Background/Aim: An imbalance in renal redox status contributes to progression of renal dysfunction. We investigated the effects of an oral charcoal adsorbent (AST-120) on renal redox status, superoxide production from renal mitochondria, and serum lipid peroxidation using chronic kidney disease (CKD) model rats. Methods: CKD was induced by 5/6 nephrectomy. CKD rats were divided into 2 groups: controls, and those treated with AST-120 for 20 weeks. We evaluated: (1) renal redox status by in vivo low-frequency electron spin resonance imaging (EPRI); (2) renal superoxide scavenging activity (SSA); (3) superoxide production from renal mitochondria; (4) immunostaining for Cu-Zn superoxide dismutase (SOD), and (5) oxidative stress markers including LDL-negative charge (LDL-CMF), serum lipid peroxide (LPO) and urinary hexanoyl-lysine (HEL). The effect of indoxyl sulfate, a uremic toxin, on mitochondrial superoxide production was also investigated. Results: AST-120 treatment improved renal function, renal SSA, renal mitochondrial superoxide production, renal SOD expression, renal redox status by EPRI, and oxidative stress profiles by LDL-CMF, LPO and urinary HEL. Addition of indoxyl sulfate increased mitochondrial superoxide production and AST-120 also decreased this. Conclusions: Improvements in the redox status and lipid peroxidation induced by AST-120 may delay the progression of CKD.

Background Gait speed (GS) and handgrip strength (HGS), both factors associated with frailty and sarcopenia, are reportedly associated with CV events in the general population. However, little is known about the impact of these factors on the outcome of patients on dialysis. This study aimed to evaluate whether evaluation of GS and HGS could be associated the onset of fatal/non-fatal cardiovascular (CV) events in patients on haemodialysis (HD). Methods One-hundred-eighty-two patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) undergoing HD at four dialysis clinics in April 2015 provided written informed consent to participate in the study. We excluded patients who had physical disability, were unable to walk without help, or had recently experienced CV events. Usual GS over a 4-m walk and HGS were measured at baseline, and 173 patients (men, 124; women, 49) were divided into sex-specific quartiles according to GS and HGS and were followed-up for fatal/non-fatal CV events for a median of 2 years. We examined the association of GS and HGS with CV events and determined cut-off values using Cox regression analysis adjusted for age, sex, HD duration, history of CVD, and diabetes. Results During the follow-up period, 46 CV events occurred. Both physical performance factors were significantly associated with CV events. Low GS (< 0.82 m/s for men and 0.81 m/s for women) and weak HGS (< 29.0 kg for men and 19.7 kg for women) were associated with CV events. For low vs. high GS, the hazard ratio (HR) for CV events was 2.29 [95% confidence interval (CI): 1.20–4.33; P = 0.01], and for low vs. high HGS, the HR was 2.15 [95% CI: 1.00–5.04; P < 0.05]. These HRs remained significant after adjusting for confounding factors, such as sex, age, dialysis vintage, history of CV disease, and diabetes. Conclusions Slow GS and weak HGS in patients on HD were suggested to be independent predictors of fatal/non-fatal CV events. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s12882-019-1370-6) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

ObjectivesTo examine the association between insomnia and hypertension (HT) in Japanese male workers.

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