Minimal Proteinuria One Year after Transplant is a Risk Factor for Graft Survival in Kidney Transplantation

It is generally accepted that one-year post-transplant proteinuria over 0.5 gm per day has a negative impact on renal graft survival. In this study, the effects of minimal proteinuria less than 0.5 g/day were analyzed in 272 renal recipients who had survived for one year with a functioning graft. Recipients were classified by one-year post-transplant proteinuria: no proteinuria group (<0.2 g/day), minimal proteinuria group (0.2-0.5 g/day), and overt proteinuria group (≥0.5 g/day). Recipients were followed up for 87.1±21 months after transplantation and 38 (13.9%) lost their graft during follow-up. Fifteen percent of patients had minimal proteinuria and 7.8% had overt proteinuria. Five-year graft survival in the minimal proteinuria group was 83.0%, and that in the overt proteinuria group was 70%, in contrast to 97.1% in the no proteinuria group (p=0.01 for trend). In a multivariate analysis, the minimal proteinuria group (relative risk [RR], 4.90; 95% confidence interval [CI], 2.09-11.46) and the overt proteinuria group (RR, 8.75; 95% CI, 3.29-23.29) had higher risks of graft failure than the no proteinuria group. Even minimal proteinuria at one year after transplantation was strongly associated with poor graft outcome. Therefore, it appears logical to consider a low level of proteinuria as a risk factor for graft survival in renal recipients

N-terminal Pro-Brain Natriuretic Peptide Levels Predict Left Ventricular Systolic Function in Patients with Chronic Kidney Disease

N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) can be a useful marker for left ventricular (LV) dysfunction in patients without kidney disease. This study was conducted to clarify the relationship between NT-proBNP and LV systolic function in patients with decreased renal function. We studied 256 chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients, patients on dialysis were excluded. The median glomerular filtration rate was 24 (13-36) mL/min/1.73 m2 and the median NT-proBNP was 4,849 (1,310-19,009) pg/mL. The prevalence of LV systolic dysfunction increased from the lower to the upper NT-proBNP quartiles (I, 17%; II, 34%; III, 61%; and IV, 72%; p<0.001 for trend). The NT-proBNP quartile was an independent predictor of LV systolic dysfunction after adjustment for renal function, compared with quartile I: II, odds ratio (OR) 3.99 (95% confidence interval [CI],1.34-11.93); III, OR 11.28 (95% CI, 3.74-33.95); and IV, OR 36.97 (95% CI, 11.47-119.1). Area under the curve and optimum cut points for NT-proBNP to detect LV systolic dysfunction were 0.781 and 2,165 pg/mL in CKD stage 3, 0.812 and 4,740 pg/mL in CKD stage 4, and 0.745 and 15,892 pg/mL in CKD stage 5. The NT-proBNP level was a predictor of LV systolic dysfunction in CKD patients. Optimum cut points should be stratified according to renal function

Cardiac Autonomic Neuropathy as a Predictor of Deterioration of the Renal Function in Normoalbuminuric, Normotensive Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus

Our study was performed to determine whether cardiac autonomic neuropathy can predict deterioration of the renal function in normoalbuminuric, normotensive people with type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM). One hundred and fifty-six normoalbuminuric, normotensive people with type 2 DM were included in our retrospective longitudinal study. We categorized normal patterns, early patterns, and definite or severe patterns according to the results of the cardiac autonomic function test. Of 156 patients included, 54 had normal patterns, 75 had early patterns, 25 had definite or severe patterns, and 2 had atypical patterns. During a median follow-up of nine years, glomerular filtration rates (GFR) remained stable in the normal and early pattern groups (mean changes, 4.50% and 0.77%, respectively) but declined in those with definite or severe patterns (mean change, -10.28%; p=0.047). An abnormal heart response to the deep breathing test of the cardiac autonomic function tests was an independent predictor of GFR decline. Our data suggest that cardiac autonomic neuropathy, especially with a definite or severe pattern, might be associated with a subsequent deterioration in renal function in normoalbuminuric, normotensive people with type 2 DM

Assessment of Deceased Donor Kidneys Using a Donor Scoring System

∙The authors have no financial conflicts of interest. Purpose: Marginal grafts should be used more actively in Asian countries where deceased donor transplantation is unpopular. We modified a quantitative donor scoring system proposed by Nyberg and his colleagues and developed a donor scoring system in order to assess the quality of deceased donor grafts and their prognostic value as an initial effort to promote usage of marginal donors. Materials and Methods: We retrospectively evaluated 337 patients. Results: A scoring system was derived from six donor variables [age, 0-25; renal function, 0-4; history of hypertension

Effect of Cilostazol on the Pharmacokinetics of Simvastatin in Healthy Subjects

Purpose. We evaluated potential drug-drug interactions between cilostazol and simvastatin, both CYP3A substrates, in healthy subjects. Methods. An open-label, two-period, fixed-sequence clinical study was conducted. Seventeen subjects were given a single oral dose of simvastatin 40 mg on day 1 and multiple oral doses of cilostazol 100 mg twice daily on days 2 to 5 followed by a single dose of cilostazol and simvastatin on day 6. Plasma concentrations of simvastatin and its active metabolite, simvastatin acid, were measured using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry for pharmacokinetic assessment. Moreover, serum lipid profiles under fasting conditions were determined. Results. The geometric mean ratios of the area under the plasma concentration-time curve from time zero to time infinity of simvastatin combined with cilostazol to that of simvastatin alone were 1.64 (90% CI, 1.38-1.95) for simvastatin and 1.31 (1.04-1.66) for simvastatin acid. In addition, coadministration with cilostazol significantly increased the maximum concentration of simvastatin and simvastatin acid, up to 1.8-fold and 1.6-fold, respectively. However, the effects of a single dose of simvastatin on serum lipid profiles were not affected notably when simvastatin was coadministered with cilostazol. Conclusions. Multiple doses of cilostazol increased the systemic exposure of simvastatin and simvastatin acid following a single dose of simvastatin