American journal of nephrology
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The C-terminal agrin fragment (CAF) is a cleavage product of agrin, the major proteoglycan of the glomerular basement membrane. This article studies if CAF could serve as a biomarker for renal function in renal transplant recipients. ⋯ CAF is a promising new and fast biomarker for kidney function and may serve as a new tool for the early detection of DGF.
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Observational Study
Contribution of polyclonal free light chain deposition to tubular injury.
Excretion of monoclonal free light chains (MFLC) beyond the renal threshold can cause kidney injury, but evidence for polyclonal free light chains (PFLC)-mediated injury is limited. We aimed to study the degree of PFLC deposition in the proximal tubules of chronic kidney disease (CKD) and hypothesized that excess deposition may contribute to tubular injury. ⋯ The results of our study suggest that in CKD patients with proteinuria, excess PFLC deposition in the proximal tubules may cause acute tubular injury akin to monoclonal gammopathy and lead to renal chronicity.
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Dysnatremias have been evaluated in many populations and have been found to be significantly associated with mortality. However, this relationship has not been well described in the burn population. ⋯ In the burn population, hypernatremia, but not hyponatremia, is an independent predictor of mortality.
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Clinical Trial
Neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin: a novel marker of contrast nephropathy risk.
Neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL, siderocalin) is a protein secreted by the kidney in the setting of acute kidney injury in an attempt to regulate and bind the release of catalytic iron from injured cells. We sought to evaluate the relationships between baseline NGAL, renal filtration function, and the degree of injury reflected by further increases in NGAL. ⋯ Baseline NGAL is strongly correlated with eGFR in patients with reduced renal filtration function undergoing coronary angiography. The magnitude of rise in NGAL is positively associated with the baseline value and is analogous to the time course of Cr in blood after contrast exposure. NGAL and not eGFR is an independent predictor of changes in the post-procedure NGAL. A baseline NGAL level is necessary for the interpretation of NGAL levels in the evaluation of acute kidney injury.
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Although HIV-infected persons are at higher risk for acute kidney injury (AKI) during hospitalization compared with their uninfected counterparts, risk factors for AKI are not well-defined. We aimed to describe the evolving incidence of AKI among HIV-infected individuals and to identify important AKI risk factors. ⋯ Although AKI incidence has decreased during the HAART era, it remains common in HIV-infected persons and appears attributable to both kidney- and HIV-related factors.