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Praxis (Bern 1994) 2021 Jun;110(8):461-468

Ultrasound Learning Center (ULC) der European Federation of Ultrasound in Medicine and Biology (EFSUMB), Klinik Hirslanden, Zürich.

CME Sonography 99: Kidney Echo Changes Normal kidneys have a smooth contour, kidney length 9-12 cm, volume 90-180 ml/1.73 m2 body surface, parenchyma width 13-18 mm and an echogenicity of the cortex which is hypoechoic compared to the liver and spleen, as well as medullary pyramids, which are again hypoechoic compared to the cortex. Digital ultrasound images enable the echogenicity to be measured between 0 (black) and 255 (white). Read More

Hinyokika Kiyo 2021 Apr;67(4):147-152

The Department of Urology, Muroran City General Hospital.

We report a rare case of necrotizing fasciitis in the thigh induced by emphysematous pyelonephritis due to a staghorn stone. A 60-year-old female was diagnosed with a staghorn stone in the right kidney at another clinic. We referred her to another hospital for indication of percutaneous nephrolithotripsy. Read More

Blood Purif 2021 Jun 9:1-4. Epub 2021 Jun 9.

San Carlo Borromeo Hospital, ASST Santi Paolo e Carlo, Milan, Italy.

Management of COVID-19 infection is the trend topic in the scientific community and case identification is a key step to contain the pandemic. While pneumonia and acute respiratory distress syndrome represent the typical severe manifestations of the disease, atypical presentations pose significant diagnostic and therapeutic challenges for physicians, especially when diagnostic tests are repeatedly negative. Clinical picture of COVID-19 patients is often complicated by bacterial infections or thrombotic events. Read More

Front Immunol 2021 12;12:635212. Epub 2021 May 12.

School of Medicine, The University of Sydney, Camperdown, NSW, Australia.

Background: cDC1 is a subset of conventional DCs, whose most recognized function is cross-presentation to CD8 T cells. We conducted this study to investigate the number and location of cDC1s in various human kidney diseases as well as their correlation with clinico-pathological features and CD8 T cells.

Methods: We analyzed 135 kidney biopsies samples. Read More

BMJ Open 2021 05 28;11(5):e047059. Epub 2021 May 28.

Department of Pediatrics II, University Hospital Essen, Essen, Germany

Background: Acute tubulointerstitial nephritis (TIN) is a significant cause of acute renal failure in paediatric and adult patients. There are no large paediatric series focusing on the aetiology, treatment and courses of acute TIN.

Patients, Design And Setting: We collected retrospective clinical data from paediatric patients with acute biopsy-proven TIN by means of an online survey. Read More

J Allergy Clin Immunol 2021 May 25. Epub 2021 May 25.

Department of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, The Netherlands. Electronic address:

Background: A novel autoinflammatory syndrome was described recently in male patients who harboured somatic mutations in the X-chromosomal UBA1 gene. These patients were characterized by adult-onset, treatment-refractory inflammation with fever, cytopenias, dysplastic bone marrow, vacuoles in myeloid and erythroid progenitor cells, cutaneous and pulmonary inflammation, chondritis and vasculitis, abbreviated as VEXAS.

Objective: This study aimed to (retrospectively) diagnose VEXAS in patients that had been previously registered with unclassified autoinflammation. Read More

Microsc Microanal 2021 May 28:1-13. Epub 2021 May 28.

Laboratory of Anatomy, Department of Basic Veterinary Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Kita 18-Nishi 9, Kita-ku, Sapporo060-0818, Japan.

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a predisposing factor for renal disorder progression and is referred to as diabetic kidney disease (DKD). However, there are no reports of DKD with an underlying autoimmune disorder. In this study, we compared the pathophysiological changes caused by DM induction after streptozotocin (STZ) injection in comparison with that in a control group receiving citrate buffer (CB) in the autoimmune disease model mice “BXSB/MpJ-Yaa” (Yaa) and the wild-type strain BXSB/MpJ. Read More

Int J Nephrol Renovasc Dis 2021 18;14:143-148. Epub 2021 May 18.

Department of Medicine, University of Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa.

Introduction: Kidney biopsy in patients with HIV-associated kidney diseases allows for histopathologic diagnosis and institution of appropriate treatment as well as proper prognostication. There is a paucity of data on the histopathological pattern of HIV-associated kidney diseases in most sub-Saharan African countries. This study was aimed at evaluating the histopathologic patterns of kidney diseases seen among HIV-infected treatment-naive patients in our center as this will allow for proper diagnosis and institution of appropriate treatment. Read More

Urologiia 2021 May(2):109-115

Dept. of Urology and Human Reproductive Health Rostov State Medical University, Rostov-on-Don, Russia.

A growing body of research indicates an upward trend in the incidence of urinary tract infections (UTIs) around the world. Acute pyelonephritis (AP), which is dangerous by the development of complex, life-threatening conditions, is no exception. Today the demographic portrait, as well as the characteristics of the causative agents and predisposing conditions of this disease are a global issue for the entire scientific community. Read More

J Clin Invest 2021 May 6. Epub 2021 May 6.

Department of Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, United States of America.

Interstitial kidney inflammation is present in various nephritides in which serum IL-23 is elevated. Here we show that IL-23 receptor (IL-23R) expressing murine and human renal tubular epithelial cells (TEC) respond to IL-23 by inducing intracellular calcium flux, enhanced glycolysis, and the upregulation of calcium/calmodulin kinase IV (CaMK4) which results in suppression of the expression of the arginine degrading enzyme arginase 1 (ARG1) thus increasing in situ levels of free L-Arginine (Arg). Limited availability of Arg suppresses the ability of infiltrating T cells to proliferate and produce inflammatory cytokines. Read More

Immunol Res 2021 May 5. Epub 2021 May 5.

Department of Nephrology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Nanbaixiang Street, Ouhai District, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, 325000, People's Republic of China.

Ambiguities remain regarding the role of clinicopathological characteristics in the early prediction of the prognosis of lupus nephritis (LN). Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients who completed routine follow-up were identified and retrospectively reviewed for eligible cases. Poor prognosis was defined as all-cause mortality or a persistent decrease of eGFR greater than half the baseline level or progression to end-stage renal disease (ESRD). Read More

Molecules 2021 Apr 30;26(9). Epub 2021 Apr 30.

Institute for Surgical Pathology, University Medical Center Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, 79106 Freiburg, Germany.

Acute and chronic transplant rejections due to alloreactivity are essential contributors to graft loss. However, the strength of alloreactivity is biased by non-immunological factors such as ischemia reperfusion injury (IRI). Accordingly, protection from IRI could be favorable in terms of limiting graft rejection. Read More

Eur J Obstet Gynecol Reprod Biol 2021 Jun 24;261:154-159. Epub 2021 Apr 24.

Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, American University of Beirut Medical Center, Beirut, Lebanon. Electronic address:

Objectives: Urinary tract infection (UTI) is the most common bacterial infection to complicate pregnancy. Medical authorities recommend screening for asymptomatic bacteriuria (ASB) in pregnancy; albeit there is no consensus on ideal timing and frequency for testing. Due to the persistent physiologic changes of pregnancy postpartum, a recent trend to perform urinalysis upon presentation for delivery has been adopted at our institution and various satellite hospitals to putatively minimize cases of postpartum pyelonephritis. Read More

Front Pediatr 2021 14;9:658845. Epub 2021 Apr 14.

Department of Pediatrics, Jinling Hospital, The First School of Clinical Medicine, Southern Medical University, Nanjing, China.

Henoch-Schönlein purpura nephritis (HSPN) and IgA nephropathy (IgAN) bear similarities in some aspects. The histological classification of HSPN was built on the International Study of Kidney Disease in Children (ISKDC) criteria, while IgAN was established on the 2016 Oxford classification (MEST-C scores). The purpose of this paper was to discuss the predictive value of the ISKDC classification and MEST-C scores in children with HSPN. Read More

Eur J Pediatr 2021 May 2. Epub 2021 May 2.

Department of Multidisciplinary Pediatrics, Pediatric Nephrology Unit, Assistance Publique des Hôpitaux de Marseille, Marseille, France.

Assessing the initial severity of immunoglobulin A vasculitis nephritis (IgAV-N) is important due to its determining effect on kidney management and outcomes. This paper describes a multicentre paediatric cohort of IgAV-N patients and discusses relationships among clinical presentation, histological features, and kidney outcome. We retrospectively studied a cohort of 170 children with biopsy-proven IgAV-N, diagnosed between 2007 and 2017. Read More

BMC Nephrol 2021 May 1;22(1):161. Epub 2021 May 1.

University Clinic in Nephrology and Hypertension, Aarhus University and Gødstrup Hospital, Herning, Denmark.

Background: Acute interstitial nephritis (AIN) is an important and common cause of acute renal failure. There are no generally accepted guidelines for the treatment of AIN, due to the lack of prospective randomized trials. Since AIN is characterized by an enhanced immune response, immunosuppressive treatment could potentially improve prognosis by attenuating inflammation and subsequent fibrosis. Read More

Int J Mol Sci 2021 Apr 28;22(9). Epub 2021 Apr 28.

Department of Nephrology, Hypertension and Family Medicine, Medical University of Łódź, Żeromskiego 113, 90-549 Łódź, Poland.

Acute kidney injury is a common complication of many medical procedures, including those used in cancer treatment. Both chemotherapy and immunotherapy may result in deterioration of kidney function, which may lead to an increase in mortality among patients with cancer. Antineoplastic agents can affect any element of the nephron, leading to the appearance of clinical symptoms such as proteinuria, hypertension, electrolyte disorders, glomerulonephritis, acute and chronic interstitial nephritis and acute kidney injury. Read More

Int J Mol Sci 2021 Apr 19;22(8). Epub 2021 Apr 19.

Department of Anatomy & Cell Biology, Gachon University College of Medicine, Incheon 21936, Korea.

Hypertension induces renal fibrosis or tubular interstitial fibrosis, which eventually results in end-stage renal disease. Epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is one of the underlying mechanisms of renal fibrosis. Though previous studies showed that Ecklonia cava extracts (ECE) and dieckol (DK) had inhibitory action on angiotensin (Ang) I-converting enzyme, which converts Ang I to Ang II. Read More

J Clin Med 2021 Apr 14;10(8). Epub 2021 Apr 14.

AP-HM, Centre de Néphrologie et Transplantation Rénale, Hôpital de la Conception, 13005 Marseille, France.

: Lupus nephritis (LN) is a severe manifestation of Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE). The therapeutic strategy relies on kidney biopsy (KB) results. We tested whether urinary peptidome analysis could non-invasively differentiate active from non-active LN. Read More

Kidney Int Rep 2021 Apr 2;6(4):1022-1031. Epub 2021 Feb 2.

Division of Nephrology and Hypertension, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, USA.

Introduction: Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) are effective in treating several cancers; however, acute kidney injury (AKI) can occur as part as an immune-related adverse event (iRAE). Biomarkers at the time of AKI diagnosis may help determine whether they are ICI- related and guide therapeutic strategies.

Methods: In this retrospective study, we reviewed patients with cancer treated with ICI therapy between 2014 and 2020 who developed AKI (defined as a ≥1. Read More

Nephrol Ther 2021 Apr;17S:S45-S50

Laboratory of Pathophysiology, University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein 1, 2610 Antwerp, Belgium. Electronic address:

Chronic interstitial nephritis in agricultural communities is a devastating kidney disease with a globally increasing prevalence. Its cause is unknown. Two predominant etiologies are hypothesised: recurrent episodes of dehydration and exposure to environmental toxins, such as agrochemicals and metals. Read More

Am J Case Rep 2021 Apr 27;22:e931404. Epub 2021 Apr 27.

Department of Internal Medicine, Benefis Health System, Great Falls, MT, USA.

BACKGROUND Perinephric hematomas are rare, especially following ureteral stent placement. Etiologies of perinephric hematomas include post-extracorporeal shockwave lithotripsy, Wunderlich syndrome, and renal cell carcinoma, none of which occurred in our patient, who underwent stent replacement. Subcapsular renal hematoma, rather than a perinephric hematoma, can occur following double-J ureteral stent placement. Read More

Int Urol Nephrol 2021 Apr 27. Epub 2021 Apr 27.

General Hospital of Western Theater Command of the Chinese People's Liberation Army, Chengdu, China.

Background: Whether the Oxford classification of immunoglobulin A nephropathy can be utilized to predict the adverse renal outcome of Henoch-Schonlein purpura nephritis (HSPN) has been long-debated. We, therefore, performed a meta-analysis to evaluate the prognostic value of Oxford classification lesions in HSPN.

Methods: We systematically searched Medline, EMBASE, Web of Science, and the Cochrane Library for articles published from January 1970 to August 2020. Read More

J Nephrol 2021 Apr 22. Epub 2021 Apr 22.

Department of Pathology, Medical University of Vienna, General Hospital, Waehringer Guertel 18-20, 1090, Vienna, Austria.

Background: Nephrectomy is the management of choice for the treatment of renal tumors. Surgical pathologists primarily focus on tumor diagnosis and investigations relating to prognosis or therapy. Pathological changes in non-neoplastic tissue may, however, be relevant for further management and should be thoroughly assessed. Read More

BMC Nephrol 2021 Apr 22;22(1):146. Epub 2021 Apr 22.

Division of Nephrology, Dialysis, and Transplantation, IRCCS Istituto Giannina Gaslini, Genoa, Italy.

Background: Inflammatory bowel diseases are characterized by chronic inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract. In particular, Crohn disease and ulcerative colitis represent the two most common types of clinical manifestations. Extraintestinal manifestations of inflammatory bowel diseases represent a common complications, probably reflecting the systemic inflammation. Read More

Nephron 2021 Apr 21:1-10. Epub 2021 Apr 21.

Division of Nephrology, Kidney Institute of CPLA, Changzheng Hospital, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, China.

Objectives: The determinants leading to different renal outcomes in community-acquired acute kidney injury (CA-AKI) and the influence of renal histological damage on the prognosis and recovery of CA-AKI are scarcely reported.

Methods: Adult patients with CA-AKI admitted to Shanghai Changzheng Hospital with renal biopsy profiles from January 1, 2010, to December 31, 2018, were enrolled in our cohort. After 3 months of follow-up, clinical outcomes, including patient survival, dialysis requirement during hospitalization and at 3 months, CKD stage 3-5, and renal functional recovery at 3 months, were analyzed, and risk factors were identified. Read More

Am J Med Sci 2021 Apr 16. Epub 2021 Apr 16.

Nephrology Department, Hospital Universitario Fundación Alcorcón, Madrid, Spain.

Tipifarnib is a novel targeted treatment for hematologic malignancies that is being recently studied for the treatment of advanced solid organ tumors with HRAS mutations. There have been scarce reports on kidney adverse events in initial phase I and II trials. We present a case of acute kidney injury in a patient that had started treatment with tipifarnib for advanced squamous cell carcinoma of the lung. Read More

Transbound Emerg Dis 2021 Apr 19. Epub 2021 Apr 19.

Laboratory of Animal Virology, Department of Veterinary Preventive Medicine, Universidade Estadual de Londrina, Londrina, Paraná, Brazil.

Feline Morbillivirus (FeMV) was first detected in 2012 in domestic cats from Hong Kong and was found to be associated with tubulointerstitial nephritis and chronic kidney disease. In subsequent studies in other countries, FeMV was detected in asymptomatic cats. However, it is not clear whether FeMV plays a role as a pathogen in the kidney diseases of cats, and other epidemiological data are still unknown. Read More

Am J Ther 2021 Apr 8. Epub 2021 Apr 8.

Division of Nephrology, Department of Internal Medicine, Marmara University School of Medicine, Istanbul, Turkey Departments of Internal Medicine Pathology, Marmara University School of Medicine, Istanbul, Turkey.

BMC Psychiatry 2021 04 13;21(1):192. Epub 2021 Apr 13.

Westmead Hospital Intensive Care Unit, Sydney, Australia.

Background: Caffeine is a known inhibitor of Clozapine metabolism mediated by inhibition of CYP1A2. Hitherto, the effects of caffeine on Clozapine levels have always been modest, as have the clinical manifestations of toxicity resulting from their interaction. We present a case of severe toxicity associated with the co-consumption of caffeine and Clozapine culminating in life-threatening complications requiring management in Intensive Care. Read More