The acquired cystic disease of the kidney (ACDK) occurs in uremic patients before and during dialysis treatment. It has been defined as a disease with multiple acquired cystic lesions in patients with advanced renal failure. We evaluated its prevalence in a group of 94 uremic patients employing ultrasonographic examinations. Eighteen patients were not on dialysis treatment (group I) and 76 patients were undergoing hemodialytic treatment (group II). The prevalence of ACDK in groups I and II was 16.7% and 39.5% respectively. There is a noteworthy progression in the prevalence of the disease as the patients are kept alive by dialysis treatment. Primary renal disease, age and sex were not important factors in the disease's prevalence.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

[The role of percutaneous renal biopsy in kidney transplant].

Percutaneous renal biopsy (PRB) is an useful tool for diagnostic and therapeutic orientation in renal transplantation. PURPOSE--To evaluate the current role of PRB in post-transplant acute renal dysfunction (ARD) of renal allografts. METHODS--Sixty-five renal transplant patients were submitted to 95 valid renal biopsies with no major complications. RESULTS--There was disagreement between the clinical and the pathological diagnosis in 28 occasions (29.5%). In 36 cases (37.9%) the results of the pathological examination led to a modification in patient's management. These modifications were most commonly the avoidance or witholding of a steroid pulse (8 cases); nephrectomy of the renal allograft (8 cases); witholding or decrease of cyclosporine dosage (6 cases); giving a steroid pulse (5 cases) and giving antibiotics to treat acute pyelonephritis in 4 cases. The use of kidneys from cadaveric donors was significantly associated with an increased number of biopsies (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION--These results demonstrate that even though several less invasive procedures are currently employed, renal biopsy is still an indispensable method to the management of ARD in renal transplant patients.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

[Hydroelectrolyte, acid-base, and renal function changes in patients with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome].

BACKGROUND: A variety of metabolic and renal disturbances have been described in patients with Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) but their influence on the clinical outcome has not been reported. The present study was undertaken in order to evaluate the prevalence of fluid and electrolyte, acid-base, and renal function disturbances in AIDS patients. The influence of these abnormalities on the clinical outcome was studied as well. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Following to a previously established protocol, the charts of all patients hospitalized during the first semester of 1989 were reviewed. RESULTS: The prevalence of hyponatremia was 45% and 80.7% at admission and during hospitalization respectively of 99 patients. Hypokalemia was present in 23.1% of the patients. Metabolic acidosis and renal failure were 20.1% and 28.4% prevalent. The relative risk for mortality in patients with hypokalemia was 4.4. Metabolic acidosis and acute renal failure had relative risks of 12.9 and 21.4. CONCLUSIONS: There is an elevated prevalence of fluid and electrolyte, acid-base and renal function disturbances in these patients. The presence of hypokalemia, metabolic acidosis, and renal failure are significantly associated with mortality in AIDS.

Acidosis↗