Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
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Query: UMLS:C0023890 (cirrhosis)
 42,195 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

Wilson's disease is an hereditary recessive autosomal disorder which affects around five people per million inhabitants. The primary defect is localized in the liver and the disease is manifested by the accumulation of copper in tissues. The diminution of ceruloplasmin, which until a few years ago was mistakenly thought to be the pathogenetic cause of Wilson's disease, is an epiphenomenon of the underlying metabolic defect characterized by defective copper biliary excretion. There are four stages in the natural history of the disease: 1) an asymptomatic stage of hepatic copper accumulation; 2) dismission and redistribution of copper leading to hepatocellular necrosis and hemolysis; 3) extrahepatic accumulation of copper leading to the onset of cirrhosis and neurological damage; 4) stage of homeostasis following treatment but with possible irreversible neurological damage. Treatment of Wilson's disease takes the form of pharmacological, dietary and surgical therapy. Through the formation of copper and protein metal complexes D-penicillamine impoverishes copper deposits causing the reduction or disappearance of hepatic and neurological symptoms; a small percentage of patients treated develops a nephrotic syndrome requiring the compulsory suspension of the drug. In this case a valid alternative is triethylenetetramine dichlorohydrate (TETA) which provokes increased blood copper during copper diuresis. The response to pharmacological treatment is better the earlier treatment is started and the more regular its administration. Dietary intake of copper must be reduced in parallel avoiding foods with a high copper content. Liver transplant obviously leads to the "resolution" of the underlying metabolic problem in patients who develop fulminating hepatitis with hypercupremia and hemolysis and, of course, in cases of uncompensated cirrhosis which do not respond to chelating therapy.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
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PMID:[Wilson's disease: physiopathology, therapeutic approach and case report]. 784 48

The natriuretic peptide system, which comprises at least four related proteins: atrial natriuretic peptide; brain natriuretic peptide; C-type natriuretic peptide; and urodilatin, exerts important influences on central and renal hemodynamics and renal sodium excretion. Recent studies have examined the role of these peptides in the pathophysiology of edema formation in congestive heart failure, cirrhosis, and nephrotic syndrome and have explored the therapeutic value of manipulating their metabolic pathways. One striking feature appears common to all three states ie, a blunted response to the natriuretic effect of atrial natriuretic peptide, which becomes particularly severe in the late stages of each disease. However, whereas in congestive heart failure and cirrhosis the main mechanism responsible is enhanced proximal tubular reabsorption of sodium resulting in reduced distal sodium delivery to the major site of atrial natriuretic peptide action, in nephrotic syndrome a biochemical defect in the cellular response to atrial natriuretic peptide within the kidney is a more likely explanation. Most information regarding the efficacy of therapies that alter the metabolism or the local action of atrial natriuretic peptide pertain to congestive heart failure. However, continued investigation in this area may ultimately lead to interventions that play a valuable role in the future management of all three edematous states.
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PMID:Clinical relevance of the natriuretic peptides in edematous states. 785 28

In order to elucidate a participation of intact parathyroid hormone (PTH(1-84)) in blood pressure (BP) and body fluid homeostasis, we studied fluctuations of PTH(1-84) during manipulations of BP in hyperparathyroid and healthy subjects, and during manipulations of blood volume in patients with glomerulonephritis or liver cirrhosis and in controls. Angiotensin II induced BP elevation was associated with increased values of PTH(1-84) both in healthy subjects (12-25 ng l-1, medians, p < 0.01), in patients with primary hyperparathyroidism (94-125 ng l-1, p < 0.01), in patients with low calcium due to end stage renal disease before requirement of dialysis (95-151 ng l-1, p < 0.02), and in patients with tertiary hyperparathyroidism (221-264 ng l-1, p < 0.05), but not in dialysis patients without hypercalcaemia (126-174 ng l-1, NS). The changes could not be attributed to reduction of serum calcium, but probably to the increase of plasma angiotensin II, which was positively correlated to the increase of serum PTH(1-84) in the healthy subjects (p = 0.619, n = 15, p < 0.05) and in the patients with primary hyperparathyroidism (p = 0.549, n = 18, p < 0.05). Noradrenaline induced BP elevation did not have a similar effect on PTH(1-84), and changes of PTH(1-84) were not related to changes of BP. Volume depletion after furosemide injection, also accompanied by increased levels of angiotensin II, resulted in elevation of PTH(1-84) in controls, cirrhotics, patients with glomerulonephritis without the nephrotic syndrome, but not in nephrotic patients. Volume depletion induced by bolus injection of atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) was associated with decreased PTH(1-84) in healthy subjects (20-18 ng l-1, p < 0.02), but not in patients with nephrotic syndrome and liver cirrhosis. Volume expansion induced by albumin infusion caused increased plasma levels of ANP, but PTH(1-84) was unaltered. Thus, angiotensin II may be able to stimulate, and ANP to inhibit release of PTH(1-84), and PTH(1-84) may be involved in the regulation of BP and body fluid homeostasis. BP changes or changes in blood volume per se do not seem to influence PTH(1-84) levels.
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PMID:Parathyroid hormone in blood pressure and volume homeostasis in healthy subjects, hyperparathyroidism, liver cirrhosis and glomerulonephritis. A possible interaction with angiotensin II and atrial natriuretic peptide. 786 30

To identify the demographic, clinical, and pathologic features and the prognosis of renal disease in a series of patients with infectious or postinfectious proliferative glomerulonephritis (GN), data were collected from records of 76 adult patients admitted from 1976 to 1993 to 2 neighboring suburban hospital nephrology units, whose catchment population consists of patients living in a suburban borough of Paris with a below-average socioeconomic status. Thirty-four patients (45%) were alcoholics, diabetics, or intravenous illicit-drug users. Sixty-six patients presented with acute nephritic and/or nephrotic syndrome. Acute renal failure was present in 56 (76%) and required dialysis in 14. The diagnostic workup comprised at least 1 renal biopsy in each case. The patient's background, site of infection, clinical course, laboratory variables, and, when available, bacteriologic findings were analyzed in each case to interpret the evolution of the disease. Initial renal biopsy disclosed endocapillary GN in 44 patients, crescentic GN in 26, and membranoproliferative GN in 6. Ten patients had endocarditis. Staphylococci and Gram-negative strains, not streptococci, were the most common bacteria identified. The origin of sepsis was mainly the oropharynx (21), the skin (19) and the lung (14); 19 cases involved multiple sites of infection. Eight patients died (11%), and 20 (26%) recovered renal function, but GN followed a chronic course in 38 (50%), rapidly requiring maintenance dialysis in 6. Poor prognostic factors included age over 50 years, purpura, endocarditis, and glomerular extracapillary proliferation. Twenty-six patients underwent repeat renal biopsy 1 month to 11 years after the initial presentation. The main finding, irrespective of the interval since the first biopsy, was that ongoing or new iatrogenic infection acquired during hospitalization was almost invariably acquired during hospitalization was almost invariably associated with developing glomerular proliferative changes. This study shows that infectious proliferative GN remains common, but that its epidemiology has changed from what was observed until 2 decades ago. The responsible bacteria, when identified, now comprise a majority of staphylococci and Gram-negative strains, in contrast to the streptococci which predominated 3 decades ago. Infectious GN affects with increasing frequency patients with an underlying condition responsible for immunosuppression, especially alcoholism, even in the absence of cirrhosis. Destructive glomerular proliferation persists, especially but not exclusively until infection has been eradicated, and despite rescue treatment with corticosteroids and/or cytostatic drugs. Thus, the prognosis is poor, and infectious GN often ends in renal death. Infection continues in this decade to represent a frequent and probably often overlooked cause of end-stage renal failure.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)
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PMID:The current spectrum of infectious glomerulonephritis. Experience with 76 patients and review of the literature. 789 44

The pathogenesis of renal sodium and water retention in cardiac failure, cirrhosis, and the nephrotic syndrome may be explained by the unifying hypothesis of body fluid volume regulation. According to this hypothesis, underfilling of the arterial vascular compartment initiates a sequence of events, including activation of various neurohormonal vasoconstrictor systems, which results in enhanced renal sodium and water reabsorption, the failure to escape from the sodium-retaining effect of aldosterone, and renal resistance to atrial natriuretic peptide. In patients with low-output cardiac failure, a decrease in cardiac output results in arterial underfilling. Peripheral arterial vasodilation diminishes the fullness of the arterial vascular compartment in patients with high-output cardiac failure and cirrhosis. In the nephrotic syndrome, the decrease in plasma oncotic pressure due to hypoalbuminemia initiates arterial underfilling. The factors that are responsible for the peripheral arterial vasodilation in patients with cirrhosis remain obscure. Diuretics are initially effective in reducing the excess of total-body sodium and water in edematous patients. Loop diuretics, with or without metolazone or a thiazide diuretic, are quite useful in patients with heart failure. In cirrhosis and the nephrotic syndrome, the specific aldosterone antagonist spironolactone, alone or in combination with other diuretics, has proven to be highly efficacious. However, in all instances, the emergence of diuretic resistance represents a major limitation of diuretic therapy for the edematous patient. This diuretic resistance may be mediated by further activation of vasoconstrictor, antinatriuretic neurohormones.
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PMID:Edematous disorders: pathophysiology of renal sodium and water retention and treatment with diuretics. 792 21

The functions of the different nephron segments follow changes in the effective arterial blood volume and the extracellular fluid volume. In syndromes with reduced effective arterial blood volume, for example congestive heart failure, decompensated hepatic cirrhosis and nephrotic syndrome, hyperreabsorption of sodium in the proximal tubule reduces the sodium load in the more distal segments of the nephron. As this is a major site of sodium excretion, reduction in the response to a diuretic may be predicted by a reduced fractional excretion of sodium (< 0.2%). Such diuretic resistance may be overcome with acetazolamide, which increases delivery of sodium to the distal tubule. In syndromes with increased extracellular fluid volume, such as chronic renal failure, distal tubular rejection of sodium leads to a progressive increase in its fractional excretion as the glomerular filtration rate is reduced. The remaining intact nephrons exhibit a relatively increased response to diuretics. The efficacy of loop diuretics in renal failure can be optimized by combination with thiazides. The latter prevent early distal tubular hyperreabsorption following diuretic-induced blockade of sodium transport in the loop of Henle. For these reasons, low-dose combinations of different diuretics induce 'segmental nephron blockade' and are, therefore, potentially more clinically effective and safer than high doses of single compounds.
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PMID:Functional state of the nephron and diuretic dose-response--rationale for low-dose combination therapy. 795 41

The mechanism(s) responsible for diuretic resistance differ in different clinical conditions. Renal insufficiency is a prototype of a pharmacokinetic mechanism wherein the disease causes decreased delivery of diuretic to its urinary site of action. Hepatic cirrhosis, on the other hand, is a prototype of a pharmacodynamic mechanism wherein normal amounts of diuretic reach the site of action but nephron response is subnormal. The mechanism of this effect is unknown. In congestive heart failure and in nephrotic syndrome, both pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic mechanisms occur. The different mechanisms of diuretic resistance in these various diseases dictate specific therapeutic strategies for each clinical condition.
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PMID:Diuretic resistance: mechanisms and therapeutic strategies. 795 47

The renal sympathetic innervation of the kidney exerts significant effects on multiple aspects of renal function, including renal haemodynamics, tubular sodium and water reabsorption and renin secretion. These effects constitute an important control system which is important in the physiological regulation of arterial pressure and total body fluid and sodium homeostasis. Abnormalities in this regulatory mechanism have pathophysiological consequences and are manifest in clinically relevant human disease states. Decreased renal sympathetic nerve activity results in impaired renin secretion, the inability to conserve sodium normally and an attenuated ability to dispose of both acute and chronic sodium loads. Increased renal sympathetic nerve activity contributes significantly to the excess renal sodium retention and related renal abnormalities observed in both hypertension and oedema forming conditions, such as cardiac failure, cirrhosis and nephrotic syndrome.
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PMID:Neural control of renal function in health and disease. 805 40

An association of alpha 1-antitrypsin deficiency with glomerulonephritis is rare and has so far been observed only in children or young adults. We report a 63-year-old man with severe alpha 1-antitrypsin deficiency associated with pulmonary emphysema, cirrhosis of the liver, and mesangioproliferative glomerulonephritis with nephrotic syndrome. Following initial presentation with nephropathy, further work-up revealed alpha 1-antitrypsin deficiency of proteinase inhibitor Z. In the absence of glomerular alpha 1-antitrypsin deposits the relationship between renal disease and alpha 1-antitrypsin deficiency remains unclear. alpha 1-Antitrypsin deficiency should be considered in adults with abnormal renal function and chronic liver disease.
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PMID:Glomerulonephritis as late manifestation of severe alpha 1-antitrypsin deficiency. 808 78

Diuretic drugs have historically been developed for the treatment of sodium and water retention in edematous disorders. The latter have traditionally been an amalgam of congestive heart failure, nephrotic syndrome, cirrhosis and chronic renal failure. With a > 50-year tradition of this approach to development, diuretic drugs have not been evaluated specifically for their safety and efficacy profile in patients with congestive heart failure. Yet, they are the most frequently prescribed drug class for this disorder. Furthermore, they remain the only drug class in congestive heart failure not subjected to large scale clinical trials. Sodium and water retention within this group of patients is related primarily to functional rather than to structural renal abnormalities. The reduction of glomerular filtration rate, increase in aldosterone secretion and abnormal profile of atrial natriuretic factor, all produce sodium retention and can be related to the severity of heart failure. Diuretic drugs have not been scrutinized in a manner similar to that of other drugs for the management of heart failure. Controversy persists regarding direct vascular effects, objective end points of assessment and the magnitude of adverse effects such as activation of neurohormonal pathways. These issues may be addressed by the establishment of reasonable objective end points, better stratification of patients in clinical trials and prospective trials in large clinical series. Even mortality studies should be considered.
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PMID:Clinical trials of diuretic therapy in heart failure: research directions and clinical considerations. 810 3


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