Safety and efficacy of sirolimus combined with cyclosporine in primary membranous nephropathy: a randomized controlled trial.

Background: Calcineurin inhibitors, such as cyclosporine, are primary treatments for membranous nephropathy (MN). Optimizing this regimen is crucial to reduce nephrotoxicity and enhance immunological remission. Sirolimus, when combined with cyclosporine, may offer non-inferior clinical remission to cyclosporine monotherapy, while improving kidney function preservation and antibody clearance.

The efficacy and safety of rituximab in adult patients with steroid-dependent or frequent relapsing nephrotic syndrome: A retrospective study.

Background: Steroid-dependent (SD) and frequently relapsing (FR) nephrotic syndrome, primarily due to minimal change disease (MCD) and focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS), poses significant treatment challenges. This study evaluates the efficacy and safety of rituximab in these patient populations.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective study of 94 patients with SD or FR nephrotic syndrome treated with rituximab.

Anti-nephrin antibodies in adult Chinese patients with minimal change disease and primary focal segmental glomerulosclerosis.

Introduction: Anti-nephrin autoantibodies have been discovered in patients with minimal change disease (MCD) and primary focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS), especially in those with active nephrotic syndrome.

Methods: Here, we investigated the prevalence and clinical significance of anti-nephrin antibodies in 596 adult Chinese patients (436 with MCD and 160 with primary FSGS) diagnosed by kidney biopsy.

Results: Anti-nephrin IgG and IgM were detected using ELISA, with validation through antigen-inhibition ELISA and Western blotting.

Risk factors for relapse and aggravation in membranous nephropathy after COVID-19 infection.

Background: Relapse of membranous nephropathy (MN) and other glomerular diseases has been observed after COVID-19 infection. The risk factors contributing to disease progression in MN patients after contracting COVID-19 remain unclear.

Methods: This retrospective study included 656 consecutive patients with biopsy-proven primary MN who received treatment and were regularly followed up for over six months.

Assessment of right ventricular dysfunction and its association with excess risk of cardiovascular events in patients undergoing maintenance hemodialysis.

Aims: Recent accumulating evidence has recently documented a significant prevalence of right ventricular dysfunction (RVD) in end-stage renal disease (ESRD) patients. Tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion (TAPSE)/pulmonary-artery systolic pressure (PASP) ratio assessed with echocardiography might be a useful clinical index of right ventricular (RV) -pulmonary arterial (PA) coupling. The current study aimed to investigate the value of the TAPSE/PASP ratios in patients on maintenance hemodialysis (MHD).

Long-term visit-to-visit variability in low-density lipoprotein cholesterol is associated with poor cardiovascular and kidney outcomes in patients with primary nephrotic syndrome.

Purpose: It is unclear whether long-term variability in low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) is associated with clinical outcomes in patients with nephrotic syndrome (NS).

Methods: A large cohort of 1100 patients with primary NS underwent treatment and regular follow-up. Long-term variability in LDL-C was assessed by calculating its weighted standard deviation (w-SD).

The quantifying relationship between the remission duration and the cardiovascular and kidney outcomes in the patients with primary nephrotic syndrome.

Background: Patients with persistent nephrotic-range proteinuria have a high risk of kidney dysfunction and cardiovascular events. Recently, the maintenance of proteinuria remission has been demonstrated to reduce the risk of kidney endpoint. However, the effect of remission duration on cardiovascular outcomes remains unclear.

Effects of hydroxychloroquine on proteinuria in membranous nephropathy.

Background: Many patients with primary membranous nephropathy have severe proteinuria unresponsive to optimized renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system inhibitors (RAASi). We evaluated the efficacy and safety of hydroxychloroquine as an adjunctive agent in membranous nephropathy (MN) treatments.

Methods: We prospectively recruited 126 patients with biopsy-proven primary membranous nephropathy and urinary protein 1-8 g/day while receiving optimized RAASi treatment for ≥ 3 months and well-controlled blood pressure.

Rituximab Therapy for Primary Membranous Nephropathy in a Chinese Cohort.

Rituximab has become one of the first-line therapies for the treatment of moderate and high-risk primary membranous nephropathy (pMN). We retrospectively reviewed 95 patients with pMN who received rituximab therapy and focused on the therapeutic effects and safety of this therapy in a Chinese cohort. Ninety-five consecutive patients with pMN diagnosed by kidney biopsy received rituximab and were followed up for >6 months.

Complement activation profile of patients with primary focal segmental glomerulosclerosis.

Background: Studies on adriamycin mice model suggest complement system is activated and together with IgM contributes to the glomerular injury of primary focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS). We recently reported primary FSGS patients with IgM and C3 deposition showed unfavorable therapeutic responses and worse renal outcomes. Here we examined the plasma and urinary complement profile of patients with primary FSGS, aiming to investigate the complement participation in FSGS pathogenesis.

Membranous Nephropathy in Pregnancy.

Background: Primary membranous nephropathy (pMN) is less common in women of child-bearing age. The kidney risk factors to adverse maternal-fetal outcomes and the effects of pregnancy on pMN process need to be investigated.

Methods: We retrospectively screened all the patients with biopsy-proven pMN from 2008 to 2018.

Treatment of invasive fungal disease: A case report.

Background: In recent years, the incidence of fungal infection has been increasing, often invading one or more systems of the body. However, it is rare for lymph nodes to be invaded without the involvement of other organs.

Case Summary: A 21-year-old man was admitted to hospital for repeated cough for 2 mo and abdominal pain for 1 mo.

Complement activation products in the circulation and urine of primary membranous nephropathy.

Background: Complement activation plays a substantial role in the pathogenesis of primary membranous nephropathy (pMN). C5b-9, C3c, MBL, and factor B have been documented in the subepithelial immune deposits. However, the changing of complement activation products in circulation and urine is not clear.

Antibodies against M-Type Phospholipase A2 Receptor May Predict Treatment Response and Outcome in Membranous Nephropathy.

Background: Anti-phospholipase A2 receptor (PLA2R) antibodies are specific to the diagnosis of primary membranous nephropathy (pMN). The prevalence of positive antibodies varies among different cohorts. Still there is discrepancy in regard to the association between antibody levels and clinical courses, and the prognostic value of antibodies to treatment responses and kidney outcomes.

HLA class II alleles differing by a single amino acid associate with clinical phenotype and outcome in patients with primary membranous nephropathy.

Genome-wide associations and HLA genotyping have revealed associations between HLA alleles and susceptibility to primary membranous nephropathy. However, associations with clinical phenotypes and kidney outcome are poorly defined. We previously identified DRB1*1501 and DRB1*0301 as independent risk alleles for primary membranous nephropathy.

Clinical implications of pathological features of primary membranous nephropathy.

Background: The clinical outcome varies considerably in primary membranous nephropathy (pMN). Risk factors for kidney prognosis include ageing, male gender, persistent heavy proteinuria, decreased eGFR at presentation, persistent elevation of anti-PLA2R antibodies, no remission, and so on. It was controversial whether the histopathological features of pMN could predict treatment response and kidney outcome.

Clinical and prognostic significance of glomerular C1q deposits in primary MN.

Background: Although complement activation is believed to be important in mediating PMN, the pathways involved and clinical consequences remain controversial. Many cases of idiopathic or primary membranous nephropathy (PMN) present with subepithelial C1q deposits along with IgG and C3 on glomerular capillary walls but without deposits of IgA or IgM ("full house") by immunofluorescence or any causes of secondary MN. We sought to define the clinical and pathological significance of these C1q deposits in PMN by comparing a variety of clinical parameters, outcomes and other serum and urine factors in patients with and without significant glomerular C1q deposits.

Prevalence and risk factors for vascular calcification in Chinese patients receiving dialysis: baseline results from a prospective cohort study.

Objective: With limited data available on calcification prevalence in chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients on dialysis, the China Dialysis Calcification Study (CDCS) determined the prevalence of vascular/valvular calcification (VC) and association of risk factors in Chinese patients with prevalent hemodialysis (HD) or peritoneal dialysis (PD).

Methods: CKD patients undergoing HD/PD for ≥6 months were enrolled. Prevalence data for calcification and medical history were documented at baseline.

Rituximab for non-responsive idiopathic membranous nephropathy in a Chinese cohort.

Background: Rituximab had been shown to be effective in inducing remission of nephrotic syndrome in patients with idiopathic membranous nephropathy (iMN). This study applied rituximab therapy for 36 non-responsive iMN patients to investigate its effects and safety.

Methods: Thirty-six iMN patients who were non-responsive to prior immunosuppression were enrolled.

Circulating Antibodies against Thrombospondin Type-I Domain-Containing 7A in Chinese Patients with Idiopathic Membranous Nephropathy.

Background And Objectives: Thrombospondin type-I domain-containing 7A (THSD7A) was recently identified as the target antigen in about 10% of patients with M-type phospholipase A2 receptor (PLA2R)-negative membranous nephropathy in European and North American populations. The prevalence of THSD7A in other populations and their clinical associations deserve further clarification.

Design, Setting, Participants, & Measurements: Immunofluorescence assay was performed to investigate anti-THSD7A antibodies in 578 consecutive patients with biopsy-proven idiopathic membranous nephropathy, 114 patients with secondary membranous nephropathy, 64 disease controls, and 20 healthy controls.

T cell responses to peptides of Goodpasture autoantigen in patients with anti-glomerular basement membrane disease.

Aim: Cell-mediated autoimmunity, especially autoreactive T cells, is crucial in the initiation of anti-glomerular membrane (GBM) disease. Epitopes for T cells on Goodpasture autoantigen are not fully defined. This study investigated T cell epitopes in anti-GBM patients, aiming to identify the epitopes and their clinical significance.

Systemic inflammatory response syndrome following burns is mediated by brain natriuretic peptide/natriuretic peptide A receptor-induced shock factor 1 signaling pathway.

The aim of this study was to determine whether systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) in burn patients is mediated by the brain natriuretic peptide (BNP)/natriuretic peptide A receptor (NPRA)-induced heat shock factor 1 (HSF-1) signalling pathway. Mononuclear cells (MNCs) that were isolated from patients with burn injuries and SIRS mouse models and a RAW264.7 cell line were treated with normal serum or serum obtained from animals with burn injuries.

Cross-over study of influence of oral vitamin C supplementation on inflammatory status in maintenance hemodialysis patients.

Background: Both vitamin C deficiency and inflammation are prevalent in maintenance hemodialysis (MHD) patients. In this study, we aimed to elucidate the effect of oral vitamin C supplementation on inflammatory status in MHD patients with low vitamin C level and high hypersensitive C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) level.

Methods: A total of 128 patients were recruited in our present study.

[Effects of temperature and density on the mortality and reproduction of cotton aphid Aphis gossypii].

A laboratory cotton leaf disc experiment was conducted to study the effects of different temperature (32, 34, 36, 38, and 40 degrees C) and density (5, 25, 50, and 75 individuals per dish) on the mortality and reproduction of Aphis gossypii. With the increase of temperature, density, and culture duration, the cumulative mortality of A. gossypii presented an increasing trend.

In vitro phosphate-binding ability of calcium-based agents is augmented by co-administration of activated charcoal.

Background: Calcium carbonate is widely used as a phosphate binder in patients on maintenance hemodialysis. An unwanted side effect of calcium carbonate is hypercalcemia and vascular calcification. Oral activated charcoal (AC) is a non-selective and highly effective adsorbent.