Journal of nephropathology
Volume:13 Issue: 2, Apr 2024

World Kidney Day is an annual, global awareness campaign that aims to raise awareness of the importance of kidney health and hopes to alleviate the global burden of kidney diseases. It is observed annually on the second Thursday of March. The campaign focuses on elucidating various aspects of kidney health, including prevention, early detection, and management of kidney diseases. It highlights the risk factors contributing to kidney disease, such as diabetes, hypertension, dyslipidemia, metabolic syndrome, and obesity. By raising awareness about these risk factors, World Kidney Day encourages individuals to make lifestyle modifications and promptly seek medical intervention to reduce their risk factors.

Cancer-associated glomerulopathy (CAG) is a rare type of glomerular disease and a complication of malignancy. It is not absolutely related to the tumor burden, invasion, or metastasis however is supposed to be caused by tumor cell products. The recognition of cancer-related glomerulopathy is clinically crucial because it can be the first sign of an underlying malignancy. The most common glomerular diseases which are caused by malignancy are paraneoplastic glomerulopathy. Moreover, membranous nephropathy is the most common glomerular pathology associated with solid tumors.

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a major threat to world health and safety, making it the primary concern of global community that requires immediate preventive measures. Several organs are affected by this disease simultaneously with possible long-lasting sequelae. Disease pathogenesis is influenced by, the type of virus and its mutation, the number of viruses, individual’s immune system and their age, gender, nutritional status, homeostasis between the immune, nervous and endocrine systems, and also physical condition. All of these factors play a role in the onset, duration, severity, and recurrence of the disease. Since the exact mechanism of infection with this virus is not fully understood, in this study we aimed to investigate its effects on the reproductive system in male and female as well as pregnancy outcome.

Prostate cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death, and the present systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to investigate the effect of calcium use on the risk of prostate cancer.

The current systematic review and meta-analysis used the PRISMA checklist. The search was conducted using databases, including Web of Science, Cochrane, ProQuest, PubMed, and Google Scholar Search Engine, without a time limit until November 22, 2023. The obtained data was analyzed using STATA 14 software.

The results obtained from combining 28 observational studies and clinical trials indicated that calcium increased the risk of prostate cancer (OR: 1.10, 95% CI: 1.06, 1.13). On the other hand, cohort (OR: 1.08, 95% CI: 1.06, 1.13), cross-control (OR: 1.04, 95% CI: 0.96, 1.14), cross-sectional (OR: 1.06, 95% CI: 0.86, 1.29), and randomized controlled trial (OR: 1.21, 95% CI: 1.06, 1.39) studies indicated a relationship between calcium use and risk of prostate malignancy. Furthermore, calcium increased the risk of prostate cancer in the age group 50 to 59 years (OR: 1.16, 95% CI: 1.09, 1.24), however no considerable association was noticed between calcium administration and prostate cancer in the age group 60 to 69 years (OR: 1.03, 95% CI: 0.94, 1.13). The risk of prostate cancer in individuals who used less than 1300 mg calcium per day, those who used 1300 – 2000 mg/d, and those who taken more than 2000 mg calcium per day were (OR: 1.04, 95% CI: 1, 1.09), (OR: 1.17, 95% CI: 1.09, 1.26), and (OR: 1.29, 95% CI: 1.13, 1.48), respectively.

Generally, calcium administration increases the risk of prostate cancer in men by 10%, and the risk is enhanced with the increase in dosage of calcium.

Kidney fibrosis is the ultimate common pathway observed in all chronic nephropathies, which arises due to the pathological accumulation of extracellular matrix (ECM) components in response to persistent injury. While biopsy is widely regarded as the preferred diagnostic method, it is an invasive procedure with inherent limitations. Alternatively, cadherin-11 (CDH-11) serves as an exceptional noninvasive biomarker for kidney fibrosis.

To measure serum CDH-11 among patients indicated for native kidney biopsy. In addition, this study aimed to examine the correlation between CDH-11 levels and kidney biopsy’s interstitial fibrosis tubular atrophy (IFTA) score to investigate its sensitivity and specificity as a biomarker of kidney fibrosis.

The current study adopted a cross-sectional design involving 100 clinically indicated patients for native kidney biopsy. All participants were subjected to serum CDH-11 measurement on the biopsy day. This study was carried out in Ain Shams University Hospitals.

The results indicated that the median value of CDH-11 was 3.9 ng/mL (2.2–7.6). This value was found to be significantly higher in cases with arteriosclerosis at a P value <0.001. It was highest in grade 3, followed by 2, then 1, then zero of all chronicity grading scale points (global and segmental, tubular atrophy, and interstitial fibrosis) at a P value <0.001. Consequently, it was highest in severe, followed by moderate, then mild, and lowest in minimal IFTA with (median of 12.0 (7.6–16.0), 6.1 (4.4–7.7), 3.5 (2.2–4.6), 1.2 (0.5–2.6), respectively. The area under the curve was 0.645, and the optimal cut-off level was ≥5.6 ng/dL (90.9% sensitivity and 71.8% specificity).

Based on the current study findings, it can be determined that CDH-11 serves as a highly accurate and precise indicator in patients with kidney fibrosis. Furthermore, the level of CDH-11 can predict the degree of fibrosis across various etiologies of kidney disease.

 An oxidative stress and angiotensin II (Ang II) contribute significantly in the pathogenesis of diabetic nephropathy (DN). Therefore, interventions targeting these factors are anticipated to significantly contribute to inhibiting the progression of diabetic kidney disease.

 The aim of this study was to assess the impact of a combination of rosmarinic acid (RA) and angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs) in preventing mesangial expansion and reducing glomerular volume in streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats.

 We observed experimental animals, 16 adults male Wistar rats, which were randomly grouped into 4 groups (n=4 per group): negative and positive control groups and diabetic rats treated with RA 75 mg/kg and candesartan 1 mg/kg (treatment group 1) and RA therapy 75 mg/kg and losartan 2.5 mg/kg (treatment group 2). Following 8 weeks of therapy, the renal histology was assessed to evaluate mesangial expansion and glomerular volume.

 In comparison to the positive control, treatment group 1 demonstrated a significant inhibition of mesangial expansion (MD: -19.92; 95% CI: -21.97, -17.87; P<0.001) and decreased glomerular volume (MD: 2669.06; 95% CI: 2066.31, 3271.80; P<0.001). Similarly, treatment group 2 significantly inhibited mesangial expansion (MD: -19.21; 95% CI: -21.26, -17.16; P<0.001) and decreased glomerular volume (MD: 2488.04; 95% CI: 1885.29, 3090.78; P<0.001) compared to the positive control. While treatment group 1 exhibited better effects than treatment group 2, although the difference was not statistically significant.

 In STZ-induced diabetic rats, combination therapy of RA with candesartan or losartan can inhibit mesangial expansion and decrease glomerular volume.

 Rhabdomyolysis and hemolysis cause pigment nephropathy that progresses to chronic kidney disease (CKD) requiring hemodialysis in some patients. As this is a significant financial burden, understanding the etiologies and renal biopsy findings aids in timely diagnosis and optimizing outcomes.

 We analyzed the etiology, clinicopathological features, and renal outcome of seventeen patients with pigment nephropathy.

 This retrospective study was conducted from 2018 to 2021. Data on detailed clinical history, laboratory parameters, renal biopsy records and the renal outcome was collected.

 Among seventeen patients with pigment nephropathy, the etiology was rhabdomyolysis in 15 patients and hemolysis in two patients. Oliguria was the most common clinical presentation, and all patients presented with acute kidney injury (AKI). Renal biopsy revealed reddish beaded granule and vermiform-like casts in 10, brownish casts with intra-tubular hemosiderin in three, and granular and calcific casts in two patients each. While fourteen patients recovered to normal renal function within three months, one progressed to stage 5 CKD, one had stage 2 CKD, and one died.

 In most patients, clinical history did not reveal a direct diagnosis of rhabdomyolysis, and hence one must remain vigilant even in the absence of the classical triad of symptoms.

Anti-glomerular basement membrane (anti-GBM) disease is an aggressive small vessel vasculitis usually mediated by IgG autoantibodies. We describe the case of a 73-year-old male with rapidly progressive renal failure that was diagnosed with IgA mediated anti-GBM disease associated with circulating anti-neutrophil cytoplasm antibodies (ANCA), where the diagnosis was established on kidney biopsy by detecting linear deposition of IgA along the GBM on immunofluorescence microscopy. Despite an intensive immunosuppressive regimen with plasmapheresis, steroids and oral cyclophosphamide, the disease progressed to end-stage renal failure and the patient was started on hemodialysis.