Application of a point of care creatinine device for trend monitoring in kidney transplant patients: Fit for purpose?

Background: The StatSensor® Xpress-i™, a point-of-care system for blood creatinine measurement, offers patients the possibility of self-monitoring creatinine. In this study, the analytical performance of the StatSensor® for both detecting current renal function and monitoring renal (dys)function in kidney transplant patients was examined....

Patient experiences with self-monitoring renal function after renal transplantation: results from a single-center prospective pilot study

Background: After a kidney transplantation, patients have to visit the hospital often to monitor for early signs of graft rejection. Self-monitoring of creatinine in addition to blood pressure at home could alleviate the burden of frequent outpatient visits, but only if patients are willing to self-monitor and if they adhere to the self...

The impact of metabolic syndrome and CRP on vascular phenotype in type 2 diabetes mellitus

Background: The burden of cardiovascular disease in diabetes mellitus type 2 (DM2) patients is variable. We hypothesize that metabolic syndrome (MS) and low-grade systemic inflammation modify the extent of atherosclerosis in DM2. Methods: Vascular phenotype was determined using the following endothelium-related, hemostatic, and sonographic...

Red blood cell folate vitamer distribution in healthy subjects is determined by the methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase C677T polymorphism and by the total folate status

Background: Red blood cells (RBCs) represent a storage pool for folate. In contrast to plasma, RBC folate can appear in different biochemical isoforms. So far, only the methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) 677 TT genotype has been identified as a determinant of RBC folate vitamer distribution. Objective: The purpose of this study is to...

Vroeggeboorte, intra-uteriene groeiachterstand en lichamelijke ziehten op de volwassen leeftijd; resultaten van 19 jaar POPS-follow-up [Premature birth, intrauterine growth retardation and physical disease in adulthood: Results of 19 years POPS follow-up]

Infants born very prematurely are at greater risk of neurosensory handicaps and developmental problems than are term born children. Premature birth, intrauterine growth retardation, and the combination of both, may also be risk factors for physical disease in adulthood. As this aspect has been little studied so far, we looked into its first...

Microalbuminuria and lower glomerular filtration rate at young adult age in subjects born very premature and after intrauterine growth retardation

This prospective follow-up study of 422 19-yr-old subjects born very preterm in The Netherlands was performed to determine whether intrauterine growth retardation (IUGR) predisposes to abnormal GFR and microalbuminuria in adolescents. GFR (ml/min per 1.73 m2) was estimated using the Cockcroft-Gault equation, and albumin-creatinine ratio (mg/mmol...

Choline supplemented as phosphatidylcholine decreases fasting and postmethionine-loading plasma homocysteine concentrations in healthy men

Background: A high homocysteine concentration is a potential risk factor for cardiovascular disease that can be reduced through betaine supplementation. Choline is the precursor for betaine, but the effects of choline supplementation on plasma total homocysteine (tHcy) concentrations in healthy humans are unknown. Objective: The objective was to...

Influence of amifostine on the pharmacokinetics of cisplatin in cancer patients

The pharmacokinetics of cisplatin was investigated in 13 patients receiving 18 courses of cisplatin alone or in combination with amifostine to investigate the influence of amifostine (WR 2721; Ethyol) on the pharmacokinetics of cisplatin. Cisplatin was administered as a 1-h i.v. infusion, whereas amifostine was given i.v. over 15 min just before...

Pharmacokinetics of carboplatin with and without amifostine in patients with solid tumors

We showed previously that amifostine (WR 2721; Ethyol), a protector against carboplatin-induced toxicities, changed the pharmacokinetics of carboplatin in tumor-bearing nude mice. In the present study, the influence of amifostine on the pharmacokinetics of carboplatin was studied in patients when carboplatin was given in combination with three...

Safety evaluation of yeast grown on hydrocarbons. II: One-year feeding study in rats with yeast grown on pure n-paraffins

Yeast grown on hydrocarbons according to the n-paraffin process of The British Petroleum Company Ltd. was fed to groups of male and female rats at dietary levels of 10, 20 and 30% for 1 yr. Two control diets were used, one being similar to the yeast diet but with soya-bean meal substituted for yeast and the other being the institute's stock diet...

Safety evaluation of yeast grown on hydrocarbons. I: One-year feeding study in rats with yeast grown on gas oil

Yeast grown on hydrocarbons according to the gas-oil process was fed to rats at dietary levels of 10, 20 or 30% for 1 yr. Two control diets were used, one being similar to the yeast diets but containing soyabean-oil meal instead of yeast and the other being the institute's stock diet. The yeast diets had no effect on mortality, general condition...

Toxicologic studies of iocetamic acid in rats and dogs

A new oral cholecystographic medium called iocetamicacid was submitted to a toxicologic study in rats and dogs. Dosages, which were equivalent to 200 and 1000 mg of the compound per kilogram of body weight per day and were 5 times and 25 times the human routine dose, were administered daily for 3 weeks in order to establish whether the substance...