Biomedical subjects

Angela D'Angelo

Publications and source records attributed to Angela D'Angelo.

41 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

PubMedDate not supplied

Diuretics and dopamine for the prevention and treatment of acute renal failure: a critical reappraisal.

The efficacy of diuretics and dopamine in preventing and treating acute renal failure (ARF) is still debated, although these drugs are widely used in clinical practice. The present review addresses this debate providing an update on available data. There are very few well controlled and sufficiently large trials testing these agents in different ARF clinical settings, with either a preventive or a curative goal. Unfortunately, most findings rule out any favourable effects of diuretics, mannitol, atrial natriuretic peptides, and dopamine. In fact, at least in some clinical conditions, they can even worsen the risk of ARF or aggravate its course.

Acute Kidney Injury↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Heparin reduces glomerular infiltration and TGF-beta protein expression by macrophages in puromycin glomerulosclerosis.

BACKGROUND: In a number of experimental models of nephropathy, heparin is renoprotective because it inhibits mesangial matrix synthesis and cell proliferation; in most of these models, glomerular macrophage infiltration has a pathogenic role. We investigated the hypothesis that heparin might also be renoprotective by modulating the macrophages in various ways in the chronic puromycin glomerulosclerosis model. METHODS: We studied the effect of a 3 month course, two different dosages of a non-anticoagulant heparin by immunohistochemical evaluation of the number of macrophages (ED-1 positive cells) in glomeruli, as well as the expression and deposition of TGF-beta and latent TGF-beta binding protein in foam cells and mesangial matrix. RESULTS: The renoprotective effect of heparin in this model was confirmed by our observation of lower urine protein and albumin excretion, and a reduced glomerular sclerosis score. These effects were associated with the prevention of macrophage glomerular infiltration, and the inhibition of the TGF-beta axes in foam cells as shown by the reduction in cytoplasm immunostaining for TGF-beta and LTBP-1; heparin also reduced peri-macrophagic collagen IV deposition. CONCLUSIONS: The inhibition of TGF-beta in macrophages seems to be part of heparin general activities. The inhibitory effect of heparin on macrophage infiltration and TGF-beta synthesis in this renal disease model supports the notion that heparin and derived molecules constitute potentially useful therapeutic agents in nephropathies.

Analysis of Variance↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Double urine circulation: importance of pores.

The authors examine a presentation to the Royal Academy of Sciences of Paris by L. Morin, French physician and meteorologist. In this communication the presence of "pores" in the stomach and the bladder, which would allow a quick elimination of the urines on the occasion of an abundant fluid intake.

France↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Crystals, Randall's plaques and renal stones: do bone and atherosclerosis teach us something?

The pathogenesis of calcium-oxalate (CaOx) renal stones is still debated and a number of issues needs to be clarified. In particular, it is difficult to combine the intraluminal physical-chemical imbalance and fixed particle theory with the evidence that CaOx stones actually form and grow on Randall's plaque in the renal pelvis. On the basis of recent findings in renal stone research, and data from the biology of ectopic calcification, the hypothesis is advanced that abnormal pre-urine CaOx supersaturation triggers inflammation in the long Henle's loop cells at tip forceps level. This in turn induces differentiation of these cells toward the osteogenic lineage, determining the synthesis of typical bone osteoid proteins (osteopontin, osteocalcin, BMP-2, etc) and hydroxyapatite mineralization of the Henle's basement membrane (beneath the differentiating cells) which precedes Randal's plaque formation. This may constitute a further, still unexplored example of epithelial-mesenchymal-differentiation in the kidney.

Animals↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Comparison of peritoneal equilibration test with 2.27% and 3.86% glucose dialysis solution.

BACKGROUND: The standard Peritoneal Equilibration Test (PET) uses a 2.27% glucose dialysis solution in peritoneal dialysis (PD). A more hypertonic solution (3.86%) has recently been proposed to obtain further information about ultrafiltration (UF). AIM: To compare results in terms of peritoneal solute transport (4h-dialysate-to-plasma ratio, 4h-D/P) between 2.27% and 3.86% PET. DESIGN: 23 patients on PD were randomized to form two groups, A and B. A 2.27% dextrose 2-L exchange was used in group A, followed on the same day by a 3.86% dextrose 2-L exchange, both with a 4-hour dwell (2.27% and 3.86% PET); in group B, the same treatment was administered in reverse. 4h-D/P of urea, creatinine and sodium at time 0, 60, 120 and 240 minutes and net UF were calculated for each PET and compared. RESULTS: No significant statistical differences were found for the usual peritoneal transport indexes, 4h-D/P of urea and creatinine, between 2.27% and 3.86% PET, which produced almost identical results. The creatinine 4h-D/P were 0.67+/-0.09 vs. 0.66+/-0.10 (p= NS) and the urea 4h-D/P 0.91+/-0.04 vs. 0.90+/-0.04 (p= NS). The sodium D/P was lower at all times during the 3.86% PET: D/P60= 0.92+/-0.05 vs. 0.88+/-0.03, D/P120= 0.91+/-0.02 vs. 0.87+/-0.03, D/P240= 0.92+/-0.02 vs. 0.88+/-0.04 (p< 0.0001). The net UF was 478 +/- 175 vs. 936 +/- 233 mL respectively (p< 0.0001). CONCLUSION: Our study suggests that a 3.86% PD solution could be used for PET instead of the 2.27% solution in order to assess peritoneal solute transport, as well as UF, while obtaining almost identical results as the 2.27% solution.

Adult↗