Scorpions belonging to the Tityus genus are of medical interest in Brazil. Among them, Tityus stigmurus is the main scorpion responsible for stings in the Northeast region. After a sting, the scorpion venom distributes rapidly to the organs, reaching the kidneys quickly. However, there are few studies concerning the renal pathophysiology of scorpion poisoning. In this study, we evaluated the ef...

To examine the effects of chronic type IV phosphodiesterase (PDE4) inhibition on renal function and renal and mesenteric vascular resistance and blood flow in a sublethal model of multiple organ dysfunction syndrome (MODS) we used a prospective, randomized, controlled laboratory animal study. Twenty-eight rats had mini-infusion pumps placed to deliver vehicle or PDE4 inhibition with Ro 20-1724 ...

BACKGROUND High plasma levels of interferon-gamma inducible protein-10 (IP-10) have been shown to be associated with impaired treatment response in chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. Whether IP-10 levels predict treatment in acute HCV infection is unknown. METHODS Patients with acute or early chronic HCV infection from the Australian Trial in Acute Hepatitis C (ATAHC) cohort were eval...

The present study was designed to assess the dose-related effects of platelet-activating factor (PAF) on systemic, renal, and uterine hemodynamics in nonpregnant sheep and to evaluate how pregnancy might alter these responses. Nonpregnant and pregnant (110 ± 5 days gestation) ewes were instrumented for conscious measurements of maternal mean arterial pressure (MAP), renal blood flow (RBF), uter...

BACKGROUND/AIMS Chronic hepatitis C (CHC) is a major comorbidity in patients with hemophilia. However, there are no published data on the efficacy of antiviral therapy in Korea. We assessed the safety and efficacy of combination therapy with peginterferon α-2a plus ribavirin for CHC in hemophilia. METHODS Patients (n=115) were enrolled between March 2007 and December 2008. Seventy-seven patie...

Sexual differences in blood pressure are associated with angiotensin 1-7 (Ang1-7) and its receptor and enzyme function targeting. Blockade of angiotensin II (AngII) receptors type 1 and 2 (AT1R and AT2R) inhibits some actions of Ang1-7. We described the role of Ang1-7 receptor (MasR) antagonist (A779) on kidney hemodynamics when AT1R and AT2R are blocked with losartan and PD123319. In anaesthet...

To investigate changes in systemic and regional hemodynamics during the development of human hypertension, we simultaneously measured cardiac index (CI) by the indocyanine green (ICG) dye dilution method, hepatosplanchnic blood flow (HBF) by the ICG clearance method using a two-compartment model, and renal blood flow (RBF) by the p-aminohippurate clearance method in patients with borderline and...

In 18 patients with benign essential hypertension, renin release during reduction of arterial pressure due to sodium nitroprusside infusion was measured before and after administration of ganglion-blocking agents (pentolinium or trimethaphan). In 12 patients, renin release induced by reduction in pressure was significantly reduced but not abolished by ganglion blockade. Simultaneously, ganglion...

Purpose To identify any significant correlations between retinal circulatory parameters and serum concentrations of omentin-1, a novel adipokine produced by adipocytes, in patients suffering from type 2 diabetes mellitus. Methods Eighty-seven patients suffering from type 2 diabetes and incipient diabetic retinopathy (DR) were analyzed and further divided into two groups according to sex. We c...

We measured cardiac output (CO), renal blood flow (RBF), renal plasma flow (RPF), and afferent arteriolar diameter by the microsphere method, and inulin clearance (GFR) simultaneously in awake rats given an infusion of exogenous angiotensin II (100 ng/min per kg). Angiotensin II did not affect the CO, whereas both RBF and RPF decreased significantly in rats infused with angiotensin II (RBF, 2.8...