Search

Hypertension is an uncommon manifestation of Behcet's disease, which is also an uncommon cause of renovascular hypertension. We herein report a case of malignant hypertension associated with unilateral renal artery stenosis due to vascular Behcet's disease. A 19-year-old man, who had no significant medical history, was referred to ophthalmology at our hospital because he was suspected to have uveitis and Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada syndrome. In addition to poor eyesight, he had been aware of a fever, loss of appetite, and weight loss for a month. He was admitted with markedly elevated blood pressure (222/140 mmHg), hypertensive retinopathy, and acute kidney injury, who was diagnosed with malignant hypertension. Laboratory findings showed high plasma renin activity and plasma aldosterone concentration, hypokalemia, and elevated inflammatory response. Computed tomography showed an atrophic right kidney and a compensatorily enlarged left kidney. Renal computed tomography angiography revealed severe and diffuse stenosis of the right renal artery, and stenosis of the ostium of celiac artery. Since he was suspected to have uveitis and his inflammatory responses were elevated on admission, we listed Behcet's disease as a differential diagnosis. Medical interview and examination focusing on Behcet's disease revealed that the patient had recurrent oral aphthous lesions and folliculitis, and a positive pathergy test, which led to the patient being diagnosed with vascular Behcet's disease. After admission, his blood pressure was well controlled with multiple antihypertensive drugs including an angiotensin receptor/neprilysin inhibitor, and his oral aphthous lesions and skin lesion were improved with colchicine. When young men who are at a higher risk for vascular Behcet's disease show renovascular hypertension with an elevated inflammatory reaction, vascular Behcet's disease should be considered as a differential diagnosis., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Japanese Society of Nephrology.)

Background: Renoprotective effects of sodium glucose transporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors, including dapagliflozin, were observed in randomized controlled trials (RCTs). The suspected underlying mechanism is a correction of hyperfiltration, observed as an "initial dip". Whether SGLT2 inhibitors can attenuate the rate of decline in the estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) in clinical settings, even when considering the pre-treatment decline rate, is unknown. Although several RCTs identified an association between the initial dip and long-term renal prognoses, a conclusion has not been reached., Methods: We collected the eGFR data of patients for whom dapagliflozin was initiated in our hospital and then calculated their eGFR slopes before and after the start of the treatment. We investigated the changes in the eGFR slopes (ΔeGFR slope) and the association between the ΔeGFR slope and the initial dip. Risks for rapid eGFR decliners (eGFR slope < - 3 mL/min/1.73 m 2 /year) were also examined., Results: The eGFR slope was significantly milder after dapagliflozin treatment (p < 0.01). A deeper initial dip was associated with a milder rate of eGFR decline (adjusted beta: - 0.29, p < 0.001). Dapagliflozin treatment reduced the proportion of rapid eGFR decliners from 52.9 to 14.7%, and a smaller initial dip was identified as a significant risk for post-treatment rapid eGFR decline (adjusted odds ratio: 1.73, p < 0.05)., Conclusions: Compared to before the administration of dapagliflozin, the rate of eGFR decline was significantly milder after its administration. The initial dip was significantly associated with long-term renoprotective effects and may be a useful predictor of treatment response., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Japanese Society of Nephrology.)

We evaluated the effectiveness of a mobile health (mHealth) intervention for diabetic kidney disease patients by conducting a 12-month randomized controlled trial among 126 type 2 diabetes mellitus patients with moderately increased albuminuria (urinary albumin-to-creatinine ratio (UACR): 30-299 mg/g creatinine) recruited from eight clinical sites in Japan. Using a Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) behavior change theory framework, the intervention provides patients detailed information in order to improve patient control over exercise and dietary behaviors. In addition to standard care, the intervention group received DialBetesPlus, a self-management support system allowing patients to monitor exercise, blood glucose, diet, blood pressure, and body weight via a smartphone application. The primary outcome, change in UACR after 12 months (used as a surrogate measure of renal function), was 28.8% better than the control group's change (P = 0.029). Secondary outcomes also improved in the intervention group, including a 0.32-point better change in HbA1c percentage (P = 0.041). These improvements persisted when models were adjusted to account for the impacts of coadministration of drugs targeting albuminuria (GLP-1 receptor agonists, SGLT-2 inhibitors, ACE inhibitors, and ARBs) (UACR: -32.3% [95% CI: -49.2%, -9.8%] between-group difference in change, P = 0.008). Exploratory multivariate regression analysis suggests that the improvements were primarily due to levels of exercise. This is the first trial to show that a lifestyle intervention via mHealth achieved a clinically-significant improvement in moderately increased albuminuria., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) of ATP2B1 gene are associated with essential hypertension but their association with resistant hypertension (RHT) remains unexplored. The authors examined the relationship between ATP2B1 SNPs and RHT by genotyping 12 SNPs in ATP2B1 gene of 1124 Japanese individuals with lifestyle-related diseases. Patients with RHT had inadequate blood pressure (BP) control using three antihypertensive drugs or used ≥4 antihypertensive drugs. Patients with controlled hypertension had BP controlled using ≤3 antihypertensive drugs. The association between each SNP and RHT was analyzed by logistic regression. The final cohort had 888 (79.0%) and 43 (3.8%) patients with controlled hypertension and RHT, respectively. Compared with patients homozygous for the minor allele of each SNP in ATP2B1, a significantly higher number of patients carrying the major allele at 10 SNPs exhibited RHT (most significant at rs1401982: 5.8% vs. 0.8%, p = .014; least significant at rs11105378: 5.7% vs. 0.9%, p = .035; most nonsignificant at rs12817819: 5.1% vs. 10%, p = .413). After multivariate adjustment for age, sex, systolic BP, and other confounders, the association remained significant for rs2681472 and rs1401982 (OR: 7.60, p < .05 and OR: 7.62, p = .049, respectively). Additionally, rs2681472 and rs1401982 were in linkage disequilibrium with rs11105378. This study identified two ATP2B1 SNPs associated with RHT in the Japanese population. rs1401982 was most closely associated with RHT, and major allele carriers of rs1401982 required significantly more antihypertensive medications. Analysis of ATP2B1 SNPs in patients with hypertension can help in early prediction of RHT and identification of high-risk patients who are more likely to require more antihypertensive medications., (© 2024 The Authors. The Journal of Clinical Hypertension published by Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

Background: Increasing physical activity improves glycemic control in patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D). Mobile health (mHealth) interventions have been proven to increase exercise, but engagement often fades with time. As the use of health behavior theory in mHealth design can increase effectiveness, we developed StepAdd, an mHealth intervention based on the constructs of social cognitive theory (SCT). StepAdd improves exercise behavior self-efficacy and self-regulation through the use of goal-setting, barrier-identifying, and barrier-coping strategies, as well as automatic feedback functions. A single-arm pilot study of StepAdd among 33 patients with T2D showed a large increase in step count (mean change of 4714, SD 3638 daily steps or +86.7%), along with strong improvements in BMI (mean change of -0.3 kg/m 2 ) and hemoglobin A 1c level (mean change of -0.79 percentage points)., Objective: In this study, we aim to investigate the efficacy and safety of StepAdd, an mHealth exercise support system for patients with T2D, via a large, long, and controlled follow-up to the pilot study., Methods: This is a randomized, open-label, multicenter study targeting 160 patients with T2D from 5 institutions in Japan with a 24-week intervention. The intervention group will record daily step counts, body weight, and blood pressure using the SCT-based mobile app, StepAdd, and receive feedback about these measurements. In addition, they will set weekly step count goals, identify personal barriers to walking, and define strategies to overcome these barriers. The control group will record daily step counts, body weight, and blood pressure using a non-SCT-based placebo app. Both groups will receive monthly consultations with a physician who will advise patients regarding lifestyle modifications and use of the app. The 24-week intervention period will be followed by a 12-week observational period to investigate the sustainability of the intervention's effects. The primary outcome is between-group difference in the change in hemoglobin A 1c values at 24 weeks. The secondary outcomes include other health measures, measurements of steps, measurements of other behavior changes, and assessments of app use. The trial began in January 2023 and is intended to be completed in December 2025., Results: As of September 5, 2023, we had recruited 44 patients. We expect the trial to be completed by October 8, 2025, with the follow-up observation period being completed by December 31, 2025., Conclusions: This trial will provide important evidence about the efficacy of an SCT-based mHealth intervention in improving physical activities and glycemic control in patients with T2D. If this study proves the intervention to be effective and safe, it could be a key step toward the integration of mHealth as part of the standard treatment received by patients with T2D in Japan., Trial Registration: Japan Registry of Clinical Trials (JRCT) jRCT2032220603; https://rctportal.niph.go.jp/en/detail?trial&#95;id=jRCT2032220603., International Registered Report Identifier (irrid): DERR1-10.2196/53514., (©Kayo Waki, Yuya Tsurutani, Hironori Waki, Syunpei Enomoto, Kosuke Kashiwabara, Akira Fujiwara, Kazuki Orime, Sho Kinguchi, Toshimasa Yamauchi, Nobuhito Hirawa, Kouichi Tamura, Yasuo Terauchi, Masaomi Nangaku, Kazuhiko Ohe. Originally published in JMIR Research Protocols (https://www.researchprotocols.org), 23.02.2024.)

Background and Objectives: Omega-3 fatty acids have potent lipid-lowering and antiplatelet effects; however, randomized controlled trials have yet to examine the effect of high-dose omega-3 fatty acid administration on peripheral artery disease (PAD) in hemodialysis patients with dyslipidemia. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the effects of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) on the ankle-brachial index (ABI) and remnant-like lipoprotein cholesterol (RLP-C) levels, which are indicators of PAD severity. Materials and Methods: Thirty-eight participants (mean age: 73.6 ± 12.7 years) were randomly assigned using stratified block randomization to either conventional therapy alone or conventional therapy supplemented with high-dose EPA/DHA (EPA: 1860 mg; DHA: 1500 mg) for a three-month intervention period. Patients in the conventional therapy alone group who opted to continue were provided with a low-dose EPA/DHA regimen (EPA: 930 mg; DHA: 750 mg) for an additional three months. The baseline and 3-month values for RLP-C, an atherogenic lipid parameter, and the ABI were recorded. Results: The results of the 3-month assessments revealed that the mean RLP-C changes were -3.25 ± 3.15 mg/dL and 0.44 ± 2.53 mg/dL in the EPA/DHA and control groups, respectively ( p < 0.001), whereas the changes in the mean ABI values were 0.07 ± 0.11 and -0.02 ± 0.09 in the EPA/DHA and control groups, respectively ( p = 0.007). In the EPA/DHA group, a significant negative correlation was found between the changes in RLP-C levels and the ABI (r = -0.475, p = 0.04). Additionally, the change in the RLP-C levels independently influenced the change in the ABI in the EPA/DHA group, even after adjusting for age, sex, and statin use ( p = 0.042). Conclusions: Add-on EPA/DHA treatment improved the effectiveness of conventional therapy (such as statin treatment) for improving the ABI in hemodialysis patients with dyslipidemia by lowering RLP-C levels. Therefore, clinicians involved in dialysis should focus on RLP-C when considering residual cardiovascular disease risk in hemodialysis patients and should consider screening patients with elevated levels.

Objectives: Although ChatGPT was not developed for medical use, there is growing interest in its use in medical fields. Understanding its capabilities and precautions for its use in the medical field is an urgent matter. We hypothesized that differences in the amounts of information published in different medical fields would be proportionate to the amounts of training ChatGPT receives in those fields, and hence its accuracy in providing answers., Study Design: A non-clinical experimental study., Methods: We administered the Japanese National Medical Examination to GPT-3.5 and GPT-4 to examine the rates of accuracy and consistency in their responses. We counted the total number of documents in the Web of Science Core Collection per medical field and assessed the relationship with ChatGPT's accuracy. We also performed multivariate-adjusted models to investigate the risk factors for incorrect answers., Results: For GPT-4, we confirmed an accuracy rate of 81.0 % and a consistency rate of 88.8 % on the exam; both showed improvement compared to those for GPT-3.5. A positive correlation was observed between the accuracy rate and consistency rate (R = 0.51, P < 0.001). The number of documents per medical field was significantly correlated with the accuracy rate in that medical field (R = 0.44, P < 0.05), with relatively few publications being an independent risk factor for incorrect answers., Conclusions: Checking consistency may help identify incorrect answers when using ChatGPT. Users should be aware that the accuracy of the answers by ChatGPT may decrease when it is asked about topics with limited published information, such as new drugs and diseases., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Background: We aimed to investigate the impact of a fourth dose of BNT162b2 vaccine (Comirnaty®, Pfizer-BioNTech) on anti-SARS-CoV-2 (anti-S IgG) antibody titers in patients receiving hemodialysis (HD) and healthcare workers (HCWs)., Methods: A multi-institutional retrospective study at five dialysis clinics in Japan was conducted using 238 HD patients and 58 HCW controls who received four doses of the BNT162b2 mRNA vaccine. Anti-S IgG titers were measured at 1, 3, and 6 months after the second dose, at 1 and 5/6 months after the third dose, and at 1 month after the fourth dose of vaccine., Results: The log anti-S IgG titers of the HD patients after the second vaccination were significantly lower than those of the control group, but equalized 1 month after the third vaccination: 9.94 (95% CI 9.82-10.10) vs. 9.81 (95% CI 9.66-9.96), (P = 0.32). In both groups, the fold-increase in anti-S IgG titers was significantly lower after the fourth dose than after the third dose of vaccine. In addition, there was a strong negative correlation between antibody titers 1 month after the fourth vaccination and antibody titers immediately before the vaccination. In both groups, the waning rate of anti-S IgG titers from the post-vaccination peak level after the third vaccine dose was significantly slower than that after the second dose., Conclusions: These findings suggest that the humoral immune response was blunted after the fourth dose of the conventional BNT162b2 vaccine. However, multiple vaccinations could extend the window of humoral immune protection., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to The Japanese Society of Nephrology.)

Primary aldosteronism is the most frequent secondary hypertensive disease and is characterized by an elevated risk for cardiovascular disease. The current standard treatments are adrenalectomy and/or administration of mineralocorticoid receptor blockers, both of which are effective at ameliorating hypertension via intervention for hyperaldosteronism. However, both of these approaches have side effects and contraindications, and mineralocorticoid receptor blockers also have limited preventive efficacy against cardiovascular events. Recently, in vitro experiments have shown that aldosterone regulation is closely related to abdominal fat accumulation and that there is crosstalk between aldosterone and visceral fat tissue accumulation. We previously reported that this interaction was clinically significant in renal dysfunction; however, its effects on the heart remain unclear. Here, we analyzed data from 49 patients with primary aldosteronism and 29 patients with essential hypertension to examine the potential effect of the interaction between the ratio of visceral-to-subcutaneous fat tissue volume and the plasma aldosterone concentration on echocardiographic indices, including the tissue Doppler-derived E/e' ratio. A significant interaction was found in patients with primary aldosteronism (p < 0.05), indicating that patients with the combination of a high plasma aldosterone concentration and high visceral-to-subcutaneous fat ratio show an increased E/e' ratio, which is a well-known risk factor for future cardiovascular events. Our results confirm the clinical importance of the interaction between aldosterone and abdominal fat tissue, suggesting that an improvement in the visceral-to-subcutaneous fat ratio may be synergistically and complementarily effective in reducing the elevated risk of cardiovascular disease in patients with primary aldosteronism when combined with conventional therapies for reducing aldosterone activity. A significant effect of the interaction between plasma aldosterone concentration and the visceral-to-subcutaneous fat ratio on the tissue Doppler-derived E/e' ratio in patients with primary aldosteronism., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to The Japanese Society of Hypertension.)

Background: Chronic kidney disease-mineral and bone disorder (CKD-MBD), nutritional status, and uremia management have been emphasized for bone management in hemodialysis patients. Nevertheless, valuable data on the importance of muscle mass in bone management are limited, including whether conventional management alone can prevent osteoporosis. Thus, the importance of muscle mass and strength, independent of the conventional management in osteoporosis prevention among hemodialysis patients, was evaluated., Methods: Patients with a history of hemodialysis 6 months or longer were selected. We assessed the risk for osteoporosis associated with calf circumference or grip strength using multivariable adjustment for indices of CKD-MBD, nutrition, and dialysis adequacy. Moreover, the associations between bone mineral density (BMD), calf circumference, grip strength, and bone metabolic markers were also evaluated., Results: A total of 136 patients were included. The odds ratios (95% confidence interval) for osteoporosis at the femoral neck were 1.25 (1.04-1.54, P < 0.05) and 1.08 (1.00-1.18, P < 0.05) per 1 cm shorter calf circumference or 1 kg weaker grip strength, respectively. Shorter calf circumference was significantly associated with a lower BMD at the femoral neck and lumbar spine (P < 0.001). Weaker grip strength was also associated with lower BMD at the femoral neck (P < 0.01). Calf circumference or grip strength was negatively correlated with bone metabolic marker values., Conclusion: Shorter calf circumference or weaker grip strength was associated with osteoporosis risk and lower BMD among hemodialysis patients, independent of the conventional therapies., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

Background: An arteriovenous fistula (AVF) is the most frequently used dialysis access for haemodialysis. However, it can cause volume loading for the heart and may induce circulatory failure when performed in patients with low cardiac function. This study aimed to characterise patients with low cardiac function when initiating dialysis and determine how cardiac function changes after the dialysis access surgery., Methods: We conducted a retrospective observational study at two centres incorporating 356 patients with end-stage kidney disease who underwent echocardiography before the dialysis access surgery., Results: An AVF and a subcutaneously fixed superficial artery were selected in 70.4% and 23.5% of 81 patients with reduced/mildly reduced (< 50%) left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), respectively, and in 94.2% and 1.1% of 275 patients with preserved (≥ 50%) LVEF (p < 0.001), respectively. Follow-up echocardiography was performed in 70.4% and 38.2% of patients with reduced/mildly reduced and preserved LVEF, respectively, which showed a significant increase in LVEF (41 ± 9-44 ± 12%, p = 0.038) in patients with reduced/mildly reduced LVEF. LVEF remained unchanged in 12 patients with reduced/mildly reduced LVEF who underwent subcutaneously fixed superficial artery (30 ± 10-32 ± 15%, p = 0.527). Patients with reduced/mildly reduced LVEF had lower survival rates after surgery than those with preserved LVEF (p = 0.021 for log-rank)., Conclusion: The LVEF subcategory was associated with dialysis access selection. After the dialysis access surgery, LVEF was increased in patients with reduced/mildly reduced LVEF. These results may help select dialysis access for patients initiating dialysis., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to The Japanese Society of Nephrology.)

Background: The life prognosis of elderly patients with myeloperoxidase-anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies-associated vasculitis (MPO-AAV) has been improved by reducing the corticosteroid or cyclophosphamide dose to avoid opportunistic infection. However, many elderly MPO-AAV patients experience recurrence and renal death. An effective and safer maintenance treatment method is necessary to improve the renal prognosis of MPO-AAV., Methods: Patients with MPO-AAV who reached complete or incomplete remission after induction therapy were prospectively and randomly divided into mizoribine (MZR; n = 25) and control (n = 28) groups. The primary endpoint was relapse of MPO-AAV. The patients' serum MZR concentration was measured before (C0) and 3 h after taking the MZR. The maximum drug concentration (Cmax) and the serum MZR concentration curves were determined using population pharmacokinetics parameters. We also assessed the relationship between the MZR concentrations and adverse events. The observation period was 12 months., Results: Fifty-eight MPO-AAV patients from 16 hospitals in Japan were enrolled. Ten patients relapsed (MZR group, n = 6; control group, n = 4; a nonsignificant between-group difference). Changes in the serum MZR concentration could be estimated for 22 of the 25 MZR-treated patients: 2 of the 11 patients who reached a Cmax of 3 μg/mL relapsed, whereas 4 of the 11 patients who did not reach this Cmax relapsed. The treatment of one patient with C0 > 1 μg/mL was discontinued due to adverse events. No serious adverse events occurred., Conclusion: There was no significant difference in the recurrence rate of MPO-AAV between treatment with versus without MZR., (© 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to The Japanese Society of Nephrology.)

Background: Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) vaccination is shown to prevent severe illness and death in hemodialysis (HD) patients, but the immune response to vaccines is reduced in this population. This study compared SARS-CoV-2 spike protein antibody titers between HD patients and healthy controls in Japan for up to 6 months following vaccination., Methods: A multi-institutional retrospective study at five clinics in Japan was conducted using 412 HD patients and 156 healthy controls who received two doses of the BNT162b2 (Pfizer-BioNTech) mRNA vaccine. Anti-SARS-CoV-2 spike protein S1 IgG antibody titers were measured at 1, 3, and 6 months after the second dose. The attenuation speed was calculated as slope (i.e., -β) using a linear mixed-effects model toward the log-transformed antibody titers., Results: The HD group had significantly lower month 1 antibody titers (Ab-titer-1) than the controls, and these remained lower through month 6 (95% CI: 2617.1 (1296.7, 5240.8) vs. 7285.4 (4403.9, 11,000.0) AU/mL at Ab-titer-1, and 353.4 (178.4, 656.3) vs. 812.0 (498.3, 1342.7) AU/mL at Ab-titer-6 (p < 0.001, respectively)). Lower log Ab-titer-1 levels in the HD group were significantly associated with a lower log Ab-titer-6 (0.90 [0.83, 0.97], p < 0.001). The -β values in the HD patients and healthy controls were -4.7 ± 1.1 and -4.7 ± 1.4 (year -1 ), respectively., Conclusion: SARS-CoV-2 spike protein antibody titers were significantly lower in HD patients than in healthy controls at 1 (peak) and 6 months after the second vaccination. Low peak antibody titers contributed to low 6-month antibody titers., (© 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to The Japanese Society of Nephrology.)

Background: Tolvaptan (TLV) is reported to improve diuretic effects in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) when furosemide (FUR) is not sufficiently effective. However, it is not clear whether TLV addition is effective for advanced CKD patients with heart failure., Methods: An open-label, parallel-group randomized trial was performed. The subjects were 33 patients with CKD stage G3-G5 who had fluid overload despite taking 20-100 mg/day FUR. They were divided into two groups: a group administered 15 mg/day TLV plus their original FUR dose for 7 days (TLV group), and a group administered 120-200 mg/day FUR (i.e., 100 mg/day over their previous dose) for 7 days (FUR group)., Results: The mean change in urine volume was significantly higher in the TLV group compared to the FUR group (637 ml vs 119 ml; p < 0.05). The difference was greater when the urine osmolality before treatment was high. Serum creatinine was increased only in the FUR group. The incidence of worsening renal function (WRF) was significantly lower in the TLV group (18.8% vs 58.8%; p < 0.05). Serum sodium decreased significantly in the FUR group, but did not change in the TLV group., Conclusions: In patients with advanced CKD with fluid overload, the addition of TLV achieved a significantly higher urine volume with less adverse effects on renal function compared with increasing the dose of FUR. The efficacy and safety of TLV were higher in patients who had higher urine osmolality and lower serum sodium before treatment., Clinical Trial Registration: UMIN000014763., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

Background: We previously showed Lipin1 (LPIN1) to be a candidate gene for essential hypertension by genome-wide association studies. LPIN1 encodes the Lipin 1 protein, which contributes to the maintenance of lipid metabolism and glucose homeostasis. However, little is known about the association between LPIN1 and blood pressure (BP)., Methods: We evaluated the BP of LPIN1-deficient [fatty liver dystrophy (fld)] mice and explored related mechanisms., Results: Fld mice have very low expression of LPIN1 and exhibit fatty liver, hypertriglyceridemia, insulin resistance and peripheral neuropathy. Fld mice had significantly elevated SBP and heart rate (HR) throughout the day as measured by a radiotelemetric method. Diurnal variation of SBP and HR was also absent in fld mice. Furthermore, urinary excretion of adrenaline and noradrenaline by fld mice was significantly higher compared with that of control mice. The BP response of fld mice to clonidine (a centrally acting α2-adrenergic receptor agonist) was greater than that of control mice. However, levels of Angiotensinogen and Renin 1 mRNA and urinary nitric oxide excretion were comparable between the two groups. The decrease in SBP at 8 weeks after fat grafting surgery was significantly greater in the transplant group compared with the sham operated group., Conclusion: The elevated BP in fld mice may result from activation of the sympathetic nervous system through decreased levels of adipose cytokines. These results indicate that LPIN1 plays a crucial role in blood pressure regulation and that LPIN1 is a new target gene for essential hypertension., (Copyright © 2021 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.)

The present status of Cambodia, Myanmar, Laos, Vietnam, Mongolia, and Bhutan as of June 2019 was reviewed from the interviews of leading doctors in every country. The timing was until just 6 months before the COVID-19 pandemic broke out. The cost per hemodialysis session was 25-70 US dollar and expensive if it is compared with average monthly income of every country. In Cambodia and Laos, patients must cover 100% of expenses for maintenance hemodialysis, in Myanmar, the government covers the cost of once-weekly dialysis sessions, in Vietnam, the government covers 80% of the cost, and in Mongolia and Bhutan, the cost is fully covered by the government. Continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis was widely available in Vietnam and Mongolia, which have achieved a relative standard of social infrastructure, but is far from common in any of the other countries. The number of patients on dialysis is increasing with economic development in all countries. Diabetic nephropathy is a common primary reason for dialysis. None of the countries discussed in this article had clinical engineers who could maintain hemodialysis equipment and carry out clinical tasks in dialysis centers. Hospitals were not maintaining their equipment, and damaged units were kept in storage to be used for spare parts. None of the countries had dieticians to provide patients with dietary guidance. Establishment and training of both clinical engineers and registered dietitians are major projects that must be undertaken., Competing Interests: Competing interestsThe other authors besides TS, YI, and HN declare that they have no competing interests. TS is the editor in chief, and YI and HN are also the associate editors in RRT journal editorial member., (© The Author(s) 2022.)

Patients with primary aldosteronism have a higher risk of chronic kidney disease. Visceral fat tissue is hypothesized to stimulate the adrenal glands to overproduce aldosterone, and aldosterone promotes visceral fat tissue to produce inflammatory cytokines. However, it is unclear whether the volume of accumulated visceral fat tissue is associated with renal impairment among patients with hyperaldosteronism. We conducted a single-center cross-sectional study to assess the association between the estimated glomerular filtration rate and the ratio of the visceral-to-subcutaneous fat volume calculated by computed tomography. One hundred eighty patients with primary aldosteronism were enrolled. The mean ± SD age was 52.7 ± 11.0 years, and 60.0% were women. The ratio of visceral-to-subcutaneous fat volume was highly correlated with the estimated glomerular filtration rate (r = 0.49, p < 0.001). In multiple linear regression models, the ratio of visceral-to-subcutaneous fat tissue volume was significantly associated with the estimated glomerular filtration rate (estimates: -4.56 mL/min/1.73 m² per 1-SD), and there was an interaction effect between the plasma aldosterone concentration and the ratio of visceral-to-subcutaneous fat volume (p < 0.05). The group with a higher plasma aldosterone concentration exhibited a steeper decline in eGFR than the lower plasma aldosterone concentration group when the ratio increased. The ratio of visceral-to-subcutaneous fat tissue volume was an independent risk factor for renal dysfunction. This association increased in the presence of a high plasma aldosterone concentration. Clinicians should pay attention to the ratio of visceral-to-subcutaneous fat tissue volume and encourage primary aldosteronism patients to improve their lifestyle in addition to treating renin-aldosterone activity., (© 2021. The Author(s).)

Background: Diabetic kidney disease (DKD) is one of the main complications of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). DKD is a known risk factor for end-stage renal disease, cardiovascular disease, and all-cause death. Effective intervention for early-stage DKD is vital to slowing down the progression of kidney disease and improve prognoses. Mobile health (mHealth) is reportedly effective in supporting patients' self-care and improving glycemic control, but the impact of mHealth on DKD has yet to be shown., Objective: The purpose of this study is to evaluate the efficacy of standard therapy with the addition of a self-management support system, DialBetesPlus, in patients with DKD and microalbuminuria., Methods: This study is a prospective, randomized, open-label, multicenter clinical trial. The target population consists of 160 patients diagnosed with T2DM accompanied by microalbuminuria. We randomly assigned the patients to 2 groups-the intervention group using DialBetesPlus in addition to conventional therapy and the control group using conventional therapy alone. DialBetesPlus is a smartphone application that supports patients' self-management of T2DM. The study period was 12 months, with a follow-up survey at 18 months. The primary outcome was a change in albuminuria levels at 12 months. Secondary outcomes included changes in physical parameters, blood test results (glycemic control, renal function, and lipid metabolism), lifestyle habits, self-management scores, medication therapy, and quality of life., Results: The study was approved in April 2018. We began recruiting patients in July 2018 and completed recruiting in August 2019. The final 18-month follow-up was conducted in March 2021. We recruited 159 patients and randomly allocated 70 into the intervention group and 61 into the control group, with 28 exclusions due to withdrawal of consent, refusal to continue, or ineligibility. The first results are expected to be available in 2021., Conclusions: This is the first randomized controlled trial assessing the efficacy of mHealth on early-stage DKD. We expect that albuminuria levels will decrease significantly in the intervention group due to improved glycemic control with ameliorated self-care behaviors., Trial Registration: UMIN-CTR UMIN000033261; https://upload.umin.ac.jp/cgi-open-bin/ctr/ctr&#95;view.cgi?recptno=R000037924., International Registered Report Identifier (irrid): DERR1-10.2196/31061., (©Yuki Kawai, Akiko Sankoda, Kayo Waki, Kana Miyake, Aki Hayashi, Makiko Mieno, Hiromichi Wakui, Yuya Tsurutani, Jun Saito, Nobuhito Hirawa, Tadashi Yamakawa, Shiro Komiya, Akihiro Isogawa, Shinobu Satoh, Taichi Minami, Uru Osada, Tamio Iwamoto, Tatsuro Takano, Yasuo Terauchi, Kouichi Tamura, Toshimasa Yamauchi, Takashi Kadowaki, Masaomi Nangaku, Naoki Kashihara, Kazuhiko Ohe. Originally published in JMIR Research Protocols (https://www.researchprotocols.org), 17.08.2021.)

Background and Aims: We used a dataset from a Japanese nationwide registry of patients with primary aldosteronism, to determine which of the parameters of hyperaldosteronism and blood pressure before or after treatments for primary aldosteronism (i.e., surgical adrenalectomy or a medication treatment) are important in terms of cardiovascular prognosis., Methods: We assessed whether plasma aldosterone-to-renin ratio and pulse pressure levels before treatment and 6 months after treatment were associated with composite cardiovascular disease events during the 5-year follow-up period., Results: The cohort included 1987 patients (mean age was 53.2 years, 52.0% were female, 37.2% had undergone surgical treatment, and the remainder had been treated with mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists). In the Cox proportional hazard model, the covariate-adjusted hazard ratio (95% confidence interval) for the composite cardiovascular disease events risk for each one-standard-deviation increase in the aldosterone-to-renin ratio or pulse pressure before treatment, those after treatment, or the duration of hypertension were 1.24 (1.05, 1.48), 0.74 (0.54, 1.02), and 1.07 (0.79, 1.44), 1.43 (1.07, 1.92), and 1.52 (1.19, 1.95), respectively. Patients with a high pre-treatment aldosterone-to-renin ratio of more than 603 and a large post-treatment pulse pressure of more than 49 mmHg showed approximately three-fold higher hazard ratios for cardiovascular events risk compared to those with a lower aldosterone-to-renin ratio and smaller pulse pressure., Conclusions: Higher aldosterone-to-renin ratio before treatments, higher pulse pressure after treatments, and longer duration of hypertension were prognostic factors for cardiovascular diseases. Early intervention may be important for preventing cardiovascular disease among patients with primary aldosteronism., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Background: The prognostic value of the EUVAS-proposed histopathological classification of anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA)-associated glomerulonephritis has been evaluated throughout the world. Here, we performed a Japanese nationwide biopsy survey to assess the association between this histopathological classification and renal prognosis after 2-year follow-up in ANCA-associated glomerulonephritis., Methods: We collected 67 renal biopsy materials of the 321 entries in the RemIT-JAV-RPGN cohort study, and assessed their histologies. Based on the EUVAS-proposed histopathological classification and some histological parameters, we statistically evaluated renal survival and the comparison of renal function for 2 years., Results: Based on the histopathological classification, the largest number of biopsy samples belonged to the Focal class, followed by the Mixed, Crescentic, and Sclerotic classes (n = 30, 19, 10, 8, respectively). Although the number of events might be too low (four patients with renal death) to make this conclusion, the Focal and Mixed classes had higher renal-survival rates compared to the others in the renal-survival curve. Comparing renal function among all classes, the estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) throughout 2-year follow-up period was significantly higher in the Focal class compared to the other 3 classes. The eGFR-values in the Crescentic, Mixed, and Sclerotic classes increased with time. Based on both combined results, the Focal class could be the best prognosis., Conclusion: This histopathological classification was valuable for both the stratification of renal function and the estimation of partial renal survival during 2-year follow-up in ANCA-associated glomerulonephritis.

Oxidative stress accelerates the development of cardiovascular disease. Plasma cystine, a thiol oxidative stress marker, is related to several established factors for cardiovascular disease risk and prognosis. Although a comprehensive oxidative stress index is clinically required for hemodialysis patients with high oxidative stress, there are few reports concerning thiol oxidative stress markers predicting their prognosis. We investigated the relationship between plasma amino acids including cystine levels and cardiovascular disease-related and all-cause mortality in 132 maintenance hemodialysis patients. Higher cystine levels were associated with old age, longer hemodialysis duration, hemodialysis-associated hypotension, higher cardiothoracic ratio, higher blood urea nitrogen, and lower ankle-brachial index. Multivariate Cox regression analysis revealed that high plasma cystine was independently related with both cardiovascular disease mortality and all-cause mortality. Thus, high plasma cystine levels predict the prognosis of hemodialysis patients. High cystine levels necessitate a careful investigation for the cause of oxidative stress and comorbidities like vascular injury., (© 2018 International Society for Apheresis, Japanese Society for Apheresis, and Japanese Society for Dialysis Therapy.)

The ATP2B1 gene is associated with hypertension. We previously reported that systemic heterozygous ATP2B1-null (ATP2B1 +/- ) mice exhibited hypertension due to impaired endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) activity and decreased nitric oxide (NO) production. The ATP2B1 gene encodes plasma membrane calcium ATPase 1 (PMCA1), which has been thought to regulate only intracellular Ca 2+ concentration. However, recently, it has been suggested that ATP2B1 works not only at cellular levels, but also throughout the entire body, including in the calcium metabolism, using small intestine-specific ATP2B1 knockout mice. To clarify the roles of ATP2B1 in the entire body and the effects of ATP2B1 on blood pressure, we examined the alterations of calcium related factors in ATP2B1 +/- mice. ATP2B1 +/- mice exhibited hypocalcemia. The expression of ATP2B1 in the kidney and small intestine decreased, and hypercalciuria was confirmed in ATP2B1 +/- mice. The intact-PTH levels were lower, and bone mineral density was increased in these mice. These results suggest that hypocalcemia is mainly a result of inhibited bone resorption without compensation by PTH secretion in the case of ATP2B1 knockout. Moreover, NO production may be affected by reduced PTH secretion, which may cause the increase in vascular contractility in these mice. The ATP2B1 gene is important for not only intra-cellular calcium regulation but also for calcium homeostasis and blood pressure control.

Background: Arterial hypertrophy and interstitial fibrosis are important characteristics in kidneys of angiotensinogen-knockout (Atg -/- ) mice. In these mice, which exhibit polyuria and hypotension, sympathetic nerve signaling is estimated to be compensatorily hyperactive. Furthermore, transforming growth factor (TGF)-β1 is overexpressed in mice kidneys. To determine whether sympathetic nerve signaling and TGF-β1 exacerbate arterial hypertrophy and interstitial fibrosis, intervention studies of such signaling are required., Methods: We performed renal denervation and administered the α2-adrenergic receptor (AR) antagonist, atipamezole, to Atg -/- mice. A renin inhibitor, aliskiren, which was preliminarily confirmed to reduce TGF-β1 gene expression in kidneys of the mice, was additionally administered to assess the effect on the arterial hypertrophy and interstitial fibrosis., Results: Norepinephrine content in kidneys of Atg -/- mice was three times higher than in kidneys of wild-type mice. Interventions by renal denervation and atipamezole resulted in amelioration of the histological findings. Overexpression of TGF-β1 gene in kidneys of Atg -/- mice was altered in a manner linked to the histological findings. Surprisingly, aliskiren reduced α2-AR gene expression, interstitial fibrosis, and arterial hypertrophy in kidneys of Atg -/- mice, which lack renin substrate., Conclusions: Alpha2-AR signaling is one of the causes of persistent renal arterial hypertrophy in Atg -/- mice. Aliskiren also angiotensinogen-independently reduces the extent of renal arterial hypertrophy, partly thorough downregulation of α2-ARs. Although renal arterial hypertrophy in Atg -/- mice appears to be of multifactorial origin, TGF-β1 may play a key role in the persistence of such hypertrophy.

Background: The carotid bulb has a high density of baroreceptors that play an important role in maintaining blood pressure. We hypothesized that atherosclerosis of the carotid bulb would reflect the severity of orthostatic hypotension more accurately than would atherosclerosis of other carotid artery segments., Methods: This cross-sectional study included 198 non-diabetic adults. We measured the cardio-vascular ankle index as an index of arterial stiffness, intima-media thickness in each carotid artery segment (internal carotid artery, carotid bulb, distal and proximal portions, respectively, of the common carotid artery) as a measure of atherosclerosis, and heart rate variability as a measure of cardiac autonomic function. The sit-to-stand test was used to assess severity of orthostatic hypotension., Results: Intima-media thickness of the carotid bulb was correlated with orthostatic systolic blood pressure change (r = -0.218, p = 0.002), cardio-ankle vascular index (r = 0.365, p < 0.001) and heart rate variability parameters. Multivariate regression analysis revealed that among all of the segments, only intima-media thickness of the carotid bulb was an independent predictor of orthostatic systolic blood pressure change (p = 0.022)., Conclusion: Atherosclerosis of the carotid bulb was associated with severity of orthostatic hypotension, arterial stiffening and cardiac autonomic dysfunction than that of other carotid artery segments.