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Amlodipine was administered as 14 single 5-mg oral daily doses to 27 male subjects with renal function ranging from normal to haemodialysis-dependent. Blood specimens were obtained for measurement of plasma amlodipine concentrations for 24 h following the first dose, for 168 h following the final dose and during daily administration of amlodipine. Amlodipine was well tolerated. Renal impairment had little effect on the pharmacokinetics of amlodipine. The elimination half-life was of the order of 50 h, similar to previously reported values and did not vary with renal function. Steady-state pre-dose concentrations were observed after the ninth dose. Accumulation of amlodipine was not significantly different from that expected on theoretical grounds and did not significantly change with renal function. These results suggest that once daily administration of amlodipine is suitable for all degrees of renal function and that dosage adjustment is not necessary in renal impairment.

Aluminium encephalopathy is a specific syndrome occurring in dialysis patients and linked to high aluminium levels in dialysis water. We present the features of 38 cases seen in a single dialysis and transplantation unit. Serum immunoglobulin levels and the prevalence of histocompatibility antigens are discussed. The syndrome in its complete form is specific and easily recognizable. Careful attention to premonitory symptoms may lead to earlier diagnosis.

Nephrotic syndrome has been observed in association with different types of neoplasia. This appears to be the first report of the occurrence of the nephrotic syndrome due to membrano proliferative glomerulonephritis in association with carcinoma of the oesophagus. Although proteinuria was present before excision of the tumour, the nephrotic phase occurred subsequently. Eventually it disappeared leaving the patient with a clear urine and biochemical and histological improvement of the renal lesion (including immunofluorescent and electronmicroscopy studies). Possible mechanisms responsible for the nephrotic syndrome in this case are discussed.

A retrospective study of the clinical records and biopsy specimens of all transplants performed between 1974 and 1987 was carried out. Recurrent glomerulonephritis was diagnosed only in those patients who had precise histological classification of their original disease. Of a total of 737 transplants performed in 633 recipients. 603 were from cadaveric and 134 from living related donors. Of 295 patients who were clinically classed as having chronic glomerulonephritis, histological confirmation was available in 156 (54%) as follows: membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis 34%, diffuse proliferative glomerulonephritis 27%, crescentic glomerulonephritis 13% IgA neuropathy 10%, focal sclerosing glomerulonephritis 10%, and membranous nephropathy 7%. There were 24 cases of recurrence in 23 recipients. Of these, 16 occurred in living-related and 8 in cadaveric grafts. Membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis recurred in 14 (8 type I and 6 type II), focal sclerosing glomerulonephritis in 5, IgA neuropathy in 3, crescentic glomerulonephritis in 1 and membranous nephropathy in 1. Graft failure occurred in 13 patients (54%) and was directly attributable to recurrent disease in 12. Membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis caused 8 graft losses, focal sclerosing glomerulonephritis 2, IgA 1 and crescentic glomerulonephritis 1. Recurrence caused graft loss in 50% of cases in which it occurred. The overall incidence of recurrence was 18%. In contrast to other series, a significantly higher incidence of recurrence was seen in our living-related group.

In order to correlate symptoms, osteoid volume, and aluminum deposition in bone, 46 methacrylate-embedded biopsy specimens from 26 hemodialysis patients were examined. Osteoid volume was measured using computer-assisted morphometric analysis, and aluminum was detected using the Aluminon stain. Positive staining for aluminum was present in biopsies from 21 patients. Osteoid volume did not correlate with duration of dialysis therapy or ingestion of aluminum hydroxide but displayed a logarithmic relationship with dialysate aluminum exposure. Patients with bone pain at the time of biopsy had a greater degree of hyperosteoidosis than asymptomatic subjects. Osteoid volume in patients with fractures and positive aluminum staining decreased on withdrawal from aluminum-rich dialysate. The Aluminon staining technic is a convenient method of confirming aluminum overload.