Comment on “Acute Kidney Injury in COVID-19 Patients: An Inner City Hospital Experience and Policy Implications”
Published in American Journal of Nephrology
The Effect of Kidney Biopsy on Glomerular Filtration Rate: A Frequent Patient Concern
Published in American Journal of Nephrology
The effect of percutaneous kidney biopsy on glomerular filtration rate has never been identified, though it is frequently a concern raised by patients. Following a clinical interaction with an inquisitive patient undergoing her fifth biopsy, we attempted to estimate the effect using retrospective data. In a cohort of patients with stable kidney fun...
Circulating Levels of Dickkopf-Related Protein 1 Decrease as Measured GFR Declines and Are Associated with PTH Levels
Published in American Journal of Nephrology
Background: The Wnt/β-catenin pathway has been implicated in the development of adynamic bone disease in early-stage chronic kidney disease (CKD). Dickkopf-related protein 1 (DKK1) and sclerostin are antagonists of the Wnt/β-catenin pathway yet have not been widely used as clinical indicators of bone disease. This study characterized levels of DKK1...
Imaging Identification of Rapidly Progressing Autosomal Dominant Polycystic Kidney Disease: Simple Eligibility Criterion...
...Published in American Journal of Nephrology
Background: Tolvaptan was approved for the treatment of autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD). However, the official indication of “rapidly progressive disease” is described differently in the clinical guidelines. We aim to define “rapidly progressive disease” by risk of ESRD, which is evaluated using estimated height-adjusted total ...
Leisure-Time Physical Activity and Mortality in CKD: A 1999–2012 NHANES Analysis
Published in American Journal of Nephrology
Background: For patients with CKD, evidence on the optimal dose of physical activity and possible harm with excessive exercise is limited. This study aimed to analyze the dose-response association between leisure-time physical activity (LTPA) and mortality in those with CKD and explore the optimal dose or possible harm associated with increased lev...
Serum Lysyl Oxidase Is a Potential Diagnostic Biomarker for Kidney Fibrosis
Published in American Journal of Nephrology
Background: Kidney fibrosis is the ultimate consequence of advanced stages of chronic kidney disease (CKD); however, there are currently no reliable biomarkers or noninvasive diagnostic tests available for the detection of kidney fibrosis. Lysyl oxidase (LOX) promotes collagen cross-linking, and serum LOX levels have been shown to be elevated in pa...
Effect of Vasopressin on the Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal Axis in ADPKD Patients during V2 Receptor Antagonism
Published in American Journal of Nephrology
Background: Patients with autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD) are treated with a vasopressin V2 receptor antagonist (V2RA) to slow disease progression. This drug increases vasopressin considerably in these patients with already elevated baseline levels. Vasopressin is known to stimulate the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis...
Recovery of Renal Function following Kidney-Specific VEGF Therapy in Experimental Renovascular Disease
Published in American Journal of Nephrology
Background: Chronic renovascular disease (RVD) can lead to a progressive loss of renal function, and current treatments are inefficient. We designed a fusion of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) conjugated to an elastin-like polypeptide (ELP) carrier protein with an N-terminal kidney-targeting peptide (KTP). We tested the hypothesis that KT...
NET Formation in Dialysis: A Valuable, albeit Mysterious and Enticing Predictor of Mortality
Published in American Journal of Nephrology
Elevated Circulating Cell-Free DNA in Hemodialysis-Treated Patients Is Associated with Increased Mortality
...Published in American Journal of Nephrology
Background: Predicting the mortality risk of patients undergoing hemodialysis (HD) is challenging. Cell-free DNA (cfDNA) is released into circulation from dying cells, and its elevation is predictive of unfavorable outcome. In a pilot study, we found post-HD cfDNA level to be a predictor of all-cause mortality. Thus, the aim of this study was to c...
