This study was undertaken to compare the efficacy and safety of tacrolimus (Tac) with the microemulsion formulation of cyclosporin (CyA) in children undergoing renal transplantation. A 6-month, randomized, prospective, open, parallel group study with an open extension phase was conducted in 18 centers from nine European countries. In total, 196 pediatric patients (<18 years) were randomly assigned (1:1) to receive either Tac ( n=103) or CyA microemulsion ( n=93) administered concomitantly with azathioprine and corticosteroids. The primary endpoint was incidence and time to first acute rejection. Baseline characteristics were comparable between treatment groups. Tac therapy resulted in a significantly lower incidence of acute rejection (36.9%) compared with CyA therapy (59.1%) ( P=0.003). The incidence of corticosteroid-resistant rejection was also significantly lower in the Tac group compared with the CyA group (7.8% vs. 25.8%, P=0.001). The differences were also significant for biopsy-confirmed acute rejection (16.5% vs. 39.8%, P<0.001). At 1 year, patient survival was similar (96.1% vs. 96.6%), while 10 grafts were lost in the Tac group compared with 17 graft losses in the CyA group ( P=0.06). At 1 year, mean glomerular filtration rate (Schwartz estimate) was significantly higher in the Tac group (62+/-20 ml/min per 1.73 m(2), n=84) than in the CyA group (56+/-21 ml/min per 1.73 m(2), n=74, P=0.03). The most frequent adverse events during the first 6 months were hypertension (68.9% vs. 61.3%), hypomagnesemia (34.0% vs. 12.9%, P=0.001), and urinary tract infection (29.1% vs. 33.3%). Statistically significant differences ( P<0.05) were observed for diarrhea (13.6% vs. 3.2%), hypertrichosis (0.0% vs. 7.5%), flu syndrome (0.0% vs. 5.4%), and gum hyperplasia (0.0% vs. 5.4%). In previously non-diabetic children, the incidence of long-term (>30 days) insulin use was 3.0% (Tac) and 2.2% (CyA). Post-transplant lymphoproliferative disease was observed in 1 patient in the Tac group and 2 patients in the CyA group. In conclusion, Tac was significantly more effective than CyA microemulsion in preventing acute rejection after renal transplantation in a pediatric population. The overall safety profiles of the two regimens were comparable.

To compare the efficacy (induction of remission) and safety of cyclosporine (CsA) with those of supportive therapy in patients with steroid-resistant idiopathic nephrotic syndrome (INS), we organized an open, prospective, randomized, multicentric, controlled study for parallel groups, stratified for adults and children. Forty-five patients with steroid-resistant INS were randomly assigned to supportive therapy or CsA (5 mg/kg/day for adults, 6 mg/kg/day for children) for six months, then tapered off by 25% every two months until complete discontinuation. Four patients were lost to follow-up. During the first year 13/22 CsA-treated patients versus three of 19 controls attained remission of the nephrotic syndrome (P < 0.001). A symptom score was assessed at time 0 and at six months. The mean score significantly decreased in the CsA group (P < 0.001), but remained unchanged in the controls. At month 6 the mean urinary protein excretion, the mean serum proteins and plasma cholesterol had significantly improved in the CsA group but were not changed in the controls. There were no significant differences in serum creatinine and creatinine clearance between treatments (interaction time* treatments, P = 0.089 and P = 0.935, respectively) at month 6 versus basal. The CsA-related side-effects were mild; no significant difference in blood pressure between the two groups was seen at any time. This study shows that CsA can bring about remission in some 60% of patients with steroid-resistant INS. In patients with normal renal function and without severe hypertension, CsA at the therapeutic scheme adopted did not produce severe renal or extrarenal toxicity.

This paper demonstrated that patients affected by autosomal-dominant Alport syndrome have a high clinical variability. Moreover, a reduced penetrance of about 90% (3 of 25) may be considered for the assessment of recurrence risk during genetic counseling of these families.

Proteome treatments with peptide libraries in view of reducing high-abundance proteins and increasing the concentration of rare species involve the adsorption on solid-phase material. Subsequent elution of captured proteins may not be fully effective except when sequences of eluting agents are used. The standard way utilized up to the present has been a three- to four-step, sequential elution system consisting of various agents mixed together such as urea, thiourea, CHAPS, sodium chloride, citric or acetic acid and some polar solvents such as ACN and isopropanol. Elution sequences produce distinct fractions adding to the burden of having to analyze all of them. An alternative, highly effective, single elution to reduce the workload is here reported for the first time, namely elution in boiling 10% SDS added with 3% DTE. This single step elutes almost quantitatively the adsorbed proteins, thus ensuring, for all practical purposes, a full recovery. This high efficiency is believed to be due to the fact that the SDS micelles bury the polypeptide chains within their hydrophobic core, thus shielding them from the surroundings and impeding accidental adsorption to surfaces. Suggestions for selecting the best method to eliminate the excess of SDS for further protein analysis are also evaluated. The merits and limits of this novel system are assessed and discussed.

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