Background and Aims: Previous trials comparing cyclo-sporine and tacrolimus after liver transplantation (LT) showed conflicting results. Most used trough monitoring for cyclo-sporine (C0), leading... Show moreBackground and Aims: Previous trials comparing cyclo-sporine and tacrolimus after liver transplantation (LT) showed conflicting results. Most used trough monitoring for cyclo-sporine (C0), leading to less accurate dosing than with 2-h monitoring (C2). Only one larger trial compared C2 with tac-rolimus based on trough level (T0) after LT, with similar treat-ed biopsy-proven acute rejection (tBPAR) and graft loss, while a smaller trial had less tBPAR with C2 compared to T0. There-fore, it is still unclear which calcineurin inhibitor is preferred after LT. We aimed to demonstrate superior efficacy (tBPAR), tolerability, and safety of C2 or T0 after first LT. Methods: Patients after first LT were randomized to C2 or T0. tBPAR, patient-and graft survival, safety and tolerability were the main endpoints, with analysis by Fisher test, Kaplan-Meier survival analysis and log-rank test. Results: In intention-to- treat analysis 84 patients on C2 and 85 on T0 were included. Cumulative incidence of tBPAR C2 vs. T0 was 17.7% vs. 8.4% at 3 months (p=0.104), and 21.9% vs. 9.7% at 6 and 12 months (p=0.049). One-year cumulative mortality C2 vs. T0 was 15.5% vs. 5.9% (p=0.049) and graft loss 23.8% vs. 9.4% (p=0.015). Serum triglyceride and LDL-cholesterol was lower with T0 than with C2. Incidence of diarrhea in T0 vs, C2 was 64% vs. 31% (p <= 0.001), with no other differences in safety and tolerability. Conclusions: In the first year after LT immunosuppression with T0 leads to less tBPAR and better patient-/re-transplant-free survival as compared to C2. Show less
Janki, S.; Dehghan, A.; Wetering, J. van de; Steyerberg, E.W.; Klop, K.W.J.; Kimenai, H.J.A.N.; ... ; Ijzermans, J.N.M. 2020
Background Live donor nephrectomy is a safe procedure. However, long-term donor prognosis is debated, necessitating high-quality studies. Methods A follow-up study of 761 living kidney donors was... Show moreBackground Live donor nephrectomy is a safe procedure. However, long-term donor prognosis is debated, necessitating high-quality studies. Methods A follow-up study of 761 living kidney donors was conducted, who visited the outpatient clinic and were propensity score matched and compared to 1522 non-donors from population-based cohort studies. Primary outcome was kidney function. Secondary outcomes were BMI (kg/m(2)), incidences of hypertension, diabetes, cardiovascular events, cardiovascular and overall mortality, and quality of life. Results Median follow-up after donation was 8.0 years. Donors had an increase in serum creatinine of 26 mu mol/l (95% CI 24-28), a decrease in eGFR of 27 ml/min/1.73 m(2) (95% CI - 29 to - 26), and an eGFR decline of 32% (95% CI 30-33) as compared to non-donors. There was no difference in outcomes between the groups for ESRD, microalbuminuria, BMI, incidence of diabetes or cardiovascular events, and mortality. A lower risk of new-onset hypertension (OR 0.45, 95% CI 0.33-0.62) was found among donors. The EQ-5D health-related scores were higher among donors, whereas the SF-12 physical and mental component scores were lower. Conclusion Loss of kidney mass after live donation does not translate into negative long-term outcomes in terms of morbidity and mortality compared to non-donors. Show less
Aims Neladenoson bialanate is a partial adenosine A1 receptor agonist with demonstrated beneficial effects on cardiac function in animal models. We aimed to assess the dose-response effect of... Show moreAims Neladenoson bialanate is a partial adenosine A1 receptor agonist with demonstrated beneficial effects on cardiac function in animal models. We aimed to assess the dose-response effect of neladenoson bialanate on cardiac structure and function, clinical outcome, and safety in patients with heart failure (HF) with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF).Methods and results PANTHEON was a dose-finding, phase IIb, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial conducted in 92 centres in 11 countries including 462 patients with chronic HFrEF, randomized to once daily oral dose of neladenoson bialanate (5, 10, 20, 30, and 40mg) or placebo. The primary endpoints were change from baseline to 20weeks in left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) (echocardiography) and in N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP). Mean age of the patients was 67 years, 17% were female, mean LVEF was 28%, mean NT-proBNP was 2085 ng/L. After 20weeks of treatment, there was no dose-effect of neladenoson bialanate on changes in NT-proBNP or LVEF (primary endpoints). No effect of neladenoson bialanate was found on left ventricular volumes, high-sensitivity troponin T, or cardiovascular mortality, HF hospitalization, and urgent visits for HF (secondary endpoints). There was a dose-dependent increase in creatinine and cystatin C, and a dose-dependent decrease in estimated glomerular filtration rate and heart rate.Conclusions In patients with chronic HFrEF, treatment with neladenoson bialanate was not associated with dose-dependent favourable effects on cardiac structure and function, cardiac risk markers, or clinical outcome but was associated with a dose-dependent decrease in renal function.Clinical Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier NCT02992288. Show less
Aims Neladenoson bialanate is a partial adenosine A1 receptor agonist with demonstrated beneficial effects on cardiac function in animal models. We aimed to assess the dose-response effect of... Show moreAims Neladenoson bialanate is a partial adenosine A1 receptor agonist with demonstrated beneficial effects on cardiac function in animal models. We aimed to assess the dose-response effect of neladenoson bialanate on cardiac structure and function, clinical outcome, and safety in patients with heart failure (HF) with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF). Methods and results PANTHEON was a dose-finding, phase IIb, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial conducted in 92 centres in 11 countries including 462 patients with chronic HFrEF, randomized to once daily oral dose of neladenoson bialanate (5, 10, 20, 30, and 40 mg) or placebo. The primary endpoints were change from baseline to 20 weeks in left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) (echocardiography) and in N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP). Mean age of the patients was 67 years, 17% were female, mean LVEF was 28%, mean NT-proBNP was 2085 ng/L. After 20 weeks of treatment, there was no dose-effect of neladenoson bialanate on changes in NT-proBNP or LVEF (primary endpoints). No effect of neladenoson bialanate was found on left ventricular volumes, high-sensitivity troponin T, or cardiovascular mortality, HF hospitalization, and urgent visits for HF (secondary endpoints). There was a dose-dependent increase in creatinine and cystatin C, and a dose-dependent decrease in estimated glomerular filtration rate and heart rate. Conclusions In patients with chronic HFrEF, treatment with neladenoson bialanate was not associated with dose-dependent favourable effects on cardiac structure and function, cardiac risk markers, or clinical outcome but was associated with a dose-dependent decrease in renal function. Clinical Trial Registration: identifier NCT02992288. Show less
Eps, R.G.S. van; Nemeth, B.; Mairuhu, R.T.A.; Wever, J.J.; Veger, H.T.C.; Overhagen, H. van; ... ; Knippenberg, B. 2017
Renal clearance is responsible for the elimination of a large number of water-soluble drugs and metabolites and is therefore of large importance when characterizing the pharmacokinetics of drugs.... Show moreRenal clearance is responsible for the elimination of a large number of water-soluble drugs and metabolites and is therefore of large importance when characterizing the pharmacokinetics of drugs. Renal clearance includes glomerular filtration, tubular secretion and reabsorption and each of these processes is subject to different developmental changes. To estimate the renal clearance of drugs in children, a thorough understanding of these developmental changes in the different subprocesses contributing to renal function is needed. Therefore the aim of the research described in this thesis was to characterize the developmental changes in renal function over the entire pediatric age range. To this end, a system-based pharmacology approach was applied implicating that within the models for the different subprocesses contributing to renal function a distinction was made between system-specific and drug-specific properties. The transition to a more system-based pharmacology approach and the combination of different strategies (extrapolation to other drugs, adult data or non-clinical data) will result in an approach focusing on the underlying system instead of focusing on the drugs and may facilitate development of pharmacokinetic models and evidence-based dosing regimens in the pediatric population. Show less
Knowledge of physiological changes in renal function, EPO and haemoglobin level and their impact at old age are essential for clinicians especially those working with older patients. The results of... Show moreKnowledge of physiological changes in renal function, EPO and haemoglobin level and their impact at old age are essential for clinicians especially those working with older patients. The results of the studies presented in this thesis provide more insight in the physiological aspects of age related decline in renal function and the relation with erythropoietin production and the maintenance of haemoglobin levels at old age. Furthermore, these results allow us to speculate about the predictive value of renal function, EPO and haemoglobin as markers of mortality in a clinical population of oldest old patients. Proper knowledge of these markers could contribute to increased attention of clinicians for the increased mortality risk of their oldest old patients. Furthermore, knowledge of these markers could be helpful in tailor made medicine, individual prognostication and decision making procedures, in the oldest old patients. Show less
Goeij, M.C.M. de; Halbesma, N.; Dekker, F.W.; Wijsman, C.A.; Heemst, D. van; Maier, A.B.; ... ; Craen, A.J.M. de 2014
This thesis investigated the effect of several risk factors on objectively assessed disease progression (renal function decline and time until the start of renal replacement therapy) and... Show moreThis thesis investigated the effect of several risk factors on objectively assessed disease progression (renal function decline and time until the start of renal replacement therapy) and subjectively assessed disease progression (disease-related symptoms and health-related quality of life) in patients with chronic kidney disease on specialized pre-dialysis care. Furthermore, we explored (un)known mechanisms that may determine renal function decline in pre-dialysis patients. The conclusions are: low blood pressure, low proteinuria levels, and low cholesterol levels are associated with a slower objectively assessed disease progression. However, in elderly patients low blood pressure is a marker for an earlier start of renal replacement therapy. Concerning subjectively assessed disease progression, only in young patients treated with anemia-medication, high hemoglobin levels are associated with a better health-relate d quality of life. Furthermore, symptoms increase and health-related quality of life decreases during pre-dialysis care. Therefore, these markers are good candidates for defining the optimal moment to start with dialysis. This thesis also showed that black patients experience a faster renal function decline than white patients. A possible explanation could be the stronger negative consequences of diabetes mellitus in black patients. Finally, at middle-age, renal function is higher in longevity families, revealing possible new genetic mechanisms. Show less
BackgroundNon-equivalence in serum creatinine (SCr) measurements across Dutch laboratories and the consequences hereof on chronic kidney disease (CKD) staging were examined. MethodsNational data... Show moreBackgroundNon-equivalence in serum creatinine (SCr) measurements across Dutch laboratories and the consequences hereof on chronic kidney disease (CKD) staging were examined. MethodsNational data from the Dutch annual external quality organization of 2009 were used. 144 participating laboratories examined 11 pairs of commutable, value-assigned SCr specimens in the range 52–262 μmol/L, using Jaffe or enzymatic techniques. Regression equations were created for each participating laboratory (by regressing values as measured by participating laboratories on the target values of the samples sent by the external quality organization); area under the curves were examined and used to rank laboratories. The 10th and 90th percentile regression equation were selected for each technique separately. To evaluate the impact of the variability in SCr measurements and its eventual clinical consequences in a real patient population, we used a cohort of 82424 patients aged 19–106 years. The SCr measurements of these 82424 patients were introduced in the 10th and 90th percentile regression equations. The newly calculated SCr values were used to calculate an estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) using the 4-variable Isotope Dilution Mass Spectrometry traceable Modification of Diet in Renal Disease formula. Differences in CKD staging were examined, comparing the stratification outcomes for Jaffe and enzymatic SCr techniques. ResultsJaffe techniques overestimated SCr: 21%, 12%, 10% for SCr target values 52, 73 and 94 μmol/L, respectively. For enzymatic assay these values were 0%, -1%, -2%, respectively. eGFR using the MDRD formula and SCr measured by Jaffe techniques, staged patients in a lower CKD category. Downgrading to a lower CKD stage occurred in 1-42%, 2-37% and 12–78.9% of patients for the 10th and 90th percentile laboratories respectively in CKD categories 45–60, 60–90 and >90 ml/min/1.73 m2. Using enzymatic techniques, downgrading occurred only in 2-4% of patients. ConclusionsEnzymatic techniques lead to less variability in SCr measurements than Jaffe techniques, and therefore result in more accurate staging of CKD. Therefore the specific enzymatic techniques are preferably used in clinical practice in order to generate more reliable GFR estimates. Show less
BackgroundNon-equivalence in serum creatinine (SCr) measurements across Dutch laboratories and the consequences hereof on chronic kidney disease (CKD) staging were examined. MethodsNational data... Show moreBackgroundNon-equivalence in serum creatinine (SCr) measurements across Dutch laboratories and the consequences hereof on chronic kidney disease (CKD) staging were examined. MethodsNational data from the Dutch annual external quality organization of 2009 were used. 144 participating laboratories examined 11 pairs of commutable, value-assigned SCr specimens in the range 52–262 μmol/L, using Jaffe or enzymatic techniques. Regression equations were created for each participating laboratory (by regressing values as measured by participating laboratories on the target values of the samples sent by the external quality organization); area under the curves were examined and used to rank laboratories. The 10th and 90th percentile regression equation were selected for each technique separately. To evaluate the impact of the variability in SCr measurements and its eventual clinical consequences in a real patient population, we used a cohort of 82424 patients aged 19–106 years. The SCr measurements of these 82424 patients were introduced in the 10th and 90th percentile regression equations. The newly calculated SCr values were used to calculate an estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) using the 4-variable Isotope Dilution Mass Spectrometry traceable Modification of Diet in Renal Disease formula. Differences in CKD staging were examined, comparing the stratification outcomes for Jaffe and enzymatic SCr techniques. ResultsJaffe techniques overestimated SCr: 21%, 12%, 10% for SCr target values 52, 73 and 94 μmol/L, respectively. For enzymatic assay these values were 0%, -1%, -2%, respectively. eGFR using the MDRD formula and SCr measured by Jaffe techniques, staged patients in a lower CKD category. Downgrading to a lower CKD stage occurred in 1-42%, 2-37% and 12–78.9% of patients for the 10th and 90th percentile laboratories respectively in CKD categories 45–60, 60–90 and >90 ml/min/1.73 m2. Using enzymatic techniques, downgrading occurred only in 2-4% of patients. ConclusionsEnzymatic techniques lead to less variability in SCr measurements than Jaffe techniques, and therefore result in more accurate staging of CKD. Therefore the specific enzymatic techniques are preferably used in clinical practice in order to generate more reliable GFR estimates. Show less
