A low-protein diet (LPD) has been prescribed to alleviate uremic symptoms, and to delay the aggravation of chronic renal failure (CRF). However, it has been suggested that LPD treatment causes malnutrition and attenuation of muscle power. On the other hand, it also has been suggested that appropriate long-term exercise training (EX) may lead to improvement of the physical fitness and quality of life (QOL) in patients with CRF. However, there is no definitive conclusion as to whether EX has any renal protective effect or not.
We assessed the effects of combination therapy with LPD and EX. We also assessed the effects of a combination of these therapies and the angiotensin II receptor antagonist, olmesartan (OLS).
Male Wistar-Kyoto rats that were five-sixth-nephrectomized were divided into 6 groups; 1) normal-protein diet (NPD); 2) NPD and EX with treadmill running (1h/day, 5days/week for 12 weeks) (NPD+EX); 3) LPD; 4) LPD+EX; 5) LPD+EX with OLS (10mg/kg/day for 12 weeks) (LPD+EX+OLS); and 6) Sham-operated (S).
Systolic blood pressure (SBP) in the NPD+EX, LPD+EX, LPD+EX+OLS, and S groups was significantly lower than in the NPD group. Moreover, SBP in the LPD+EX+OLS was significantly lower than in all the other groups. LPD, LPD+EX, and LPD+EX+OLS induced a significant decrease in UP, Scr and BUN compared with the NPD group. UP in the LPD+EX, LPD+EX+OLS, and S groups was significantly lower than in the LPD group. The index of glomerular sclerosis (IGS) and relative interstitial volume (RIV) in the NPD+EX, LPD, LPD+EX, LPD+EX+OLS, and S groups were significantly lower than the values in the NPD group. IGS and RIV in the LPD, LPD+EX, LPD+EX+OLS, and S groups were significantly lower than the values in the NPD+EX and LPD groups. Glomerular ED-1 positive cells in the LPD+EX, LPD+EX+OLS, and S groups was significantly fewer than in the NPD groups.
These results indicate that LPD and EX have renoprotective effects, and suggest that the combination therapy with LPD and EX provides greater renoprotective effects than LPD alone. Moreover simultaneous treatment of OLS and LPD+EX provides greater antihypertensive and antiproteinuric effects than treatment with LPD+EX.

View full abstract

Minimal change nephrotic syndrome (MCNS) typically shows no abnormalities in light microscopy. However, there are some minor light microscopic abnormalities that are considered to be MCNS variants. In pediatric nephrology, some researchers have reported that IgM deposition in the mesangium and mesangial hypercellularity are related to the response to steroid therapy and the long-term course. However, it is not clear whether IgM deposition in the mesangium and mesangial hypercellularity is responsible for the clinical course or the steroid response of patients with adult MCNS. To investigate the clinical importance of IgM deposition in the mesangium and mesangial hypercellularity, clinical records, follow-up data, and renal samples of 47 patients with MCNS were reviewed. We also compared the histological data with those of a normal control group (n=5).
In our study, the presence of mesangial IgM deposition did not predict the patient's clinical course or responsiveness to steroid therapy. Increase in the number of nuclei in the glomeruli and PAS-positive area also did not correlate with the clinical course or responsiveness to steroid therapy. The data suggest that mesangial IgM deposits and increased mesangial cellularity in adult MCNS may not predict the clinical course or steroid response. However, we investigated only 47 samples in this study, therefore, further studies are necessary to identify the importance of IgM deposition in the mesangium and mesangial hypercellularity in adult MCNS.

View full abstract

We present the case of a one-year-old male patient with infantile primary hyperoxaluria type 1 (PH1). The patient visited hospital because of growth delay and poor feeding when he was six months old, and was diagnosed as PH1 with chronic renal failure. He underwent peritoneal dialysis until receiving a living-related liver transplantation when he was seventeen months old, and after the operation, underwent hemodialysis or hemodiafiltration four times per week. Six months after the liver transplantation, his serum oxalate level decreased to around 20μmol/l and a living-related kidney transplantation was successfully performed. Nine months have passed since the kidney transplantation, and the patient's liver and kidney functions have been good and his growth and development much better than before the sequential liver and kidney transplantation. However, his serum and urine oxalate levels remained high and he has required high-dose hydration to prevent deposition of calcium oxalate crystals in his grafted kidney.
The key-points for treating infantile PH1 patients are summarized as follows; 1) make a precise diagnosis as soon as possible, 2) perform a combined liver-kidney transplantation successfully, 3) conduct careful monitoring of the serum and urine oxalate levels and continue adequate hydration after kidney transplantation until the serum and urine oxalate levels normalize. Furthermore, cooperation between the medical staff and the patient's family seems to be essential.

View full abstract