Kidney Survival Time Research Articles

The value of IgG-uria in predicting renal failure in idiopathic glomerular diseases. A long-term follow-up study

Background. Proteinuria is the hallmark of glomerular disease and non-selective proteinuria is often associated with progression to renal failure. The predictive value of urine IgG excretion was studied comprehensively in patients with nephrotic syndrome. In the present follow-up study, we examine the predictive value of IgG-uria in patients with idiopathic glomerular diseases with a wide range of proteinuia. Methods. A total of 189 (113 males and 76 females) patients with idiopathic glomerulonephritis and serum creatinine of less than 150 μmol/L diagnosed between 1993 and 2004 were followed up to their last visit in 2009. Measurement of urine excretion of albumin, IgG, and protein HC were performed in the early morning of spot urine samples collected at the time of the diagnostic renal biopsy. Patients were stratified according to urine protein concentrations and the progression rate to end-stage renal disease (ESRD) calculated using Kaplan–Meier survival analysis. ESRD was defined as the start of renal replacement therapy. Results. During the study follow-up time of 1429 person-years; 26 (13.8%) patients reached ESRD. The overall mean kidney survival time of studied patients with serum creatinine less than 150 were 13.4 years. The incidence rate of ESRD was ∼18 per 1000 person-years. Stratified analysis identified urinary excretion of IgG, but not albuminuria, as predictor of ESRD. The progression rate to ESRD was 36 per 1000 person-years in patients with urine IgG concentration exceeding 5 mg/mmol urine creatinine, compared to a progression rate of 6/1000 person-years for patients with lower levels of urine IgG. Conclusion. The findings of the study suggest that at early stages, the level of IgG-uria is useful to be used in risk stratification of patients with proteinuric glomerular diseases.

The nephropathy of non-insulin-dependent diabetes: predictors of outcome relative to diverse patterns of renal injury.

Nephropathy of non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM) is the most common cause of end-stage renal failure (ESRF) in Western countries. This study investigates the clinical and histologic putative predictors of disease progression, with the final goal to identify patients at risk who may benefit from early diagnosis and intervention. It examines by repeated measurements of BP, blood glucose, serum creatinine, and urinary protein excretion rate 65 consecutive NIDDM patients with clinical, persistent proteinuria and biopsy-documented typical diabetic glomerulopathy (class I; n = 30), predominant nephroangiosclerosis (class II; n = 23), or nondiabetic type glomerulopathy (class III; n = 12), whose severity of renal tissue involvement was precisely quantified by a global histologic score. Baseline parameters and progression to renal end points, i.e., doubling of baseline serum creatinine, dialysis, or transplantation, were univariately and multivariately correlated by proportional hazards regression models. The median kidney survival time in the overall study population was 3.07 yr. Thirty-seven percent of patients reached an end point during a median (range) follow-up of 1.8 yr (0.4 to 5.7 yr). By univariate and multivariate analysis, kidney survival significantly correlated with baseline urinary protein excretion rate (P = 0.04 and P = 0.04, respectively) and renal tissue injury score (P = 0.0001 and P = 0.02, respectively), but not with the histologic classes. Patients with a urinary protein excretion rate < or = 2 g/24 h, or > 2 g/24 h with a histologic score < 7, never reached an end point. All patients with urinary protein excretion > 2 g/24 h and a histologic score > 13 progressed to ESRF over a median of 1.6 yr. No differences in other baseline parameters or in BP and diabetes control during follow-up accounted for these different outcomes. In NIDDM as well as in nondiabetic chronic renal disease, quantification of urinary protein excretion rate--independent of the pattern of underlying glomerular involvement--reliably discriminates progressors from nonprogressors and, combined with precise quantification of renal tissue injury, reliably predicts risk of ESRF. This information may be used to set guidelines for early diagnosis and appropriate intervention to reduce the number of diabetic patients who will need renal replacement therapy in years to come.

Attitudes of donors towards organ transplantation in living related kidney transplantations.

The demand for transplantation exceeds the availability of cadaveric organs, which is why the importance of living, related kidney transplantation is increasing. In our study we wanted to evaluate the experiences of living related donors (LRD). Between 1973 and 1996, 1325 kidney transplantations were performed at our Department. Of these 1247 were from cadaver donors while 78 were from LRD. We contacted each living donor by post. We carried out a physical examination, laboratory tests, ultrasound and isotope investigations and they were interviewed and completed a questionnaire. Thirty previous kidney donors came to our Department who were all blood relatives of the recipients. In the recipient group, 16 still have a functioning kidney, the average time since transplantation being 8.92 years. The longest kidney survival time is 18 years. All the donors willingly donated their kidney, none was worried about their own health and their only concern was whether the kidney would function or not. Regarding general attitudes towards living related organ transplantation, all were in favour of blood relative donor transplantation and also husband/wife transplantation. Opinions regarding non-related transplantation were more mixed; 63.3% would have given their kidneys to a friend, only 46.6% to a stranger. Almost two-thirds (63.3%) of donors were not in favour of selling and buying organs but, controversially, they would have bought an organ had one been available. All agreed that the donation did not change their general health. In conclusion, the donors of living, related kidney transplantation all agreed that it was a good thing to donate; All confirmed they would go through the same procedure again in order to help. Apart from one person, who emphasised that he is agnostic, all belonged to a Christian religion.

Attitudes of donors towards organ transplantation in living related kidney transplantations

Abstract The demand for transplantation exceeds the availability of cadaveric organs, which is why the importance of living, related kidney transplantation is increasing. In our study we wanted to evaluate the experiences of living related donors (LRD). Between 1973 and 1996, 1325 kidney transplantations were performed at our Department. Of these 1247 were from cadaver donors while 78 were from LRD. We contacted each living donor by post. We carried out a physical examination, laboratory tests, ultrasound and isotope investigations and they were interviewed and completed a questionnaire. Thirty previous kidney donors came to our Department who were all blood relatives of the recipients. In the recipient group, 16 still have a functioning kidney, the average time since transplantation being 8.92 years. The longest kidney survival time is 18 years. All the donors willingly donated their kidney, none was worried about their own health and their only concern was whether the kidney would function or not. Regarding general attitudes towards living related organ transplantation, all were in favour of blood relative donor transplantation and also husband/wife transplantation. Opinions regarding non-related transplantation were more mixed; 63.3% would have given their kidneys to a friend, only 46.6% to a stranger. Almost two-thirds (63.3%) of donors were not in favour of selling and buying organs but, controversially, they would have bought an organ had one been available. All agreed that the donation did not change their general health. In conclusion, the donors of living, related kidney transplantation all agreed that it was a good thing to donate; All confirmed they would go through the same procedure again in order to help. Apart from one person, who emphasised that he is agnostic, all belonged to a Christian religion.