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en: Clinical characteristics associated with 1-year tolvaptan efficacy in autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease with a wide range of kidney functions.

en: Autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD) develops into end-stage kidney disease by 65 years of age in an estimated 45%-70% of patients. Recent trials revealed that tolvaptan inhibits disease progression both in early-stage or late-stage ADPKD ; however, stratified analysis showed a difference of favorable factors correlated with tolvaptan efficacy between early-stage and late-stage ADPKD. Thus, we examined the efficacy of tolvaptan in ADPKD with a wide range of estimated glomerular filtration rates (eGFR). We enrolled 24 patients with eGFR 35.3 (28.0-65.5) ml / min / 1.73m2 and evaluated treatment effect as ΔΔeGFR (ml / min / 1.73m2 / year) or ΔΔtotal kidney volume (TKV) (% / year) that was calculated as post-treatment annual change - pre-treatment annual change. Pre ΔeGFR was significantly low in eGFR responders, defined as ΔΔeGFR > 0 ml / min / 1.73m2 / year. In eGFR responders, pre ΔeGFR, post ΔeGFR, eGFR, TKV, and proteinuria were significantly correlated with ΔΔeGFR. In TKV responders defined as ΔΔTKV > 5 % / year, we identified hypertension history, proteinuria, TKV, and post ΔTKV as significantly correlated factors with ΔΔTKV. In conclusion, pre ΔeGFR may be a predictive factor of therapeutic efficacy on kidney function. Tolvaptan may have greater efficacy in early-stage ADPKD with rapid GFR decline or with well-controlled blood pressure. J. Med. Invest. 67 : 315-320, August, 2020.

en: The Journal of Medical Investigation : JMI


en: Direct oral anticoagulant successfully used to treat an adult nephrotic patient complicated with portal vein thrombosis.

en: Thromboembolism is a major complication of nephrotic syndrome, with the renal vein being the most frequent site. However, the incidence of portal vein thrombosis (PVT) in patients with nephrotic syndrome is rare. We report a case of a relapsed steroid-dependent minimal change disease with incidental PVT. A 38-year-old man presented with anasarca. Elevated liver enzymes were discovered during routine blood testing within days after commencing treatment. Although drug-induced liver injuries are frequently observed with mild aminotransferase abnormality during therapy with steroid or immune-suppressive agents, imaging revealed a massive thrombus of the portal vein, which was treated by anticoagulant therapy with edoxaban. Treatment with anticoagulant therapy could normalize liver function. Two months after the initiation of treatment with edoxaban, the follow-up CT scan and ultrasound showed the disappearance of PVT. Our case suggests that much attention should be paid to PVT as a cause of liver enzyme elevation when treating patients with nephrotic syndrome.

en: CEN Case Reports

ja: CEN Case Reports


en: The utility and limitation of inferior vena cava diameter as a dry weight marker.

en: IVCdexp was a rough marker to estimate volume status and only useful in suggesting apparent hypervolemia or hypovolemia. We should know that the IVCdexp value is affected by a lotof factors and not a definitive marker for estimating practical DW. J. Med. Invest. 66 : 172-177, February, 2019.

ja: The Journal of Medical Investigation : JMI


en: Urinary Exosomal mRNA of WT1 as Diagnostic and Prognostic Biomarker for Diabetic Nephropathy

en: Diabetic nephropathy (DN) is the major cause of end-stage renal failure and is associated with increased morbidity and mortality as compared to other causes of renal disease. Albuminuria is often the first clinical indicator of the presence of DN. However, albuminuria or proteinuria is a common symptom in patients with various renal disorders. Therefore, specific biomarkers for the diagnosis of DN are required. A primary hallmark of DN is the progressive damage and death of glomerular podocytes, resulting in the leaking of proteins into the urine. Urinary exosomes released by podocytes are microvesicles containing information of the originated cells. Podocyte-derived signal transduction factors (PDSTFs) are good candidates to assess podocyte injuries. The profile of PDSTFs in urinary exosomes from patients with DN is different from that from patients with minimal change nehrotic syndrome. In addition, PDSTFs molecules in exosomes were derived from primary murine podocytes under high glucose conditions. Among PDSTFs in urinary exosomes, Wilms tumor 1 (WT1) levels reflected damage of diabetic glomeruli in the patients. Urinary exosomal WT1 can predict the decline in eGFR for the following several years. In conclusion, urinary exosomal WT1 is a useful biomarker to improve risk stratification in patients with DN. J. Med. Invest. 65:208-215, August, 2018.


en: Re-recognition of Age-dependent Reference Range for the Serum Creatinine Level in Teenagers - A Case of Slowly Progressive Tubulointerstitial Nephritis which Occurred in an Adolescent.

en: For the first time, a 15-year-old boy was found to have a slight degree of proteinuria and microscopic hematuria during annual school urinalysis screening. His kidney function had already severely deteriorated. A kidney biopsy revealed tubulointerstitial nephritis (TIN) with diffuse inflammatory cell infiltration. His medical records showed his serum creatinine level to be 0.98 mg/dL two years ago, which was abnormally high considering his age. Although the etiology of slowly progressive TIN was unclear, glucocorticoid and immunosuppressant therapy improved his kidney function. This case report suggests that all doctors should recognize the reference range for the serum creatinine level in teenagers.

en: Internal Medicine

ja: Internal Medicine


en: Successful treatment of highly advanced immunoglobulin G4-related kidney disease presenting renal mass-like regions with end-stage kidney failure: a case study.

en: In immunoglobulin G4-related kidney disease with severe kidney failure, radiological findings should be carefully examined. In addition, renal prognosis may be good despite highly advanced tubulointerstitial nephritis and fibrosis.

ja: A 59-year-old Japanese man was referred to our hospital because of uremia with a creatinine level of 12.36 mg/dL. Urinalysis revealed mild proteinuria and hyperβ2microglobulinuria, and blood tests showed hyperglobulinemia with an IgG level of 3243 mg/dL and an IgG4 level of 621 mg/dL. Non-contrast computed tomography revealed renal mass-like regions. Based on the findings, immunoglobulin G4-related kidney disease was suspected, however, further radiological examination showed unexpected results. Ga-67 scintigraphy showed no kidney uptake. T2-weighted magnetic resonance imaging revealed high-intensity signals which corresponded to mass-like regions and multiple patchy low-intensity signals in kidney cortex. Finally, the patient was diagnosed with immunoglobulin G4-related kidney disease by renal pathology of severe immunoglobulin G4-positive plasma cell-rich tubulointerstitial nephritis and characteristic fibrosis. He received 50 mg oral prednisolone, which was tapered with a subsequent decrease of serum creatinine and IgG4 levels. One year after initiation of treatment, he achieved normalization of serum IgG4 level and proteinuria, and remained off dialysis with a creatinine level of 3.50 mg/dL. After treatment with steroids, repeat imaging suggested bilateral severe focal atrophy. However, mass-like regions did not show atrophic change although renal atrophy was evident in patchy low-intensity lesions on T2-weighted magnetic resonance imaging. These findings suggest that multiple patchy low-intensity signals and high-intensity mass-like regions were mildly atrophic lesions of immunoglobulin G4-related kidney disease due to severe fibrosis and normal parts of kidney, respectively.

en: BMC Nephrology

ja: BMC Nephrology