Table of contents
May 2008 Volume 4 No 5
Editorial
Viewpoints
C-reactive protein is neither a marker nor a mediator of atherosclerosis
234It is widely asserted that C-reactive protein (CRP) is a strong independent predictor of atherothrombotic events, and furthermore that CRP is also a pathogenic mediator of atherosclerosis. Here, the author, who first reported the predictive association of CRP with atherothrombotic events, attempts to correct these misapprehensions. He highlights the lack of a convincing association between CRP values and atherosclerosis burden, the fact that the association between baseline CRP values and coronary heart disease is substantially weaker than originally claimed, the nonspecificity of the CRP response and the flaws of cell culture studies with recombinant CRP.
Renal artery embolization for the symptomatic treatment of adult polycystic kidney disease
236Reports from Japan indicate that renal artery embolization holds promise for relieving the 'mass effect' symptoms of autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease. Authors from the University of Maryland School of Medicine compare the safety and efficacy of this procedure with that of the techniques more widely used to relieve the symptoms of autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease, including nephrectomy, cyst marsupialization and cyst decortication.
Research Highlights
The risk of acute macular degeneration is increased in patients with CKD
238Low glomerular filtration rate in the Indian population is apparently physiological
238Low or high birth weight is associated with CKD only in men
238Neurotoxicity and death after treatment with cefepime in patients with kidney failure
239Reduction of liver volume by sirolimus in patients with polycystic kidney disease
239Patients with nephrotic syndrome have a high absolute risk of thromboembolic events
240Simplifying nutritional screening in patients on hemodialysis
240Monitoring of carotid atherosclerosis for cardiovascular prognostication in ESRD
241Stents and stent grafts for vascular-access stenoses that have failed angioplasty
241Protocol biopsies lead to improved function of living-donor renal allografts
241Laparoscopic living-donor nephrectomy: shorter operating time for right kidney
242UNOS criteria identify candidates for organ donation after cardiac death
242Successful induction of immune tolerance in kidney graft recipients
243Practice Points
A new supine anterolateral approach to percutaneous ultrasound-guided renal biopsy
244doi:10.1038/ncpneph0769 | Full Text | PDF (101K)
Even partial remission of proteinuria is associated with better renal outcome in patients with IgA nephropathy
246doi:10.1038/ncpneph0764 | Full Text | PDF (104K)
Reducing morbidity and mortality in incident hemodialysis patients with an early intervention program
248Risk factors for and management of sirolimus-associated pneumonitis in kidney transplant recipients
250doi:10.1038/ncpneph0768 | Full Text | PDF (102K)
Reviews
Urinary tract infection in the renal transplant patient
252Since the first successful kidney transplantations were performed in the 1950s, understanding of the factors that improve graft outcome has advanced. Nevertheless, post-transplantation urinary tract infections continue to be a source of morbidity and graft failure. This article reviews urinary tract infection in the renal transplant recipient, covering epidemiology, etiology, prevention, presentation, investigations, diagnosis and management.
doi:10.1038/ncpneph0781 | Full Text | PDF (177K)
Primer: strategies for identifying genes involved in renal disease
265Identification of the molecular pathways involved in renal pathophysiology can yield targets for intervention and aid tailored therapy. de Borst and colleagues provide an introduction to the tools that can be used to pinpoint genes involved in renal disease, including gene expression arrays, linkage analysis, association studies and animal models. Examples of genes that have been identified using these techniques are highlighted.
doi:10.1038/ncpneph0785 | Full Text | PDF (299K)
Case Studies
A case of fluoxetine-induced syndrome of inappropriate antidiuretic hormone secretion
278Ozturk et al. present the case of a schizophrenic male who developed hyponatremia due to fluoxetine-induced syndrome of inappropriate secretion of antidiuretic hormone (SIADH) and psychogenic polydipsia. The Case Study highlights the need for routine monitoring of electrolyte levels in patients with schizophrenia who are taking selective serotonin (5-HT) reuptake inhibitors such as fluoxetine.
doi:10.1038/ncpneph0780 | Full Text | PDF (137K)
A case of polyomavirus-associated nephropathy presenting late after transplantation
283Polyomavirus-associated nephropathy (PVAN), an important cause of allograft failure in renal transplant recipients, is usually diagnosed within 12 months of renal transplantation. Bansal et al. present a case of PVAN that developed more than 80 months after transplantation, however, highlighting the fact that PVAN can occur late after transplantation and should be considered in any renal transplant recipient who experiences a change in renal function.
doi:10.1038/ncpneph0784 | Full Text | PDF (373K)
