Editorial Issue 220
Pleiotrophin triggers inflammation and lead to peritoneal fibrosis
In the 220th issue of NDT-E you will find a series of interesting novel papers that undoubtedly will increase your knowledge in nephrology. In the first full paper, published in Kidney Int, Hideki Yokoi et al used microarray analysis and compared gene expression profiles of the peritoneum in control and chlorhexidine gluconate-induced peritoneal fibrosis in mice. They report that one of the 43 highly upregulated genes in mice treated by peritoneal dialysis was the midkine family member - pleiotrophin. They conclude that an upregulation of pleiotrophin appears to play a role in fibrosis and inflammation during peritoneal injury. In another full paper published in Kidney Int, Sean J Barbour et al addressed the question whether or not venous thromboembolic events are higher in patients with membranous glomerulonephritis by doing a retrospective evaluation of 1313 patients in the Toronto Glomerulonephritis Registry. Their conclusion is that the risk of thromboembolic events was, indeed, highest in patients with membranous nephropathy followed by FSGS. In an interesting review, also published in Kidney Int, An S De Vriese et al discuss whether or not we should we screen for coronary artery disease in asymptomatic chronic dialysis patients. In an original paper published in NDT, Navdeep Tangri et al report no association with functional Klotho gene variants and presence of valvular or vascular calcification in 1389 cases and 2139 controls from the Framingham Heart Study Offspring Cohort. In another original NDT manuscript Marc Hilhorst et al report that adult-onset Henoch–Schönlein purpura nephritis is distinguishable in histology and ultrastructure from primary IgA nephropathy and believe that adult-onset Henoch–Schönlein is a circulating immune complex disease. In the final full paper published in this issue of NDT-E, Mariusz Kowalczyk et al discuss the role of Ferumoxytol in iron deficiency and anemia management in chronic kidney disease.
In the first issue of NDT-E 2012 you will also find three interesting oral presentations from the ERA-EDTA meeting in Prague 2011. In the first talk Jens Titze, Erlangen, Germany will present an intriguing talk entitled “SALT IN SPACE”. In the 2nd talk, Robert H.J. Beelen, Amsterdam, Netherlands will discuss “ANGIOGENESIS IN PERITONEAL DIALYSIS”. Finally, Christian Hugo, Dresden, Germany will present a talk “THERAPEUTIC INHIBITION OF ANGIOGENESIS AND THE KIDNEY”. In this interesting talk, Dr Hugo concludes that antiangiogenic therapies may cause renal side effects probably via antagonizing podocytic VEGF, endothelial VEGF-R2 and autocrine podocytic VEGF-VEGFR2.
Please also take some of your time to answer the survey by Dr. Paula Specht and Dr. Vincent Brandeburg on Calcific uremic arteriolopathy (calciphylaxis).
I wish you all the best for 2012!
Peter Stenvinkel, Editor in Chief NDT-Educational