Background Anemia is a common complication of chronic kidney disease (CKD). In patients with CKD-related anemia, an inverse relationship between vitamin D and hepcidin levels has been observed. Hepcidin is a key regulator of iron homeostasis, mediated via binding to ferroportin. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of cholecalciferol and omega-3 fatty acids (FA) on hepcidin levels using 5/6 nephrectomized (Nx) rats.
Methods Male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into five groups: sham control, 5/6 Nx, 5/6 Nx treated with cholecalciferol, 5/6 Nx treated with omega-3 FA, and 5/6 Nx treated with both cholecalciferol and omega-3 FA. We measured the hepcidin and ferroportin levels in the kidney and liver by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays and Western blots. We evaluated hepcidin expression in the kidney by immunohistochemical staining.
Results Among the five groups, 5/6 Nx rats exhibited the worst kidney function. Compared with the sham controls, 5/6 Nx rats showed significantly increased serum hepcidin levels and decreased vitamin D levels. Supplementation with either omega-3 FA or cholecalciferol decreased hepcidin and increased vitamin D levels, with a concurrent improvement of anemia. Furthermore, 5/6 Nx rats treated with omega-3 FA/cholecalciferol showed decreased ferroportin and ferritin levels, while iron and total iron-binding capacity levels increased.
Conclusions Treatment with a combination of cholecalciferol and omega-3 FA may improve anemia in a CKD rat model by decreasing hepcidin levels.
Background Exposure to cadmium and mercury is associated with renal dysfunction. This study aimed to investigate the possible ability of dietary education to decrease blood cadmium and mercury levels in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD).
Methods Twenty-seven patients with CKD were enrolled in this prospective, single-arm pilot study. Patients with blood cadmium levels ≥1.4 μg/L were instructed to reduce their intake of shellfish, while those with blood mercury levels ≥5.0 μg/L were asked to reduce their intake of externally blue-colored fish.
Results Seven dialysis patients and 15 pre-dialysis patients completed the study. Compared with baseline, the blood cadmium (2.0±0.7 μg/L vs. 1.8±0.7 μg/L, p=0.031) and mercury levels (4.4±2.6 μg/L vs. 3.5±1.9 μg/L, p=0.005) after 1 year significantly decreased, although the dietary intake was not significantly different in patients with blood cadmium levels ≥1.4 μg/L and blood mercury levels ≥5.0 μg/L. In pre-dialysis patients, kidney function worsened after 1 year compared with that at baseline despite the reduction in blood cadmium and mercury levels.
Conclusions Reduction of food intake containing cadmium and mercury may lower the blood cadmium and mercury levels in CKD patients with higher cadmium and mercury levels. Higher blood cadmium levels may cause renal disease progression in pre-dialysis patients, and further studies are necessary to determine the underlying mechanisms.
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Impact of dietary education on blood cadmium and mercury levels in chronic kidney disease: a path to renal health improvement Ho Sik Shin Kosin Medical Journal.2023; 38(2): 73. CrossRef
Parathyroid carcinoma (PC) in cases of secondary or tertiary hyperparathyroidism is relatively uncommon, and only a few case reports have described this entity. Although some papers have reported patients with one or two parathyroid malignancies, multiple PC–especially three or more–have been even more rarely reported. Herein, we report a case of secondary hyperparathyroidism due to multiple PCs in a chronic hemodialysis patient. A 54-year-old man with end-stage kidney disease was referred for hyperparathyroidism. He had been diagnosed with chronic kidney disease in 2001 and had begun hemodialysis in 2009. In laboratory tests, intact parathyroid hormone (iPTH) was markedly elevated to 1,144.1 pg/mL (normal range: 15.0–68.3 pg/mL) and serum calcium was mildly elevated to 10.56 mg/dL (normal range: 8.5–10.3 mg/dL). Ultrasonography showed hypoechoic nodules in the posterior part of both thyroid glands. All three nodules showed increased uptake on a 99mTc sestamibi scan. The patient underwent total parathyroidectomy with autotransplantation to the right forearm. Histopathology findings showed three PCs with capsular invasion and one parathyroid hyperplasia. In the immediate postoperative period, the iPTH level dropped from 1,446.8 to 82.4 pg/dL and, after 1 month, to 4.0 pg/dL. This patient needed oral calcium carbonate and active vitamin D to maintain appropriate serum calcium levels. Although multiple PCs are rare, they can cause secondary hyperparathyroidism. Therefore, clinicians should suspect multiple PCs when patients’ serum iPTH levels are exceptionally high. Additionally, since PCs could occur in multiple glands, autotransplantation of the parathyroid gland after parathyroidectomy should be done carefully.
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Coincidence or Causality: Parathyroid Carcinoma in Chronic Kidney Disease—Case Report and Literature Review Stefana Catalina Bilha, Anca Matei, Dumitru D. Branisteanu, Laura Claudia Teodoriu, Ioana Hristov, Stefan Bilha, Letitia Leustean, Maria-Christina Ungureanu, Delia Gabriela Apostol Ciobanu, Cristina Preda, Cristian Velicescu Diagnostics.2024; 14(11): 1127. CrossRef