Obesity and systolic blood pressure in young adult men born small for gestational age [Pretilost i arterijski tlak u mladih odraslih muškaraca rođenih nakon intrauterinog zastoja u rastu]

Individuals born small for gestational age (SGA) are supposed to be at higher risk to develop cardiovascular disorders, and recent report showed that concurrent obesity influences blood pressure (BP) in SGA children. Our aim was to investigate the impact of obesity and birth weight on blood pressure values in young adult men born SGA and controls born after normal pregnancy, Normotensive, non-treated adult men were enrolled (N = 185; mean age 21.29 +/- 0.9 years). Birth parameters were obtained from medical records and SGA was defined as birth weight (BW) under 10th percentile for gestational age and obesity as BMI > 25 kg/m2. According to the presence or absence of obesity and BW the subjects were divided into four groups: (1) non-obese with normal BW (N = 50), (2) non-obese SGA (N = 67), (3) obese with normal BW (N = 40), (4) obese SGA (N = 28). BP was measured using Omron M6 and Spacelab 90207 device following the ESH/ESC guidelines. Systolic BP, 24-hour BP variability and pulse pressure were significantly higher in SGA subjects than in those with normal BW (p 0.05). In addition to BW and shorter pregnancy duration, obesity concurrently and significantly determines systolic BP in young normotensive men and point to a need for more aggressive implementation of healthy lifestyle as early as possible

Obesity and Systolic Blood Pressure in Young Adult Men Born Small for Gestational Age

Individuals born small for gestational age (SGA) are supposed to be at higher risk to develop cardiovascular disorders, and recent report showed that concurrent obesity influences blood pressure (BP) in SGA children. Our aim was to investi- gate the impact of obesity and birth weight on blood pressure values in young adult men born SGA and controls born after normal pregnancy, Normotensive, non-treated adult men were enrolled (N=185; mean age 21.29 ± 0.9 years). Birth para- meters were obtained from medical records and SGA was defined as birth weight (BW) under 10th percentile for gestational age and obesity as BMI >25 kg/m2. According to the presence or absence of obesity and BW the subjects were divided into four groups: (1) non-obese with normal BW (N=50), (2) non-obese SGA (N=67), (3) obese with normal BW (N=40), (4) obese SGA (N=28). BP was measured using Omron M6 and Spacelab 90207 device following the ESH/ESC guidelines. Systolic BP 24-hour BP variability and pulse pressure were significantly higher in SGA subjects than in those with normal , BW (p<0.05). The highest 24-hour and daytime systolic BP values as well as 24-hour pulse pressure were found in the sub- group of obese SGA subjects (p<0.001). Significant differences for the above parameters were observed between obese SGA group and non-obese SGA group (p<0.05). Obese SGA subjects had higher 24-hour and daytime systolic BP values com- pared to obese normal BW group. No difference was found in BP between non-obese SGA and non-obese group with normal BW (p>0.05). In addition to BW and shorter pregnancy duration, obesity concurrently and significantly determines sys- tolic BP in young normotensive men and point to a need for more agressive implementation of healthy lifestyle as early as possible

Endemska nefropatija u Hrvatskoj [Endemic nephropathy in Croatia]

Endemic nephropathy (EN) is a chronic tubulointerstitial aristolochic acid nephropathy (AAN) affecting residents of the certain villages in the valleys of the major tributaries of the Danube river in the south-east Europe including Croatia. Patients with EN have a significantly higher incidence of transitional cell carcinoma of the ureter than the general population. A-T transversion of the p53 gene is now considered to be a mutational "signature" of aristolochic acid, which is a cause of endemic nephropathy. Currently used diagnostic criteria for EN are outdated, uneven (three types of criteria) and are not in agreement with proposed new guidelines for kidney diseases. Therefore, based on current knowledge and expertise of a group of scientists and experts from all countries with EN as well as world where AAN has been reported, new diagnostic criteria and the new classification of the population of endemic villages were created at a symposium on EN. EN presents a major public health problem and current knowledge about this disease as well as new diagnostic criteria should help us in its early detection and treatment and maybe in a near future its eradication

ENDEMIC NEPHROPATHY IN CROATIA

Endemska nefropatija (EN) kronična je tubulointersticijska nefropatija aristolohične kiseline (AAN) koja se javlja u stanovnika određenih sela u dolinama velikih pritoka Dunava na jugoistoku Europe uključujući i Hrvatsku. Oboljeli od EN-a imaju znatno veću učestalost karcinoma prijelaznog epitela mokraćovoda nego opća populacija. Danas se smatra da je A:T transverzija gena p53 »potpisna« mutacija za aristolohičnu kiselinu koja je uzrok endemske nefropatije. Postojeći kriteriji za EN su zastarjeli, neujednačeni (tri vrste kriterija) te nisu u skladu s novim preporukama za klasifikaciju bubrežnih bolesti. Stoga su na temelju sadašnjih znanja i stručnosti grupe znanstvenika i stručnjaka iz svih zemalja s EN-om, kao i svijeta u kojem je AAN opisan stvoreni novi dijagnostički kriteriji i nova klasifikacija stanovništva endemskih sela na simpoziju o EN-u. EN je velik javnozdravstveni problem pa bi nam sadašnja znanja o ovoj bolesti, kao i novi dijagnostički kriteriji trebali pomoći u njezinu ranom otkrivanju i liječenju, a možda u nekoj bližoj budućnosti i njezinoj eradikaciji.Endemic nephropathy (EN) is a chronic tubulointerstitial aristolochic acid nephropathy (AAN) affecting residents of the certain villages in the valleys of the major tributaries of the Danube river in the south-east Europe including Croatia. Patients with EN have a significantly higher incidence of transitional cell carcinoma of the ureter than the general population. A-T transversion of the p53 gene is now considered to be a mutational »signature« of aristolochic acid, which is a cause of endemic nephropathy. Currently used diagnostic criteria for EN are outdated, uneven (three types of criteria) and are not in agreement with proposed new guidelines for kidney diseases. Therefore, based on current knowledge and expertise of a group of scientists and experts from all countries with EN as well as world where AAN has been reported, new diagnostic criteria and the new classification of the population of endemic villages were created at a symposium on EN. EN presents a major public health problem and current knowledge about this disease as well as new diagnostic criteria should help us in its early detection and treatment and maybe in a near future its eradication

ENDEMIC NEPHROPATHY IN CROATIA

Endemska nefropatija (EN) kronična je tubulointersticijska nefropatija aristolohične kiseline (AAN) koja se javlja u stanovnika određenih sela u dolinama velikih pritoka Dunava na jugoistoku Europe uključujući i Hrvatsku. Oboljeli od EN-a imaju znatno veću učestalost karcinoma prijelaznog epitela mokraćovoda nego opća populacija. Danas se smatra da je A:T transverzija gena p53 »potpisna« mutacija za aristolohičnu kiselinu koja je uzrok endemske nefropatije. Postojeći kriteriji za EN su zastarjeli, neujednačeni (tri vrste kriterija) te nisu u skladu s novim preporukama za klasifikaciju bubrežnih bolesti. Stoga su na temelju sadašnjih znanja i stručnosti grupe znanstvenika i stručnjaka iz svih zemalja s EN-om, kao i svijeta u kojem je AAN opisan stvoreni novi dijagnostički kriteriji i nova klasifikacija stanovništva endemskih sela na simpoziju o EN-u. EN je velik javnozdravstveni problem pa bi nam sadašnja znanja o ovoj bolesti, kao i novi dijagnostički kriteriji trebali pomoći u njezinu ranom otkrivanju i liječenju, a možda u nekoj bližoj budućnosti i njezinoj eradikaciji.Endemic nephropathy (EN) is a chronic tubulointerstitial aristolochic acid nephropathy (AAN) affecting residents of the certain villages in the valleys of the major tributaries of the Danube river in the south-east Europe including Croatia. Patients with EN have a significantly higher incidence of transitional cell carcinoma of the ureter than the general population. A-T transversion of the p53 gene is now considered to be a mutational »signature« of aristolochic acid, which is a cause of endemic nephropathy. Currently used diagnostic criteria for EN are outdated, uneven (three types of criteria) and are not in agreement with proposed new guidelines for kidney diseases. Therefore, based on current knowledge and expertise of a group of scientists and experts from all countries with EN as well as world where AAN has been reported, new diagnostic criteria and the new classification of the population of endemic villages were created at a symposium on EN. EN presents a major public health problem and current knowledge about this disease as well as new diagnostic criteria should help us in its early detection and treatment and maybe in a near future its eradication

Ishod starijih bolesnika s ANCA glomerulonefritisom liječenih imunosupresivnom terapijom

The most common cause of rapidly progressive glomerulonephritis in elderly, antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody-associated glomerulonephritis (ANCA-GN), demands immunosuppressive therapy (IS) regimen in a multi-morbid disease burdened population. Our aim was to assess outcome differences in two age groups. The study included a total of 38 ANCA-GN renal limited patients (18 men) treated from 1990 to 2018, of which 11 were 65 years of age and older (median 70, min. - max. 66 - 79 years), and 27 younger than 65 (median 55, min. - max. 23 - 64 years). All patients were treated with mono/combination of IS. Most commonly applied IS in elderly was combination of IV cyclophosphamide and corticosteroids (CS) (in 9 [81.8%]), while in younger it was a combination of CS and cyclophosphamide or rituximab (59.2%). Older patients had comparable mortality (3, [14.8%] vs. 4, [27.3%]; P = 0.369), malignancies (1, [3.7%] vs. 1, [9.1%]; P = 0.5) and infectious complications (10, [46.7%] vs. 7, [63.6%]; P = 0.388). Ten patients at the end of the follow up were at renal replacement therapy (RRT ), with no difference between age groups (6, [22.2%] vs. 4, [36.4%]; P = 0.369). Interestingly, from initial need for RRT , half of the younger and older patients recovered with IS. Our findings give more credit to the current paradigm to treat elderly ANCA-GN patients with IS therapy due to the similar outcome of elderly as younger ones.Najčešći uzrok brzoprogresivnog glomerulonefritisa u starijih je glomerulonefritis s antineutrofilnim citoplazmatskim protutijelima (ANCA-GN, od eng. antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody related glomerulonephritis), a s obzirom na komorbiditete predstavlja izazov u odluci oko primjene imunosupresivne terapije (IS). Cilj ovog istraživanja je usporediti razlike u ishodu dvije dobne skupine bolesnika. Istraživanje je obuhvatilo slučajeve ANCA-GN ograničenih na bubrege, liječene od 1990. do 2018. godine, njih 38 (18 muških), od kojih 11 ima 65 ili više godina (medijan 70, min.-max. 66 - 79 godina) a 27 mlađih (medijan 55, min. - max. 23 - 64 godina). Svi bolesnici su liječeni monoterapijom ili kombinacijom IS-a. Najčešće primjenjena IS u starijoj populaciji bila je kombinacija intravenskog ciklofosfamida i kortikosteroida (KS) (u 9 (81,8%)), u mlađoj kombinacija KS s ciklofosfamidom ili rituksimabom (59,2%). Stariji pacijenti imali su sličnu učestalost smrtnosti (3, 14,8% vs 4, 27,3%; P = 0.369), zloćudnih bolesti (1, 3,7% vs 1, 9,1%; P = 0.5) i infektivnih komplikacija (10, 46,7% vs 7, 63,6%); P = 0.388). Deset bolesnika je na kraju praćenja bila ovisno o nadomještanju bubrežne funkcije (NBF) bez razlike u dobnoj skupini (6, 22,2% vs 4, 36,4%; P = 0.369). Međutim, od inicijalne potrebe NBF-om se uz IS oporavila polovica starijih i mlađih bolesnika. Naši rezultati su u skladu trenutačnim stajalištima koja podupiru primjenu IS terapije kod starijih bolesnika sa ANCA-GN zbog usporedivih ishoda i rizika komplikacija kao u mlađih bolesnika

Reliability of CKD-EPI predictive equation in estimating chronic kidney disease prevalence in the Croatian endemic nephropathy area

Introduction: Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a significant public health problem and it is not possible to precisely predict its progression to terminal renal failure. According to current guidelines, CKD stages are classified based on the estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) and albuminuria. Aims of this study were to determine the reliability of predictive equation in estimation of CKD prevalence in Croatian areas with endemic nephropathy (EN), compare the results with non-endemic areas, and to determine if the prevalence of CKD stages 3-5 was increased in subjects with EN. Materials and methods: A total of 1573 inhabitants of the Croatian Posavina rural area from 6 endemic and 3 non-endemic villages were enrolled. Participants were classified according to the modified criteria of the World Health Organization for EN. Estimated GFR was calculated using Chronic Kidney Disease Epidemiology Collaboration equation (CKD-EPI). Results: The results showed a very high CKD prevalence in the Croatian rural area (19%). CKD prevalence was significantly higher in EN then in non EN villages with the lowest eGFR value in diseased subgroup. Conclusions: eGFR correlated significantly with the diagnosis of EN. Kidney function assessment using CKD-EPI predictive equation proved to be a good marker in differentiating the study subgroups, remained as one of the diagnostic criteria for EN

Reliability of CKD-EPI predictive equation in estimating chronic kidney disease prevalence in the Croatian endemic nephropathy area

Introduction: Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a significant public health problem and it is not possible to precisely predict its progression to terminal renal failure. According to current guidelines, CKD stages are classified based on the estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) and albuminuria. Aims of this study were to determine the reliability of predictive equation in estimation of CKD prevalence in Croatian areas with endemic nephropathy (EN), compare the results with non-endemic areas, and to determine if the prevalence of CKD stages 3-5 was increased in subjects with EN. Materials and methods: A total of 1573 inhabitants of the Croatian Posavina rural area from 6 endemic and 3 non-endemic villages were enrolled. Participants were classified according to the modified criteria of the World Health Organization for EN. Estimated GFR was calculated using Chronic Kidney Disease Epidemiology Collaboration equation (CKD-EPI). Results: The results showed a very high CKD prevalence in the Croatian rural area (19%). CKD prevalence was significantly higher in EN then in non EN villages with the lowest eGFR value in diseased subgroup. Conclusions: eGFR correlated significantly with the diagnosis of EN. Kidney function assessment using CKD-EPI predictive equation proved to be a good marker in differentiating the study subgroups, remained as one of the diagnostic criteria for EN

Prevalence of incidental chronic kidney disease and patient characteristics - results of the EH-UH 2 study and the ENAH project

Introduction: Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is an independent risk factor for cardiovascular (CV) disease and premature deaths. The worldwide prevalence of CKD in 2017 in the general population is 9.1%. In this paper our primary aim was to present preliminary data on incidental, i.e., newly discov- ered CKD and the overall prevalence of CKD in the adult population in Croatia. Secondary aim was to compare these data with the data of the CKD prevalence of the adult population from the rural part of Croatia (results of the ENAH study). Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional observational study included random, representative sample of general adults in Croatia, 781 subjects who were part of the large cohort from the EH-UH 2 study. The eGFR was calculated by creatinine-based CKD EPI equation. Albuminuria was determined from the albumin to creatinine ratio in urine (ACR) in 691 subjects. Results: The overall prevalence of CKD in Croatia was 12.7%, of which 9.5% were newly discovered CKD, and only 3.2% were subjects with previously known CKD. According to the albuminuria level, 30.7% of the adult population belonged to the group with a moderate risk of CKD progression, and 7% had a high risk, while 2.5% of the study subjects had a very high risk. Predictors for newly discov- ered CKD are older age, higher urate and potassium, antihypertensive therapy, angina pectoris, atrial fibrillation, lower hemoglobin level. Conclusions: These results continue in a pilot project of the Croatian Kidney Society and the Croatian Hypertension League on the implementation of an action plan to detect new kidney disease in the general population in real life, in a collaboration of primary care physicians and nephrologists

Prevalence of incidental chronic kidney disease and patient characteristics - results of the EH-UH 2 study and the ENAH project

Introduction: Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is an independent risk factor for cardiovascular (CV) disease and premature deaths. The worldwide prevalence of CKD in 2017 in the general population is 9.1%. In this paper our primary aim was to present preliminary data on incidental, i.e., newly discov- ered CKD and the overall prevalence of CKD in the adult population in Croatia. Secondary aim was to compare these data with the data of the CKD prevalence of the adult population from the rural part of Croatia (results of the ENAH study). Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional observational study included random, representative sample of general adults in Croatia, 781 subjects who were part of the large cohort from the EH-UH 2 study. The eGFR was calculated by creatinine-based CKD EPI equation. Albuminuria was determined from the albumin to creatinine ratio in urine (ACR) in 691 subjects. Results: The overall prevalence of CKD in Croatia was 12.7%, of which 9.5% were newly discovered CKD, and only 3.2% were subjects with previously known CKD. According to the albuminuria level, 30.7% of the adult population belonged to the group with a moderate risk of CKD progression, and 7% had a high risk, while 2.5% of the study subjects had a very high risk. Predictors for newly discov- ered CKD are older age, higher urate and potassium, antihypertensive therapy, angina pectoris, atrial fibrillation, lower hemoglobin level. Conclusions: These results continue in a pilot project of the Croatian Kidney Society and the Croatian Hypertension League on the implementation of an action plan to detect new kidney disease in the general population in real life, in a collaboration of primary care physicians and nephrologists