Trends in Renal Replacement Therapy in Turkey, 1996-2008

Background: National renal registry studies providing data for incidence, prevalence, and characteristics of end-stage renal disease and renal replacement therapy (RRT) serve as a basis to determine national strategies for the prevention and treatment of these diseases and identify new areas for special studies

Ultrasonographic maturation of native arteriovenous fistulae: A follow-up study

Background/aims. Ideal time needed for arteriovenous fistula (AVF) maturation is still. controversial. In this study, we aimed to investigate the natural course of AVF maturation and also investigated the factors affecting AVF maturation. Methods. We studied 31 (21M/10F, mean age 55.8 +/- 16.2) chronic renal failure patients. We evaluated the patients with color Doppler ultrasound examination before the fistula operation, at the first day, and at the first, second, third, and sixth months. Radial artery (RA) diameter, flow velocity, flow, resistance index, fistula vein diameter, flow velocity, and flow were measured. Results. Patency rates at the first post-operative day and the sixth month,here 87.1% and 67.1%, respectively. Cephalic vein flow was 451.2 +/- 248.6 mL/min at the first month and 528.6 +/- 316.5 mL/ min at the sixth month. Baseline RA diameter was lower in failing fistulas than that of patent fistulas. Failing fistulas were more common in women. Conclusion. Blood flow was enough for hemodialysis at the end of the first month. However, fistula maturation had continued until the end of the study; women and patients with low RA diameter are particularly prone to fistula failure. Therefore, especially in these patients, AVF must be created at least three or four months before the predicted hemodialysis initiation time

Progression of Coronary Artery Calcification in Living Kidney Donors: A Follow-Up Study

Background: Data on the long-term mortality and morbidity of living kidney donors are scarce. In the general population, coronary artery calcification (CAC) and progression of CAC are predictors of future cardiac risk. We conducted a study to determine the progression of CAC in renal transplant donors. Methods: We used multidetector computed tomography to examine CAC in 75 former renal transplant donors. A baseline and a follow-up scan were performed and changes in CAC scores were evaluated in each subject individually to calculate the incidence of CAC progression. Results: Baseline CAC prevalence was 16% and the mean CAC score was 5.3 +/- 25.8. At the follow-up scan that was performed after an average of 4.8 +/- 0.3 years, CAC prevalence increased to 72% and the mean CAC score to 12.5 +/- 23.4. Progression of the individual CAC score was found between 18.7 and 26.7%, depending on the method used to define progression. In patients with baseline CAC, the mean annualized rate of CAC progression was 2.1. Presence of hypertension, high systolic blood pressure and an increase in BMI were the determinants of CAC progression. Conclusions: The rate of CAC progression does not seem to be high in carefully selected donors. (C) 2014 S. Karger AG, Base

Homozygous factor V Leiden mutation and disseminated thrombosis in a patient with nephrotic syndrome

We report the case of a young male patient with nephrotic syndrome and multiple venous thromboses. The patient presented various aggregated thrombophilic risk factors. He was found to be homozygous for factor V Leiden mutation and his anticardiolipin antibody and homocysteine levels were high