Objective To investigate whether the clinical and pathological injury of kidney in IgA nephropathy (IgAN) patients with hypertension is associated with circadian blood pressure rhythm change, particularly with elevated nocturnal blood pressure (BP). Methods This study was a retrospective cross-sectional study. Clinic and renal histopathological injury data were obtained from 83 IgAN patients with hypertension. First, 24 h ambulatory BP monitoring (ABPM) data were analyzed. Second, all these IgAN patients were divided into two groups, elevated nocturnal BP group and nocturnal normotensive BP group, and the clinical and pathological differences between this two groups were analyzed. Third, logistic regression analysis was used to analyze the influencing factors of renal tubulointerstitial injury in IgAN patients with hypertension. At last, all these IgAN patients were divided into two groups according to the level of estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), group of patients with eGFR≥60 ml?min-1?(1.73 m2)-1 and the other group with eGFR＜60 ml?min-1?(1.73 m2)-1, and the 24 h ABPM data were compared. Results (1) The proportion of non-dipper circadian rhythm of BP in IgAN patients with hypertension was 79.5%. (2) Compared with nocturnal normotensive BP group, patients in elevated nocturnal BP group had significantly higher levels of 24-hour urinary protein quantity and blood uric acid (both P＜0.05), and lower eGFR and urine osmotic pressure clinically (both P＜0.05). Index of interstitial fibrosis and tubular atrophy was significantly higher in nocturnal normotensive BP group (P＜0.05), while the proportion of glomerular ischemia lesion was not significantly different between two groups. (3) Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that elevated nocturnal BP was an independent risk factor for severe tubulointerstitial injury of IgAN (OR=1.113, 95%CI 1.038-1.192, P=0.002). (4) Compared with the group of eGFR≥60 ml?min-1?(1.73 m2)-1, 24-hour systolic blood pressure (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP), daytime SBP and DBP, nocturnal SBP and DBP were significantly higher in group of eGFR＜60 ml?min-1?(1.73 m2)-1 (all P＜0.05). Conclusion The proportion of non-dipper circadian rhythm of BP in IgAN patients with hypertension is as high as 79.5%. Elevated nocturnal BP is associated with the severity of renal damage, and elevated nocturnal BP is an independent risk factor for severe tubulointerstitial injury in IgAN patients with hypertension. Therefore, 24 h ABPM should be emphasized, and elevated nocturnal BP should be well controlled to slow the progression of IgAN.

Objective To sum up and analyze the clinical and pathological characteristics in patients with both IgA nephropathy (IgAN) and diabetes mellitus. Methods A total of 500 patients were recruited, including 25 patients with both IgAN and diabetes mellitus, and 475 patients with IgAN only, who were diagnosed by renal-biopsy during Jan 2015 to Jan 2017 at the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University. The clinical and pathological data were collected and analyzed using SPSS 22.0. Propensity Score Matching was used to match and select the patients in the both groups, and thereafter the depth of the basement membrane from the matched patients were compared using electron microscopy. The data of the patients whose follow-up time was ≥3 months were retrospectively collected, and Kaplan-Meier analysis was used to compare the difference of the prognosis. Results Compared to the patients with IgAN only, patients with both IgAN and diabetes mellitus were older [(46.36±13.49) years vs (34.00±13.80) years, P＜0.001], had higher level of serum triglyceride [2.06(1.52, 3.11) mmol/L vs 1.51(1.01, 2.25) mmol/L, P=0.012] and thicker basement membrane [(384.33±61.20) nm vs (346.72±52.65) nm, P=0.044]. The patients with both IgAN and diabetes mellitus were more prone to reach the composite endpoint [4/7(57.14%) vs 25/265(9.33%), P＜0.001] and had worse prognosis (Log-Rank test, P=0.004). Conclusions IgAN patients with diabetes mellitus have different clinical, pathological characteristics and prognosis from patients with IgAN alone. These patients need to be closely monitored and actively treated.

Objective To investigate the clinical, pathological features and risk factors of hyperuricemia in children with IgA nephropathy (IgAN). Methods A retrospective study of 269 primary IgAN children diagnosed between January 1, 2006 to December 31, 2017 at the Children Kidney Disease Center, the First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, was performed in the hyperuricemia group (uric acid＞350 μmol/L) and the normal uric acid group. The clinical and pathological characteristics were analyzed, and the risk factors of hyperuricemia were analyzed by using multivariate logistic regression analysis. Results There were 185 males and 84 females in the 269 IgAN children with age of (9.2±3.1) years old, among whom there were 70 patients (26.0%) accompanied by hyperuricemia. Clinical indicators such as hypertension, urea nitrogen, serum creatinine, blood lipids, urinary protein in hyperuricemia group were higher than those in normal uric acid group (all P＜0.05), while estimated glomerular filtration rate, serum total protein and albumin were less (all P＜0.05). There were 58 patients (23.0%) and 12 patients (70.5%) associated with hyperuricemia among IgAN children with CKD 1-2 and CKD 3-5. The proportion of hyperuricemia in CKD stage 3-5 IgAN children was statistically higher than that in normal uric acid group (P＜0.01). The hyperuricemia group had a higher proportion of Lee IV and V grade, and a lower proportion of the Lee III grade than the normal uric acid group (all P＜0.05). According to the Oxford pathological classification score, there was no significant difference in total scores of renal lesions, glomerular score, and tubulointerstitial score between the two groups (all P＞0.05). According to the Katafuchi semi-quantitative score, there was no significant difference in the total scores of renal lesions, glomeruli, and tubulointerstitial scores (all P＞0.05), while the hyperuricemia group had higher renal vascular scores than the normal uric acid group (P＜0.01). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that hypertension (OR=12.596, 95%CI 1.778-89.243, P=0.011), higher total cholesterol (OR=1.192, 95%CI 1.064-1.336, P=0.002), higher urea nitrogen (OR=1.273, 95%CI 1.104-1.468, P=0.001), proteinuria 3+(OR=1.875, 95%CI 1.309-2.684, P=0.001), proteinuria 4+(OR=1.627, 95%CI 1.241-2.134, P＜0.001) and CKD stage 3 (OR=3.355, 95%CI 1.376-8.181, P=0.008) were the risk factors of hyperuricemia in children with IgAN. Conclusions Twenty-six percent IgAN children patients are accompanied by hyperuricemia, and their clinical parameters and pathological changes are more severe than those in normal uric acid group. Hypertension, higher total cholesterol, higher urea nitrogen, proteinuria 3+/4+ and CKD stage 3 are the risk factors of hyperuricemia in children with IgAN.

Objective To evaluate the efficacy and safety of mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) in treatment of IgA nephropathy. Methods The Cochrane library, PubMed, EMBASE, Wanfang Data Knowledge Service Platform, CNKI and VIP were searched from the time when the databases were established to March 31, 2018. Reports on randomized controlled trials (RCTs) on treating IgAN with MMF were collected. Data were extracted and assessed independently by three reviewers and the methodological quality of included RCTs was assessed by the Cochrane collaboration's tool for assessing risk of bias. The Meta analysis of homogeneous RCTs was managed by using Stata 12.0. Results Nine RCTs, of which two RCTs were assessed as A-level studies scoring from 4 to 7 points, six RCTs were assessed as B-level studies scoring from 2 to 3 points, and one RCT was assessed as C-level study with scores less than 2 points, were enrolled in the study. Important outcomes of this systematic review were described as follows: (1) Compared to placebo plus ACEI/ARB or ACEI/ARB monotherapy, MMF plus ACEI/ARB did not reduce the incidence of increased serum creatinine and ESRD, but increased the partial remission rate of urinary protein (OR=2.59, 95%CI 1.01-6.65, P=0.049. (2) No significant difference was detected in the efficacy of reducing urinary protein for MMF monotherapy or MMF plus glucocorticoid (GC) compared to GC monotherapy. (3) MMF showed no significant difference in the efficacy of reducing urinary protein compared to LEF or CTX, but lower incidence rate of serum creatinine increasing than that of CTX group (OR=0.21, 95%CI 0.04-1.07, P=0.043. (4) Different levels of adverse reactions occurred in each treatment group with MMF, but most symptoms were mild, and recovered gradually after reducing or withdrawing MMF. Conclusions MMF monotherapy shows a superiority in curing IgAN compared to ACEI/ARB, but no significant superiority compared to GC. MMF can replace a part of the effect of GC when used in combination with GC and can reduce the dosage of GC compared to GC monotherapy. Additionally, MMF displays no better short-term efficacy than LEF or CTX, but a better long-term efficacy and fewer side effects than CTX. And the side effects occurred in the treatment groups with MMF are mostly mild, and disappear gradually after reducing or stopping the use of the drug. MMF is a safe and effective drug for the treatment of IgAN.

Objective To observe the effects of three treatment methods on renal anemia in maintenance hemodialysis patients with hyperparathyroidism secondary to uremia and analyze the influencing factors of erythropoietin (EPO) dosage. Methods A total of 55 maintenance hemodialysis patients with secondary hyperparathyroidism at the hemodialysis center of Huashan Hospital affiliated to Fudan University from January 2015 to December 2016 were retrospectively divided into three groups according to different treatment methods, parathyroidectomy +forearm transplantation group (surgery group, n=16), cinacalcet treatment group (n=6), and calcitriol treatment group (n=33), respectively. The hemoglobin level and erythropoietin dosage were measured before treatment and in the 3rd month, the 6th month and the 12th month after treatment. The changes of hemoglobin and erythropoietin dosage in the three groups before and after treatment were observed, and the mixed effect model was used to analyze the difference of the change of hemoglobin and erythropoietin dosage among three groups. Multiple linear regression analysis was used to analyze the influencing factors of EPO dosage after one year. Results The levels of intact parathyroid hormone (iPTH) in the surgery group and the cinacalcet group before treatment were significantly higher than that in the calcitriol group (both P＜0.05). In the 12th month after treatment, the levels of iPTH decreased significantly in the patients of surgery group and the cinacalcet group compared with those before treatment (both P＜0.05). The levels of serum alkaline phosphatase, serum calcium and serum phosphorus in the surgery group also decreased significantly compared with those before treatment (all P＜0.05). The mixed effect model analysis showed that the hemoglobin level of surgery group was on an upward trend after the treatment, and the overall level was significantly higher than cinacalcet and calcitriol treatment group (P=0.007). There was no significant difference in the dosage change of erythropoietin (EPO) in the three groups over time. However, the intra-group comparison of the mixed effect model showed that the dosage of EPO in the 12th month was significantly lower than that of before the treatment in surgery group (P=0.007). Multiple linear regression analysis showed that dialysis vintage (B=-0.064, P=0.012) and ferritin ≥ 500 μg/L (B=0.645, P=0.032) were independent influencing factors of EPO dosage. The longer the dialysis vintage, the less EPO dosage, and more EPO dosage were observed in patients with ferritin ≥ 500 μg/L. Conclusions Parathyroidectomy and forearm transplantation is more effective in reducing EPO dosage and improving renal anemia in maintenance hemodialysis patients with secondary hyperparathyroidism. Dialysis vintage and ferritin are independent influencing factors for the dosage of EPO.

Objective To investigate the patency rate and restenosis after percutaneous transluminal angioplasty (PTA) for the treatment of arteriovenous fistula (AVF) and arteriovenous graft (AVG) stenosis in dialysis patients. Methods The patients who were successfully treated by PTA for the first time in the blood purification center of the 2nd Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University from January 2016 to June 2017, including 71 cases of AVF in the forearm, 52 cases of AVF in the upper arm and 59 cases of AVG were recorded. The data of different stenosis parts were analyzed before and after treatment and followed up for 12 months. The initial patency rate and assisted-PTA patency rate were observed at 3 months, 6 months, 9 months, and 12 months after ultrasound interventional therapy, and the initial patency time for patients who needed to reintervention among all types of pathways were recorded. Results The initial patency rates at 3 months, 6 months, 9 months and 12 months after ultrasound interventional therapy were 98.59%, 90.14%, 71.93%, 54.93% respectively in forearm AVF, 90.38%, 65.38%, 42.31%, 32.69% respectively in upper arm AVF, 91.53%, 32.20%, 6.78%, 1.69% respectively in AVG, and the PTA-assisted patency rates were 98.59%, 97.18%, 95.77%, 94.37% respectively in forearm AVF, 92.31%, 86.54%, 84.62%, 80.77% respectively in upper arm AVF, 100.00%, 98.31%, 96.61%, 93.22% respectively in AVG, while the initial patency time was (8.99±3.54) months in forearm AVF, (6.33±3.01) months in upper arm AVF, (4.80±1.40) months in AVG respectively. Conclusions Ultrasound can comprehensively evaluate the function of peripheral vascular access, guide PTA treatment, and evaluate treatment outcomes. Ultrasound intervention therapy has best initial patency rate for forearm AVF stenosis. The prognosis of upper arm AVF stenosis PTA is relatively poor due to the easy cephalic stenosis. Although AVG has a short interval of restenosis, it can achieve a better long-term patency rate through regular intervention with ultrasound intervention.

Objective To investigate the influence of earlier renal fibrosis on ischemia and reperfusion induced acute kidney injury. Methods Male C57BL/6 mice at eight to twelve weeks old age were divided into 4 groups randomly: (1)Sham (n=3); (2)Unilateral ureter obstruction (UUO, n=6): UUO for 3 days (UUO3d, n=3) and UUO for 5 days (UUO5d, n=3)；(3)Ischemia and reperfusion (IR, n=7): bilateral kidney ischemia for 40 minutes followed by 24 hours of reperfusion; (4)UUO for 3 days plus IR (UUO3d+IR, n=6): bilateral kidney ischemia after UUO 2 days for 40 minutes followed by 24 hours of reperfusion, and the real time for UUO was 3 days. Pathologic analysis for acute or chronic injury was performed on paraffin embedded kidney sections with hematoxylin and eosin (HE) or Masson staining. Apoptosis was detected by immunohistochemistry(IHC) and Western blotting with anti-caspase-3 antibody, and proliferation was observed by IHC with anti-ki67 antibody. Results On kidney sections with HE or Masson staining, it showed that the chronic kidney lesions and fibrosis got more severe as time of UUO prolonged from 3 days to 5 days; the area of matrix deposition increased in UUO5d and UUO3d mice significantly compared to Sham mice (P＜0.05) and was smaller in UUO3d mice compared with UUO5d mice obviously (P＜0.05). Acute kidney injury could be observed in UUO3d+IR mice, such as massive inflammatory cells infiltration, tubules dilation, brush border disappearance, tubular epithelial cells vacuolar degeneration, necrosis, casting formation, coexisting with chronic lesions: thinner cortex, broadened interstitial space, and increased blue stained matrix. Acute kidney injury score in UUO3d+IR mice was higher than that in IR mice significantly (P＜0.05), and serum creatinine level increased significantly in UUO3d+IR mice compared to Sham mice (P＜0.05). Caspase-3 expression increased and ki67 positive tubular cells decreased in UUO3d+IR mice than those in IR mice obviously (P＜0.05). Conclusion Earlier renal fibrosis aggravates acute kidney injury induced by ischemia reperfusion in mice through increasing apoptosis and decreasing proliferation of tubular epithelial cells.