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Biomedical subjects

S Fujimi

Publications and source records attributed to S Fujimi.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

An important role of glomerular segmental lesions on progression of IgA nephropathy: a multivariate analysis.

The independent predictors of progression of IgA nephropathy (IgAN) were investigated by multivariate life table analysis, using Cox's proportional hazard model, in 225 patients with IgAN diagnosed by renal biopsy (Bx). There were 105 men and 120 women. Mean age at Bx was 32.5 years. The follow-up period following Bx was 4.0 +/- 2.6 yrs, ranging from 5 months to 11 yrs. The clinical parameters analyzed were age at the time of discovery of the disease, age at Bx, intervals from discovery to Bx, presence or absence of macrohematuria, and clinical data at Bx such as presence or absence of hypertension, the degree of hematuria, the amount of urinary protein excretion, serum creatinine and serum IgA concentration. The following immunopathological parameters were also examined; glomerular hypercellularity index, percentage of glomeruli associated with segmental lesions such as tuft adhesions, crescents and segmental sclerosis, percentage of obliterated glomeruli by global sclerosis, severity of interstitial infiltration, fibrosis, arterial wall thickening, arterial hyaline changes, and intensity of the depositions of IgG, IgA, IgM, C3, C1q and fibrinogen by immunofluorescent study. Among all clinical and pathologic parameters examined, the following parameters were proved to be significant independent predictors of progression of IgAN: serum creatinine exceeding 1.5 mg/dl in men and 1.3 mg/dl in women, proteinuria over 2 g/day, segmental lesions involving more than 25% of glomeruli and interstitial fibrosis occupying more than 25% of cortical area.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adolescent↗

Clinicopathological study of poststreptococcal glomerulonephritis in the elderly.

In order to characterize the clinical features in elderly patients with poststreptococcal glomerulonephritis (PSGN), 31 patients, who were both histologically and immunologically proven to be PSGN, were divided up into 3 groups according to age; elderly patients being 55 years or older (n = 7), middle-aged patients being 40 to 54 years old (n = 7) and younger patients being 20 to 39 years old (n = 17). Renal functional impairment as indicated by serum creatinine levels of over 2.0 mg/dl, developed in 4 of the elderly patients and later completely improved at the end of the follow-up period (178.9 +/- 150.7 days). On the other hand, none of the middle-aged and younger patients revealed any renal function impairment. Hypertension was observed more frequently in elderly patients than in younger patients, and was 86% and 6% at the time of admission, respectively. In addition, 43% of elderly patients remained hypertensive at the time of discharge. There was no difference in total protein, ASO, CH50, the degree of proteinuria or proliferative and exudative features in renal histology among the three groups. None of the elderly patients with PSGN died or developed persistent renal failure. In conclusion, elderly patients with PSGN had a high incidence of renal functional impairment and hypertension compared to the younger patients on admission, however, their short-term prognosis seems to be favorable.

Adult↗

Difference between renal failure associated with methylprednisolone pulse therapy and deterioration of renal function unrelated to methylprednisolone therapy.

In this study, we attempted to analyze the differences between renal failure associated with methylprednisolone (MP) pulse therapy and natural deterioration of renal function that was unrelated to MP administration. Of 80 patients with renal or collagen disease who received MP pulse therapy at our hospitals, 13 were selected for the study whose serum creatinine levels increased more than 0.5 mg/dl from baseline values following therapy. Somewhat arbitrarily, 7 patients were placed in an MP-associated renal deterioration group (group 1) in which serum creatinine levels returned naturally, or following induced diuresis, to baseline levels, and 6 patients in an MP-independent natural deterioration group (group 2) in which renal function progressively deteriorated. Renal function similarly deteriorated in the two groups following pulse therapy, irrespective of the degree of crescent formation. Our data suggested that hypoproteinemia is the most important index for differentiating MP-associated renal failure from natural deterioration of renal function unrelated to MP pulse therapy. In patients that are nephrotic and have impaired renal function, worsening of renal function following pulse therapy may partly be due to transient MP-associated renal failure. On the other hand, in patients without hypoproteinemia, worsening of renal function is most likely due to active primary disease and is probably not associated with MP pulse therapy.

Aged↗

Elevation of serum erythropoietin after subtotal parathyroidectomy in chronic haemodialysis patients.

After successful subtotal parathyroidectomy (PTX) in 10 chronic haemodialysis patients, significant elevation of Epo was observed, from 48.4 +/- 17.8 mU/ml(M +/- SEM) at preoperative state to 103.3 +/- 34.7 mU/ml at 6 h and 163.4 +/- 50.2 mU/ml at 12 h after PTX. Significant reductions in both PTH-m and ionized calcium (iCa) were confirmed. Since Epo did not increase in the cases with an inadequate PTX and ovariectomy, an abrupt reduction in PTH with a decrease in iCa may play some role in the elevation of Epo.

Adult↗

Effects of the methylprednisolone pulse therapy on renal function.

The effect of the methylprednisolone (MP) pulse therapy on renal function was examined in 15 patients with renal or collagen disease. Three nephrotic patients who had reduced renal function and active renal disease with progressive deterioration of renal function prior to the use of MP developed transient renal failure following an MP pulse therapy. The renal failure in each case was reversed by discontinuation of MP and/or by forced diuresis using albumin and furosemide. We examined the correlations between the individual changes in serum creatinine (Scr), body weight (BW) and urine volume (UV) before and after the pulse therapy and other laboratory data such as Scr, total serum protein and albumin. There were significant correlations between a change in Scr on the one hand and changes in BW and UV, Scr and serum albumin on the other. These findings mean that the effect of the MP pulse therapy on renal function depends on the clinical state of the patient and that renal deterioration after the pulse therapy may be more marked in patients who are more nephrotic and more impaired in renal function and suggest that increasing sodium and water retention during an MP therapy and the associated renal interstitial edema, proposed as one of the mechanisms of acute renal failure occurring in patients with minimal-change nephrotic syndrome, may be responsible for the MP-induced transient renal failure.

Acute Kidney Injury↗

Germanium dioxide-induced nephropathy: a new type of renal disease.

Chronic renal failure developed in 5 patients who were taking germanium dioxide (GeO2)-containing compounds. Renal functional deterioration was slow but progressive and dialysis treatment was necessitated temporarily in 2 patients. After the discontinuation of GeO2, the impaired renal function tended to improve but remained abnormal for an observation period of 10-40 months. The lack of proteinuria and hematuria was characterized as the clinical manifestations. Renal biopsy specimens revealed the tubular epithelial cell degeneration containing hematoxylin-positive fine granules on light microscopy, and electron-dense inclusions in the swollen mitochondria on electron microscopy. These findings localized mainly in distal segment of the tubules. In the rats given GeO2 orally for 10 weeks, similar histological lesions were evident, as manifested by marked weight loss, anemia, azotemia, and negative proteinuria. In the rats given carboxyethylgermanium sesquioxide, these changes were not observed and Ge concentration of kidney was significantly lower than in the rats given GeO2. The present study indicates that chronic GeO2 intake causes progressive renal dysfunction characterized by the degeneration of distal tubules.

Adolescent↗

Hemodynamic and volume changes by recombinant human erythropoietin (rHuEPO) in the treatment of anemic hemodialysis patients.

Hemodynamic and volume changes induced by recombinant human erythropoietin (rHuEPO) treatment were investigated in 12 chronic hemodialysis patients with refractory anemia. After rHuEPO administration for 49 to 151 days, hematocrit (Ht) significantly improved from 19.4 +/- 2.3 to 30.1 +/- 1.1% (Mean +/- SD). Mean blood pressure (MBP) increased slightly but significantly from 78.8 +/- 13.2 to 88.9 +/- 16.9 mmHg. Hemodynamically, total peripheral resistance index (TPRI) increased significantly from 1,444 +/- 367 to 2,146 +/- 470 dynes.sec.cm-5.m2, while cardiac index (CI) decreased significantly from 4.49 +/- 0.85 to 3.37 +/- 0.60 l/min/m2. Both pulse rate (PR) and stroke volume index (SVI) also decreased significantly, but blood volume (BV) remained unchanged. Plasma renin activity and plasma norepinephrine decreased significantly. There were positive correlations between the change of MBP and that of CI, and between the change in CI and that of BV, respectively (p less than 0.05 or less). In conclusion the improvement of anemia using rHuEPO is hemodynamically associated with an increase in TPRI and a decrease in CI as well. Blood pressure elevation seems to be caused by an inappropriately minor reduction of CI. The contribution of humoral factors is not suggested.

Adult↗

[Cholesterol atheroembolic renal failure after arteriography. Report of a case diagnosed by renal biopsy].

A case of atheroembolic renal failure diagnosed by renal biopsy was presented. A 69-year-old man was referred because of progressive renal failure two months after major angiography for occlusive arterial disease of lower limbs. The physical examination on admission revealed an uncontrollable hypertension. The laboratory findings showed elevated serum creatinine (7.5 mg/dl) and eosinophilia (1022/mm3) with normal urinalysis findings. Renal biopsy disclosed a occlusive lesion of the arcuate artery which contained cholesterol clefts and foam cells, and showed ischemic renal parenchymal changes. These findings were compatible with cholesterol atheroembolic renal disease. In spite of the aggressive medical treatment, renal function had deteriorated progressively and the patient has been on regular hemodialysis. Atheroembolic renal failure after arteriography have been reported recently, but the case diagnosed by renal biopsy has been rare. Since there is no therapeutic way to reverse this type of renal failure, strict selection of patients for the angiographic examination and use of flexible catheter might be mandatory. Subacute course of renal failure after angiography and eosinophilia seem to be the important diagnostic clues for this disorder.

Aged↗

Does 1 alpha(OH)D3 treatment affect blood pressure levels in maintenance hemodialysis patients?

Forty-eight chronic hemodialysis patients were divided comparably into two groups (24 patients in each). Two micrograms of 1 alpha(OH)D3 was administered to one group for 3 months and its placebo to the other group. In the 1 alpha(OH)D3-treated group, serum total calcium increased from 7.82 +/- 0.11 (mean +/- SEM) to 9.70 +/- 0.27 mg/dl (p less than 0.001) which was significantly higher (p less than 0.001) than control values of 8.86 +/- 0.06 mg/dl from normal volunteers. Systolic, diastolic and mean blood pressures, however, did not change significantly throughout the study. Even in the 9 patients who had a substantial increment of serum calcium of more than 2 mg/dl with hypercalcemia (greater than 10 mg/dl) at 3 months, no significant changes in blood pressure were found. Serum iPTH decreased from 2.83 +/- 0.28 to 0.98 +/- 0.23 ng/ml (p less than 0.001) at 3 months of treatment. Furthermore, a significant inverse correlation was obtained between the changes in serum calcium and iPTH. In the placebo group there were no significant changes in serum calcium, iPTH and blood pressure during the 3-month treatment period. The present study indicates that a substantial increase in serum calcium or a chronic hypercalcemia induced by 1 alpha(OH)D3 treatment in maintenance hemodialysis patients does not accompany a rise in blood pressure, probably due to a concomitant suppression of PTH. The results also suggest that the hypocalcemic state found in hemodialysis patients is not associated with any significant change in blood pressure. The importance of PTH in blood pressure regulation was discussed.

Adult↗

An evaluation of serum ferritin determination in chronic hemodialysis patients with persistent low serum iron concentration.

Low serum iron concentration is not rare in chronic hemodialysis patients. Therefore it is important to differentiate true iron deficiency from reactive low serum iron concentration. We have evaluated the utility of determining serum ferritin concentration to differentiate iron deficiency in chronic hemodialysis patients with persistent low serum iron concentration. Parenteral iron therapy (40 mg/week, group 1, n = 12) for 3 months caused a 3.0% increase in hematocrit level compared to a group 2 (n = 12; p less than 0.05). Serum ferritin concentration in logarithmic scale was significantly correlated with serum iron concentration (r = 0.671; p less than 0.05). The change in hematocrit level was significantly correlated with that in serum iron concentration (r = 0.648; p less than 0.05), but not with the change in serum ferritin concentration. Persistent low serum iron concentration may be an indication for iron supplement even though the serum ferritin concentrations are in the normal range.

Adult↗

Hypersomatostatinemia in chronic renal failure.

Plasma concentrations of somatostatin-like immunoreactivity (SLI) were determined in uremic patients on maintenance hemodialysis. Plasma SLI levels were significantly (p less than 0.001) elevated in 26 diabetic uremic patients (67.1 +/- 6.8 pg/ml, mean +/- SE) and in 24 non-diabetic uremic patients (43.5 +/- 7.2 pg/ml), when compared with 60 healthy subjects (5.0 +/- 0.7 pg/ml). Paired pooled plasma from uremic patients before and after hemodialysis was subjected to a reverse-phase octadecasilyl-silica (C-18) cartridge and then the extract was gel filtered on a Sephadex G-25 column (1.6 X 90 cm). Both elution profiles showed two peaks of SLI which coeluted with synthetic somatostatin (SS)-28 and SS-14 markers, respectively. The SS-28-like immunoreactivity (LI) peak, which was estimated by using SS-14 as a reference standard, was 3-fold larger than that for SS-14 LI. On the basis of immunoequivalency of the two components in the present assay, SS-28 LI constitutes approximately 75% of circulating somatostatin. In conclusion, plasma SLI is substantially high in uremic patients of both diabetic and non-diabetic etiology and the SS-28 is a predominant form of circulating SLI in these patients, probably, in part, for a lower clearance of this molecule.

Chromatography, Gel↗

The hemodynamic and humoral responses to tilting in diabetic patients on chronic hemodialysis treatment.

Hemodynamic and humoral responses to tilting were examined in order to elucidate the autonomic nervous function in diabetic hemodialysis patients. Eleven diabetic (DM) and eleven non-diabetic (non-DM) patients on maintenance hemodialysis treatment were involved in the experimentation, matching the age and the duration of hemodialysis. Cardiac output, blood pressure, plasma renin activity (PRA), norepinephrine (NE) and epinephrine (EP) were measured before and 5 minutes after the 45 degree tilting. By the tilting the blood pressure significantly fell in DM, whereas it rose slightly but significantly in non-DM. In both groups, however, the heart rate remained unchanged, and either cardiac index or stroke volume index decreased equally. The percentile increase in total peripheral resistance index (TPRI) was significantly smaller in DM (14.6%) than in non-DM (27.9%). There was a significant correlation between the changes in TPRI and diastolic blood pressure (r = 0.730, p less than 0.01). NE and EP increased significantly in non-DM but not in DM. Blood pressure reduced by the tilting in DM was associated with a small or equivocal response in either TPRI or plasma NE. The heart rate did not respond to the tilting in both groups. These results indicate that both sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems are deranged in diabetic hemodialysis patients but parasympathetic dysfunction is evident even in non-diabetic hemodialysis patients.

Adult↗

Adriamycin-induced nephropathy as a model of chronic progressive glomerular disease.

Serial changes in urine protein, blood chemistry, and histology of the kidney were investigated in rats for 28 weeks after injections of adriamycin (ADR). Massive proteinuria, hypoalbuminemia, and hyperlipidemia were observed at week 4 and throughout the experiment. Both BUN and serum creatinine began to increase at week 16 and reached the uremic level at week 28. Light microscopic study of the kidney demonstrated a normal appearance at week 4, vacuole formation in glomerular tuft at weeks 8 and 12, focal and segmental glomerular sclerosis at weeks 16 and 20, and extensive glomerular sclerosis with tubulointerstitial degenerations at weeks 24 and 28. Immunohistologically, IgM with a small amount of IgG and C3 appeared in the sclerosing glomeruli from week 16. Aggregated human IgG, injected intravenously at week 24, had accumulated mainly in the glomeruli. Electron microscopy revealed degenerative changes of glomerular epithelial cells with small vacuoles in the cytoplasm at week 4. Size of vacuoles increased at the later stage. In conclusion, ADR produced chronic, progressive glomerular changes in rats, which led to terminal renal failure. The segmental glomerular sclerosis and IgM-dominant glomerular deposition in these animals are similar to pathological characteristics of focal and segmental glomerular sclerosis seen clinically.

Animals↗