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Background: Cutaneous diseases are observed with increasing duration and severity of renal disease in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). This study aimed to elucidate dermatological manifestations at different stages of CKD and determine their relationship with interleukin 31 (IL-31), a T-cell cytokine that induces severe pruritus, and uridine diphosphate (UDP)-glucose ceramide glucosyltransferase (UGCG), an enzyme that metabolizes ceramide, which plays an important role in moisturizing epidermis., Methods: In this retrospective cohort study 145 patients with a mean age of 46 ± 17 years were categorized into hemodialysis (group 1), peritoneal dialysis (group 2),  kidney transplant (group 3), CKD (group 4), and healthy control (group 5) groups. Serum IL-31 and  UGCG levels were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and clinical dermatologists evaluated dermatological manifestations., Results: In the overall cohort, pruritus was significantly and inversely correlated with glomerular filtration rate and serum hemoglobin and albumin levels (p <0.005). Additionally, pruritus was significantly more frequent in group 2 than in group 5; and significantly less frequent in group 3 than in groups 1, 2, and 4 (p =0.01). In group 4, the patients with longitudinal nail ridges had significantly higher serum IL-31 levels than those without longitudinal nail ridges in their nails (p =0.02). Furthermore, in group 2, the patients with pruritus had significantly lower UGCG levels than those without pruritus (p =0.045)., Conclusion: IL-31 might play a role in the development of longitudinal nail ridges, whereas UGCG might provide protection from pruritus and xerosis in patients with CKD.  HIPPOKRATIA 2019, 23(2): 75-80., Competing Interests: All authors declare that there are no conflicts of interest related to the study., (Copyright 2019, Hippokratio General Hospital of Thessaloniki.)

Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a major cause of mortality and morbidity in hospitalized patients. Incidence and mortality rates vary from country to country, and according to different in-hospital monitoring units and definitions of AKI. The aim of this study was to determine factors affecting frequency of AKI and mortality in our hospital. We retrospectively evaluated data for 1550 patients diagnosed with AKI and 788 patients meeting the Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes (KDIGO) guideline AKI criteria out of a total of 174 852 patients hospitalized in our institution between January 1, 2007 and December 31, 2012. Staging was performed based on KDIGO Clinical Practice for Acute Kidney Injury and RIFLE (Risk, Injury, Failure, Loss of kidney function and End-stage renal failure). Demographic and biochemical data were recorded and correlations with mortality were assessed. The frequency of AKI in our hospital was 0.9%, with an in-hospital mortality rate of 34.6%. At multivariate analysis, diastolic blood pressure (OR 0.89, 95% CI 0.87-0.92; P < 0.001), monitoring in the intensive care unit (OR 0.18, 95% CI 0.09-0.38; P < 0.001), urine output (OR 4.00, 95% CI 2.03-7.89; P < 0.001), duration of oliguria (OR 1.51, 95% CI 1.34-1.69; P < 0.001), length of hospitalization (OR 0.83, 95% CI 0.79-0.88; P < 0.001), dialysis requirement (OR 2.30, 95% CI 1.12-4.71; P < 0.05), APACHE II score (OR 1.16, 95% CI 1.09-1.24; P < 0.001), and albumin level (OR 0.32, 95% CI 0.21-0.50; P < 0.001) were identified as independent determinants affecting mortality. Frequency of AKI and associated mortality rates in our regional reference hospital were compatible with those in the literature. This study shows that KDIGO criteria are more sensitive in determining AKI. Mortality was not correlated with staging based on RIFLE or KDIGO. Nonetheless, our identification of urine output as one of the independent determinants of mortality suggests that this parameter should be used in assessing the correlation between staging and mortality., (Copyright © 2015 International Center for Artificial Organs and Transplantation and Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

In addition to being the main cause of glomerulonephritis in children, poststreptococcal glomerulonephritis (PSGN) has recently been shown in older patients, especially those with malignancy or diabetes mellitus. The pathogenesis of PSGN has been ascribed to activation of complement 3 (C3) of the alternative complement cascade which, along with immunoglobulin (Ig) G and IgM deposits, is observed in renal tissue. Our aim here is to discuss the probable causes of PSGN developing with isolated IgM deposition in a 52-year-old patient with essential thrombocytosis followed-up over the previous 3.5 years. These characteristics make our case the first to be reported in the literature.

Background: The aim of this study was to explore effects of erythropoietin and pentoxifylline in tacrolimus-induced pancreatic beta cell and renal injury in rats., Methods: Rats in group I were given saline; rats in group II were injected with tacrolimus; rats in group III were received erythropoietin (Epo) and tacrolimus; while rats in group IV were injected pentoxifylline (Ptx) plus tacrolimus for nine d. On 10th day, blood and tissue samples were taken for biochemical and pathological evaluations., Results: Tacrolimus-injected animals exhibited significant elevation in blood urea nitrogen (BUN), and serum BUN levels were improved in rats pretreated with Ptx. Significantly more apoptotic nuclei were observed in kidneys of tacrolimus group. In rats subjected to tacrolimus and pretreated with Epo, there was significant decrease in apoptotic nuclei staining than those in tacrolimus group. Blood trough levels of tacrolimus were significantly higher in erythropoietin-pretreated group, although same amount of tacrolimus was injected with other groups., Conclusion: Results of our study demonstrated significant antiapoptotic effects of erythropoietin on renal tubules, increasing effect of erythropoietin on tacrolimus blood levels, and insignificant antioxidant effects of both erythropoietin and pentoxifylline on renal and pancreas tissues. Study with clinically greater tacrolimus levels may be useful to confirm these findings., (© 2012 John Wiley & Sons A/S.)

Introduction: There have been several advances in the delivery of drugs through the buccal mucosa over the last 5 years, which have resulted in a number of new buccal delivery products appearing on the market., Areas Covered: This review discusses the most recent developments in the area of buccal and sublingual drug delivery, with a focus on marketed drugs. Likely future directions are also considered and reported., Expert Opinion: The future potential of buccal and sublingual delivery systems looks favorable. It is envisaged that in the future, buccal and sublingual delivery technologies will provide a platform for the successful delivery of vaccines and antigens. It is also foreseen that physical means of enhancing drug uptake (e.g., sonophoresis, iontophoresis and electroporation) will be commercialized for buccal delivery, thereby expanding the current drug candidate list for this area. The formulation of delivery systems for photosensitizers in photodynamic therapy is a potential emerging area, while buccal and sublingual delivery, in general, is attractive for the development of intellectual property.

Rhabdomyolysis is a clinical condition that causes renal failure up to 40%. Rhabdomyolysis may be traumatic or nontraumatic. Colistin (polymyxin E) is an effective antibiotic. Nephrotoxicity is a frequently encountered side effect. The nephrotoxic effect of colistin is thought to be associated with increased membrane permeability, cell swelling and lysis, and the development of acute tubular necrosis. Here, we report a case of nontraumatic rhabdomyolysis associated with the use of colistin. There is only one report of rhabdomyolysis secondary to colistin in the literature, and there is no report of a case developing severe tetraparesis, as in our case.