Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
Pivot Concepts:   Target Concepts:
Query: EC:3.4.23.15 (renin)
 35,795 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

Thirty-two patients with liver cirrhosis and ascites were treated by stepped care diuretic treatment as follows: step 1, placed on a 35 mEq sodium diet; step 2, given 400 mg/day of potassium canrenoate in addition to step 1 treatment; step 3, given 40-80 mg/day of furosemide in addition to step 2 treatment. Eleven out of 32 patients (34.4%, group 1) and 12 of 21 patients (57.1%, group 2) lost their ascites at step 1 and step 2, respectively. The remaining nine patients (group 3) required step 3 treatment. Basal urinary sodium excretion and creatinine clearance were significantly lower and beta 2-microglobulin was significantly higher in group 3 than those in groups 1 and 2. Elevation of basal plasma renin activity and norepinephrine was evident only in group 3. In group 1, urinary sodium excretion decreased after the treatment. In group 2, plasma alpha-atrial natriuretic polypeptide was lowered and plasma renin activity and norepinephrine were elevated after the treatment. These results suggest that basal renal function and plasma renin activity and norepinephrine levels are useful indices to predict the effect of ascites treatment and that responders to sodium restriction or potassium canrenoate may be in the state of vascular overflow, while non-responders to potassium canrenoate may be in the state of vascular underfilling. In summary, this stepped care treatment is safe without any side effects, although the diuretics themselves may lead to relative vascular underfilling.
 ...
PMID:Stepped care medical treatment for cirrhotic ascites: analysis of factors influencing the response to treatment. 762 Jan 4

Recent data indicated the importance of urinary losses of erythropoietin (Epo) in the pathogenesis of anaemia in patients with nephrotic syndrome. In the present study we aimed to investigate plasma and urinary Epo levels and their renal handling in relation to beta 2-microglobulin (beta 2m), sodium metabolism and the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS), respectively, in patients with sub-nephrotic range proteinuria (SNP), microalbuminuric diabetics and hypertensives, and in healthy subjects studied on a standardized diet containing 120 mmol sodium and 70 g protein per day. We found that patients with SNP were characterized by lower plasma levels of Epo than healthy subjects but no differences were found in urinary excretion of Epo, endogenous Epo clearance and its fractional excretion (FEEpo). There were no differences between groups in FE beta 2m and FENa and plasma aldosterone levels but plasma renin activity was higher in patients with SNP than in the controls. No relationships were found between Epo levels and activity of the RAAS and sodium metabolism, respectively. Our data suggest that lower levels of plasma Epo in patients with SNP and normal renal excretory function are not due to urinary losses of Epo but rather to the decreased production/degradation ratio.
 ...
PMID:Renal clearance of endogenous erythropoietin in patients with proteinuria. 775 6

Radiocontrast agents (RCA) induce nephrotoxicity characterized by acute renal failure (ARF), which seems to be mediated partly by adenosine. ARF significantly influences erythropoietin (EPO) secretion and plasma renin activity (PRA). The present study assessed the influence of theophylline, a nonspecific adenosine receptor antagonist, on renal function, EPO secretion and PRA after the use of RCA. Fifty-eight patients underwent X-ray examinations with administration of RCA. Patients were randomized to receive either 165 mg of theophylline or placebo (saline) before the injection of 40 ml of high-osmolar contrast medium Plasma concentrations of EPO and PRA were assayed in blood samples drawn 2 hours before and 3, 6, 12 and 24 hours after RCA. Glomerular filtration rate, evaluated from endogenous creatinine clearance, urinary excretion of beta 2-microglobulin (beta 2-M), Tamm-Horsfall protein (THP) and albumin were assessed one day before RCA, on the day of RCA injection and one day later. In patients not treated with theophylline, RCA injection was followed by a significant reduction of GFR and increased urinary excretion of both beta 2-M and THP, which declined or were normal one day later. Simultaneously there was a significant decrease of plasma EPO and PRA. Theophylline prevented the decline of GFR, the increase of urinary beta 2-M and THP and the reduction of plasma EPO and PRA. The drug did not influence urinary albumin excretion. We conclude that RCA-induced impairment of renal excretory, endocrine and tubular function can be prevented by giving theophylline before RCA. These results suggest that adenosine may play a role in the pathogenesis of RCA-induced nephropathy.
 ...
PMID:The nonselective adenosine antagonist theophylline does prevent renal dysfunction induced by radiographic contrast agents. 965 Jan 24


<< Previous 1 2 3