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In the late 1990s, a series of papers described the isolation and propagation of calcified, nanometer-sized structures from calf serum and diseased tissues. These findings prompted researchers at the Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN to investigate the possibility that transmissible biologic nanoparticles could be responsible for pathologic calcification in the kidneys and blood vessels. Here, a member of the Mayo group summarizes the research to date in this exciting field.
The authors of this Viewpoint argue that the currently used definitions of cardiorenal syndrome fail to take into account the complex bidirectional nature of the relationship between the heart and kidneys. They propose a new classification of the condition, comprising five subtypes that are distinguished on the basis of the primary and secondary pathology and its chronology. Examples of each subtype are provided.
Congenital anomalies of the kidneys and/or lower urinary tract are the major cause of childhood end-stage renal disease, and they can also present in adulthood. Kerecuk et al. summarize the anatomical and histological features of renal tract malformations, the best approaches to prenatal and postnatal diagnosis of these conditions, and the influence of genetic and environmental factors in their etiology. The utility of therapeutic intervention is also considered.
In this Review, participants in the 7thInternational Fabry Nephropathy Roundtable, which was convened in Barcelona, Spain in June 2007, propose guidelines and recommendations for the diagnosis and management of Fabry nephropathy in adults. The roles of enzyme replacement and antiproteinuric therapy are emphasized. The authors suggest that these organ-specific recommendations could have a greater impact on clinical practice than general Fabry disease guidelines.
Patients with chronic kidney disease are known to develop metastatic soft-tissue calcification in tissues including the breast. Such calcifications in women could pose a problem for interpretation of mammograms. Authors from Staten Island University Hospital, NY review the available data on the prevalence and types of breast calcifications in women with chronic kidney disease, and discuss the utility of mammography in this setting.
Venous thrombosis is a common complication of nephrotic syndrome, and most often occurs in the renal veins or in the veins of the lower limbs. Portal vein thrombosis is quite uncommon in patients with nephrotic syndrome, and usually only occurs during treatment or recurrence of the condition. In this Case Study, Sun and Xu present a 52-year-old man in whom portal vein thrombosis was the first sign of nephrotic syndrome.
