Mixed cryoglobulinemia (MC) is a systemic vasculitis in which B cell clones produce IgM with rheumatoid factor activity. The disease can range in severity from isolated skin lesions to full blown renal and neurological involvement. Most patients are…
The picture above comes from a case report in KI where a PD patient presented with hypertension and edema. She was normally compliant and a plain film of her abdomen was performed to make sure that her catheter…
I recently consulted on a patient with AKI who had undergone a bone marrow transplant a couple of months previously. While reviewing his labs, I noticed that he had ongoing BK viremia and I wondered whether or not…
Back to the subject of ACE inhibitors again. There are a number of reasons why ACEi might be particularly beneficial for patients on PD and two recent editorials in KI and CJASN laid these out very well. 1….
As mentioned in a previous post, there is not much salt available in the Amazon and as a result, the inhabitants (human and otherwise) have developed very active renin/angiotensin systems in order to retain whatever salt they can…
Back in the early 1970s researchers traveled into the jungle in Northern Brazil to visit a group of Indians. The Yanamomo tribe had lived in isolation for thousands of years and had only been contacted in the 1950s….
I attended a research seminar last week given by the discoverer of EAST syndrome. This a rare, autosomal recessive condition in which children present with Epilepsy, Ataxia, Sensorineural deafness and Tubulopathy. It was a fascinating lecture detailing the…
The recent death of the actor Gary Coleman after a fall in his home brought to mind the issue of falls in dialysis patients. Gary was best known for playing the role of Arnold in the TV show…
There was an interesting case report in KI earlier this year. It concerned a 69yr old man with a history of benign prostatic hyperplasia and Waldenstrom’s Macroglobulinemia (WM) who was admitted for the workup of renal failure. His…
This months issue of JASN has a review of ANCA-associated vasculitis. The authors discuss the controversy regarding the naming of Wegener’s Disease and whether it’s time for a new name to be chosen for this condition. Dr. Friedrich…
