Lung abscess (6 cm) of unexplained origin in a 36-year-old woman

A 36-year-old woman developed a lung abscess following an episode of influenza. Repeated blood cultures were negative. In necrotic material obtained by bronchoscopy no pathogenic micro-organisms were found. Penicillin-clavulanate, cefodizim and metronidazole were without success. The combination therapy with imipenem-cilastatin together with clindamycin improved clinical symptoms, normalized pathological laboratory parameters and completely resolved the lung cavity.

Recurrent hyperparathyroidism after total parathyroidectomy due to multiple ectopic parathyroid glands in a patient with long-term haemodialysis

We report the rare case of a recurrent hyperparathyroidism after total parathyreoidectomy due to multiple ectopic glands in a patient on long-term haemodialysis. In a today 47 years old man with membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis intermittent haemodialysis therapy was started in 1975. In 1982 an advanced secondary hyperparathyroidism with a parathormone (PTH) level > 500 pg/l was diagnosed; later on PTH concentration increased to 2,550 pg/ml. In 1987 total parathyroidectomy with parathyroid autograft into the left forearm was performed. After parathyroidectomy the PTH level fell to 150 pg/ml. In 1993 PTH concentration increased again to 1,750 pg/ml. There was no evidence for recurrent parathyroid glands in the neck or forearm. Therefore, we investigated the substernal region by 99mTc-tetrofosmin scintigraphy and magnetic resonance imaging. Both investigations showed evidence for two ectopic parathyroid glands in the anterior mediastinum. In June 1999 in an open thoracic surgical procedure only the greater parathyroid gland in the anterior mediastinum was isolated, but a second gland was detected in the posterior mediastinum. Both parathyroid glands were resected (histologically hyperplastic parathyroid gland tissue). After surgery the PTH level decreased to 340 pg/ml, but later on PTH increased again to > 1,000 pg/ml in January 2001. A control 99mTc-tetrofosmin scan showed evidence for a third ectopic parathyroid gland in the anterior mediastinum. Recurrent secondary hyperparathyroidism can rarely be caused by recurrent ectopic parathyroid glands in the mediastinum.

Perinatal complications and three-year follow up of infants of diabetic mothers with diabetic nephropathy stage IV

The objective of the study was to evaluate differences in the perinatal complications and in the 3-year follow up of infants of diabetic mothers with and without diabetic nephropathy stage IV. We compared the fetal and maternal complications and the early postpartal development until 3 years after delivery in 10 children of nephropathic diabetic mothers and 30 children of diabetic mothers without nephropathy. The mean (+/-SD) birthweight of the infants of nephropathic women was 2,250 +/- 496 g versus 3,544 +/- 435 g in the women without nephoropathy (p < 0.01). Births were premature in six pregnancies (60%) of the nephrotic women but in none of the women without nephropathy (p < 0.01). Three infants (30%) of the women with nephropathy showed respiratory distress syndrome in contrast to two babies (6%) of the women without nephropathy. Pre-eclampsia or eclampsia occurred in 6 (60%) pregnant women with and in two women (6%) without diabetic nephropathy (p < 0.01). Nephrotic syndrome was observed in 7 nephrotic women (70%) in contrast to none women without nephropathy. Three years postpartum, six of the children (60%) of nephropathic women had a body weight < the 50th percentile but none of the children of the women without nephropathy did so (p < 0.01). In addition, the children of nephropathic mothers started to speak significantly later (15 +/- 3 versus 12 +/- 13 months postpartum, p < 0.05) and had infectious diseases more commonly (60% versus 6%, p < 0.01) than the children of women without nephropathy. It can be concluded that in pregnancies of diabetic women the birth weights of the infants are significantly smaller and the fetal as well as maternal complication-rates significantly higher than in those of women without nephropathy. Also 3 years after delivery, the body weight of the children of nephropathic diabetic women is significantly lower than that of children of diabetic women without nephropathy. Additionally, children of nephropathic women are retarded in terms of linguistic development and their resistance to infections is reduced.

Comparison of progression of macrovascular diseases after kidney or pancreas and kidney transplantation in diabetic patients with end-stage renal disease

AIMS/HYPOTHESIS

The aim of the study was to examine the effect of pancreas-kidney transplantation on the progression of macrovascular diseases in Type I diabetic patients with end-stage renal disease.

METHODS

The progression of cerebrovascular disease, coronary heart disease and peripheral vascular disease in uraemic patients with Type I (insulin-dependent) diabetes mellitus and who had had simultaneous pancreas-kidney transplantation was compared with that of recipients of a kidney transplant alone. Between 1986 and 1998 a total of 11 uraemic diabetic patients received a simultaneous pancreas-kidney transplantation and 10 diabetic patients a kidney transplant alone. All transplants functioned for at least 24 months, the mean observation period was 69 +/- 37 compared with 70 +/- 33 months in both patient groups. Macroangiopathic diseases were classified in four stages as described earlier.

RESULTS

In the group with simultaneous pancreas-kidney transplantation progression of cerebrovascular and coronary heart disease was observed in four patients (36%) and progression of peripheral vascular disease in five subjects (45%). In the cohort with kidney transplant alone four patients (40%) showed progression of cerebrovascular and coronary heart disease and five progression of peripheral vascular disease (50%); the difference is not significant. Mean values of HbA1c (5.8 +/- 0.2 vs 7.5 +/- 0.6%, p < 0.001) and serum triglycerides (1.2 +/- 0.4 vs 2.0 +/- 1.0 mmol/l, p < 0.05) were significantly lower in the patients with pancreas-kidney transplantation than in the patient group with kidney transplant alone. Serum cholesterol concentrations and blood pressures were similar in both cohorts.

CONCLUSION/INTERPRETATION

From our results we concluded that pancreas-kidney transplantation reduces risk factors for the development of macroangiopathy but fails to halt progression of macrovascular diseases similar to Type I diabetic patients with kidney transplant alone.

Nutritional status in type 2 diabetic patients requiring haemodialysis

BACKGROUND

Type 2 diabetic patients with end-stage renal disease are often overweight (BMI > 24) at the start of dialysis therapy. However, there are very few reports in the literature concerning the nutritional status of these patients after prolonged haemodialysis treatment. Therefore, we compared nutritional parameters in type 2 diabetic patients and age-matched non-diabetic patients after at least 18 months of renal replacement therapy with haemodialysis.

METHODS

In a cross-sectional study, we measured BMI, serum albumin, total protein, serum cholesterol and interdialytic weight gain (IWG), and performed a subjective global assessment (SGA) in 14 patients with type 2 diabetes and 16 non-diabetic patients (aged > or = 50 years, haemodialysis therapy > or = 18 months). Protein intake was estimated using the protein catabolic rate (PCR) and Kt/V was calculated to compare the dose of dialysis.

RESULTS

BMI was significantly higher in patients with type 2 diabetes (30+/-7 vs 24+/-3, P<0.01). In contrast, the concentration of serum albumin was significantly lower (3180+/-499 mg/dl vs 3576+/-431 mg/dl, P<0.05), but six of the diabetic patients had signs of chronic inflammation. All other nutritional parameters did not differ between the two groups. In addition, there were no significant differences in the intake of protein (PCR 0.93+/-0.19 vs 0.92+/-0.22) and the dose of dialysis (Kt/V 1.13+/-0.19 vs 1.2+/-0.2).

CONCLUSION

After > or = 18 months of haemodialysis therapy, the majority of type 2 diabetic patients (9/14) were still overweight (BMI > 24). The nutritional status of diabetic patients was similar to that of age-matched non-diabetic patients on prolonged haemodialysis, but serum albumin levels were significantly lower in diabetics. The lower albumin levels in the diabetic patients may be explained by a state of subclinical chronic inflammation.

How pregnancy influences renal function in nephropathic type 1 diabetic women depends on their pre-conceptional creatinine clearance

Pregnancy in type 1 diabetic women with overt nephropathy can lead to a further deterioration in renal function but it is not clear at what level of pre-conceptional GFR the risk for worsening of renal function begins to increase. Therefore we investigated the influence of pregnancy on renal function in 12 women (14 pregnancies) with pre-conceptional macroproteinuria and near-normal creatinine clearance (range 37-93 ml/min/1.73m2). S-creatinine, creatinine clearance (CrCL), HbA1c and blood pressure (BP) were measured before conception, during each trimester (12th and 24th week of gestation and last week before delivery) and three and six months post-partum. In five diabetic women with six pregnancies (group A) there was a physiological increase in CrCl of 36% up until the 24th week of gestation; their pre-conceptional mean CrCl was 80 (range 70-93) ml/min/1.73m2. In seven women with eight pregnancies (group B) CrCl decreased by 16% during the first two trimesters; the mean CrCl before conception was 61 (37-73) ml/min/1.73m2. In the last week before delivery CrCl worsened transiently in three cases in group A and four in group B, due to pre-eclampsia. Three months post-partum the mean CrCl in group A was 78 (70-91) ml/min/1.73m2, approximately the same as before pregnancy. In group B the mean CrCl was 39 (22-68) ml/min/1.73m2 at this same time; this was 36% lower than the pre-conceptional clearance. Mean HbA1c in both groups were approximately the same, but mean BP tended to be higher during pregnancy in group B, especially in the week before delivery (p<0.05). We conclude that in a high percentage of nephropathic diabetic women with significantly low CrCl before conception, renal function worsens during and after pregnancy. Inadequate antihypertensive therapy may contribute to this.

Bilateral nephrectomy: the best, but often overlooked, treatment for refractory hypertension in hemodialysis patients

Bilateral nephrectomy for treatment of refractory hypertension in chronic hemodialyzed patients has been infrequently carried out. We analyzed the benefits of this operation on blood pressure, clinical state, drug treatment, and quality of life. In 10 hemodialyzed patients with refractory hypertension, systolic (SBP) and diastolic (DBP) blood pressure were measured 1 month before nephrectomy bilateral and 3, 6, 9, and 12 months after. In addition, the use of antihypertensive drugs before and after surgery was evaluated. Four patients had SBP and DBP values characteristic of malignant hypertension. In all 10 patients hypertension responded neither to reduction of plasma volume by ultrafiltration nor to multiple antihypertensive drug therapy. Hypertensive crises were associated with cerebral hemorrhage in two patients, severe encephalopathy with persistent neural dysfunction in one patient, and encephalopathy and diplopia in another. Three months after bilateral nephrectomy blood pressure decreased significantly (P < .005) and was normal in nine patients. In one noncompliant patient with intradialytic body weight increases of nearly 10%, blood pressure was still elevated. Malignant or drug-resistant hypertension with hypertensive crises is an indication for bilateral nephrectomy. The clinical state and quality of life improved in all patients in the present study and antihypertensive treatment is no longer necessary.

Profile of antihypertensive drugs in hypertensive patients on renal replacement therapy (RRT)

Hypertension is frequently observed in end-stage renal failure. We analysed the incidence and severity of hypertension as well as antihypertensive treatment in a large group of patients on renal replacement therapy (RRT). Questionnaires were sent to all 49 dialysis centers caring for a total of 2090 patients on RRT in Austria. Hypertension was classified as mild, moderate or severe according to WHO criteria. 22 dialysis centers returned completed questionnaires accounting for 1087 patients on RRT. Of these 653 (60%) patients were hypertensive; 425 (39%) patients had mild or moderate, while 228 (21%) patients had severe hypertension. Patients with mild or moderate hypertension need on average 1.5, while those with severe hypertension on average 3.3 antihypertensive drugs. Calcium antagonists were the antihypertensive drugs most frequently administered, in 71% of the patients, followed by ACE inhibitors, alpha- and beta-blockers. Despite multidrug antihypertensive therapy severe hypertension is still a serious problem in patients on RRT. Tassin's center experience showed that longer dialysis time normalizes hypertension and reduces the requirement of antihypertensive treatment in patients on hemodialysis.

Influence of cigarette-smoking on the progression of clinical diabetic nephropathy in type 2 diabetic patients

Cigarette smoking was known to promote the progression of diabetic nephropathy in patients with type 1 diabetes, but its influence on the course of diabetic nephropathy in patients with type 2 diabetes had not been previously established. In a prospective follow-up study we therefore compared the progression of nephropathy in type 2 diabetic patients with or without tobacco consumption. Initiation of dialysis treatment or death of the patient were the end points of the study. 36 patients with type 2 diabetes complicated with diabetic nephropathy were included in the study, 16 smoked and 20 did not. The main outcome measures were proteinuria, arterial blood pressure, HbAlc, serum-creatinine and creatinine clearance, which were controlled at least every six months. In the smoking diabetic patients the mean (SD) creatinine-clearance decreased from 82 +/- 10 to 10 +/- 6 ml/min/1.73 m2 over a period of 62 +/- 21 months. The rate of decline of the creatinine-clearance was 1.24 +/- 0.34 ml/min/month. In the non-smoking patients the creatinine-clearance decreased from 79 +/- 8 to 9 +/- 3 ml/min/1.73 m2 within 79 +/- 27 months. The rate of decline in the creatinine-clearance was 0.99 +/- 0.35 ml/min/month (p < 0.025). HbAlc, systolic and diastolic blood pressure as well as serum cholesterol and triglycerides were not significantly different in both patient groups. Therefore, we conclude that cigarette smoking promotes the progression of diabetic nephropathy in patients with type 2 diabetes, just as it is known in type 1 diabetic patients.

Reversible uremic deafness: is it correlated with the degree of anemia?

Hearing loss is a common finding in patients with end-stage renal failure. Uremic toxins, ototoxins, and axonal uremic neuropathy appear to be likely pathogenic factors. We analyzed whether an improvement in hearing capacity can be achieved with an improvement of anemia by erythropoietin (EPO) administration. Fifty patients on long-term hemodialysis in a single center were examined audiologically by otoscopy, tympanometry, pure tone audiometry, and the short increment sensitivity index. Twenty-five patients were treated with EPO in a dose of 120 U/kg per week over a period of 5 to 8 months, and the remaining 25 patients were not treated with EPO (controls). Both groups were reexamined audiologically after the study period, and the results were compared. In the group treated with EPO, the hemoglobin level increased from 7 +/- 0.9 to 11 +/- 0.8 g/dL, as against the control group, whose hemoglobin increased from 7.1 +/- 0.9 to 8 +/- g/dL. The audiologic tests were repeated at the end of the study period, and a significant improvement of hearing was found in the patients treated with EPO as compared with the control group (p < .001). Our study suggests that improvement of anemia in patients on long-term hemodialysis by administration of EPO is associated with an improvement in hearing capacity in a significant number of patients. Thus, anemia seems to be an important factor responsible for hearing disorders in patients with end-stage renal failure. Studies with larger numbers of patients are required to confirm this observation.

Incidence of acute oligoanuric renal failure in dextran 40 treated patients with acute ischemic stroke stage III or IV

Two hundred eleven patients with acute ischemic stroke, stage III or IV, received daily intravenous infusion of 500-1000 mL low-molecular dextran (dextran 40) over a period of 4 days. In 10 cases (4.7%) acute renal failure, associated with dextran infusion, could be observed; oligoanuria occurred after a mean time of 4 (3-6) days. The incidence of dextran-induced acute renal failure was significantly higher in patients with a preexisting reduction of glomerular filtration rate below 30 mL/min/1.73 m2 (p < 0.005). Five of the patients (50%) with acute renal failure died within 4-12 days after the hemodilution therapy with dextran 40; this high lethality was due to nonrenal complications.

[Cerebrolysin in treatment of painful diabetic neuropathy]

Cerebrolysin is a peptide solution with free amino acids and biologically active peptides showing neurotrophic efficiency. In a placebo-controlled longitudinal study we investigated the effect of that drug for treatment of painful diabetic neuropathy in 20 type-II diabetic patients (9 women, 11 men, mean age 63 +/- 9 years, duration of diabetes 14 +/- 7 years). Patients received daily a cerebrolysin-infusion (20 ml in 500 ml Ringer) over a period of 10 days. In an age- and diabetes-duration matched placebo group of 10 type-II diabetic patients (7 women, 3 men, age 66 +/- 9 years, duration of diabetes 12 +/- 5 years) vitamin B infusion was administered (5 ml vitamin B complex in 500 ml Ringer) during 10 days. We compared a five-item symptom score scale (FIS) for pain, dysesthesia, paresthesia, nightly exacerbation, and sleep disturbances (grade 0 to 3) and a graphic visual analogue rating scale (VAS) for recording the magnitude of the pains (scale 0 to 100 mm) at the beginning and the end of the infusion therapy as well as 6 weeks later. Cerebrolysin was associated with a significant decrease in total FIS score from 8.7 +/- 1.9 at the start of therapy to 5.1 +/- 2.2 after 6 weeks (p < 0.001), and to a reduction of the VAS score from 4.2 +/- 0.8 to 2.8 +/- 0.9 (p < 0.001) during the same period of observation. In contrast in the placebo group the total FIS score decreased only from 7.9 +/- 1.2 at the beginning to 6.6 +/- 1.1 (p < 0.05) 6 weeks later and the VAS score from 4.5 +/- 0.6 to 4.0 +/- 0.5 (NS). Thus cerebrolysin led to a significant subjective improvement of painful diabetic neuropathy in type-II diabetic patients at least for a period of 6 weeks.

Autoimmune reactions in patients with silicone breast implants

Silicone breast implants have been surgical routine for over 30 years. An association between silicone augmentation and immune related diseases has been reported in approximately 100 cases. In a retrospective single center study we investigated 36 non-selected women with silicone breast implants and 36 sex- and age-matched controls. Autoimmune reactions were evaluated by measuring antinuclear antibodies (ANA), rheumatoid factor (RF) and thyroid gland antibodies (TMS), along with angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE), C-reactive protein (CRP) and other immunological and laboratory parameters. In the controls only 3 (8%) women had an elevated ANA titer and 1 demonstrated thyroid autoantibodies (microsomal), giving a total of 4 (11%) women with detectable autoantibodies. By contrast, 12 (33%) of the 36 women with silicone augmentation had raised ANA titers (> or = 1 : 80), a significantly higher percentage than in the control group (p < 0.02). Of the 12 women, 1 showed antismooth muscle antibodies (ASMA; titer 1 : 40) and 2 of the patients displayed antineutrophilic cytoplasm antibodies (ANCA; 1 : 320 and 1 : 40, respectively), one of the latter also being positive for rheumatoid factor. 2 further women demonstrated thyroid autoantibodies (microsomal), giving a total of 14 (39%) women in whom significant autoantibodies were detectable. Clinical symptoms (musculoskeletal) were present in 1 patient. Most of the observed autoantibodies were organ-unspecific, with a predominance of elevated ANA titers of the heterogeneous type and not related to a distinct clinical entity. However, none of the investigated women with silicone breast implants showed clinical symptoms or signs of connective tissue disease according to ARA criteria.

Influence of smoking on the survival rate of diabetic patients requiring hemodialysis

OBJECTIVE

To study the influence of cigarette smoking on the survival rate of diabetic patients on hemodialysis.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS

We evaluated 1- and 5-year survival rates and the mean values of HbA1c, serum lipids, fibrinogen, and blood pressure. We compared the prevalence of vascular damage at the beginning of dialysis therapy and the endpoint of the study, as well as the causes of death in 22 diabetic patients who smoked (> 10 cigarettes/day) and 30 nonsmoking diabetic patients.

RESULTS

There were no differences with respect to HbA1c, cholesterol, and triglycerides. In contrast, diabetic patients with tobacco consumption had significantly (P < 0.05) higher levels of fibrinogen (428 +/- 98 vs. 378 +/- 76 mg/dl) and higher systolic blood pressures (154 +/- 12 vs. 146 +/- 13 mm Hg) than the nonsmoking group. The 1- and 5-year survival rates of the smoking patients were 68 and 9%, respectively, and in the nonsmoking subjects, 80 and 37%, respectively (P < 0.05). The prevalence of vascular damage was similar in both groups, but at the endpoint of the study, the incidence of myocardial infarctions was significantly higher (P < 0.005) in the smoking patients (77 vs. 13%). Cardiovascular events were the most frequent cause of death in both patient groups but more frequently in the smoking subjects (80 vs. 63%).

CONCLUSIONS

Hemodialyzed diabetic cigarette smokers show higher fibrinogen and systolic blood pressure values, a higher incidence of myocardial infarctions, and their 5-year survival rate is significantly decreased when compared with nonsmoking patients on hemodialysis.

Hepatitis C virus--does it penetrate the haemodialysis membrane? PCR analysis of haemodialysis ultrafiltrate and whole blood

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) transmission to haemodialysis patients occurs by a route which remains to be clarified. Most studies show a significant correlation between anti-HCV-seropositivity and the number of blood transfusions or the duration of dialysis respectively. However, even in patients who have not received a blood transfusion the prevalence of HCV infection was significantly higher than in controls. We studied 58 patients on regular haemodialysis using a second-generation enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA II) followed by a second-generation recombinant immunosorbent assay (RIBA II) for HCV. For all antibody-positive or indeterminate patients, polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analysis was done using both whole blood and dialysed ultrafiltrate. We were able to show by PCR that no HCV RNA (cells or cell particles) passed through the dialysis membranes.

Abnormal increases in urinary albumin excretion during pregnancy in IDDM women with pre-existing microalbuminuria

We compared urinary albumin excretion during and after pregnancy in 30 insulin-dependent diabetic (IDDM) women with normoalbuminuria and in 12 IDDM women with microalbuminuria (> 15 micrograms.min-1) prior to conception. There was a 6.7-fold increase in the urinary albumin excretion up until the third trimester in the women with pre-existing microalbuminuria, compared with a 3.8-fold increase in the normoalbuminuric women. In both groups of patients the urinary albumin excretion reached a peak during the third trimester with 492 +/- 404 micrograms.min-1 in the microalbuminuric women vs 43 +/- 36 micrograms.min-1 in the normoalbuminuric women (p < 0.0005). Two women from each of the groups developed eclampsia with diastolic blood pressure over 90 mm Hg, mild or moderate oedema and macroproteinuria. Four of the pregnant women with pre-existing microalbuminuria showed a transient nephrotic syndrome (33.3%) with protein excretion over 3 g in 24-h urine samples during the third trimester. In contrast, this was not observed in any of the normoalbuminuric women (p < 0.05). Within 12 weeks after delivery the urinary albumin excretion rates dropped to the pre-conception values in both patient groups. Renal function remained normal during pregnancy in both of the groups, with a physiological increase in creatinine clearance up until the third trimester (26% increase in the normoalbuminuric women vs 22% in the microalbuminuric women). In conclusion, the effect of pregnancy on the urinary albumin excretion in diabetic women with pre-existing microalbuminuria is an exaggeration of the increase of albuminuria in diabetic women with normoalbuminuria; normalization occurs within 12 weeks after delivery in all cases.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Increases in serum lipids during pregnancy in type 1 diabetic women with nephropathy

During pregnancy women with Type 1 diabetes do not differ from normal women with respect to pregnancy-associated changes in serum lipid levels. However influence of diabetic nephropathy on lipoprotein metabolism in pregnancy has not been described previously. Changes in lipids were compared during and after pregnancy in 10 Type 1 diabetic women without macroproteinuria as well as in 5 diabetic women with macroproteinuria due to diabetic nephropathy. In the pregnant women with macroproteinuria, compared to the diabetic women without macroproteinuria, we observed both significantly higher total and percent increases in serum levels of total cholesterol (97% versus 48%) and of LDL-cholesterol (137% versus 50%), which had risen progressively throughout gestation. The percent increases in serum triglycerides (115% versus 128%) were similar in both patient groups. Metabolic control was improved during pregnancy in both groups of women. Renal function remained normal throughout pregnancy in the diabetic women without nephropathy and worsened during pregnancy in the proteinuric women. The mean protein excretion showed a physiological rise from 0.107 +/- 0.040 g 24 h-1 before pregnancy to 0.336 +/- 0.234 g 24 h-1 in the third trimester in the nonproteinuric women, and an increase from 2.2 +/- 1.0 to 7.1 +/- 1.7 g 24 h-1 during the same period in the women with macroproteinuria. Therefore, it is concluded that the greater increase in serum lipid levels during pregnancy in the women with pre-existing diabetic nephropathy can mainly be explained by the concomitant increase in proteinuria associated with development of the nephrotic syndrome in these patients.

High prevalence of hypertensive retinopathy and coronary heart disease in hypertensive patients with persistent microalbuminuria under short intensive antihypertensive therapy

In 84 patients with insufficiently treated essential hypertension (systolic blood pressure > or = 160 mmHg and/or diastolic blood pressure > or = 100 mmHg) and normal renal function (creatinine clearance Mean +/- SD = 114 +/- 22 ml/min/1.73 m2) the mean urinary albumin excretion was 39 +/- 19 mg/24h in comparison to 14 +/- 13 mg/24h (p < 0.001) in 10 healthy controls. In 39 of the hypertensive patients albumin excretion was increased (> 30 mg/24h urine) in a subclinical range (microalbuminuria). After 3 days of effective antihypertensive treatment (systolic blood pressure < 150 mmHg and diastolic blood pressure < 90 mmHg) the mean albumin excretion of the microalbuminuric patients decreased from 66 +/- 33 mg/24h to 44 +/- 28 mg/24h (p < 0.01). 27 of these hypertensive patients showed persistent microalbuminuria; in the other 12 patients with primary microalbuminuria the albumin excretion rate was normal now. In the patients with persistent microalbuminuria the prevalence of hypertensive retinopathy was 85% in comparison to only 33% in the patients with reversible microalbuminuria under intensified antihypertensive treatment (p < 0.01) and 31% in the patients with primary normoalbuminuria. The prevalence of coronary heart disease was 11% in the patients with normoalbuminuria and 29% in those with irreversible microalbuminuria (ns). Thus hypertensive patients with persistent but not with reversible microalbuminuria under short intensive antihypertensive therapy show a statistically significant higher prevalence of hypertensive retinopathy and therefore can be considered as an indicator of general microvascular damage in essential hypertension.

High mortality and poor quality of life during predialysis period in type II diabetic patients with diabetic nephropathy

We investigated the rate of decline in GFR and the changing prevalences of micro- and macrovascular complications in 20 type II diabetic patients [mean age 58 (46-71) years, female:male = 7:13, duration of diabetes 16 (12-30) years] from the stage of macroproteinuria with GFRs which were still normal until the beginning of dialysis or the time of death. Controls of renal function, proteinuria, HbAlc, serum lipids, and blood pressure were performed every 6 months at the beginning of the study and later on at 3-month intervals. Fundoscopy, electrocardiogram at rest and in case of need a symptom-limited treadmill ECG, a Duplex ultrasound examination of the carotid vessels, and a Doppler sonographic examination of the femoral arteries were repeated each year. The creatinine clearance (mean +/- SD) of the patients was 81 +/- 6 mL/min/1.73 m2 at the beginning of the study. The rate of decline in creatinine clearance was 1.01 +/- 0.38 mL/min/month during the whole period of observation. Twelve patients (group A) required dialysis after a mean time of 74 (40-119) months; their creatinine clearance was 7 +/- 2 mL/min/month at the beginning of renal replacement therapy. Eight patients (group B) died a short time before the beginning of dialysis treatment; their creatinine clearance was 13 +/- 5 mL/min/1.73 m2. The causes of death were sudden death (n = 4), cardiac failure (n = 1), and stroke (n = 2); in one case it was unknown. The two patient groups did not differ in respect to the mean age, duration of diabetes, HbAlc values, serum cholesterol levels, and blood pressure. The decline in the creatinine clearance was also similar in both patient groups, with 1.07 +/- 0.35 versus 0.98 +/- 0.41 mL/min/month. Only the mean serum triglyceride concentration was significantly higher in the patients who died before dialysis. At the start of the study, cerebrovascular disturbances (including plaques in the carotid vessels) were found in 30%, cardiovascular disturbances (including pathologic ECG findings) in 45%, a peripheral vascular disease in 15%, and diabetic retinopathy (grade I and II) in 75%. At the beginning of dialysis treatment or the time of death, respectively, the prevalence of cerebrovascular diseases was increased to 70% and the prevalence of cardiovascular diseases to 90%; peripheral vascular disease was present in 50% and diabetic retinopathy in all of the cases. We conclude that type II diabetic patients show high mortality (40%) and poor quality of life, not only when they require dialysis treatment, but also in the predialysis phase.

Similar rate of progression in the predialysis phase in type I and type II diabetes mellitus

Progression of diabetic nephropathy from the stage of macroproteinuria with near-normal renal function until start of dialysis was compared in 16 patients with type I and 16 patients with type II diabetes mellitus. The mean creatinine clearance at the beginning of the study was 89 +/- 13 ml/min/1.73 m2 in patients with type I and 81 +/- 6 ml/min/1.73 m2 in those with type II diabetes. Dialysis was started after a mean interval of 77 (44-133) months, when creatinine clearance had decreased to 8 +/- 2 ml/min/1.73 m2 in type I diabetic patients. The respective figures for type II diabetic patients were 81 (40-124) months and 7 +/- 2 ml/min/1.73 m2. The mean rate of decrease in creatinine clearance was 1.05 +/- 0.45 ml/min/month in type I and 0.91 +/- 0.41 ml/min/month in type II diabetes. The mean rate of decrease was 1.46 +/- 0.30 ml/min/month in type I diabetic patients with a systolic BP > 160 mmHg versus 0.80 +/- 0.42 ml/min/month with < 160 mmHg (P < 0.01). In the type II diabetics the respective figures were 1.38 +/- 0.40 ml/min/month versus 0.78 +/- 0.15 ml/min/month (P < 0.01). During the observation period the prevalence of coronary heart disease increased from 6 to 50% in type I and from 31 to 87% in type II diabetes. In conclusion, the rate of progression of diabetic nephropathy during the predialytic phase is similar in type I and type II diabetes; BP adversely affects the rate of progression to the same extent in both groups.

Pharmacokinetics of orally administered levocabastine in patients with renal insufficiency

The effects of renal insufficiency and hemodialysis on the pharmacokinetics of orally administered levocabastine were studied in six nondialysis patients and in six patients undergoing regular hemodialysis. Levocabastine .5 mg, supplied as a solution, was administered orally to each patient 1 hour after breakfast. Compared with data in healthy volunteers, the oral absorption and disposition of levocabastine were impaired in patients with renal insufficiency. The time to reach peak plasma concentration was increased and the peak plasma concentration was decreased in the patients with renal insufficiency compared with healthy volunteers. Urinary excretion of the unchanged drug, which is the major elimination pathway of levocabastine, was reduced in the patients with renal insufficiency. The decreased urinary excretion most likely contributed to the prolonged half-life (from 36 hours to 95 hours) and increased area under the plasma concentration-time curve (+56%) in the patients with renal insufficiency as compared with the healthy volunteers. Although the 6-hour hemodialysis procedure starting 4 hours after dosing eliminated 10% of the oral dose, the terminal half-life and the total area under the plasma concentration-time curve did not differ significantly between the hemodialysis and the nonhemodialysis patients. In conclusion, the current study showed that the initial oral absorption of levocabastine is reduced and that levocabastine elimination is prolonged in patients with renal insufficiency.

[Chronic ethylene glycol poisoning]

Over a six-week period a 60-year-old patient had several unexplained intoxication-like episodes. He finally had severe abdominal cramps with changes in the level of consciousness and oligoanuric renal failure (creatinine 4.7 mg/dl). The history, marked metabolic acidosis (pH 7.15, HCO3- 2.2 mmol/l, pCO2 6.6 mmHg) as well as raised anion residue (43 mmol/l) and the presence of oxalates in urine suggested poisoning by ethylene glycol contained in antifreeze liquid. Intensive haemodialysis adequately eliminated ethylene glycol and its toxic metabolites (glycol aldehyde, glycolic acid). Renal function returned within 10 days, although the concentrating power of the kidney remained impaired for several weeks because of interstitial nephritis. The intoxication had been caused by a defective heating-pipe system from which the antifreeze had leaked into the hot-water boiler (the patient had habitually prepared hot drinks by using water from the hot-water tap). Gas chromatography demonstrated an ethylene glycol concentration of 21 g per litre of water.

Lovastatin in the treatment of hypercholesterolemia in nephrotic syndrome due to diabetic nephropathy stage IV-V

The efficacy and safety of lovastatin, a drug for lowering hypercholesterolemia, have been evaluated in ten adult patients with insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM) and nephrotic syndrome due to diabetic nephropathy stage IV or V of Mogensen. For the first 8 weeks the patients received only a sugar-free isocaloric diet of which fats supplied approximately 30% of the total caloric intake and with not more than 300 mg cholesterol daily. After this run-in period patients were treated with 20 mg lovastatin once daily for 12 weeks while receiving the same isocaloric diet as previously. Body weights and glycosylated hemoglobin concentrations (HbAlc) did not change significantly during this period. The baseline plasma cholesterol concentrations (mean +/- SD) decreased only by 2% (from 310 +/- 54 to 303 +/- 46 mg/dl) during the 8 weeks with low cholesterol diet and by 25% (from 303 +/- 46 to 228 +/- 38 mg/dl) during the 12-week period on lovastatin therapy (p less than 0.005). The mean concentrations of low-density lipoprotein (LDL-)-cholesterol decreased by 3% (from 218 +/- 53 to 211 +/- 52 mg/dl) during the diet period and by 35% (from 211 +/- 52 to 137 +/- 38 mg/dl) during the period with lovastatin therapy (p less than 0.001). Concentrations of high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol increased slightly (11%) during the therapy with lovastatin (NS). Baseline plasma triglycerides fell by 22% (from 188 +/- 97 to 146 +/- 59 mg/dl) during the period with fat-restriction (p less than 0.05) and by 13% (from 146 +/- 59 to 127 +/- 54 mg/dl) during the period of lovastatin therapy (NS).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Influence of pregnancy on progression of diabetic nephropathy and subsequent requirement of renal replacement therapy in female type I diabetic patients with impaired renal function

The influence of pregnancy on the progression of diabetic nephropathy in diabetic women with pre-existing moderate renal insufficiency is a subject of considerable controversy in the literature. In four of five female patients with type I diabetes mellitus with pre-existing impaired renal function (creatinine clearance less than 80 ml/min), significant proteinuria (greater than 2 g/24 h urine) and hypertension we have found a further decline in renal function during pregnancy, with an increased deterioration rate of creatinine clearance in comparison to the time before and after pregnancy. The mean decline of the glomerular filtration rate was 1.8 ml/min per month during pregnancy and 1.4 ml/min per month postpartum until the start of dialysis treatment. The difference in the progression of diabetic nephropathy during and after pregnancy can be explained by increased hypertension during pregnancy, especially in the third trimester, despite an intensified antihypertensive therapy. The long-term effect of pregnancy on renal function in our patients was therefore an earlier requirement for renal replacement therapy than would have been expected without pregnancy.

Improvement in prognosis of patients with acute renal failure over a period of 15 years: an analysis of 710 cases in a dialysis center

In order to evaluate the changes in causes and outcome of acute renal failure (ARF) during the years 1975-1989, 710 patients treated in our dialysis center were analyzed. We compared the etiology, the severity and catabolic state of ARF, the techniques of renal replacement therapy, which were employed and the ages and mortality rates of these patients, who received dialysis therapy during the years 1975-79 (n = 227), 1980-84 (n = 240) and 1985-89 (n = 243). The number of postoperative, posttraumatic and non-traumatic cases of ARF was approximately the same in all three 5-year periods, only the frequency of postrenal failure decreased from 7% in the years 1975-79 to 3% in the years 1985-89. The incidence of sepsis as a major cause of ARF and the most important risk factor was comparably high in the surgical and medical patients during all of the periods, but it increased in the traumatic patients from 7% in the years 1975-79 to 28% during the last 5-year period. The prevalence of respiratory failure and jaundice as additional organ failures, the severity of ARF (oligonanuric-nonoliguric) and the metabolic state were not different in the three patient groups. The magnitude of rise in serum creatinine before the start of renal replacement therapy was significant lower in the last 5-year period in comparison to the years 1975-79 (p < 0.05). Hemodialysis was the treatment in choice of 98 and 93% of the cases during the first two periods, respectively.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Severe tubulopathy and kidney graft rupture after coadministration of mannitol and ciclosporin

Spontaneous allograft rupture after kidney transplantation is a rare complication usually due to an acute rejection of the interstitial type. In a 32-year-old man kidney transplantation was performed under immunosuppression with prednisolone and ciclosporin (CS). The dose of CS was 5 mg/kg body weight intravenously for the first 24 h, on the 2nd day 10 mg/kg/day orally, with gradually decreasing doses thereafter. The patient remained oliguric in the postoperative period and received additionally 600 ml mannitol solution intravenously for osmodiuresis within a period of 6 days. On the 8th postoperative day, 48 h after the last intravenous infusion of mannitol, spontaneous renal rupture occurred. The CS concentrations in the blood during the days before the rupture were within the upper normal range for effective immunosuppression (300-600 ng/ml). Intraoperatively the kidney appeared enlarged due to edematous swelling of the graft, but it showed no signs of rejection. The histological finding was a toxic tubulopathy with extensive isometric vacuolization and peritubular congestion, a known side effect of both of CS and of mannitol. The rupture was successfully repaired. Thirty-four days after the transplantation diuresis increased and hemodialysis therapy could be discontinued. In a second biopsy of the kidney the signs of toxic tubulopathy with isometric vacuolization were reduced. On the following days the serum creatinine dropped below 160 mumol/l. It can be assumed that the combination of CS therapy and administration of massive and continued doses of mannitol in an oliguric patient with allograft kidney may potentiate severe tubulopathy with concomitant edematous swelling of the graft. This can result in an increasing danger of spontaneous renal rupture.

[Does silicone induce autoimmune diseases? Review of the literature and case reports]

Silicone is able to induce different immunological reactions: Local foreign body reactions with activation of fibroblasts, granuloma formation and clinical manifestation of autoimmune diseases may occur. We report 4 cases with possible autoimmune disease in connection with breast augmentation. In one case explantation lead to both clinical and serological improvement with a decrease of antinuclear antibodies from 1:1280 to 1:160. In addition we report the spectrum of silicone induced systemic side effects and discuss the possible cellular reactions as well as the immunological changes.

[Late reactions following implantation of silicone prostheses]

Silicone implants can provoke local reactions (granulomas, lymphadenopathy) and also systemic side-effects. About 80 case reports in the literature describe autoimmune disease following silicone augmentation. The clinical spectrum includes signs and symptoms of progressive sclerosis, mixed connective tissue disease and lupus erythematosus. We present 4 cases with possible autoimmune phenomena related to breast augmentation. After explantation in 1 case the clinical and immunological features disappeared, and the antinuclear antibodies subsequently decreased from a titre of 1:1280 (speckled form) to 1:160 (homogeneous form). To our knowledge there are no similar reports on systemic complications following the use of silicone in urology.

Pharmacokinetics of ritanserin in patients undergoing hemodialysis

The pharmacokinetics of ritanserin were studied in five patients with chronic renal insufficiency and who were undergoing periodic hemodialysis. Immediately after breakfast, a single 10-mg ritanserin tablet was administered to each patient on a day that they did not undergo dialysis. Plasma ritanserin levels were measured by a specific high-performance liquid chromatographic assay sensitive to 2 ng/mL plasma. After the oral 10-mg dose, the average time to reach the peak plasma concentration, Tmax, was 4.4 +/- 2.2 hours in these uremic patients, with a range of 2 to 8 hours. The average peak plasma concentration was 73.6 +/- 26.9 ng/mL (range: 54.6-120.0 ng/mL). Compared with a previous study in healthy volunteers, the uremic patients had a slower absorption profile, with a 39% reduction in peak plasma concentration and mean delay of 2.5 hours in Tmax. The mean area under the plasma concentration-time curve for ritanserin (2031 +/- 636 ng.hr/mL) was 47% lower compared with that in healthy volunteers (3867 +/- 1413 ng.hr/mL). The observed delayed and lower ritanserin absorption in these uremic patients may be caused by the chronic use of antacids such as aluminum hydroxide and calcium carbonate in all patients and/or by concurrent pathologic changes in the gastrointestinal mucosa of these patients. The regular hemodialysis sessions every 2-3 days did not affect the elimination rate of ritanserin, as the terminal half-life in these patients (39 +/- 23 hr) is similar to that in healthy volunteers (41 +/- 14 hr).

Human adjuvant disease: remission of silicone induced autoimmune disease after explanation of breast augmentation

Autoimmune diseases following silicone or paraffin implantation are rarely encountered complications of plastic surgery. A 42 year old woman is presented who developed clinical and immunological features of systemic lupus erythematosus 11 years after silicone augmentation. After explanation antinuclear antibody titres decreased from 1/1280 to 1/160, C4 complement fraction and the previously raised angiotensin converting enzyme normalised in step with clinical improvement. It is important that plastic surgeons and rheumatologists should be aware of this possible association.

Cimetidine pharmacokinetics after oral administration of cimetidine retard in normal and impaired renal function

Cimetidine pharmacokinetics was investigated in four groups: Group I with three normals (serum creatinine less than 1.5 mg/dl), Group II with three kidney patients, renal function slightly impaired (serum creatinine greater than 1.8-4.3 mg/dl), Group III with three patients suffering from severe impairment (serum creatinine greater than 4.3 mg/dl) and Group IV with three patients on chronic hemodialysis. All four groups were given cimetidine retard (350 mg tablets Neutronorm retard, Ebewe Arzneimittel GmbH, A-4866 Unterach a.A., Austria). Groups I and II (normals and slightly impaired renal function) received the tablets twice a day with an interval of 12 h (7:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m.). Groups III and IV (severely impaired renal function and hemodialysis patient were only given one dose a day (7:00 a.m.). The group of normals (I) and the group with slightly impaired renal function (II) had the highest serum cimetidine concentrations one to two h after the morning dose, followed by an exponential decrease. After the evening dose in Group I, the highest concentrations were found after 4 h. Group II had the highest concentrations four to eight h after administration. Compared to the morning dose, the exponential decrease of the serum cimetidine concentration was delayed in onset and slower in phasing out. Furthermore, concentration was higher during the night than during the day.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

[Renal osteopathy]

The pathogenesis of renal osteopathy is multifactorial. Disturbances in calcium-phosphorus metabolism leading to the development of secondary hyperparathyroidism, abnormalities in vitamin D and beta-2-microglobulin metabolism, and aluminum intoxication are the most important factors. In this overview the clinic, diagnostic and therapeutic procedures of the renal osteopathy are presented.

[125 years of the general public hospital of the City of Linz--medical highlights]

The culminating points of medicine in the 125-years history of the General Hospital in Linz were described and the significance of these on the development of medicine in upper Austria were presented.

Calcium free hemodialysis: an effective therapy in hypercalcemic crisis--report of 4 cases

Hypercalcemic crisis represents a medical emergency. If conservative treatment is ineffective, low calcium bath or zero calcium bath hemodialysis are good alternatives. We report 4 patients treated with calcium free acetate hemodialysis because of hypercalcemic crisis due to breast cancer, hepatocellular carcinoma, cirrhosis of the liver and immobilisation with hydrochlorothiazids' medication. Following 3 h of hemodialysis, serum calcium concentrations fell from a mean value of 3.96 (range 3.53-4.46) mmol/l to 2.71 (2.28-3.12) mmol/l. In 2 patients rapid clinical improvement was achieved and in one oliguric patient diuresis started spontaneously during hemodialysis. One patient died from gram-negative sepsis. In 3 cases the subsequent conservative treatment was sufficient to maintain serum calcium levels within the normal range. Together with the previously reported cases (5 patients treated by hemodialysis with low dialysate calcium and 3 patients by hemodialysis with calcium free dialysate) our experience indicates that hemodialysis is an effective and safe therapy for hypercalcemic crisis.

[Therapy of severe malaria]

Early diagnosis and differentiation of a probably mild course are the first steps in treatment of severe malaria tropica. After confirming the diagnosis by identification of Plasmodium falciparum in blood smears, causal therapy with quinine should be started immediately, followed by a 2. schizontozidal drug (chloroquine or mefloquine depending on the country of origin). To prevent the typical organ failures adjuvant therapies are as important as the causal therapy with quinine: besides continuous monitoring of vital functions and treatment according to the guidelines of intensive care, packed red cells should be given generously as well as fresh-frozen plasma in complex coagulation disturbances. Prophylactic administration of heparine is of questionable value, corticosteroids should not be given any more in cerebral malaria. Early start with renal replacement therapy (hemodialysis, hemofiltration or peritoneal-dialysis) in oligo-anuric renal failure improves the prognosis in severe malaria. In comatose patients and at signs of multi-organ failure plasma exchange by plasmapheresis and/or whole blood exchange should be performed.

["Body packing" in Austria. Clinical and diagnostic aspects of gastrointestinal smuggling of intoxicating drugs based on 2 cases]

The alimentary tract is frequently used as a hiding place for the transportation of drugs. We report on the cases of two smugglers with drug packages ("body packing") in the gastrointestinal tract. Radiological techniques provide the best method of diagnosis. The clinical problems and symptoms of acute drug intoxication are presented.