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•Recent evidence reports microplastics’ presence in human tissues and fluids.•MicroRaman spectroscopy is employed to detect microplastics in biological samples.•66 microparticles ...fragments were found in 10 kidney tissues and 10 urine samples and 26 out 66 were characterized.•SpeComp open-access software was developed to ease microRaman spectra comparison.•The most often detected pieces and pigments are polyethylene, polystyrene, hematite.
There is a growing concern within the medical community about the potential burden of microplastics on human organs and tissues. In this study, we investigated by microRaman spectroscopy the presence of microplastics in human kidneys and urine. Moreover, an open-access software was developed and validated for the project, which enabled the comparison between the investigated spectra and a self-created spectral database, thus enhancing the ability to characterize polymers and pigments in biological matrices. Healthy portions of ten kidneys obtained from nephrectomies, as well as ten urine samples from healthy donors were analyzed: 26 particles in both kidney and urine samples were identified, with sizes ranging from 3 to 13 μm in urine and from 1 to 29 μm in kidneys. The most frequently determined polymers are polyethylene and polystyrene, while the most common pigments are hematite and Cu-phthalocyanine. This preclinical study proves the presence of microplastics in renal tissues and confirms their presence in urine, providing the first evidence of kidney microplastics deposition in humans.
Peritoneal dialysis (PD) is the worldwide recognized preferred dialysis treatment for children affected by end-stage kidney disease (ESKD). However, due to the unphysiological composition of PD ...fluids, the peritoneal membrane (PM) of these patients may undergo structural and functional alterations, which may cause fibrosis. Several factors may accelerate this process and primary kidney disease may have a causative role. In particular, patients affected by steroid resistant primary focal segmental glomerulosclerosis, a rare glomerular disease leading to nephrotic syndrome and ESKD, seem more prone to develop peritoneal fibrosis. The mechanism causing this predisposition is still unrecognized. To better define this condition, we carried out, for the first time, a new comprehensive comparative proteomic mass spectrometry analysis of mesothelial exosomes from peritoneal dialysis effluent (PDE) of 6 pediatric patients with focal segmental glomerular sclerosis (FSGS) versus 6 patients affected by other primary renal diseases (No FSGS). Our omic study demonstrated that, despite the high overlap in the protein milieu between the two study groups, machine learning allowed to identify a core list of 40 proteins, with ANXA13 as most promising potential biomarker, to distinguish, in our patient population, peritoneal dialysis effluent exosomes of FSGS from No FSGS patients (with 100% accuracy). Additionally, the Weight Gene Co-expression Network Analysis algorithm identified 17 proteins, with PTP4A1 as the most statistically significant biomarker associated to PD vintage and decreased PM function. Altogether, our data suggest that mesothelial cells of FSGS patients are more prone to activate a pro-fibrotic machinery. The role of the proposed biomarkers in the PM pathology deserves further investigation. Our results need further investigations in a larger population to corroborate these findings and investigate a possible increased risk of PM loss of function or development of encapsulating peritoneal sclerosis in FSGS patients, thus to eventually carry out changes in PD treatment and management or implement new solutions.
End-stage renal disease requiring renal replacement therapy (RRT) during the neonatal period is a very rare condition, and little information is available regarding long-term RRT and outcomes. To ...gain more information, we performed a collaborative study on patient characteristics and treatment outcomes in children who started RRT as neonates during their first month of life between 2000 and 2011 who were prospectively registered in the ESPN/ERA-EDTA, the IPPN (since 2007), the Japanese registry, or the Australian and New Zealand Dialysis and Transplant (ANZDATA) registry. During the first month of life, 264 patients from 32 countries started RRT and were followed for a median of 29 months (interquartile range 11–60 months). Most neonates (242) started on peritoneal dialysis, 21 started on hemodialysis, and 1 patient with a transplant. The most important causes of renal failure were congenital anomalies of the kidney and urinary tract in 141, cystic kidneys in 35, and cortical necrosis in 30. Within 2 years after the start of RRT, 69 children changed dialysis modality and 53 received a renal transplant. After a median of 7 months, 45 children had died, mainly because of infection, resulting in an estimated 2-year survival of 81%, and 5-year survival of 76%. Growth retardation (63%), anemia (55%), and hypertension (57%) were still major problems after 2 years. Thus, relatively good medium-term patient survival may be achieved with RRT started during the neonatal period, but specific therapeutic challenges continue to exist in this age group.
Background
For 10 consecutive years, the ESPN/ERA-EDTA Registry has included data on children with stage 5 chronic kidney disease (CKD 5) receiving kidney replacement therapy (KRT) in Europe. We ...examined trends in incidence and prevalence of KRT and patient survival.
Methods
We included all children aged <15 years starting KRT 2007–2016 in 22 European countries participating in the ESPN/ERA-EDTA Registry since 2007. General population statistics were derived from Eurostat. Incidence and prevalence were expressed per million age-related population (pmarp) and time trends studied with JoinPoint regression. We analyzed survival trends using Cox regression.
Results
Incidence of children commencing KRT <15 years remained stable over the study period, varying between 5.5 and 6.6 pmarp. Incidence by treatment modality was unchanged over time: 2.0 for hemodialysis (HD) and peritoneal dialysis (PD) and 1.0 for transplantation. Prevalence increased in all age categories and overall rose 2% annually from 26.4 pmarp in 2007 to 32.1 pmarp in 2016. Kidney transplantation prevalence increased 5.1% annually 2007–2009, followed by 1.5% increase/year until 2016. Prevalence of PD steadily increased 1.4% per year over the entire period, and HD prevalence started increasing 6.1% per year from 2011 onwards. Five-year unadjusted patient survival on KRT was around 94% and similar for those initiating KRT 2007–2009 or 2010–2012 (adjusted HR: 0.98, 95% CI:0.71–1.35).
Conclusions
We found a stable incidence and increasing prevalence of European children on KRT 2007–2016. Five-year patient survival was good and was unchanged over time. These data can inform patients and healthcare providers and aid health policy makers on future resource planning of pediatric KRT in Europe.
Background
COVID-19 was declared a global health emergency. Since children are less than 1% of reported cases, there is limited information to develop evidence-based practice recommendations. The ...objective of this study was to rapidly gather expert knowledge and experience to guide the care of children with chronic kidney disease during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Methods
A four-round multi-center Delphi exercise was conducted among 13 centers in 11 European countries of the European Pediatric Dialysis Working Group (EPDWG) between March, 16th and 20th 2020. Results were analyzed using a mixed methods qualitative approach and descriptive statistics.
Results
Thirteen COVID-19 specific topics of particular need for guidance were identified. Main themes encompassed testing strategies and results (
n
= 4), changes in use of current therapeutics (
n
= 3), preventive measurements of transmission and management of COVID-19 (
n
= 3), and changes in standard clinical care (
n
= 3). Patterns of center-specific responses varied according to regulations and to availability of guidelines.
Conclusions
As limited quantitative evidence is available in real time during the rapid spread of the COVID-19 pandemic, qualitative expert knowledge and experience represent the best evidence available. This Delphi exercise demonstrates that use of mixed methodologies embedded in an established network of experts allowed prompt analysis of pediatric nephrologists’ response to COVID-19 during this fast-emerging public health crisis. Such rapid sharing of knowledge and local practices is essential to timely and optimal guidance for medical management of specific patient groups in multi-country health care systems such as those of Europe and the US.
Congenital anomalies of the kidney and urinary tract (CAKUT) are the leading cause of ESRD in children, but the proportion of patients with individual CAKUT entities progressing to ESRD during ...adulthood and their long-term clinical outcomes are unknown. This study assessed the age at onset of renal replacement therapy (RRT) and patient and renal graft survival in patients with CAKUT across the entire age range.
Patients with CAKUT were compared with age-matched patients who were undergoing RRT for other renal disorders on the basis of data from the European Renal Association-European Dialysis and Transplant Association Registry. Competing risk and Cox regression analyses were conducted.
Of 212,930 patients commencing RRT from 1990 to 2009, 4765 (2.2%) had renal diagnoses consistent with CAKUT. The proportion of incident RRT patients with CAKUT decreased from infancy to childhood and then increased until age 15-19 years, followed by a gradual decline throughout adulthood. Median age at RRT start was 31 years in the CAKUT cohort and 61 years in the non-CAKUT cohort (P<0.001). RRT was started earlier (median, 16 years) in patients with isolated renal dysplasia than in those with renal hypoplasia and associated urinary tract disorders (median, 29.5-39.5 years). Patients with CAKUT survived longer than age- and sex-matched non-CAKUT controls because of lower cardiovascular mortality (10-year survival rate, 76.4% versus 70.7%; P<0.001).
CAKUT leads to ESRD more often at adult than pediatric age. Treatment outcomes differ from those of acquired kidney diseases and vary within CAKUT subcategories.
ABSTRACT
Research on membranous nephropathy truly exploded in the last 15 years. This happened because of the application of new techniques (laser capture microdissection, mass spectrometry, protein ...G immunoprecipitation, arrays) to the study of its pathogenesis. After the discovery of PLA2R as the major target antigen, many other antigens were identified and others are probably ongoing. Clinical and pathophysiology rebounds of new discoveries are relevant in terms of diagnosis and prognosis and it is time to make a first assessment of the innovative issues. In terms of classification, target antigens can be divided into: ‘membrane antigens’ and ‘second wave’ antigens. The first group consists of antigens constitutionally expressed on the podocyte membrane (as PLA2R) that may become a target of an autoimmune process because of perturbation of immune-tolerance. ‘Second wave’ antigens are antigens neo-expressed by the podocyte or by infiltrating cells after a stressing event: this allows the immune system to produce antibodies against them that intensify and maintain glomerular damage. With this abundance of target antigens it is not possible, at the moment, to test all antibodies at the bedside. In the absence of this possibility, the role of histological evaluation is still irreplaceable.
Background
The need for dialysis after kidney allograft failure (DAGF) is among the top five reasons for dialysis initiation, making this an important topic in clinical nephrology. However, data are ...scarce on dialysis choice after transplantation and clinical outcomes for DAGF in children.
Methods
Patients receiving chronic dialysis < 18 years were recorded from January 1991 to January 2019 by the Italian Registry of Pediatric Chronic Dialysis (IRPCD). We investigated factors influencing choice of dialysis modality, patient outcome in terms of mortality, switching dialysis modality, and kidney transplantation.
Results
Among 118 patients receiving DAGF, 41 (35%) were treated with peritoneal dialysis (PD), and 77 (65%) with haemodialysis (HD). Significant predictors for treatment with PD were younger age at dialysis start (OR 0.85 per year increase 95%CI 0.72–1.00) and PD use before kidney transplantation (OR 8.20 95%CI 1.82–37.01). Patients entering DAGF in more recent eras (OR 0.87 per year increase 95%CI 0.80–0.94) and with more than one dialysis modality before kidney transplantation (OR 0.56 for being treated with PD 0.12–2.59) were more likely to be initiated on HD. As compared to patients on HD, those treated with PD exhibited increased but non-significant mortality risk (HR 2.15 95%CI 0.54–8.6; p = 0.28) and higher prevalence of dialysis-related complications during DAGF (p = 0.002)
Conclusions
Patients entering DAGF in more recent years are more likely to be initiated on HD. In this specific population of children, use of PD seems associated with a more complicated course.
Graphical abstract
A higher resolution version of the Graphical abstract is available as Supplementary information
Plastic pollution became a main challenge for human beings as demonstrated by the increasing dispersion of plastic waste into the environment. Microplastics (MPs) have become ubiquitous and humans ...are exposed daily to inhalation or ingestion of plastic microparticles. Recent studies performed using mainly spectroscopy or spectrometry-based techniques have shown astounding evidence for the presence of MPs in human tissues, organs and fluids. The placenta, meconium, breast milk, lung, intestine, liver, heart and cardiovascular system, blood, urine and cerebrovascular liquid are afflicted by MPs’ presence and deposition. On the whole, obtained data underline a great heterogeneity among different tissue and organs of the polymers characterized and the microparticles’ dimension, even if most of them seem to be below 50–100 µm. Evidence for the possible contribution of MPs in human diseases is still limited and this field of study in medicine is in an initial state. However, increasing studies on their toxicity in vitro and in vivo suggest worrying effects on human cells mainly mediated by oxidative stress, inflammation and fibrosis. Nephrological studies are insufficient and evidence for the presence of MPs in human kidneys is still lacking, but the little evidence present in the literature has demonstrated histological and functional alteration of kidneys in animal models and cytotoxicity through apoptosis, autophagy, oxidative stress and inflammation in kidney cells. Overall, the manuscript we report in this review recommends urgent further study to analyze potential correlations between kidney disease and MPs’ exposure in human.
Primary hyperoxaluria (PH) as a cause of ESRD in children is believed to have poor outcomes. Data on management and outcomes of these children remain scarce.
This study included patients aged <19 ...years who started renal replacement therapy (RRT) between 1979 and 2009 from 31 countries providing data to a large European registry.
Of 9247 incident patients receiving RRT, 100 patients had PH. PH children were significantly younger than non-PH children at the start of RRT. The median age at RRT of PH children decreased from 9.8 years in 1979-1989 to 1.5 years in 2000-2009. Survival was 86%, 79%, and 76% among PH patients at 1, 3, and 5 years after the start of RRT, compared with 97%, 94%, and 92% in non-PH patients, resulting in a three-fold increased risk of death over non-PH patients. PH and non-PH patient survival improved over time. Sixty-eight PH children received a first kidney (n=13) or liver-kidney transplantation (n=55). Although the comparison was hampered by the lower number of kidney transplantations primarily derived from the earlier era of RRT, kidney graft survival in PH patients was 82%, 79%, and 76% at 1, 3, and 5 years for liver-kidney transplantation and 46%, 28%, and 14% at 1, 3, and 5 years for kidney transplantation alone, compared with 95%, 90%, and 85% in non-PH patients.
The outcomes of PH children with ESRD are still poorer than in non-PH children but have substantially improved over time.
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