Serum Hepcidin Evaluation in Patients with Chronic Dialysis

The aim of our study was to quantify serum hepcidin levels in Bulgarian patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). Expected high values of peptide hormones might provide a new therapeutic choice for anemia of chronic disease. We looked for correlation between serum hepcidin levels and some iron metabolism parameters in CKD patients. Results: The sandwich ELISA is highly specific for hepcidin-25. We found statistically significant differences in serum hepcidin levels in patients of the control group, with CKD stages II to IV and CKD stage V (on chronic dialysis): 12.7±8.7μg/L, 90.74±21.1μg/L, and 282.49±81.1μg/L, respectively. Significant correlation between serum hepcidin and transferrin saturation (r=0.340, P<0.05) was found in the group of patients with CKD stage V. Conclusion: The use of 2 monoclonal antibodies in a sandwich ELISA format provides a reliable, reproducible, and inexpensive method for measuring serum concentrations of the bioactive form of hepcidin in Bulgarian laboratory practice

Horseshoe Kidney with Hydronephrosis – Tales of the Unexpected

Horseshoe kidney is an inborn renal fusion anomaly. It is frequently associated with renal stones and infections. The diagnosis is made using imaging methods - ultrasound, X-ray of the abdomen and intravenous pyelography, computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and radionuclide investigations. The diagnosis sometimes is hard, especially when other abnormalities are present, i.e. hydronephrosis, nephrolithiasis, stenosis of the ureteropelvic junction, etc. The authors present a male patient with horseshoe kidney and unilateral hydronephrosis due to obstruction of the ureteropelvic junction and discuss the diagnosis of horseshoe kidney and the diagnostic approach in such patients

Rhabdomyolisys as a Cause of Acute Renal Injury

Rhabdomyolysis (RM) is defined as striate muscle-cell damage with disintegration of skeletal muscles and release of intracellular constituents to the circulation, with or without subsequent kidney injury. RM is one of the leading causes of acute kidney injury and is associated with substantial morbidity. The major signs of acute kidney injury in rhabdomyolysis are: pain, weakness and swelling of the injured muscle or muscle groups and myoglobinuria with reddish discoloration of the urine and decrease in urine output to anuria. The authors describe three cases of rhabdomyolysis with acute renal injury and discuss the current knowledge on the etiopathogenesis, clinical manifestations, diagnosis and treatment of this condition