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Overall survival of HIV-infected has increased over the last ten years. In parallel a higher need for renal replacement therapy (RRT) in this population has been more observed. RRT associated complications and outcomes greatly varied since the introduction of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) and scarce data is available regarding the outcome of peritoneal dialysis (PD) in HIV-infected patients under HAART. We described 8 HIV-infected patients who were admitted at the Peritoneal Dialysis Unit at our institution from November-95 to November-07. Mean age was 40.7 +/- 5.3. Causes of end-stage renal disease were diabetes mellitus type 1 (2), focal and segmental glomerular sclerosis (2), IgA nephropathy (1) and unknown origin (3). High blood pressure was detected in 62,5% of the patients. Mean follow-up was 41.2 +/- 32.1 months (range 12-103). One, two and three year survival was 100, 62.5 and 50% respectively. Overall mortality was 62.5% and cardio-vascular events were the main cause of death (2 patients, 25%). Infective peritonitis rate was 0.36 IP/year, and Staphylococcus epidermidis was the most common pathogen identified. Hospital admission rate was 0.69 admission/year and the main cause of admission was respiratory tract infection. All patients received HAART. Lamivudine, stavudine and nelfinavir were the most frequent treatment prescribed. During the first year in PD undetectable viral load and CD4 % were not modified. A significant weight gain was observed during the first year of the study (60.6 kg. vs 64.9 kg. p > or = 0.016). Our results suggest that PD is a suitable choice for RRT in HIV-infected. Compared to previous studies, an increase in overall survival and a decrease in PD-associated complications were seen. The significance of cardio-vascular risk factors in the outcome of PD in HIV-infected patients is not completely determined. A multidisciplinary approach and a management of patients in individual basis remains mandatory.

Background: Corticosteroid-free maintenance immunosuppression after organ transplantation eliminates the well-known corticosteroid-related side effects and may help to improve long-term outcome. We investigated whether a corticosteroid-free tacrolimus (Tac)/mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) regimen, in combination with daclizumab (Dac) induction therapy, provides adequate immunosuppression after renal transplantation., Methods: This 6-month, open-label, multicenter, parallel-group study involved 538 renal patients randomized (1:1) to a Dac/Tac/MMF regimen (n = 260) or a Tac/MMF/corticosteroids regimen (n = 278) as a control group., Results: Of the patients who completed the study, 88.8% in the Dac/Tac/MMF group were free from corticosteroid therapy at month 6. The incidence of biopsy-proven acute rejection was 16.5% in both treatment groups; the incidence of biopsy-proven corticosteroid-resistant acute rejection was 4.3% and 5.0% with Tac/MMF/corticosteroids and Dac/Tac/MMF, respectively (P = NS for both comparisons). Renal function was also similar in both groups: median serum creatinine at month 6 was 125.0 micromol/L (Tac/MMF/corticosteroids) and 131.0 microml/L (Dac/Tac/MMF), P = 0.277. The overall safety profile was similar with both regimens. However, compared with the Tac/MMF/steroid regimen, a significantly reduced incidence of new-onset insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (5.4% vs. 0.4%, P = 0.003) was found with steroid-free immunosuppression. Moreover, mean total cholesterol concentrations increased from baseline in the Tac/MMF/corticosteroids group by 0.19 mmol/L, whereas in the Dac/Tac/MMF group, levels decreased by 0.19 mmol/L, P = 0.005., Conclusions: Corticosteroid-free immunosuppression with a Dac/Tac/MMF regimen is as effective at preventing acute rejection after renal transplantation as a standard triple regimen of Tac/MMF/corticosteroids. Furthermore, the safety benefits reported with Dac/Tac/MMF treatment may help improve the long-term outcome for renal-transplant patients.

Background: The goal of this research is to make a comparative analysis of acute tubular necrosis (NTA) incidence in function of preservation solution used: Wisconsin vs Celsior., Methods: From January 1994 to December 2002, 229 kidney transplantation procedures were executed; 190 of them were perfused with Wisconsin (82.9%) and 39 with Celsior (17.1%). After checking the statistical homogeneity of both groups, we analysis comparatively the incidence of NTA and the evolution of serum creatinine in function of preservation solution utilized., Results: There was not statistical significant difference in NTA incidence between Celsior (23%) and Wisconsin group (36%). We assessed that each group were comparable with regard to NTA incidence of subgroups with cold ischemia times longer 12 hours. Creatinine serum in Celsior group tended to be lower than Wisconsin group at 1, 3, 6 and 12 months posttransplantation (statistically significant difference, p<0.05), Conclusions: Kidney preservation in Celsior solution provides similar results to the ones obtained in Wisconsin solution in relation with NTA incidence and kidney function with the added advantage of a lower cost.

Objective: To analyze the impact of the use of the routine double-J stent in the incidence of urological complications, like fistula, stenosis, ureteral obstruction and urinary tract infection., Methods: A retrospective study was conducted on two groups of patients: 28 without double-J stent and 28 with it. We reviewed urological complications: stenosis, fistula and obstruction. We paid special attention to urinary tract infection and other inherents complications to the use of double-J stents., Results: A patient from the double-J stended group (3.6%) developed a urinary fistula and there were no obstructions. 13 patients (46.6%) had a positive urinary culture in the first month post RT. Two urinary fistulas and 4 obstructions were developed in the non-stended group. Six major complications of the urinary tract. 14 patients (50%) had a positive urinary culture in the first month post RT., Conclusions: The use of double-J stent across uterovesical anastomosis decreases the post-RT ureteral complications. Stent placement does not increase the risk of urinary tract infection in the early post-RT.

Objective: To analyze the prevalence of neoplasms in renal transplant patients and the relative risk for each tumor type according to the immunosuppression regimen., Methods: 609 renal transplants were reviewed. The risk index was determined by the ratio of the cases observed and predicted., Results: Tumor prevalence was 4.9% (30/609); 6.3% (25/393) were males and 2.3% (5/216) were females. The most common tumors were cutaneous tumors other than melanoma, accounting for 2.4% (15/609), followed by Kaposi's sarcoma, pulmonary epidermoid carcinoma and genitourinary tumors (0.5%) and non-Hodgkin lymphoma (0.3%). Tumor prevalence was 6.8% for the group treated with azathioprine-prednisone and 3.9% for the cyclosporine A-prednisone-treated group. The estimated relative risk of having a neoplasm was 10-fold higher for the males and 4.2-fold higher for the females vs the general population. The mortality rate was 36.6%; specifically tumor-related in 82%. The mortality rate for those with solid tumors was 77.7%. The long-term survival rate for the group that developed a tumor was significantly lower than that of the general population, 75% vs 53%, respectively (p < 0.05)., Conclusion: In this series no significant differences were observed relative to tumor prevalence or type according to the immunosuppression regimen. A recipient of a renal graft has a higher risk of developing a tumor. Cutaneous tumors were the most frequent. The long-term survival is lower for recipients of renal grafts who develop a tumor.

Objectives: The incidence of arterial hypertension post-renal transplantation has been reported to be 48.6%. The present study investigated the usefulness of echo Doppler in detecting renal artery stenosis and the effects of arterial pressure control and hypotensive agents on the vascular resistance of the renal graft., Methods: A total of 234 echo Doppler studies were done in 110 patients. The pulsatility index (PI), resistance index (RI), acceleration and mean velocity (MV), maximum systolic (SVMX) and minimum diastolic (DVMN) velocities of the external iliac, renal, segmental, interlobar and arcuate arteries were determined., Results: In the stenotic segment, an elevation of SVMX was observed, followed by turbulent flow in the post-stenotic segment in 73% of the cases with arterial stenosis. The hypertensive patients had a higher external iliac artery RI than the normotensives. The beta-blockers reduced the RI in large vessels (external iliac), the vasodilators in medium-sized extraparenchymal vessels (segmental) and the calcium antagonists changed the PI in the smaller caliber intraparenchymal vessels (interlobar and arcuate)., Conclusions: Evaluation by echo Doppler is the first diagnostic approach in patients suspected as having arterial stenosis of the renal graft. It permits evaluating blood flow changes from hypertension and hypotensive agents.

A total of 51 potential recipients of a renal transplant (RT) have been evaluated with an Eco-Doppler study of the posterior femoral, popliteal and posterior tibial corteries. Acceleration (AC), mean rate (MR), maximum systolic rate (MXSR) and minimal diastolic rate (MNDR), as well as pulsatility (PI) and resistance index (RI) were measured. Arterial high blood pressure (HBP), smoking, time in haemodialysis (HD) and cholesterol and triglycerides levels, were evaluated as vascular risk factors. RI and PI were maximal, and MXSR, MR and AC minimal at the popliteal artery level. Smoking (number of cigarettes/day) (R = 0.77), systolic blood pressure (BP) (R = 0.43), time of HBP evolution (R = 0.044), cholesterol level (R = 0.43) and time in HD (R = 0.35) correlate with Eco-Doppler parameters. Fifteen of these 51 patients underwent transplantation, and increased RR and PR with decreased MR and MXSR were seen post-RT in the ipsilateral popliteal and posterior tibial arteries. Eco-Doppler is a useful technique to evaluate the vascular risk of potential RT recipients.

A total of 118 allograft nephrectomies (TX) were performed after 474 renal transplants (TR) (24.9%). 49.1% of the patients were immunosuppressed with azathioprine-prednisone (AZA-PRED) and 50.9% with cyclosporine-prednisone (CSA-PRED). Mean time to TX after returning to hemodialysis was 36.2 +/- 6.4 days (0-372). Acute rejection (33.1%) was the first cause of TX, followed by chronic rejection (26.3%), vascular complications (25.5%), recurrent renal disease (5.9%), non-functioning allograft (4.2%) and not clearly established cause (1.7%). The surgical technique was extracapsular in 70.3% of the cases and subcapsular in 29.7%. The mean post-TR time to TX was significantly greater (p < 0.01) for the subcapsular technique. The mean surgical time was 106 +/- 4.4 min (45-300). Post-TX morbidity was 34%. Hemorrhage (11.2%) was the most frequent complication. The rest of the complications were infection (10.4%), neurologic (5.4%), gastrointestinal (4.5%), pulmonary (3.6%), cardiovascular (2.7%), nerve lesions (2.7%), lymphocele (0.9%) and urinary fistula (0.9%). The post-TX mortality was 6.5% (7/118), although it was significantly lower in the patients immunosuppressed with CSA-PRED (1.6%) than in those treated with AZA-PRED (10.3%).

Urodynamic pressure-flow studies (Whitaker test) of 28 kidneys (21 orthotopic and 7 transplanted) with equivocal obstruction of the upper urinary tract (UUT) yielded a sensitivity rate of 77.7% and a specificity rate of 75% in the orthotopic kidney, and sensitivity and specificity rates of 75% in the transplanted kidney. Trauma to the transplanted kidney (denervation, ischemia and surgery) does not modify the urodynamic of the pyelocaliceal system, thus conferring on the test the same diagnostic reliability as in the orthotopic kidney.

The prevalence of three different types of antiphospholipid antibody in 88 consecutive patients with systemic lupus were 27.2% for lupus anticoagulant (LAC), 31.8% for anticardiolipin antibody (aCL), and 13.6% for falsely positive serologic tests for syphilis (FPSTS). The three tests were correlated, thus confirming the overlapping specificities of this family of antibodies. Although FPSTS was not associated with any particular manifestation of systemic lupus, aCL correlated with thrombosis (p = 0.0001), thrombopenia (p = 0.009), neuropsychiatric features (p = 0.02) and membranous nephropathy (p = 0.001), while LAC correlated with thrombosis (p = 0.001) and hemolytic anemia (p = 0.04). The previously unreported association between membranous nephropathy and aCL might explain some features of the former, particularly the higher incidence of thromboembolic complications and the poorly known relation with renal vein thrombosis.