Hemoglobin is inversely related to flow-mediated dilatation in chronic kidney disease

The microcirculation is regulated by oxygen gradients and by endothelial release of nitric oxide, which can react with hemoglobin to form S-nitroso derivatives. Here we induced flow-mediated dilatation of the brachial artery in response to ischemia in 141 non-diabetic patients with stage 3–4 chronic kidney disease who had no history of smoking, cardiovascular events or use of erythropoietin-based agents. Patients with hemoglobin concentrations above the cohort median of 11.6 g/dl were found to have significant reductions in flow-mediated dilatation compared to those below the median. This inverse relationship remained significant after adjustment for potential confounders, including insulin sensitivity, glomerular filtration rate, proteinuria, body mass index, serum urate, etiology of underlying renal disease, treatment with anti-hypertensive drugs, and traditional Framingham risk factors. Given that hemoglobin can act as an important nitric oxide carrier and buffer, our studies suggest that the mechanism by which hemoglobin influences the endothelium-dependent microcirculation requires its nitrosylation; however, more direct studies need to be performed

FGF-23 and vascular dysfunction in patients with stage 3 and 4 chronic kidney disease

Studies in animals show that fibroblast growth factor (FGF)-23 interferes with vascular reactivity induced by the nitric oxide (NO) system. To investigate the relationship between circulating FGF-23 levels and the response of forearm blood flow to ischemia (flow-mediated vasodilatation, FMD) and nitroglycerin, we tested 183 patients with stage 3-4 chronic kidney disease (CKD). None of them had cardiovascular complications or were taking drugs interfering with vascular function. Patients with FGF-23 levels above the median had significantly lower glomerular filtration rate, FMD, and fetuin-A levels (an anti-inflammatory molecule and potent inhibitor of calcification). They also had higher proteinuria and phosphate levels when compared to patients whose FGF-23 levels were below the median. The response to nitroglycerin was not different between the two groups. Multiple regression analysis showed that the relationship between FGF-23 and FMD was only modestly sensitive to adjustment for classical risk factors, biomarkers of bone mineral metabolism, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein, and homeostatic model assessment index. Adjustment for asymmetrical dimethyl arginine (ADMA) weakened the strength of this link; however, it remained highly significant. There was no independent association between FGF-23 and nitroglycerin. Thus, attenuation of FMD by ADMA suggests that this endogenous inhibitor of NO synthase may, in part, mediate the vascular effects of FGF-23 in patients with CKD. © 2010 International Society of Nephrology

Iron-refractory iron deficiency anemia

Demir, oksijenin taşınması, DNA sentezi ve hücre çoğalması gibi çeşitli biyolojik reaksiyonlar için vazgeçilmez olduğundan, yaşam için zorunludur. Demir metabolizması ve bu elementin düzenlenmesiyle ilgili bilgilerimiz, son yıllarda belirgin şekilde değişmiştir. Demir metabolizması ile ilgili yeni bozukluklar tanımlanmış ve demirin başka bozuklukların kofaktörü olduğu anlaşılmaya başlamıştır. Hemokromatozis ve demir tedavisine dirençli demir eksikliği anemisi (IRIDA; “iron-refractory iron deficiency anemia”) gibi genetik durumlar üzerinde yapılan çalışmalar, vücuttaki demir dengesini kontrol eden moleküler mekanizmalar ile ilgili önemli ipuçları sunmuştur. Bu ilerlemeler, gelecekte, hem genetik hem de kazanılmış demir bozukluklarının daha etkili şekilde tedavi edilmesi amacıyla kullanılabilir. IRIDA, demir eksikliği ile giden durumlarda, hepsidin üretimini baskılayan matriptaz-2’yi kodlayan TMPRSS6 genindeki mutasyonlardan kaynaklanmaktadır. Hastalığın tipik özellikleri, hipokrom, mikrositer anemi, çok düşük ortalama eritrosit hacmi, oral demir tedavisine yanıtsızlık (veya yetersiz yanıt) ve parenteral demire kısmi yanıttır. Klasik demir eksikliği anemisinin aksine, serum ferritin değeri genellikle hafif düşük ya da normal aralıkta; serum ve idrar hepsidin değerleri ise, aneminin derecesi ile orantısız şekilde yüksek bulunur. Şimdiye kadar literatürde bildirilmiş olguların sayısı 100’ü geçmediği halde, IRIDA’nın, “atipik” mikrositik anemilerin en sık nedeni olduğu düşünülmektedir. Bu derlemenin amacı, IRIDA hakkındaki güncel bilgileri araştırıcılar ile paylaşmak ve bu alandaki farkındalıklarını arttırmaktır

Loss of Maternal Allele in a Child with Myelodysplastic Syndrome and Monosomy 7

Monosomy 7 or partial deletion of the long arm of chromosome 7 is frequently described in children with myelodysplastic syndrome and acute myeloblastic leukemia, Parental origin of chromosome 7 in children with sporadic monosomy 7 has been examined very rarely, To investigate if monosomy 7 shows parent-of-origin, we have studied a female child with monosomy 7 and de novo myelodysplastic syndrome by a series of polymorphic polymerase chain reaction markers. We found loss of maternal allele and discussed the results with the previous reports. Am, J, Hematol. 62:49-51, 1999. (C) 1999 Wiley-Liss, Inc

Apheresis-inducible cytokine pattern change in children with homozygous familial hypercholesterolemia

Familial hypercholesterolemia is a genetic disorder that leads to severe atherosclerosis related cardiovascular complications in young adults. Extracorporeal elimination is a method of LDL-lowering procedures effective in patients with homozygous or severe heterozygous FH utilized in cases. The recruitment of leucocytes into the arterial intima is dependent on a cascade of events mediated through a diverse family of adhesion molecules. Several pro-inflammatory adhesion molecules are cleared by various lipid apheresis methods. This study showed that, LDL-apheresis led to several changes in circulating inflammatory factors which induced antiinflammatory and antiatherogenic changes in the plasma profile in homozygous familial hypercholesterolemic patients. © 2013 Elsevier Ltd.This study was financially supported by Gazi University