We treated a patient with neurosarcoidosis, which caused the syndrome of inappropriate secretion of antidiuretic hormone (SIADH), in whom diagnosis was performed using neuroendoscopy. The patient was a 56-year-old female who was hospitalized for hyponatremia and diagnosed with SIADH based on a detailed examination. During the course, she developed impaired consciousness due to acute hydrocephalus, which improved after ventricular drainage. Head magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) confirmed nodular lesions at the floor of the third ventricle and the cerebral aqueduct. Neuroendoscopic biopsy led to the diagnosis of neurosarcoidosis. Her hyponatremia improved after steroid therapy. Neurosarcoidosis can cause SIADH, and complication of hydrocephalus may lead to a poor prognosis. Neuroendoscopy appears to be effective for the diagnosis of neurosarcoidosis with hydrocephalus and helps in deciding the treatment modality.

Background: Hemodialysis patients often develop constipation due to dietary restriction and the use of phosphate and/or potassium binders. Lubiprostone is a novel laxative that promotes defecation by activating the chloride ion channel 2 (ClC-2) in the gastrointestinal tract. While lubiprostone has been reported to be useful in bowel control of dialysis patients, no studies have examined changes in electrolyte levels following administration of lubiprostone. Methods: We prospectively compared stool frequency and electrolyte levels before and after treatment with lubiprostone in 28 hemodialysis patients treated with the drug for at least 3 months in our hospital. Results: Mean ± standard deviation of stool frequency was significantly increased from 1.8 ± 1.3 times/week before treatment to 4.3 ± 1.8 times/week at Month 1, 4.9 ± 1.9 times/week at Month 2, and 4.5±1.5 times/week at Month 3 (p < 0.001, p < 0.001, and p < 0.001, respectively). With regard to electrolyte levels, only serum inorganic phosphorus (IP) level was significantly decreased, from 4.7 ± 1.5 mg/dL at baseline to 4.5 ± 1.6 mg/dL at Month 1, 4.0 ± 1.3 mg/dL at Month 2, and 3.8 ± 1.1 mg/dL at Month 3 (p = 0.123, p < 0.001, and p < 0.001, respectively). Lubiprostone not only improved bowel control, but also decreased serum IP levels in hemodialysis patients. Conclusions: Lubiprostone may improve prognosis of hemodialysis patients through bowel control and a decrease in serum IP.

Diabetic nephropathy (DN) is a leading disease that requires renal replacement therapy. The progression of renal dysfunction in DN is faster than the other renal diseases. While antihypertensive therapy reduces albuminuria, a good indicator for the progression, hypertension in DN is treatment resistant. Among patients with DN who took angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs), 27 patients who exhibited poor control of albuminuria were enrolled into the study. Angiotensin receptor blocker was exchanged to aliskiren (150-300 mg/d) and clinical parameters were followed for 6 months. Exchange to aliskiren decreased albuminuria (1.57 ± 0.68 to 0.89 ± 0.45 g/gCr, P < .01) without changes in estimated glomerular filtration rate and office blood pressure (BP). Body weight and hemoglobin A1c were not altered. Aliskiren also reduced plasma renin activity (2.0 ± 0.9 to 1.2 ± 0.6 ng/mL/h, P < .01). While evening BP was unchanged, morning systolic BP (139 ± 8 to 132 ± 7 mm Hg, P < .01) and diastolic BP (81 ± 7 to 76 ± 6 mm Hg, P < .05) were decreased significantly after 6 months. Our results indicated that aliskiren decreased BP, especially morning BP in hypertensive patients with DN. The present data suggest that aliskiren exerts renoprotective actions including reduction in albumin excretion for patients with DN.

A 79-year-old man on hemodialysis was hospitalized for further investigation. Early gastric cancer was diagnosed by gastrointestinal endoscopy and endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) was performed. Fever and abdominal pain thereafter developed, and a severe inflammatory response was observed on a blood test. Contrast computed tomography (CT) showed ulcer-like projections and soft tissue surrounding the aorta, from the celiac to left renal artery. An infected aneurysm was diagnosed. Although infected aneurysms developing after laparoscopic cholecystectomy or biopsy of contiguous esophageal duplication cyst have been reported, those developing after ESD have not. When fever and abdominal pain develop after ESD, an infected aneurysm should be considered and contrast CT performed.

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