current study included patients diagnosed with CP or CRC following colonoscopy, who were subjected to DWIBS/T2 between July 2012 and March 2015. Patient records were analyzed retrospectively. Patients were subjected to DWIBS/T2 when they presented with abdominal cancers or inflammation. Colonoscopy was performed as part of screening, or if patients had suspected colon cancer or inflammatory bowel disease. A total of 8 male and 7 female patients were enrolled in the present study. All patients, with the exception of one who had been diagnosed with CRC following colonoscopy, had positive results and all patients diagnosed with CP following a colonoscopy, with the exception of one, had negative results on DWIBS/T2. Thus, CRC was detected by DWIBS/T2, while CP was not (P=0.0028). The diameter of CRC lesions was significantly larger than that of CP (P