BACKGROUND The vascular access guidelines recommend that arteriovenous fistulas (AVFs) with access dysfunction and an access blood flow (Qa) <300-500 mL/min be referred for stenosis imaging and treatment. Significant (>50%) stenosis, however, may be detected in a well-functioning AVF with a Qa > 500 mL/min, too, but whether it is worth correcting or not remains to be seen. METHODS In October ...

Chronic kidney disease is a public health problem and one of the outstanding causes of death in the industrialized world. The most serious condition is advanced chronic renal failure requiring replacement therapy by dialysis or kidney transplantation. In recent years the incidence is stabilizing but the prevalence is increasing probably due to the progressive aging of the population and increas...

BACKGROUND Pentoxifylline (PTX) is a promising therapeutic approach for reducing inflammation and improving anemia associated to various systemic disorders. However, whether this agent may be helpful for anemia management also in CKD patients is still object of debate. STUDY DESIGN Systematic review and meta-analysis. POPULATION Adults with CKD (any KDOQI stage, including ESKD patients on r...

BACKGROUND Renal hypertrophy occurs early in diabetic nephropathy, its later value is unknown. Do large kidneys still predict poor outcome in patients with diabetes and Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD)? METHODS Seventy-five patients with diabetes and CKD according to a Glomerular Filtration Rate (GFR, by 51Cr-EDTA clearance) below 60 mL/min/1.73 m2 or an Albumin Excretion Rate above 30 mg/24 H, h...

BACKGROUND Few reports have studied the possible association between the haptoglobin (Hp) genotype and the risk of diabetic nephropathy (DN) in type 1 diabetes (T1D), with conflicting results to date. AIMS To study whether the 2-2 Hp genotype is associated with an increased risk of overt DN in a Spanish population with T1D. METHODS We performed a case-control study in a Spanish population. ...

BACKGROUND In general, obesity is a major contributor to metabolic syndrome (MetS) and is associated with insulin resistance (IR). Metabolically obese but normal weight (MONW) individuals present metabolic abnormalities and features of MetS despite having a normal range of body mass index (BMI). In recent years, different subtypes of obesity have been introduced, including metabolically healthy...

INTRODUCTION Mounting evidence indicates that a disturbed Wnt-β-catenin signaling may be involved in the pathogenesis of chronic kidney disease-mineral and bone and mineral disorder (CKD-MBD). Data on the impact of CKD on circulating levels of the Wnt antagonists sclerostin and Dickkopf related protein 1 (DKK1) and the relationship with laboratory parameters of CKD-MBD are incomplete. METHODS...

Phosphate control is still a great challenge in chronic kidney disease (CKD), and in spite of the great improvements in dialysis techniques, achievement of the goals for mineral metabolism control is still far from ideal. Aluminum hydroxide has been largely abandoned due to the high risk of aluminum toxicity, while the use of calcium-based phosphate binders may cause hypercalcemia, overzealous ...

Vitamin D deficiency (<20 ng/mL) and insufficiency (20-29 ng/mL) are common among patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) or undergoing dialysis. In addition to nutritional and sunlight exposure deficits, factors that affect vitamin D deficiency include race, sex, age, obesity and impaired vitamin D synthesis and metabolism. Serum 1,25(OH)₂D levels also decrease progressively because of 25(O...