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Biomedical subjects

Y Nagake

Publications and source records attributed to Y Nagake.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

Myocardial troponin T levels in patients with diabetic nephropathy.

We investigated myocardial troponin T (TnT) level as a marker for myocardial injury at various stages of diabetic nephropathy, including end-stage renal failure. One hundred and four diabetic patients were included in this study. These patients were divided into 5 groups as follows: Group I, composed of 41 patients without nephropathy who served as controls; Group II, composed of 15 patients with micro-albuminuria; Group III, composed of 15 patients with macroalbuminuria; Group IV, composed of 8 patients with renal failure who were not receiving hemodialysis; and Group V, composed of 25 patients who were receiving hemodialysis for renal failure. The following markers of myocardial injury were measured in these patients: myocardial TnT, creatine kinase (CK), myoglobin (Mb), and myosin light chain-1 (MCL-1). Our results showed that as the disease state of diabetic nephropathy advanced to renal failure, myocardial TnT levels became elevated. Group V showed significantly higher myocardial TnT levels than either Group I, Group II or Group III. Group IV showed significantly higher myocardial TnT levels than either Group II or Group III. The rate of ischemic changes on electrocardiograms also tended to increase with advance to renal failure in these patients. However, there was no correlation between myocardial TnT levels and serum Cr levels, used as an index for renal function. Myocardial TnT levels had a higher specificity for cardiac muscle than other markers for myocardial injury and are not significantly influenced by renal function. Myocardial TnT may be useful as a marker of myocardial injury for patients with chronic renal failure.

Adult↗

A patient with sarcoidosis associated with recurrent urolithiasis and tubular injury caused by calcium deposition.

A 38-year-old woman was hospitalized in January 1994 with renal dysfunction and hypercalcemia. Before admission, she was diagnosed as having urolithiasis, and had been treated twice with extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL). Ophthalmologically, she exhibited iritis and secondary glaucoma. Hypercalcemia, an extremely low titer of parathyroid hormone (PTH), and elevation of angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) and lysozyme activity were noted. These findings suggested sarcoidosis, although the chest X-ray showed only fibrotic changes. Hypercalcemia was suspected of having been caused secondarily by sarcoidosis. Since her laboratory data also showed renal dysfunction and abnormal urinalysis, a renal biopsy was performed. The histological findings indicated a tubular and interstitial disorder without glomerular abnormality; calcium deposition, which was detected by X-ray energy dispersive analysis, was observed in the tubular cytoplasm. Administration of prednisolone alleviated the renal dysfunction and decreased the elevation of ACE activity and lysozyme level of the blood. Sarcoidosis is sometimes associated with hypercalcemia, but rarely with renal dysfunction. These findings suggested that sarcoidosis may be associated with renal dysfunction due to tubular injury caused by calcium deposition in the tubules, and that glucocorticoid therapy was effective for these disorders.

Adult↗

Plasma concentrations of natriuretic peptides in patients on hemodialysis.

The usefulness of plasma atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP), brain natriuretic peptide (BNP), C-type natriuretic peptide (CNP), and cyclic guanosine 3',5'- monophosphate (cGMP) as markers of fluid overload was examined in hemodialysis (HD) patients without diabetes mellitus. Plasma concentrations of ANP, BNP, CNP, and cGMP all decreased significantly during HD. Before HD, there was a strong correlation between plasma concentrations of ANP and those of BNP, and plasma concentrations of cGMP correlated significantly with those of all three natriuretic peptides. The cardiothoracic ratio also correlated significantly with plasma concentrations of ANP and those of BNP before HD. Systolic blood pressure correlated significantly only with plasma concentrations of CNP, both before and after HD. Changes in body weight during HD correlated only with those in plasma ANP; there was thus no correlation between changes in body weight and those in plasma CNP. In conclusion, only plasma ANP is a useful marker of the proper volume and dry weight of HD patients. Furthermore, CNP may participate in cardiovascular regulation in HD patients in a manner different from those of ANP and BNP.

Adult↗

What is the best index of glycemic control in patients with diabetes mellitus on hemodialysis?

Since red blood cell survival time is shortened in patients with diabetes mellitus (DM) on hemodialysis (HD), it is unlikely that indices of glycemic control accurately reflect the glycemic state of these individuals. In this study, in order to determine the best index of glycemic control in diabetic patients on HD, we measured HbAlc, 1,5-anhydroglucitol (1,5-AG), fructosamine (Fr) and glycated albumin (GA) in 31 diabetic patients on HD (20 males and 11 females, mean age: 66.9 years), and examined the correlation between each index and predialysis plasma glucose level. Since the mean values of predialysis plasma glucose during the final 2 and 4 weeks before the study were best correlated with HbAlc, this parameter was considered to be the most reliable index of glycemic control in diabetic patients on HD. GA was more closely correlated with mean values of predialysis plasma glucose during the final 2 and 4 weeks, than any other index of glycemic control, followed by HbAlc. In conclusion, HbAlc is considered to be the most reliable index of glycemic control in diabetic patients on HD.

Aged↗

Thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura and myoglobinuric acute renal failure following radiation therapy in a patient with polymyositis and cervical cancer.

A 73-year-old woman was admitted to receive radiation treatment for uterine cervical cancer, however a complex series of events ensued, leading to death. She developed an acute exacerbation of polymyositis complicated by thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura, rhabdomyolysis and acute renal failure. Radiation therapy may have produced an immune disturbance leading to the acute exacerbation of polymyositis. Auto-immune-mediated endothelial damage might have triggered a series of events leading to thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura. Rhabdomyolysis seemed to be the main cause of acute renal failure.

Acute Kidney Injury↗

[Activation of complement during hemodialysis].

In hemodialysis using 3 types of dialysis membrane materials [regenerated cellulose (RC), cellulose triacetate (CTA), and polysulfone (PS)], activation of the complement, reduction of white blood cells, and variation of vitronectin (VN) were observed. RC membrane caused a significant reduction of white blood cells and elevations of Bb and soluble membrane attack complex (S-MAC), indicating a strong activation of the alternative complement pathway. Especially, the increase of S-MAC persisted for a long time during hemodialysis. Because reduction of VN was transient, it was assumed that the S-MAC escaping removal by VN receptors might have persisted in the circulation. These findings suggested that S-MAC would become useful as an index for evaluating biocompatibility of various artificial organs including dialysis membranes.

Aged↗

Changes in soluble ICAM-1 level during hemodialysis.

Intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) is expressed on the surface of various types of cells, including lymphocytes, monocytes and vascular endothelial cells. Recently, ICAM-1 was reported to be shed from the cell membranes and released into circulation. The soluble ICAM-1 (sICAM-1) level has been reported to be increased in patients with certain inflammatory diseases. It is well known that the functions of leukocytes including neutrophils, lymphocytes and monocytes are impaired in patients with chronic hemodialysis. In this study, we evaluated the effect of hemodialysis (HD) on the lymphocytes and monocytes by periodically measuring the serum concentration of sICAM-1 during HD. Pre-HD sICAM-1 levels in chronic hemodialysis patients were significantly increased as compared with healthy subjects. Two hundred and forty minutes after the start of HD, sICAM-1 levels were significantly higher than the pre-HD levels. The sICAM-1 levels at the venous side of the dialyzer were significantly increased compared with the levels at the arterial side. There was no significant difference between the sICAM-1 levels of the patients under hemodialysis with the regenerated cellulose membrane and those with the polymethylmethacrylate membrane. These results suggest that ICAM-1 is shed from the surface of mononuclear cells (lymphocytes and monocytes) and released into circulation stimulated by hemodialysis membranes. Chronic hemodialysis may impair the function of mononuclear cells by inducing the shedding of ICAM-1.

Aged↗

A comparative study of myocardial troponin T levels in patients undergoing hemodialysis.

This study included 25 patients receiving hemodialysis (HD) but in whom diabetes mellitus was not the primary disease (HD-non DM group), 25 patients receiving hemodialysis with diabetes mellitus as the primary disease (HD-DM group), and 50 patients with diabetes mellitus who had not yet been treated with hemodialysis (DM group). The following markers of myocardial injury were measured in these patients: troponin T (TnT), creatine kinase (CK), myoglobin (Mb), and myosin light chain-1 (MLC-1). No significant correlation was found between myocardial TnT and Cr in any study group. The Mb and MLC-1 values in patients receiving HD were markedly higher than normal regardless of the primary disease involvement, while myocardial TnT was found to be only slightly abnormal. These results suggest that myocardial TnT may be a more useful marker of myocardial injury in HD patients than the markers in current use. In the present investigation, myocardial TnT was the only marker that was higher in the HD-DM group than in the HD-non DM group. This suggests the possibility that the HD-DM group included more patients with arteriosclerotic lesions, such as myocardial injury.

Aged↗

Mesangial matrices act as mesangial channels to the juxtaglomerular zone. Tracer and high-resolution scanning electron-microscopic study.

The mesangium is centrally located in the glomerulus and plays an important role in the microcirculation within the glomerulus. In order to reveal the role of the mesangial matrix in the microcirculation, the movement of native anionic ferritin into the juxtaglomerular region was tracked following the intravenous injection of ferritin into rats. The three-dimensional ultrastructures of the mesangial matrix and juxtaglomerular apparatus were studied by conventional scanning and high-resolution scanning electron microscopy after removal of the cellular components. Many ferritin particles were observed from the glomerular capillary to the mesangial matrix, in the mesangial matrix of the juxtaglomerular apparatus and in the tubular lumen of the macula densa after the injection of ferritin. Secretion of macromolecules from the distal tubules seems to be one of the exits from the juxtaglomerular zone. The mesangial matrix was continuous from the vascular pole to the periphery like a branching tree. The intraglomerular mesangial matrix was continuous to the extraglomerular mesangial matrix in the juxtaglomerular region. The mesangial matrix appeared to consist of a polygonal meshwork structure of thin fibrils and pores with high-resolution scanning electron microscopy. The thinnest fiber was approximately 6-nm wide, and the pore size was averaged 20 nm in diameter. We were able to demonstrate the meshwork structure of the mesangial matrix, thus giving the morphological basis of the mesangial matrix to serve as mesangial pathway from the intraglomerular to the extraglomerular mesangial matrix.

Animals↗

[A case of scleroderma renal crisis with acute interstitial pneumonia, microangiopathic hemolytic anemia and refractory thrombocytopenia].

A 46-year-old woman who noticed tightness of the skin in September, 1993, was admitted to a local hospital due to hypertension, congestive heart failure and renal dysfunction on the 2nd of November. After admission, renal function deteriorated progressively. A diagnosis of scleroderma renal crisis (SRC) was suspected from her skin biopsy and clinical course. She was referred to our hospital for further evaluation and maintenance of hemodialysis. Her blood pressure was kept normal by anti-hypertensive drugs including cilazapril. Acute interstitial pneumonia, microangiopathic hemolytic anemia and thrombocytopenia appeared during her clinical course. Corticosteroid therapy was effective for acute interstitial pneumonia, but in-effective for thrombocytopenia. Plasma exchange was not effective for thrombocytopenia, which was successfully treated with intravenous gamma-globulin therapy. She died of cytomegaloviral encephalitis, which might have resulted from immunodeficiency caused by prolonged corticosteroid therapy and uremia. Complications other than SRC might have appeared during the clinical course based on the immune disorder of progressive systemic sclerosis itself. In order to improve the prognosis of patients with SRC such complications should be detected promptly and treated correctly.

Acute Disease↗

Study of glomerular permselectivity for proteins of the glomerular basement membrane using a dialyzer model.

The glomerular basement membrane (GBM) is considered to regulate glomerular permselectivity for proteins by acting as both size barrier and charge barrier. Since heparan sulfate-proteoglycan (HS-PG), which forms the charge barrier of GBM, contains a sulfonic acid, we made membranes with various degrees of negative charge models of GBM by addition of sulfonic acid to ethylene vinyl alcohol (EVAL) membranes. A high-resolution scanning electron-microscopic study revealed no ultrastructural alterations after adding sulfonic acid to EVAL membranes. Both neutrally and negatively charged membranes had porous structures in the inner surface of the membranes. The interrelation between the two actions of size and charge of GBM was studied using special dialyzers with various degrees of negative charge and different pore sizes. The negatively charged membranes adsorbed proteins with positive charge and repulsed proteins with negative charge. The degrees of adsorption and repulsion were weaker in membranes with larger pores and were stronger for proteins with larger molecular weights. The permselectivity for proteins of a charged membrane depends largely upon the interrelation between the pore size of the membrane and the size of the proteins. It is, therefore, suggested that the presence of a size barrier in GBM is necessary for the charge barrier to effectively exert glomerular permselectivity for proteins. Our study may lead to the development of a dialyzer with higher permselectivity by adding sulfonic acid rather than conventional dialyzers.

Basement Membrane↗

[Two cases of hypercalcemic nephropathy associated with primary hyperparathyroidism].

We present two cases of hypercalcemic nephropathy associated with primary hyperparathyroidism. Case 1 is a 37-year-old man who had repeated bone fractures and recurrent ureteral stones, which led to the diagnosis of primary hyperparathyroidism. Case 2 is a 35-year-old man in whom parathyroid carcinoma was discovered because of secondary nephrogenic diabetes insipidus, resulting from severe hypercalcemia. Both patients developed mild renal dysfunction during the course of hyperparathyroidism. In the renal biopsy materials obtained from case 1, the renal interstitium showed chronic inflammatory changes. The tubules were partly damaged (focal necrosis). Deposition of calcium was sometimes noted within the mitochondria of the tubular epithelial cells. Some glomeruli showed glomerular sclerosis. In biopsy materials obtained from case 2 after resection of the carcinoma, similar histological features were observed, but tubular atrophy and necrosis were advanced. Polyuria and hypercalcemia were ameliorated after resection. These findings indicate that severe hypercalcemia might induce tubular dysfunction as well as organized changes.

Adult↗

[A clinicopathological study of patients with immune complex type and pauci immune type rapidly progressive glomerulonephritis].

We made clinicopathological studies of twelve patients with rapidly progressive glomerulonephritis (RPGN) treated at our department of Okayama University Medical School Hospital for the last eight years. By immunofluorescence microscopy, seven cases were immune complex (IC) type and five were pauci immune type. By light microscopy, the mean percentage of glomeruli with crescents was seventy five, and cellular and fibro-cellular crescents were dominant in eleven cases. Combined therapy including methylprednisolone pulse or oral steroid was effective in eleven. Hemodialysis was performed in four patients with severe uremia and three of them recovered from hemodialysis. Two cases of RPGN associated with systemic lupus erythematosus died of cerebral hemorrhage. We conclude that IC type and pauci immune type RPGN have good prognosis when treated at their active stage with intensive combined therapy and with hemodialysis if necessary.

Adult↗

Bence-Jones myeloma with pleural effusion: response to alpha-interferon and combined chemotherapy.

A 73-year-old female patient with myelomatous pleural effusions is described. She was admitted to our hospital with lumbago and emaciation. Laboratory findings revealed cytopenia and hypogammaglobulinemia. Immunoelectrophoresis demonstrated Bence-Jones monoclonal protein in the serum, but not in the urine. Bence-Jones myeloma was diagnosed by the bone marrow aspiration. Chest X-ray film, however, showed bilateral pleural effusions. Fluid cytology revealed numerous immature plasma cells, indicating pleural involvement. Intrapleural administration of alpha-interferon combined with systemic chemotherapy (oral melphalan-prednisolone with alpha-interferon im.) was successful in maintaining the resolution of pleural effusions. Intrapleural alpha-interferon administration seems to be effective in the management of myelomatous pleural effusions.

Aged↗

[A case of asbestos exposure complicated by a malignant pheochromocytoma].

Reported is a case of non-functioning malignant pheochromocytoma. The patient had an occupational history of asbestos exposure and pleural plaque was seen in the chest X-rays. The tumor appeared from right adrenal gland and its size was 12 x 15 cm, which was measured by CT scanning. This determined to be non functioning because catecholamines in the serum and VMA in the urine were within normal limits. A metastasis of this tumor was seen in the lung, the liver, and the bone. So far as is known, this is the first case of asbestos exposure complicated with malignant pheochromocytoma that has been reported in the Japanese literature.

Adrenal Gland Neoplasms↗