We attempted in this study to investigate the prevalence of Peyronie's disease (PD) among diabetic patients with erectile dysfunction (ED). Two-hundred and six diabetic patients were further evaluated in this study. Forty-two (20.3%) patients had PD. There were significant associations between PD and risk factors of age, obesity and smoking. ...

Abies koreana Wilson (A. koreana) is a shrub or broadly pyramidal evergreen tree endemic in the mountainous regions of South Korea. We obtained the essential oil (EO) from alpine needle leaves of A. koreana by the supercritical fluid extraction (SFE) method. EO was analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), and ...

Diabetics with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) exhibit abnormal life span of erythrocytes, and thus, HbAlc is not necessarily a good indicator for blood glucose control. The present study was conducted to reaffirm this point and determine whether glycated albumin (GA) can be used instead of HbAlc. The following three groups ...

Oocytes lose their developmental competence during prolonged storage of the ovary. In the present study, we supplemented the preservation solution for pig ovaries (phosphate buffered saline, PBS) with glucose and preserved the ovaries for 6 h at 25 C. Subsequently, we examined the glucose concentration of the follicular fluid (FF), ...

INTRODUCTION: Elevated levels of soluble urokinase-type plasminogen activator receptor (suPAR) and other fibrinolytic parameters related to the urokinase-type plasminogen activator (uPA) system can be implicated in clot lysis in plasma. In this study, we examined whether the excess suPAR was associated with increased plasma fibrinolytic activity, determined as plasmin/antiplasmin (PAP) ...

In recent years, the number of patients on hemodialysis (HD) with central vascular catheters (CVCs) has grown. However, CVC use is often associated with an important risk for catheter related bloodstream infections (CR-BI) and inadequate dialysis due to flow problems. In this study, we reviewed alternative solutions to heparin for ...

Peritoneal dialysis (PD) and diabetes mellitus share the high glucose concentration in the cell microenvironment. This has led to the suggestion that they may also share pathogenic pathways of cell and tissue injury. Hypotheses have been formulated on the pathogenesis of peritoneal injury in the course of PD that take ...

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to evaluate potency changes in insulin in different solutions and bag materials used for peritoneal dialysis (PD). One of the PD solutions (Physioneal) tested is available in two different solution containers, PVC and Clear-Flex. Four insulin concentrations (4 IU/L, 10 IU/L, 20 IU/L, ...

BACKGROUND: Use of icodextrin has the potential of several clinical benefits, including reduced systemic and peritoneal glucose exposure and improvement in fluid status as a result of better ultrafiltration. This article explores the recent evidence for such benefits. METHODS: Systematic literature review to include all randomized controlled trials and longitudinal ...

Insulin insensitivity is a common finding in several metabolic disorders including glucose intolerance, dyslipidemia, hyperuricemia and hypertension. Most of the previous studies on insulin sensitivity were performed on diabetic or obese population. So our knowledge about insulin sensitivity of healthy population remains limited. Rising prevalence of obesity, diabetes and metabolic ...

The aim of this study was to analyse the contribution of microbial factors to the inflammatory potency of dust (PD). Floor dust was sampled three times from 12 rooms in two schools. The potency of floor dust was measured as interleukin-8 secretion from the lung epithelial cell line A549 after ...

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the cytotoxicity of orange oil, eucalyptol, and chloroform in a cell culture assay by using peritoneal macrophages from Swiss mice. STUDY DESIGN: Control (Dulbecco's modified Eagle's medium [DMEM] plus 1.25% ethyl alcohol) and experimental (orange oil, eucalyptol, and chloroform) groups were ...

BACKGROUND: Human erythrocytes can take up dehydroascorbate on the glucose transporter 1 (GLUT 1) and reduce it to ascorbate. Intraerythrocyte ascorbate was proved to be directly responsible for decreased oxidation of extraerythrocytic ascorbate. In addition to spontaneous and irreversible loss of ascorbate in plasma, the hemodialysis (HD) process itself consumes ...

BACKGROUND: Factors influencing the percentage of daily interdialytic weight gain (IDWG%) and their interactions in haemodialysis (HD) patients have not been well-defined, especially in diabetic patients. We analysed contributing factors for the increase of IDWG%, particularly xerostomia (oral dryness), among diabetic and non-diabetic HD patients. METHODS: We collected 3 month ...

BACKGROUND: A previous cross sectional study found over-representation of a postural instability gait difficulty (PIGD) motor subtype in Parkinson's disease patients with dementia (PDD) and dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB), compared with Parkinson's disease (PD). AIMS: (1) To examine rates of cognitive and motor decline over two years in PD ...

BACKGROUND: Icodextrin is increasingly being used in automated peritoneal dialysis (APD) for the long dwell exchange to maintain adequate ultrafiltration (UF). However, the UF reported in the literature varies with different dwell times: from 200 to 500 mL with 12 - 15 hour dwells. In order to maximize UF, it ...

A 42-year-old woman underwent hemodialysis secondary to diabetic nephropathy. Total parathyroidectomy with forearm autograft was performed due to secondary hyperparathyroidism (HPT) complicated with calciphylaxis. Rapidly progressive enlargement of autograft with unusual "gourd-shape" developed, and then it was removed. Pathologic examination of the autograft disclosed multinodular hyperplasia. Residual parathyroid gland in ...

BACKGROUND: In computer simulations, according to the three-pore model of peritoneal transport, neutralization of conventional acidic peritoneal dialysis fluids is predicted to produce an improved ultrafiLtration (UF). However, in a previous study, a two-compartment peritoneal dialysis system with a minimum of glucose degradation products (GDP), PD-Bio, having a pH of ...

BACKGROUND: Risk for hypoglycemia increases during hemodialysis sessions. The compensatory homeostatic response to hypoglycemia may increase the risk for abnormal blood pressure regulation. The purpose is to determine blood pressure and blood glucose levels and variability in these variables during dialysis with and without glucose in the dialysis fluid. METHODS: ...

BACKGROUND: Patients suffering from chronic renal failure (CRF) are exposed to increased oxidative stress generated by uremic toxins, factors connected with hemodialysis, chronic inflammatory state, lack of vitamins A, E and selenium, advanced age, and parenteral iron administration. Their antioxidative system is inefficient. In erythrocytes, hexosemonophosphate (HMP) cycle does not ...

BACKGROUND: Epidemiologic and clinical studies have indicated that periodontal disease (PD) may cause disturbances in general health and even affect diabetes. The aim of this study was to gain knowledge on the effect of PD on diabetes metabolic control in a new model for type 2 diabetes-associated PD (i.e., the ...

Patients on chronic ambulant peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) are increasingly likely to be treated with a new solution of corn starch-derived glucose polymers called icodextrin. This solution involves a very low carbohydrate absorption leading to a better glycemic control in diabetic patients. However these glucose polymers pass to the blood and ...

BACKGROUND: Hemodialysis (HD) is often accompanied by adverse effects, such as tissue ischemia. We have already observed an increase in plasma adenosine (ADO) levels during HD sessions, which may be the result of tissue ischemia. Here we evaluate the influence of the dialysis membrane on two sensitive and early markers ...

BACKGROUND: Uraemic hyperparathyroidism remains a common clinical problem. Conversely, oversuppression of parathyroid hormone (PTH), particularly in diabetic patients on peritoneal dialysis, has been implicated in low bone turnover disease. Race may also be an important factor determining susceptibility to hyperparathyroidism and the different forms of renal osteodystrophy. These compounding factors ...

PURPOSE: We compared cystometric findings in interstitial cystitis and detrusor overactivity using 0.3 M KCl and 0.9% normal saline. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Female patients with established diagnoses of IC (7 patients according to NIDDK criteria) and urodynamically proven DO (10 patients) underwent consecutive cystometrograms using 0.9% normal saline and 0.3 ...

In patients with end-stage renal disease on peritoneal dialysis, the peritoneum is effectively utilized as an endogenous semipermeable membrane. Chemical agents may alter the structure of the peritoneum and induce changes in its transfer properties. The purpose of our in vitro study was to compare the influence of sodium hyaluronan ...

In chronic peritoneal dialysis (PD) alterations of both membrane structure and function occur with time on treatment, but also in relation to frequency and severity of infectious complications. In addition, therapy-associated factors such as the dialysis fluid bioincompatibility are important determinants for the longevity of the peritoneum as the dialysis ...

With the recognition of the bio-incompatibility of conventional glucose based peritoneal dialysate (PDF), many new PDF has been developed and commercially available. All of them contain much less low glucose degradation product (GDP) solutions. Additional features are neutral or physiological pH, or glucose replaced by amino acid or glucose polymer ...

AIM: To investigate the clinical characteristics of patients with Peyronie's disease (PD) and diabetes mellitus (DM). METHODS: During an 8-year period, a total of 307 men seen at our outpatient clinic were diagnosed with PD. Clinical characteristics, penile deformities and the erectile status of patients with PD and DM together ...

Breakdown of glucose under physiological conditions gives rise to glucose degradation products (GDPs). GDPs are also formed during heat sterilization of glucose-containing peritoneal dialysis fluids (PD-fluids). In PD-fluids GDPs have been shown in many different in vitro assays to be responsible for adverse effects such as growth inhibition, and impaired ...

BACKGROUND: Brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) and N-terminal proBNP (NT-proBNP) are released into circulation as a result of congestive heart failure (HF). As HF and water overload are frequent complications in haemodialysis (HD) patients, we decided to study the levels of BNP and NT-proBNP and their changes during HD. METHODS: BNP ...

BACKGROUND: Management of hyperglycemia in patients receiving parenteral nutrition (PN) often includes the addition of regular insulin to the PN solution. A literature review has shown insulin availability in such solutions to range from 10% to 95%. This discrepancy in availability may be due to differences in the composition of ...

Lithium salts have been used in the prophylaxis and treatment of depression and bipolar disorder for >50 years. Lithium has a narrow therapeutic range, and several well characterised adverse effects limit the potential usefulness of higher doses. Acute ingestion in lithium-naive patients is generally associated with only short-lived exposure to ...

BACKGROUND: Elevated pulse pressure (PP) is an indicator of poor outcome in hypertensives in the general population and on haemodialysis. The prognostic value of PP in pre-dialysis patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) stages 4/5 and its interaction with renin-angiotensin system (RAS) inhibitors is unknown. METHODS: This retrospective study of ...

BACKGROUND: The clinical determinants of baseline peritoneal membrane (PM) transport characteristics, as evaluated by a hypertonic peritoneal equilibration test (PET), remain ill-defined. Likewise, the longitudinal evolution of PM transport properties in peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients given automated PD (APD) and icodextrin still needs to be determined precisely. The aims of ...

In a patient with diabetes mellitus undergoing icodextrin continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis, the interference caused by icodextrin metabolites in bedside glucose analyzers led to an overestimation of capillary glucose levels and the potential for inappropriate therapy. We report this case to raise an awareness of this among emergency care providers ...

BACKGROUND: The aim of the study was to assess plasma homocysteine concentration in peritoneal dialysis patients, and to compare the effect of different peritoneal solutions (glucose-based and icodextrin-based) on peritoneal clearance of homocysteine. METHODS: The study group comprised 10 chronic peritoneal dialysis patients; the control group comprised 15 healthy, age-matched ...

RATIONALE: Standard peritoneal glucose solutions may induce the formation of advanced glycation end products (AGEs). Preliminary data suggest that AGE formation may be less with the use of polyglucose solutions (icodextrin). Therefore, we investigated whether the use of icodextrin for the long dwell would result in a reduction in plasma ...

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to evaluate hepatic subcapsular steatosis (HSS) and its association with clinical parameters in nondiabetic continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) patients and in diabetic CAPD patients receiving intraperitoneal (IP) or subcutaneous (SC) insulin. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study. SETTING: A tertiary-care university hospital. PATIENTS: 28 CAPD ...

This short review describes our computational studies of carnitine, acetylcarnitines, and betaines over the past two decades. Interspersed among the three computational studies--a molecular mechanics study of the conformer population of carnitine and acetylcarnitine, an AM1 study of the energetics of hydrolysis of acetylcarnitine, and an HF 6-31G* study of ...

BACKGROUND: We previously reported that fractalkine was upregulated in streptozotocin-induced diabetic kidneys. Fractalkine in diabetic kidneys was detected on glomerular capillaries and the mesangium. This upregulation was suppressed by treatment with angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor (ACE-I) or aminoiguanidine. We examined what factors induce fractalkine upregulation in normal rat glomeruli. METHODS: Glomeruli ...

OBJECTIVE: Leptin and adiponectin, well-recognized adipocytokines, are reported to contribute to the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis. The aim of this study was to elucidate the effects of icodextrin-based dialysis solution on adipocytokine metabolism. METHODS: In 12 non-diabetic anuric patients on peritoneal dialysis, dialysis solution was changed from glucose-based dialysis solution to ...

BACKGROUND: Glycemic control is important in determining the outcome of patients with diabetes on dialysis therapy. However, the choice of oral hypoglycemia agent is limited in these patients. Very often, a high dose of insulin is required because of the uremia-associated insulin-resistant state. Rosiglitazone (RSG), a thiazolidinedione, can improve insulin ...

AIM: To study the effects of phototherapy on erythrocyte haemolysis in vitro and to determine possible differences in sensitivity to phototherapy between normal erythrocytes and spherocytes. METHODS: Erythrocytes from four normal healthy donors and two donors with hereditary spherocytosis were treated with bilirubin (160 microM) in the presence of human ...

AIM: To search the pathophysiological mechanism of diarrhea based on daily stool weights, fecal electrolytes, osmotic gap and pH. METHODS: Seventy-six patients were included: 51 with microscopic colitis (MC) (40 with lymphocytic colitis (LC); 11 with collagenous colitis (CC)); 7 with MC without diarrhea and 18 as a control group ...

Peritoneal dialysis (PD) solutions using glucose as osmotic agent have been used for more than two decades as effective treatment for patients with end-stage renal disease. Although alternative osmotic agents such as amino acids and macromolecular solutions, including polypeptides and glucose polymers, are now available, glucose is still the most ...

BACKGROUND: Patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) undergoing long-term haemodialysis exhibit low L-carnitine and elevated acylcarnitine concentrations. This study evaluated endogenous concentrations of an array of acylcarnitines (carbon chain length up to 18) in healthy individuals and ESRD patients receiving haemodialysis, and examined the impact of a single haemodialysis session ...

BACKGROUND: Heat-sterilized, single-chambered, glucose-containing peritoneal dialysis solutions promote neutrophil apoptosis and impair the peritoneal antibacterial response. It has been proposed that glucose degradation products may be responsible for this effect. However, the precise contribution of individual glucose degradation products had not been addressed. METHODS: The effect of individual glucose degradation ...

BACKGROUND: Certain metabolic disorders, such as hyperphosphatemia induce vascular calcification in haemodialysis patients; it is unclear, however, whether these disorders contribute to aortic calcification in diabetic haemodialysis patients. This study examined the risk factors of aortic calcification in a large number of haemodialysis patients, and compared risk factors between diabetic ...

OBJECTIVE: We studied the clinical characteristics that influence the risk of dialysis-related peritonitis complication in incident Chinese patients undergoing continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD). METHODS: A single center, retrospective, observational cohort study was carried out to examine the risk factors of developing a first episode of dialysis-related peritonitis. RESULTS: Between ...