BackgroundsIn coeliac disease, the prevalence of liver test abnormalities (LTAs) is higher in patients with more severe mucosal inflammation. In Crohn’s disease, prognosis is related to the severity of mucosal inflammation.AimThe aim of this study was to investigate whether the presence of LTA predicts the occurrence of complicated disease behaviour in newly diagnosed Crohn’s disease.MethodsA retrospective cohort study was performed in patients newly diagnosed with Crohn’s disease between 2002 and 2011. The complicated disease was defined as the occurrence of stricturing and/or perforating disease. LTAs were defined as a value of any of alkaline phosphatase (AP), gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), or alanine aminotransferase (ALT) over the upper limit of normal.ResultsThree hundred eighty-three patients were included, of whom 34.1% had LTA. LTAs were mostly mild (less than two times the upper limit of normal). During the 5-year follow-up, 33.1% of patients in the group with LTA developed complicated disease behaviour compared to 14.6% in patients without LTA (p < 0.001). The presence of LTA was identified as a risk factor for complicated disease behaviour (HR 2.6, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.5–4.2, p < 0.0001).ConclusionsIn newly diagnosed Crohn’s disease, the presence of LTA was an independent risk factor for the development of complicated disease behaviour.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1007/s00384-016-2706-3) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

By indirect immunofluorescence specific mianserin-dependent antibodies were detected against platelets but not against granulocytes in the serum of a patient with thrombocytopenic purpura and mild leucopenia. A complement-mediated cytotoxicity assay demonstrated 70% lysis of granulocytes but no lysis of platelets, only when mianserin was added to the medium. We suggest that, at least in some patients, mianserin may cause blood disorders by an immunologically-mediated mechanism.

OBJECTIVE Finerenone significantly improved cardiorenal outcomes in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) and type 2 diabetes (T2D) in the Finerenone in Reducing Kidney Failure and Disease Progression in Diabetic Kidney Disease trial. We explored whether baseline HbA1c level and insulin treatment influenced outcomes. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS Patients with T2D, urine albumin-to-creatinine ratio (UACR) of 30–5,000 mg/g, estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) of 25 to &lt;75 mL/min/1.73 m2, and treated with optimized renin–angiotensin system blockade were randomly assigned to receive finerenone or placebo. Efficacy outcomes included kidney (kidney failure, sustained decrease ≥40% in eGFR from baseline, or renal death) and cardiovascular (cardiovascular death, nonfatal myocardial infarction, nonfatal stroke, or hospitalization for heart failure) composite endpoints. Patients were analyzed by baseline insulin use and by baseline HbA1c &lt;7.5% (58 mmol/mol) or ≥7.5%. RESULTS Of 5,674 patients, 3,637 (64.1%) received insulin at baseline. Overall, 5,663 patients were included in the analysis for HbA1c; 2,794 (49.3%) had baseline HbA1c &lt;7.5% (58 mmol/mol). Finerenone significantly reduced risk of the kidney composite outcome independent of baseline HbA1c level and insulin use (Pinteraction = 0.41 and 0.56, respectively). Cardiovascular composite outcome incidence was reduced with finerenone irrespective of baseline HbA1c level and insulin use (Pinteraction = 0.70 and 0.33, respectively). Although baseline HbA1c level did not affect kidney event risk, cardiovascular risk increased with higher HbA1c level. UACR reduction was consistent across subgroups. Adverse events were similar between groups regardless of baseline HbA1c level and insulin use; few finerenone-treated patients discontinued treatment because of hyperkalemia. CONCLUSIONS Finerenone reduces kidney and cardiovascular outcome risk in patients with CKD and T2D, and risks appear consistent irrespective of HbA1c levels or insulin use.

Abstract. It is generally advocated to use saline or albumin infusions during symptomatic hypotension during dialysis. However, because of their side effects and/or costs, they are of limited use. Hydroxyethylstarch (HES), a synthetic colloid with a long-standing volume effect, is used in the management of hypovolemia. In this study, the efficacy of three fluids (isotonic saline [0.9%], albumin [20%], and HES [10%]) was assessed during three treatment sessions with combined ultrafiltration and hemodialysis, which differed in the type of fluid given intravenously. Changes in relative blood volume (BV), systolic BP (SBP), and vascular reactivity (venous tone [VT]) were compared. An intravenous infusion of 100 ml of fluid was given when the decrease in BV versus baseline was more than 10% as measured by a continuous optical reflection method. The ultrafiltration was continued. BV decreased significantly versus baseline independent of the intravenous fluid administration in all three treatment sessions. However, when we compared BV values at the end of the dialysis session with those at the time of infusion, BV continued to decrease significantly with saline (change in BV -4.56 ± 2.75%; P < 0.05) and albumin (change in BV - 2.13 ± 2.51%; P < 0.05), but not with HES (change in BV -0.15 ± 2.17%; NS). Between albumin and HES there were no significant differences in changes in BV (NS), whereas between HES and saline (P < 0.05) and between albumin and saline (P < 0.05) the differences in BV changes were significant. SBP remained unchanged within each session. Although SBP tended to decrease more with saline compared to albumin and HES, the difference was not significant. The higher decrease in BV and SBP with saline was counterbalanced by a significantly higher increase in VT, while VT remained unchanged in the other two sessions. It is concluded that HES is a promising fluid in preserving blood volume, comparable to albumin, but superior to saline.

1 The pharmacokinetics of ketanserin and its major metabolite ketanserin-ol were investigated after a single oral dose of 40 mg and after chronic oral administration of 20 or 40 mg twice daily for 10 days in 12 patients with chronic renal insufficiency of whom six were on intermittent haemodialysis. Plasma protein binding of ketanserin was measured in these 12 patients and in eight healthy volunteers. 2 In both dialysis and non-dialysis patients the terminal half-life of ketanserin (mean + s.d.) was prolonged compared with that reported previously for healthy volunteers (28 ± 4 h vs 18 ± 4 h). This may be explained by a lowered renal clearance of ketanserin-ol from which ketanserin is partly regenerated. 3 In patients with chronic renal insufficiency plasma ketanserin concentrations were similar to those found in healthy subjects after the same dose. Plasma ketanserin-ol concentrations were elevated, resulting in a raised AUC ratio of ketanserin-ol to ketanserin as compared with healthy individuals (7.3 ± 4.0 vs 3.2 ± 0.7). 4 Urinary excretion of ketanserin was negligible in both dialysis and non-dialysis patients, and ketanserin-ol excretion was markedly lowered. 5 The plasma protein binding of ketanserin was slightly reduced in comparison with healthy volunteers (93.7 ± 1.0% vs 95.0 ± 0.2%). 6 A dose regimen of 20 mg twice daily appeared to be well tolerated in spite of less plasma binding in renal failure.