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BACKGROUND: Contrast-induced nephropathy (CIN) is considered to be a possibly severe complication of radiography and thus, remains to be the main cause of acute kidney injury (AKI) for inpatients. A clinical trial was executed to measure the preventive effect of allopurinol against CIN in high-risk patients undertaking coronary angiography. METHODS: Through randomized controlled trial, 140 patients with at minimum two risk factors of CIN, undertaking coronary angiography, were randomly allocated to the allopurinol (n = 70) or control group (n = 70). Those in the allopurinol group received allopurinol (300 mg) a day before their coronary angiography and intravenous hydration for 12 hours before and after their procedure, while members of the control group only received intravenous hydration. Serum creatinine (SCr), blood urea nitrogen (BUN) and uric acid were measured before and 48 hours after the procedure. CIN was defined by a 25% increase in SCr or the concentration of > 0.5 mg/dl, 48 hours after coronary angiography. RESULTS: CIN was observed in 8 (11.4%) patients in the allopurinol group and 11 (15.7%) patients in the control group. There was no significant difference in the incidence of CIN between the two groups at 48 hours after coronary angiography (P = 0.459). In the allopurinol group, the median SCr concentration decreased non-significantly from 1.16 mg/dl to 1.13 mg/dl, 48 hours after coronary angiography (P = 0.189). In the control group, the median SCr concentration increased significantly from 1.11 mg/dl to 1.2 mg/dl, 48 hours after coronary angiography (P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Allopurinol presents no considerable effectiveness over the hydration protocol for development of CIN in high-risk patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: This study aimed to evaluate the prevalence of vitamin D inadequacy in patients receiving maintenance hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis (PD) and its association with inflammatory and nutritional factors.Materials and Methods: A total of 176 hemodialysis and 32 PD patients participated in the study. Serum levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D, albumin, parathyroid hormone, calcium, phosphorus, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (HSCRP), and neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) were measured. Data on body mass index were also collected. Stepwise multiple logistic regression analysis was used to identify predictors for 25-hydroxyvitamin D deficiency and its relationship with the nutritional and inflammatory factors.Results: No significant association was found between 25-hydroxyvitamin D and age, body mass index, serum calcium, serum phosphorus, parathyroid hormone, serum albumin, dialysis quality, and duration of dialysis; while NLR and HSCRP were significantly associated with 25-hydroxyvitamin D in the hemodialysis patients only (P < .001 and P = .001, respectively). A positive correlation was found between NLR and HSCRP in both hemodialysis and PD patients. (r = 0.817; P < .001). This association was confirmed between an NLR greater than 3 and an HSCRP level greater than 3.Conclusions: Vitamin D deficiency was highly prevalent in our dialysis patients, and inadequate level of vitamin D was associated with inflammatory factors such as HSCRP and NLR in both hemodialysis and PD patients. An easy and inexpensive test of an NLR greater than 3 could be used as a measure of inflammation instead of HSCRP in both PD and hemodialysis patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Castleman disease (CD) is a rare lymphoproliferative disorder, first described in 1956. This case report describes a 27-year-old man with hyaline vascular unicentric CD, first presented with edema and hypertension. On initial evaluation for edema, 24-hour urine collection revealed 8200 mg/24 h protein excretion. Pathologic examination of the kidney specimen showed diffuse mesangial lesions with segmental subepithelial deposition. On follow-up for nephrotic syndrome, the patient experienced a feeling of a mass in his pharynx and deterioration of previous snoring, documented by neck magnetic resonance imaging. Pathology report of the excisional biopsy showed CD. Treatment with corticosteroids and partial excision can be considered as an alternative to surgery for unresectable unicentric CD. The 5-year follow-up showed that this strategy could lead to remission. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The aim of this study was to evaluate the biochemical stone composition in general population of Qom province, central Iran, and its relationship with high tap water hardness., Materials and Methods: In a prospective study, from March 2008 to July 2011, biochemical analysis of urinary stones in patients living in Qom province for at least 5 years was performed. Stones were retrieved by spontaneous passage, endoscopic or open surgery, and after extracorporeal shockwave lithotripsy. Demographic findings and the drinking water supply of patients were evaluated and compared with biochemical stone analysis., Results: Stone analysis was performed in 255 patients. The most dominant composition of urinary stones was calcium oxalate (73%), followed by uric acid (24%), ammonium urate (2%), and cystine (1%). The peak incidence of urinary stone was in patients in their forties. Overall male to female ratio was 4.93:1., Conclusion: The dominant stone composition in inhabitants of central Iran, where tap water hardness is high, was calcium oxalate stones. On the basis of this study, biochemical urinary stone composition of Qom does not differ from other regions of Iran with lower water hardness.