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Aim: IgA nephropathy (IgAN) is the most common primary glomerular disease worldwide. Pregnant IgAN patients are more susceptible to adverse pregnancy outcomes (APO). However, the risk factor for APO and its effects on the long‐term renal outcome of pregnant IgAN patients remained unclear. Methods: We performed a retrospective observational study covering 2003–2019 that included 44 female IgAN patients with pregnancy history to investigate the risk factor for APO and its impact on clinical outcome in IgAN. Renal function outcome and proteinuria remission were evaluated in pregnant IgAN women with and without APO. Results: In this retrospective and observational study, we found that patients with APO exhibited higher levels of serum creatinine and IgM, and lower haemoglobin levels while other clinical characteristics, pathological characteristics and therapy protocol had no significant difference. We found that anaemia and a higher level of serum IgM were independent risk factors for APO. IgAN pregnant women without APO experienced a higher proportion of proteinuria remission than those with APO, but there is no difference in the renal function outcome. Conclusion: Pregnant IgAN patients with higher risks, including lower haemoglobin levels and higher IgM levels deserve intensive monitoring, and aggressive therapy to reduce proteinuria should be carried out in pregnant IgAN patients with APO. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Refractory lupus nephritis (LN) causes kidney disease progression and increases the risk of loss of renal function. Due to the high specificity and few side effects of biological agents, they are recommended for the treatment of systemic lupus erythematosus. There are few data on telitacicept for the treatment of refractory LN. Case Presentation: Here, we report the efficacy and safety of telitacicept in the treatment of refractory LN in a 25-year-old female patient. This patient with refractory lupus developed Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia while using multitargeted therapy, and the patient's urine protein was rapidly relieved after telitacicept combination with low-dose mycophenolate mofetil (MMF). Conclusion: This result suggests that telitacicept has a positive effect on refractory LN with no significant side effects. Further reports and a registry are necessary to confirm that telitacicept with low-dose MMF should be preferred in refractory LN. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Heart failure (HF) is one of the main comorbidities in patients receiving maintenance hemodialysis (HD). Sacubitril/valsartan (SAC/VAL) is widely used in HF patients with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) or HF mid-range ejection fraction (HFmrEF). However, the pharmacokinetic (PK) and pharmacodynamic properties of SAC/VAL in HD patients with HF remain uncertain. Objectives: This study aimed to analyze the efficacy and PK properties of SAC/VAL in HD patients with HFrEF or HFmrEF. Methods: HD patients with HFrEF or HFmrEF were treated with SAC/VAL 50 or 100 mg twice a day (BID) and the concentrations of valsartan and LBQ657 (active metabolite of SAC) were determined by high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry during HD and on the days between HD sessions (interval days). N-terminal-pro B-type natriuretic peptide and high-sensitivity troponin T were measured, and left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) was evaluated by echocardiography. Results: The mean maximum plasma concentrations (Cmax) of LBQ657 and VAL on the interval days were 15.46 ± 6.01 and 2.57 ± 1.23 mg/L, respectively. Compared with previous values in patients with severe renal impairment and healthy volunteers, these levels both remained within the safe concentration ranges during treatment with SAC/VAL 100 mg BID. Moreover, SAC/VAL significantly improved LVEF in HD patients with HFrEF or HFmrEF (p < 0.05). Conclusions: HD did not remove the SAC metabolite LBQ657 or VAL in patients with HF. However, SAC/VAL 100 mg BID was safe and effective in patients undergoing HD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Anemia is a common complication of chronic kidney disease (CKD). Recombinant human erythropoietin (rHu-EPO) is used extensively in patients with CKD. However, anti-erythropoietin (anti-EPO) antibody has been reported during rHu-EPO treatment, which causes pure red cell aplasia (PRCA). We presented a case of 75-year-old man, who underwent hemodialysis for 2 years. He developed PRCA during rHu-EPO treatment. The rHu-EPO was immediately discontinued, and the patient was given roxadustat treatment. After 6 months of roxadustat treatment, the anti-EPO antibody was disappeared, and hemoglobin recovered normal range. The results suggest that roxadustat can be used to treat patients with anti-EPO antibody-mediated PRCA without immunosuppressive therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chancellor Helmut Kohl, buoyed by Germany's increasing economic strength and rising political stature, foresees a greater role for Germany in international politics. Kohl, after winning the second election, said that Germany can play a major role in the integration of Europe. Regarding Russia, Germany has adopted a policy of cooperation and control; and with USA, it has decided upon both cooperation and joint ventures. According to Kohl, Germany regards China as a future market and seeks cooperation in a number of political and economic spheres.

Hypertension is one of the most common complications of chronic kidney disease (CKD). Some research has indicated that changes in large artery function especially caused by thromboxane A2 (TXA2) may be a novel factor acting to induce hypertension in CKD. We studied the 5/6 nephrectomy rat model and measured serum levels of creatinine (Cr), calcium (Ca), phosphorus (P), TXA2-stable metabolites (thromboxane B2, TXB2), and caudal artery pressure after nephrectomy. The tension variations in thoracic aortas were measured after stimulating by vasoconstrictor/vasodilator using the cumulative concentration administration method and then tested the expression of TXA2 receptors in the thoracic aortas through western blots. The CKD rats developed uremia, electrolyte imbalances，and hypertension. They also exhibited a significant increase in TXB2 concentration. The aortic rings of CKD rats showed an increased contraction response to U46619 (a TXA2 analogue) and the expression of TXA2 receptors also enhanced. In the meanwhile, the diastolic function decreased in the CKD group. Our results demonstrate that the impairment of artery contractile function caused by the increase of TXA2 receptors on the wall of aortic rings may be involved in hypertension in CKD rats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Secondary hyperparathyroidism (SHPT) is a prevalent chronic complication in patients undergoing hemodialysis. Parathyroidectomy (PTX) is crucial for reducing mortality and improving the prognosis in the treatment of refractory hyperparathyroidism. However, it is often associated with a number of postoperative complications such as postoperative hypotension, hyperkalemia, and hungry bone syndrome. A previous study demonstrated that low blood pressure influences the patency of autogenous arteriovenous fistulas (AVF). Few studies have examined AVF dysfunction following PTX. This study aimed to identify and describe the risk variables associated with AVF dysfunction after PTX., Methods: Cases of AVF dysfunction after PTX between 2015 and 2021 were studied. Four controls were identified for each patient and were matched for sex and age. Biochemical parameters and blood pressure of the patients before and after PTX were recorded. Risk factors for AVF dysfunction after PTX were identified using conditional logistic regression analysis., Results: Sixteen patients and 64 controls were included in this study. Baseline demographic and laboratory data were compared. Patients in the AVF dysfunction group had lower levels of postoperative calcium than the controls. After surgery, calcium levels decreased more in patients with AVF dysfunction than in the control group. The decrease in systolic blood pressure (ΔSBP) after PTX was greater in the AVF dysfunction group than that in the control group. For each 1 mmHg increment in ΔSBP, the risk of AVF dysfunction after surgery increased by 11.6% (OR = 1.116, 95% CI, 1.005-1.239, p  = .040). The likelihood of developing AVF dysfunction after surgery was twelvefold higher in diabetic patients than in non-diabetic patients (OR = 12.506, 95% CI, 1.113-140.492, p  = .041). Among patients with ΔSBP > 5.8 mmHg after PTX, the AVF failure rate was significantly greater in patients with diabetes than in those without diabetes. Patients with a history of AVF failure had a nine-fold higher risk of developing AVF dysfunction (OR = 9.143, 95% CI, 1.151-72.627, p  = .036). Serum albumin, hemoglobin, ΔiPTH, and age were not independent predictors of AVF dysfunction. The cutoff value for SBP was 5.8 mmHg, as determined by the Youden index of the receiver operating characteristic curve., Conclusion: Decreased systolic blood pressure (ΔSBP) after PTX, diabetes, and AVF failure history were risk factors for AVF dysfunction following PTX in patients with SHPT. Diabetes patients with ΔSBP > 5.8 mmHg were more prone to AVF dysfunction after PTX.

Background: Tacrolimus inhibits hepatitis B virus entry into hepatocytes through targeting the HBV receptor, sodium taurocholate cotransporting polypeptide. This study was performed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of Tacrolimus combined with entecavir antiviral therapy for HBV-associated glomerulonephritis patients with biopsy-proven membranous nephropathy., Method: A cohort of 42 patients was enrolled in this retrospective study. Twenty-three patients received Tacrolimus (0.05 mg/kg/day) in combination entecavir over 24 weeks, whereas the other 19 patients only received entecavir monotherapy., Results: The probability of proteinuria remission in the Tacrolimus+entecavir group was 69 and 87% after 12 and 24 weeks, whereas was only 26 and 42%, respectively, in the entecavir group. The mean time to partial or complete remission was 18.6 weeks in the Tacrolimus+entecavir group and 34.3 weeks in the entecavir group (P<0.001). A decrease in the HBV DNA titer was observed in all patients with active HBV replication. None of the HBV carriers in the Tacrolimus+entecavir group showed evidence of HBV reactivation. The serum creatinine and alanine aminotransferase levels remained stable in both groups. The Tacrolimus target trough concentration was 5-10 ng/mL., Conclusion: Tacrolimus combined with entecavir rapidly and effectively induced remission of HBV-GN in Chinese adults. Furthermore, Tacrolimus may have a synergistic antiviral effect with entecavir.

Objectiv: To investigate the potential value of urine hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA as a new noninvasive diagnostic indicator for HBV-associated glomerulonephritis (HBV-GN)., Methods: A total of 152 patients including 66 with HBV-GN, 66 with non-HBV-GN, and 20 with chronic hepatitis B (CHB) without renal disease were examined for serum and urine HBV DNA levels using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and for 5 serum HBV markers using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays., Results: Twenty-two patients (33%) in the HBV-GN group, but none in the other two groups, were found positive for urine HBV DNA. In the diagnosis of HBV-GN, urine HBV DNA had a high specificity (0.98), a good positive predictive value (PPV, 0.96), and a modest negative predictive value (NPV, 0.60). Urine HBV DNA, alone or in combination with serum HBeAg, was superior in the diagnosis of HBV-GN to the combination of urine HBV DNA with serum HBV DNA, hepatitis B surface antigen and the hepatitis B e antigen., Conclusion: Urine HBV DNA may be one of the new noninvasive diagnostic criterion for HBV-GN.

Objective: To investigate RANK-RANKL expression in the kidneys of a rat model of puromycin aminonucleoside nephropathy (PAN)., Methods: Thirty-six SD rats were randomly divided into PAN model group and normal control group. PAN was induced by a single intravenous injection of 100 mg/kg puromycin aminonucleoside. Serum creatinine and 24-hour urinary protein were measured on days 3, 7, and 14 after the injection, and renal pathologies were assessed with optical and immune transmission electron microscopy. The expression of RANK and RANKL in the kidneys was examined using reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and Western blotting., Results: The PAN model rats showed massive proteinuria and elevated serum creatinine on day 3, which peaked on day 7. RANK-RANKL protein and mRNA expressions in PAN model group was higher than those in the control group. In the PAN rats, RANK was expressed mainly on the top cell membrane and in the cytoplasm of renal podocytes with a significantly increased expression level compared with that in the control group., Conclusion: The PAN rat model shows aberrant RANK and RANKL expressions in the podocytes, indicating their contribution to podocyte injury in PAN.