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KIDNEY DISEASE
ABSTRACTS
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Induction of renal damage in rats by a diet deficient in antioxidants
Sadava D.; Luo P.-W.; Casper J.
Keck Science Center, 925 N. Mills Ave.,Claremont, CA 91711 United States
Nutrition Research (USA), 1996, 16/9 (1607-1612)

Male albino rats, age 28 days, were fed a diet containing both vitamin E (10 g/kg) and selenium (5 mg/kg) or a diet lacking these antioxidants. Animals were examined for renal function after 4, 8, 12 and 16 wk on the respective diets. After 8 wk, animals on the deficient diet weighed less than controls (15%, p<0.01), and this became more pronounced by 16 weeks (25%, p<0.01). Expressed on a body weight basis, kidney wet weights did not differ between the two groups of animals. Urine volume increased in the animals fed the deficient diet at 8 weeks (66%, p<0.01) and this was maintained at 16 weeks (35%, p<0.01). Similar increases were observed for the rates of excretion of urinary total protein (77% elevation at 16 wk, p<0.01) and urinary acid phosphatase (51% elevation, p<0.01). At 16 wk, the specific activity of renal acid phosphatase in the animals given the deficient diet was reduced in cortex (57%, p<0.01) and medulla (20%, p<0.01), but not in papilla. These data indicate that dietary antioxidant deficiency causes progressive and pronounced renal damage.

Hyperhomocysteinemia confers an independent increased risk of atherosclerosis in end-stage renal disease and is closely linked to plasma folate and pyridoxine concentrations.
Robinson K, Gupta A, Dennis V, Arheart K, Chaudhary D, Green R, Vigo P, Mayer EL, Selhub J, Kutner M, Jacobsen DW
Department of Cardiology, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, OH 44195, USA
robinsk@ccsmtp.ccf.org
Circulation 1996 Dec 1;94(11):2743-8

BACKGROUND: A high level of total plasma homocysteine is a risk factor for atherosclerosis, which is an important cause of death in renal failure We evaluated the role of this as a risk factor for vascular complications of end-stage renal disease.

METHODS AND RESULTS: Total fasting plasma homocysteine and other risk factors were documented in 176 dialysis patients (97 men, 79 women; mean age, 56.3 +/- 14.8 years). Folate, vitamin B12, and pyridoxal phosphate concentrations were also determined. The prevalence of high total homocysteine values was determined by comparison with a normal reference population, and the risk of associated vascular complications was estimated by multiple logistic regression. Total homocysteine concentration was higher in patients than in the normal population (26.6 +/- 1.5 versus 10.1 +/- 1.7 mumol/L; P < .01). Abnormally high concentrations (> 95th percentile for control subjects, 16.3 mumol/L) were seen in 149 patients (85%) with end-stage renal disease (P < .001). Patients with a homocysteine concentration in the upper two quintiles (> 27.8 mumol/L) had an independent odds ratio of 2.9 (CI, 1.4 to 5.8; P = .007) of vascular complications. B vitamin levels were lower in patients with vascular complications than in those without. Vitamin B6 deficiency was more frequent in patients than in the normal reference population (18% versus 2%; P < .01).

CONCLUSIONS: A high total plasma homocysteine concentration is an independent risk factor for atherosclerotic complications of end-stage renal disease. Such patients may benefit from higher doses of B vitamins than those currently recommended.

High dose-B-vitamin treatment of hyperhomocysteinemia in dialysis patients.
Bostom AG, Shemin D, Lapane KL, Hume AL, Yoburn D, Nadeau MR, Bendich A, Selhub J, Rosenberg IH
USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging, Tufts New England Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
Kidney Int 1996 Jan;49(1):147-52

Hyperhomocysteinemia, an arteriosclerotic risk factor, persists in 75% of dialysis patients despite routine low dose supplementation with the B-Vitamin-Co-factors/substrates for homocysteine (Hcy) metabolism, and normal or supernormal plasma status of these vitamins (Atherosclerosis 114:93, 1995). We conducted a placebo-controlled eight-week trial of the effect on plasma homocysteine of adding supraphysiologic dose folic acid (15 mg/day), B-6 (100 mg/day), and B-12 (1 mg/day) to the usual daily dosing of 1 mg folic acid, 10 mg B-6, and 12 micrograms B-12, in 27 hyperhomocysteinemic dialysis patients. Total plasma homocysteine was measured at baseline, and after four and eight weeks. Blinded analyses revealed no evidence of toxicity in the group randomized to supraphysiologic dose B-vitamin supplementation. Plasma homocysteine was significantly reduced after both four weeks (-29.8% vs. -2.0%; P = 0.0024) and eight weeks (-25.8% vs. +0.6%; P = 0.0009) of active versus placebo treatment. Also, 5 of 15 treated versus 0 of 12 placebo group patients had their plasma Hcy reduced to within the normative range (< 15 mumol/liter). Supraphysiologic doses of B-vitamins may be required to correct hyperhomocysteinemia in dialysis patients.

Long-term folic acid (but not pyridoxine) supplementation lowers elevated plasma homocysteine level in chronic renal failure.
Chauveau P, Chadefaux B, Coude M, Aupetit J, Kamoun P, Jungers P
Department of Nephrology, Necker Hospital, Paris, France.
Miner Electrolyte Metab 1996;22(1-3):106-9

Moderate hyperhomocysteinemia, a risk factor for premature atherosclerosis, is present in chronic uremic patients. We prospectively evaluated the effects of sequential supplementation with pyridoxine (70 mg/day) and folic acid (10 mg/day) for two 3-month periods in 37 nondialyzed patients (29 males) with creatinine clearance (Ccr) ranging from 10 to 80 ml/min, whose plasma vitamin B12 and folate level was in the normal range. Mean (+/- SD) baseline plasma total homocysteine (Hcy) was 14.9 +/- 5.2, 16.5 +/- 5.1 and 26.1 +/- 12.1 mumol/l (upper limit in 45 healthy controls 14.1 mumol/l) in patients with CCr 40-80, 20-40 and < 20 ml/min, respectively. Following pyridoxine Hcy did not significantly decrease whereas following folic acid Hcy decreased significantly to 9.9 +/- 2.9 (-33% vs. baseline), 10.3 +/- 3.4 (-37%) and 15.4 +/- 5.5 (-40%), respectively (Student's paired t test, p < 0.001) in the 3 groups. We conclude that folate (but not pyridoxine) pharmacologic supplementation is effective in lowering elevated plasma Hcy in chronic renal failure patients, thus suggesting that enhancing the Hcy remethylation pathway may overcome hyperhomocysteinemia in such patients. In view of the potential atherogenic effects of hyperhomocysteinemia, long-term folate supplementation should be considered in uremic patients.

Taurine: A therapeutic agent in experimental kidney disease
Trachtman H.; Sturman J.A.
Schneider Children's Hospital, Division Nephrology, SCH 365, 269-01 76th Avenue, New Hyde Park, NY 11040 USA
Amino Acids (Austria), 1996, 11/1 (1-13)

Taurine is an abundant free amino acid in the plasma and cytosol. The kidney plays a pivotal role in maintaining taurine balance. Immunohistochemical studies reveal a unique localization pattern of the amino acid along the nephron. Taurine acts as an antioxidant in a variety of in vitro and in vivo systems. It prevents lipid peroxidation of glomerular mesangial cells and renal tubular epithelial cells exposed to high glucose or hypoxic culture conditions. Dietary taurine supplementation ameliorates experimental renal disease including models of refractory nephrotic syndrome and diabetic nephropathy. The beneficial effects of taurine are mediated by its antioxidant action. It does not attenuate ischemic or nephrotoxic acute renal failure or chronic renal failure due to sub-total ablation of kidney mass. Additional work is required to fully explain the scope and mechanism of action of taurine as a renoprotective agent in experimental kidney disease. Clinical trials are warranted to determine the usefulness of this amino acid as an adjunctive treatment of progressive glomerular disease and diabetic nephropathy.

Kidney stone clinic: Ten years of experience
Jabor A.
Hospital Kladno, Vanurova 1548, CZ-27259 Kladno Czech Republic
Nederlands Tijschrift voor de Klinische Chemie (Netherlands), 1996, 21/1 (8-10)

Experiences are described at a kidney stone clinic which was established as part of the Department of Clinical Biochemistry ten years ago. During this period, the investigational protocol has changed from an in-patient to an out-patient scheme. The most important metabolic abnormalities among calcium oxalate kidney stone formers were hypercalciuria, hypernatriuria, hyperuricosuria, increased blood urate, decreased blood phosphate and hyperphosphaturia with decreased renal phosphate threshold. These abnormalities were found in the majority of patients. Oxalate output was, however, increased in less than 50 percent of the patients. The effectivity of thiazides, allopurinol, magnesium and phosphate supplementation was tested, and it was concluded that
(a) the effect of thiazides was significant, but calciuria normalized only in a few cases,
(b) the withdrawal of allopurinol led to a significant increase of urate parameters only in patients without a low-purine diet,
(c) a sufficient dose of magnesium and phosphate is necessary to achieve a therapeutie effect. Preliminary data indicate that some patients with hypercalciuria and kidney stones are at risk of decreased bone mass, and the role of bone markers monitoring is mentioned.

Magnesium in the physiopathology and treatment of renal calcium stones
Labeeuw M.; Pozet N.; Zech P.; Traeger J.
Clinique de Nephrologie, Pavillon P., Hopital Edouard Herriot, 69374 Lyon Cedex France
Presse Med. (France), 1987, 16/1 (25-27)

The inhibitory effect of magnesium on the first stages of renal calcium stone formation is modest in vitro and more pronounced in experimental in vivo studies. Magnesium deficiency has not yet been convincingly demonstrated in man. However, urinary magnesium concentrations are abnormally low in relation to urinary calcium concentrations in more than 25% of patients with kidney stones. A supplementary magnesium intake corrects this abnormality and prevents the recurrence of stones. Magnesium seems to be as effective against stone formation as diuretics. The modalities of magnesium therapy still have to be determined and its results confirmed. Magnesium, possibly added to drinking water, may well play a role in the primary prevention of renal calcium stones.

Urinary factors of kidney stone formation in patients with Crohn's disease
Bohles H.; Beifuss O.J.; Pichl J.; Akcetin Z.; Demling L.; Brandl U.
Universitatskinderklinik, D-8520 Erlangen Germany, Federal Republic of
Klin. Wochenschr. (Germany, Federal Republic of), 1988, 66/3 (87-91)

An increased frequency of kidney stone formation is reported in patients with imflammatory bowel disease. In order to investigate its pathogenesis, the concentrations of factors known to enhance calcium oxalate stone formation (oxalate, calcium, uric acid) as well as of inhibitory factors for nephrolithiasis (magnesium, citrate) were determined in the urine of 86 patients with Crohn's disease and compared with those of 53 metabolically healthy controls. Six patients with Crohn's disease already had experienced calcium oxalate nephrolithiasis. Patients with Crohn's disease had significantly higher urinary oxalate and lower magnesium and citrate concentrations. Among all patients magnesium and citrate were significantly lower in those with a positive history of kidney stones. Our results demonstrate that the increased propensity for renal stone formation in patients with Crohn's disease is a result not only of increased urinary oxalate, but also of decreased urinary magnesium and citrate concentrations.

Renal stone formation in patients with inflammatory bowel disease
Caudarella R.; Rizzoli E.; Pironi L.; Malavolta N.; Martelli G.; Poggioli G.; Gozzetti G.; Miglioli M.; Rothstein R.D.; Malet P.F.; Thomas W.C.; Bohles H.
Istituto di Patologia Medica II, Via Massarenti 9, 40138 Bologna Italy
Scanning Microsc. (USA), 1993, 7/1 (371-380)

Kidney stones are more common in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) than in the general population. The main lithogenetic risk factors were evaluated in patients affected by Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis. Our results show the presence of several factors, besides hyperoxaluria, in patients with IBD although their behaviour appears different in Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis at pre- and post-operative stages. Before surgery in patients with Crohn's disease we found a decreased citrate (p < 0.001) and magnesium (p < 0.005) excretion together with a low urinary volume (p < 0.001) and pH (p < 0.005). After surgery patients with Crohn's disease showed a further reduction of magnesium and citrate. Patients with ulcerative colitis before surgery showed a reduced citrate excretion (p < 0.05) and a more acidic pH (p < 0.05) than healthy subjects. Surgical treatment of proctocolectomy with ileal pouch-anal anastomosis seems to increase the risk of stone formation; in fact, after surgery we observed a relevant decrease of urinary volume (p < 0.001), pH (p < 0.0001) and urinary excretion of citrate (p < 0.0001) as well as magnesium (p < 0.005). Patients with IBD seem to be at greater risk of stone formation than patients with idiopathic calcium lithiasis; in fact, they show a lower excretion of citrate (p < 0.001) and magnesium (p < 0.001) together with a low urinary pH (p < 0.001) and volume (p < 0.001). Urinary volume reduction is probably one of the major risk factors together with the decrease of small molecular weight inhibitors that is a constant finding in all patients with IBD.

Calcium and calcium magnesium carbonate specimens submitted as urinary tract stones
Gault M.H.; Chafe L.; Longerich L.; Mason R.A.
Department of Earth Sciences, Memorial University, General Hospital, St. John's, Nfld. Canada
J. Urol. (USA), 1993, 149/2 (244-249)

Of 8,129 specimens submitted as urinary stones from 6,095 patients, 67 from 15 patients were predominantly calcium carbonate or calcium magnesium carbonate (dolomite) by infrared analysis. Detailed study of 1 man and 4 women who submitted 3 or more such specimens showed that all were of aragonite calcium carbonate crystal form in 2 women and all calcite in the man. All 3 patients had a long history of nephrolithiasis preceding submission of calcium carbonate stones. There was frequent and often painful spontaneous passage of many small stones. Medullary sponge kidney was reported in 2 patients. Specimens submitted by the other 2 women included dolomite and quartz artifacts. Of the other 10 patients 4 had calcite and 1 had aragonite (possibly true stones). Five patients had artifacts with dolomite in 3 and mixed specimens in 2. True calcium carbonate kidney stones and calcium carbonate artifacts may be difficult to distinguish, and dolomite and quartz artifacts may require x-ray diffraction for clear-cut diagnosis.

Etiology and treatment of urolithiasis
Center for Mineral Metabolism and Clinical Research, University of Texas
Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas, 5323 Harry Hines Blvd, Dallas, TX 75235-8885 USA
Am. J. Kidney Dis. (USA), 1991, 18/6 (624-637)

Nephrolithiasis is a heterogeneous disorder, with varying chemical composition and pathophysiologic background. Although kidney stones are generally composed of calcium oxalate or calcium phosphate, they may also consist of uric acid, magnesium-ammonium phosphate, or cystine. Stones develop from a wide variety of metabolic or environmental disturbances, including varying forms of hypercalciuria, hypocitraturia, undue urinary acidity, hyperuricosuria, hyperoxaluria, infection with urease-producing organisms, and cystinuria. The cause of stone formation may be ascertained in most patients using the reliable diagnostic protocols that are available for the identification of these disturbances. Effective medical treatments, capable of correcting underlying derangements, have been formulated. They include sodium cellulose phosphate, thiazide, and orthophosphate for hypercalciuric nephrolithiasis; potassium citrate for hypocitraturic calcium nephrolithiasis; acetohydroxamic acid for infection stones; and D-penicillamine and alpha-mercaptopropionylglycine for cystinuria. Using these treatments, new stone formation can now be prevented in most patients.

Pathogenesis of nephrolithiasis post-partial ileal bypass surgery: Case-control study
Obialo C.I.; Clayman R.V.; Matts J.P.; Fitch L.L.; Buchwald H.; Gillis M. ; Hruska K.A.
Renal Division, Jewish Hospital, Washington University School of Medicine, 216 South Kingshighway Blvd., St. Louis, MO 63110 USA
Kidney Int. (USA), 1991, 39/6 (1249-1254)

Between 1975 and 1983, 838 patients were randomized into the Program on the Surgical Control of Hyperlipidemias (POSCH) trial: 417 to standard medical care and 421 to partial ileal bypass (PIB) surgery. During the course of the trial, an increased incidence of kidney stone formation was found in the surgery group (4%/year) as compared to the control group (0.4%/year). A matched triplet case-control study was conducted to assess the possible causes for the increased incidence of kidney stones. Three groups were studied: PIB stone-formers (S); PIB non-stone formers (N); and non-PIB, non-stone formers in the control group (C). Initially, 162 patients (54 triplets) were selected. Ten percent of the patients declined to participate which resulted in a sample size of 146 patients. The PIB patients had statistically significant (P < 0.05) lower levels of serum vitamin D metabolites; lower urine volume, pH, citrate, magnesium, carbon dioxide, and sulfate, and higher urinary oxalate, ammonia and relative supersaturation for calcium oxalate and uric acid than the control patients. Although S and N had similar results, those S with no prior history of stones had a higher calcium oxalate supersaturation than similar N with a negative prior history of stones (P < 0.025). Based on these results, all PIB patients appear to be at risk for kidney stone formation. The combination of reduced urinary volume and calcium oxalate precipitation inhibitor substance with increased calcium oxalate relative supersaturation produced an increase in nephrolithiasis risk in the PIB groups.

The effect of glucose intake on urine saturation with calcium oxalate, calcium phosphate, uric acid and sodium urate
Gluszek J.
Department of Internal Diseases, Medical Academy, Poznan Poland
Int. Urol. Nephrol. (Netherlands), 1988, 20/6 (657-663)

The effect of simple carbohydrate intake on the state of urine saturation was studied in 44 patients with calcium kidney stones and in 28 healthy subjects. Renal excretion of calcium, magnesium and oxalate significantly increased and pH of urine decreased after an intake of 100 g glucose in stone formers and healthy subjects. In the basic conditions (before glucose administration) urine was supersaturated with calcium oxalate in stone formers (median 0.55) and healthy subjects (0.24; p < 0.05). Carbohydrate intake caused a significant increase of the degree of urine saturation with calcium oxalate and uric acid. The degree of urine saturation with brushite and sodium urate after glucose administration did not change. These data suggest that excess of simple carbohydrate consumption may increase the degree of urine saturation with some of the compounds important in stone formation.

Magnesium metabolism in health and disease
Elin R.J.
Department of Clinical Pathology, National Institute of Health, Bethesda, MD
Dis. Mon. (USA), 1988, 34/4 (166-218)

Magnesium is an important element for health and disease. Magnesium, the second most abundant intracellular cation, has been identified as a cofactor in over 300 enzymatic reactions involving energy metabolism and protein and nucleic acid synthesis. Approximately half of the total magnesium in the body is present in soft tissue, and the other half in bone. Less than 1% of the total body magnesium is present in blood. Nonetheless, the majority of our experimental information comes from determination of magnesium in serum and red blood cells. At present, we have little information about equilibrium among and state of magnesium within body pools. Magnesium is absorbed uniformly from the small intestine and the serum concentration controlled by excretion from the kidney. The clinical laboratory evaluation of magnesium status is primarily limited to the serum magnesium concentration, 24-hour urinary excretion, and percent retention following parenteral magnesium. However, results for these tests do not necessarily correlate with intracellular magnesium. Thus, there is no readily available test to determine intracellular/total body magnesium status. Magnesium deficiency may cause weakness, tremors, seizures, cardiac arrhythmias, hypokalemia, and hypocalcemia. The causes of hypomagnesemia are reduced intake (poor nutrition or IV fluids without magnesium), reduced absorption (chronic diarrhea, malabsorption, or bypass/resection of bowel), redistribution (exchange transfusion or acute pancreatitis), and increased excretion (medication, alcoholism, diabetes mellitus, renal tubular disorders, hypercalcemia, hyperthyroidism, aldosteronism, stress, or excessive lactation). A large segment of the U.S. population may have an inadequate intake of magnesium and may have a chronic latent magnesium deficiency that has been linked to atherosclerosis, myocardial infarction, hypertension, cancer, kidney stones, premenstrual syndrome, and psychiatric disorders. Hypermagnesemia is primarily seen in acute and chronic renal failure, and is treated effectively by dialysis.

Prophylaxis of recurring urinary stones:hard or soft mineral water
Sommariva M.; Rigatti P.; Viola M.R.
Divisione di Urologia, Ospedale S.Raffaele - 20100 Milano Italy
Minerva Med. (Italy), 1987, 78/24 (1823-1829)

The influence of a calcium-rich mineral water on urine crystallisation in patients with recurring kidney stones was investigated. A calcium and magnesium rich water like the one tested increases the calcium and magnesium content of the urine but decreases oxaluria even after a dietary oxalate load.

Urothelial injury to the rabbit bladder from various alkaline and acidic solutions used to dissolve kidney stones
Reckler J.; Rodman J.S.; Jacobs D.; et al.
Division of Urology, Department of Medicine, Cornell University School of Medicine, New York, NY USA
J. Urol. (Baltimore) (USA), 1986, 136/1 (181-183)

Different irrigating solutions are used clinically to dissolve uric acid, cystine and struvite stones. These studies were undertaken to assess the toxicity to the rabbit bladder epithelium of several commonly used formulations. Test solutions were infused antegrade through a left ureterotomy overnight. Bladders were removed and routine histological sections made. A pH 7.6 solution of NaHCOsub 3 appeared harmless. The same solution with two percent acetylcysteine produced slight injury. All pH solutions caused significant damage to the urothelium. Hemiacidrin, which contains magnesium, produced less danger than did other pH 4 solutions without that cation. Our data tend to support Suby's conclusions that addition of magnesium reduces urothelial injury even though the presence of magnesium will slow dissolution of struvite.

Kidney stones, magnesium and spa treatment
Carles J.
Rue des Thermes, 65130 Capvern les Bains France
Presse Therm. Clim. (France), 1983, 120/1 (33-35)

No abstract.


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