Objective To investigate the association between body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference (WC) with all-cause mortality in middle-aged and elderly patients receiving maintenance hemodialysis (MHD). Methods It was a prospective cohort study. The clinical data of MHD patients aged ≥50 years old from eleven hemodialysis centers from April to June 2017 in Beijing were analyzed. The patients were divided into low BMI group [body mass index (BMI)<18.5 kg/m²], normal BMI group (18.5 kg/m²≤BMI <24.0 kg/m²), overweight group (24.0 kg/m²≤BMI<28.0 kg/m²) and obesity group (BMI≥28.0 kg/m²) by BMI, and central obesity group (male ≥85 cm, female ≥80 cm) and normal WC group (male <85 cm, female <80 cm) by WC. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis method was used to compare the difference of all-cause mortality between those groups. Multivariate Cox regression model was used to analyze the association of BMI and WC with all-cause mortality. Results A total of 613 MHD patients were enrolled, with age of (63.82±7.14) years old and 258 (42.09%) females. There were 46 (7.50%) patients in the low BMI group, 303 (49.43%) patients in the normal BMI group, 227 (37.03%) patients in the overweight group and 37 (6.04%) patients in the obesity group. In addition, 346 (56.44%) patients were categorized as central obesity. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis results showed that the all-cause mortality rates of low BMI group (log-rank χ²=13.571, P<0.001) and obesity group (log-rank χ²=6.664 P=0.010) were higher than that of normal BMI group, and the all-cause mortality rate of central obesity group was higher than that of normal WC group (log-rank χ²=5.698, P=0.017). Multivariate Cox regression analysis results showed that， besides the low BMI group and obesity group (with normal BMI group as a reference, HR=5.289, 95% CI 2.318-12.067, P<0.001; HR=5.360, 95% CI 2.088-13.760, P<0.001, respectively), normal BMI and overweight combined with central obesity were also independently correlated with all-cause mortality (with normal WC group as a reference, HR=2.605, 95% CI 1.199-5.663, P=0.016; HR=1.787, 95% CI 1.026-3.732, P=0.031, respectively). Conclusions Lower and higher BMI or combined central obesity are independently associated with all-cause mortality in the middle-aged and elderly patients receiving MHD.

Objective To explore the prevalence and risk factors of sarcopenia in patients with maintenance dialysis (MHD). Methods It was a cross-sectional study. Patients who received MHD treatment in the Blood Purification Center of Hainan Provincial People's Hospital in October 2019 were included as study subjects. The patients were divided into sarcopenia group and non-sarcopenia group according to whether they had sarcopenia or not. Chest CT imaging and laboratory examination data were collected. Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry was used to measure the skeletal muscle mass. Chi-square test or Mantel-Haenszel trend chi-square test was used to compare the clinical data of patients with and without sarcopenia. Multivariate logistic regression equation was used to analyze the risk factors of sarcopenia. Results A total of 182 MHD patients were enrolled in the study, and the prevalence of sarcopenia was 33.5% (61/182). The proportions of age ≥60 years old, diabetic nephropathy, tunneled-cuffed catheter, body mass index <18 kg/m², serum albumin <40 g/L, low density lipoprotein cholesterol ≥3.37 mmol/L, left ventricular ejection fraction <50%, chest CT-suspected pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) and PTB in sarcopenia group were higher than those in non-sarcopenia group (all P<0.05). Multivariate logistic regression analysis results showed that left ventricular ejection fraction <50% (≥50% as a reference, OR=3.250, 95% CI 1.035-10.206, P=0.044), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol ≥3.37 mmol/L (<3.37 mmol/L as a reference, OR=6.354,95% CI 1.675-24.108, P=0.007), chest CT-suspected PTB (normal as a reference, OR=7.433, 95% CI 1.531-36.083, P=0.013), and PTB (normal as a reference, OR=28.871, 95% CI 3.208-259.872, P=0.030) were independent influencing factors of sarcopenia in MHD patients. Conclusions The prevalence of sarcopenia is higher in MHD patients. Blood low-density lipoprotein cholesterol ≥3.37 mmol/L, ejection fraction <50%, chest CT-PTB and suspected PTB are independent risk factors of sarcopenia in MHD patients. Correcting left ventricular systolic function, regulating blood lipids and preventing PTB as early as possible can reduce the prevalence of sarcopenia in MHD patients.

Objective To investigate urinary microalbumin to creatinine ratio (ACR) and α1-microglobulin to creatinine ratio (MCR) of people aged 40 years old and above in Shanxi province, and analyze the influencing factors of abnormal ACR and MCR, and to provide evidence for the prevention and control of chronic kidney diseases. Methods It was a cross-sectional study. The data came from a screening study of chronic kidney diseases conducted by Shanxi Provincial People's Hospital from April to November 2019, involving aged 40 years old and above from 10 counties (Ningwu county, Yu county, Yangqu county, Lin county, Shouyang county, Zezhou county, Huozhou city, Hejin city, Linyi county and Ruicheng county) in Shanxi province. The related data were collected through questionnaire surveys, physical examinations, and blood and urine sample collection. Urinary α1-microglobulin, creatinine, and microalbuminuria were measured. Urinary ACR and MCR were calculated using urinary creatinine correction. ACR abnormality was defined as ≥30 mg/g, and MCR abnormality was defined as >23 mg/g. Covariate analysis was used to control confounding factors, and adjusted urinary ACR and MCR of 10 counties were calculated. Spearman correlation analysis and chi-square test were performed to analyze the factors associated with abnormal urinary ACR and MCR. Logistic regression analysis model was used to identify the influencing factors of abnormal urinary ACR and MCR. Results A total of 12 285 residents were enrolled in the study, including 5 206 males (42.4%) and 7 079 females (57.6%). The median age was 58.0 (51.0, 66.0) years old. The median urinary ACR was 7.5 (4.5, 15.7) mg/g, and the median urinary MCR was 10.2 (6.4, 16.2) mg/g. A total of 1 572 individuals (12.80%) had urinary ACR abnormality and 1 450 individuals (11.80%) had urinary MCR abnormality. Yangqu county, Yuxian county, and Ningwu county had higher urinary ACR with (35.58±3.04) mg/g, (34.08±4.50) mg/g and (32.09±3.19) mg/g, respectively. The urinary MCR was generally similar among the 10 counties and Yangqu county had higher urinary MCR with (13.86±0.41) mg/g. In addition to Yu county, female individuals had higher urinary ACR compared to males in other counties, whereas female individuals had lower urinary MCR compared to males in 10 counties. Multivariate logistic regression analysis results showed that elevated triglyceride, fasting blood glucose, glycated hemoglobin, systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, age, body mass index and gender were independent influencing factors of abnormal urinary ACR and MCR (all P<0.05). Elevated blood homocysteine and low educational level were independent influencing factors of urinary MCR abnormality (both P<0.05). Conclusions There are differences of gender and region in urinary ACR and MCR among individuals aged 40 years old and above in the 10 counties of Shanxi province. Triglyceride, fasting blood glucose, glycated hemoglobin, systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, age, gender, and body mass index are independent related factors of abnormal urinary ACR and MCR. Blood homocysteine and education level are independent related factors of abnormal urinary MCR.

Objective To explore the relationship between urinary exosomal microRNA (exo-miR) - 155 in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and the onset and severity of diabetic kidney disease (DKD). Methods From January to May 2019, 5 patients with T2DM normoalbuminuria and 5 patients with type 2 DKD were recruited from the Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism of Chongming Hospital of Shanghai Health Medical College as a microRNA screening cohort. Urine samples were collected to extract urinary exosomes, and the urine exo-miR spectrum was detected and analyzed using the miRCURY LNA array. From June 2019 to October 2022, 351 patients with T2DM who met the enrollment criteria and were matched by age and sex were included in the validation cohort in the Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism of the hospital. Patients were divided into 3 groups according to urinary albumin/creatinine ratio (UACR): normoalbuminuria group (UACR<30 mg/g, n=143), microalbuminuria group (30 mg/g≤UACR≤300 mg/g, n=171) and macroalbuminuria group (UACR>300 mg/g, n=37). According to DKD diagnostic guidelines, microalbuminuria group and macroalbuminuria group were classified into DKD group. Real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR was used to detect the expression level of exo-miR-155 in urine. Results The results of transmission electron microscopy, nanoparticle tracking analysis, and Western blotting showed that the extraction of exosome vesicles was successful. In the screening cohort, according to the screening criteria of P<0.05 and fold changes (FC)>1.5, 226 differentially expressed miRNAs were identified from the urinary exosomes of the DKD group compared to the T2DM group. Among them, miR-155 ranged highest (FC=32.75, P<0.001). In the validation cohort, compared with the normoalbuminuria group [0.76 (0.55, 0.95)], the macroalbuminuria group [1.84 (1.18, 2.42)] had the most significant increase in urinary exo-miR-155 level (Z=-7.411, P<0.001), followed by the microalbuminuria group [0.86 (0.69, 1.25)] (Z=-4.092, P<0.001), and the urinary exo-miR-155 level in the macroalbuminuria group was significantly higher than that in the microalbuminuria group (Z=-5.841, P<0.001). The correlation analysis showed that urinary exo-miR-155 level was positively correlated with UACR (r_s =0.329, P<0.001) and negatively correlated with estimated glomerular filtration rate (r_s =-0.249, P=0.015). The results of receiver operating characteristic curve analysis showed that the area under the curve of urinary exo-miR-155 level predicted DKD progression in T2DM patients was 0.892 (95% CI 0.859-0.925), corresponding cutoff value was 0.982, and the sensitivity and specificity were 71.9% and 87.7%, respectively. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that urinary exo-miR-155≥0.982 was an independent risk factor for progression to DKD in T2DM patients (OR=3.310, 95% CI 1.981-5.530, P<0.001). Conclusion The expression level of urinary exo-miR-155 is increased in T2DM patients with microalbuminuria and macroalbuminuria, which is related to the degree of albuminuria, and can be used as a predictive marker to identify potential DKD.

Objective To investigate the role of recombinant phospholipase A2 receptor (PLA2R) tandem dominant epitopes (PLA2RTD) in the removal of anti-PLA2R autoantibodies (anti-PLA2R) from primary membranous nephropathy (PMN). Methods The recombinant protein PLA2RTD (cysteine-rich domain, C-type lectin like domain 1 and C-type lectin like domain 7) was expressed in bacmid-insect cell expression system. Circular dichroism was used to determine the secondary structure of PLA2RTD. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and immunofluorescence were used to determine the biological activity of PLA2RTD. Epoxy activation method was used to couple the recombinant PLA2RTD and agarose gel CL-6B microspheres for preparing specific immune adsorbent of anti-PLA2R. Results The study achieved the expression of PLA2RTD in the first time from the bacmid-insect cell system, demonstrating the good immunogenicity and high binding specificity of PLA2RTD. A single in vitro adsorption of PLA2RTD could averagely eliminate 76.66% of anti-PLA2R [(6.66±0.30) RU/ml vs. (28.54±2.10) RU/ml], the changes of IgG, IgA, albumin, β2 microglobulin, interleukin 6, and tumor necrosis factor α were all less than 4% after completion of adsorption, and the second or third repeated use of PLA2RTD could maintain the adsorption efficiency of about 65%. Conclusion PLA2RTD-based specific immunosorbent can effectively remove anti-PLA2R in plasma, which provides a new way to specifically remove PMN-related autoantibodies.

It was a retrospective cohort study. Eighty maintenance hemodialysis (MHD) patients with corona virus disease 2019 (COVID-19) were enrolled, among whom 48 patients survived and 32 died. The clinical data between the survival and death groups were compared. The Cox regression model was used to analyze the risk factors of death in MHD patients with COVID-19, and a survival prediction model was constructed. The results showed that age, lesion-cumulative number of lung segments, C-reactive protein, procalcitonin, serum ferritin, interleukin-6, D-dimer, serum phosphorus, and proportions of males, diabetes and hypoxemia in the death group were higher than those in the survival group (all P<0.05). Increased age (HR=1.039, 95% CI 1.007-1.072, P=0.017), diabetes (HR=2.688, 95% CI 1.018-6.991, P=0.046), increased C-reactive protein (HR=1.006, 95% CI 1.001-1.011, P=0.012), and increased serum phosphorus (HR=1.573, 95% CI 1.015-2.438, P=0.043) were independent influencing factors of death in MHD patients with COVID-19. The survival prediction model was established based on age, diabetes, C-reactive protein and blood phosphorus. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of the combined model for survival time at 7-day, 14-day, and 21-day were 0.751 (95% CI 0.690-0.811), 0.768 (95% CI 0.712-0.824), and 0.780 (95% CI 0.729-0.831), respectively. The concordance index of cross- validation as internal validation was 0.797 (95% CI 0.757-0.837). Increased age, diabetes, elevated C-reactive protein and elevated blood phosphorus are independent risk factors of COVID-19 death in MHD patients, and the survival prediction model built by those factors has good efficacy.

The paper reported a case of a young male patient, with graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) multi-organ involvement lesions after allo-hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. The patient had diverse clinical manifestations, and overlapping acute and chronic disease processes. Acute GVHD were mainly hyperbilirubinemia, with or without elevated transaminase, bloody watery stools; chronic GVHD were highlighted by extensive skin depigmentation, oral mucosal ulcer, sick nails, etc., and chronic signs, such as membranous nephropathy, polyserositis and pulmonary restrictive ventilatory insufficiency. The diagnosis of chronic GVHD mainly relies on medical history combined with clinical manifestations, and it's needed to exclude infections, drugs and tumors. Besides, the rate of missed diagnosis and misdiagnose is high, and it requires multidisciplinary diagnosis and treatment. Combined with the literature review, it indicates that there is a greater risk of GVHD in the male recipient with female donor, and peripheral blood stem cell transplant patients have a higher incidence than bone marrow transplant patients after hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, but the effect of the graft-versus-leukemia exists. Currently, glucocorticoids therapy with or without calcineurin inhibitors are the first-line treatment for GVHD, but the overall prognosis is poor.

SARS-CoV-2 infection can lead to rhabdomyolysis and even acute kidney injury, which is rare in clinical practice. The paper reports a case of SARS-CoV-2 infection with clinical manifestations of fever, myalgia, soy urine, oliguria, and significantly increased serum creatine kinase and creatinine. The symptoms improved and renal function returned to normal after hemodialysis, fluid replenishment and liver protection treatment. The paper summarizes the clinical characteristics and pathogenesis of the disease based on literature review.

The global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has had a catastrophic impact on human life and economic life. Due to the combination of multiple underlying diseases and low vaccination rates, dialysis patients are susceptible to SARS-CoV-2 infection and are likely to have more severe illness and even death. Moreover, dialysis patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection may initially present as asymptomatic or with mild symptoms, which makes it very difficult to identify severe patients at an early stage. Here, the epidemiology, clinical characteristics, risk factors for prognosis, vaccination and therapeutic strategies of dialysis patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection were summarized and analyzed, and it is hoped to provide a reference for the diagnosis and treatment of SARS-CoV-2 infection in this special group of patients.

Chronic kidney disease (CKD)-mineral and bone disorder (CKD-MBD) is a common complication of CKD, which seriously affects the prognosis of patients. It is a series of abnormal mineral and bone metabolism syndrome caused by chronic renal function decline. The clinical manifestations are mainly decreased or increased serum calcium, increased serum phosphorus, increased intact parathyroid hormone, osteoporosis, and vascular calcification, etc. The paper reviews the research progress in the diagnosis, treatment and management based on the basic and clinical studies of hyperphosphatemia, secondary hyperparathyroidism, renal osteodystrophy and vascular calcification, etc.

Relapsing is the clinical characteristic of nephrotic syndrome (NS) in children, and some steroid-sensitive NS (SSNS) children have frequently relapsing NS and steroid-dependent NS. The long-term and frequent uses of glucocorticoids, as well as the adverse effects of immunosuppressants, seriously affect the quality of life in children with NS. The International Pediatric Nephrology Association released the clinical practice recommendation for SSNS in children in 2022. Based on the guideline for the diagnosis and treatment of steroid-sensitive, frequently- relapsing/dependent NS in children (2016) formulated by the Nephrology Group of Pediatrics Society of Chinese Medical Association, we interpreted the guideline on clinical treatment and management suggestions of SSNS, to provide references for the diagnosis and treatment of SSNS in children.

Sodium-glucose transporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors are a novel type of oral hypoglycemic agent. Clinical trials have found that these drugs not only help control diabetes but also provide additional benefits for heart and kidney outcome. They have shown cardiorenal protection in patients with type 2 diabetes and can improve outcomes in non-diabetic patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD), and the overall safety performance is good. Therefore, SGLT2 inhibitors have become important drugs for cardiorenal protection in CKD patients. The consensus expert group undertook an extensive process to develop this consensus on the use of SGLT2 inhibitor drugs in managing CKD. They engaged multidisciplinary experts from nephrology, endocrinology, and cardiology to ensure a comprehensive and standardized approach. The expert group utilized existing evidence-based evidence and the expertise of the participating clinicians to formulate this consensus through consultation, voting and discussion. The consensus includes the recommended population for SGLT2 inhibitors use, the risk assessment of adverse reactions before use, the recommendation of combination administration, and the monitoring and management of adverse reactions during use. This collaborative effort aims to provide physicians with a reliable and practical framework for the rational use of SGLT2 inhibitor drugs in clinical practice.