Seminars in nephrology
-
Complicating up to 8% of pregnancies, preeclampsia is, in fact, the most common glomerular disease worldwide. In this article, we review the effect of normal pregnancy on the kidney as well as the role of the kidney in preeclampsia. ⋯ Finally, we discuss the intriguing association between chronic kidney disease (CKD) and preeclampsia. We hypothesize that the imbalance between angiogenic and anti-angiogenic factors, which may be common to both preeclampsia and CKD, might explain why CKD predisposes pregnant women to develop preeclampsia.
-
This article reviews the association of chronic renal disease and pregnancy. Included are discussions of guidelines for counseling pregnant women with underlying chronic renal disease who are considering conceiving as well as management of those already pregnant. Specifically highlighted are recent studies that question the validity of using estimated glomerular filtration rate and other formulae and questions of whether we should strive to replace the classic counseling approaches based primarily on serum creatinine levels with guidelines based on chronic kidney disease classification. The article concludes with a review as well as a critique of recent research on the prevalence of preeclampsia in women with underlying chronic renal disease, as well as if women with preeclampsia and underlying kidney disease have accelerated courses toward end-stage renal disease.
-
Hematopoietic cell transplantation is becoming an increasingly common treatment modality for a variety of diseases. However, patient survival may be limited by substantial treatment-related toxicities, including acute kidney injury (AKI). ⋯ Epidemiology, risk factors for development, pathogenesis, and potential treatment options for AKI in the hematopoietic cell transplantation population are reviewed as well as newer data on early markers of renal injury. As the indications for and number of transplants performed each year increases, nephrologists and oncologists will have to work together to identify patients who are at risk for AKI to both prevent its development and initiate therapy early to improve outcomes.
-
Seminars in nephrology · Nov 2010
ReviewElectrolyte disturbances and acute kidney injury in patients with cancer.
The interrelation between kidney disease and cancer is complex and reciprocal. Among the most frequent cancer-associated kidney diseases are the electrolyte and acid-base disturbances, which occur frequently and often are associated with an ominous prognosis, and acute kidney injury. Tumor lysis syndrome is a potentially life-threatening condition that frequently occurs in patients with a high tumor burden and high cellular turnover after cytotoxic therapy (including steroids in steroid-sensitive hematologic malignancies). ⋯ Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a frequent occurrence in cancer patients and has the potential to substantially alter the outcome of patients with cancer and jeopardize their chances of receiving optimal cancer treatment and a potential cure. As in many other circumstances, the etiology of AKI in cancer patients is multifactorial. Initiation and/or continuation of dialysis in the AKI cancer patient should be based on the general clinical condition and overall life expectancy and the personal patient expectations on quality of life after eventual recovery.
-
Seminars in nephrology · Nov 2010
ReviewNephrotoxicity from chemotherapeutic agents: clinical manifestations, pathobiology, and prevention/therapy.
Nephrotoxicity remains a vexing complication of chemotherapeutic agents. A number of kidney lesions can result from these drugs, including primarily tubular-limited dysfunction, glomerular injury with proteinuria, full-blown acute kidney injury, and long-term chronic kidney injury. In most cases, these kidney lesions develop from innate toxicity of these medications, but underlying host risk factors and the renal handling of these drugs clearly increase the likelihood of nephrotoxicity. This article reviews some of the classic nephrotoxic chemotherapeutic agents and focuses on examples of the clinical and histopathologic kidney lesions they cause as well as measures that may prevent or treat drug-induced nephrotoxicity.