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BUN Levels (bun + level)
Selected AbstractsEffects of simultaneous kidney-pancreaticoduodenal transplantation on diabetes-induced renal insufficiency in ratsMICROSURGERY, Issue 4 2001Jin Han Yoon M.D., Ph.D. An investigation of the functional and histological changes was done after en-bloc kidney-pancreaticoduodenal transplantation (kpdt) in the diabetes-induced, renal insufficient Lewis rats. For donor preparation, an end-to-side portocaval shunt was performed, and the aortic, vena caval segments, and ureter-bladder patch were obtained. They were anastomosed microsurgically to recipient's aorta, vena cava, and bladder in end-to-side fashion. Of 15 diabetes-induced kpdt rats, 14 survived. Two of the 14 surviving rats showed ischemic necrosis. The remaining 12 transplants showed well-preserved glomeruli and Langerhans islets for 5 months postoperatively. Biochemical data comparing diabetic and sham-operated rats (six rats each), six diabetic controls, and 12 kpdt rats showed no significant statistical difference at said observation period. The diabetes-induced kpdt rats showed improvement of following biochemical data: within 1 week postoperatively, the glucose level fell from 300 to 115 mg/dL; BUN level from >20 to <20 mg/dL; the creatinine level from 1.5 to <1.2 mg/dL. The insulin level returned to normal, 1.1 ng/mL, in 2 weeks. The results demonstrate that the kpdt model is an effective and successful operative technique in diabetic rats and may provide effective therapeutic methods for diabetes-induced renal insufficiency. © 2001 Wiley-Liss, Inc. MICROSURGERY 21:173,178 2001 [source] Melatonin protects against endosulfan-induced oxidative tissue damage in ratsJOURNAL OF PINEAL RESEARCH, Issue 4 2008Gülden Z. Omurtag Abstract:, Endosulfan is a chlorinated cyclodiene insecticide which induces oxidative stress. In this study, we investigated the possible protective effect of melatonin, an antioxidant agent, against endosulfan (Endo)-induced toxicity in rats. Wistar albino rats (n = 8) were administered endosulfan (22 mg/kg/day orally) followed by either saline (Endo group) or melatonin (10 mg/kg/day, Endo + Mel group) for 5 days. In other rats, saline (control group) or melatonin (10 mg/kg/day, Mel group) was injected for 5 days, following corn oil administration (vehicle of endosulfan). Measurement of malondialdehyde (MDA) and glutathione (GSH) levels, myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity and collagen content were performed in liver and kidney. Furthermore, aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), blood urea nitrogen (BUN), and creatinine levels, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) activity were measured in the serum samples, while tumor necrosis factor-, (TNF-,), interleukin-, (IL-,) and total antioxidant capacity (AOC) were assayed in plasma samples. Endosulfan administration caused a significant decrease in tissue GSH and plasma AOC, which was accompanied with significant rises in tissue MDA and collagen levels and MPO activity. Moreover, the proinflammatory mediators (TNF-, and IL-,), LDH activity, AST, ALT, creatinine and BUN levels were significantly elevated in the endosulfan-treated rats. On the other hand, melatonin treatment reversed all these biochemical alterations induced by endosulfan. Our results suggest that oxidative mechanisms play an important role in endosulfan-induced tissue damage and melatonin, by inhibiting neutrophil infiltration, balancing oxidant,antioxidant status and regulating the generation of inflammatory mediators, ameliorates oxidative organ injury as a result of endosulfan toxicity. [source] Effective therapy for nephritis in (NZB × NZW)F1 mice with triptolide and tripdiolide, the principal active components of the Chinese herbal remedy Tripterygium wilfordii Hook FARTHRITIS & RHEUMATISM, Issue 6 2008Xuelian Tao Objective Triptolide and tripdiolide are thought to be active components of the Chinese antirheumatic herbal remedy Tripterygium wilfordii Hook F, which has been shown to be effective in treating murine lupus nephritis. This study was undertaken to examine the therapeutic effect of triptolide and tripdiolide on established lupus nephritis in (NZB × NZW)F1 mice. Methods (NZB × NZW)F1 mice were treated with vehicle, triptolide, or tripdiolide for 15 weeks beginning at the age of 29 weeks (after the development of lupus nephritis). Body weight, proteinuria, and anti,double-stranded DNA (anti-dsDNA) antibodies were monitored, and the kidney and spleen were assessed histologically. Culture supernatants of spleen mononuclear cells were assayed for cytokines. Results By 28 weeks, most (NZB × NZW)F1 mice had developed lupus nephritis. Vehicle-treated mice exhibited progressive proteinuria, hypoalbuminemia, elevated blood urea nitrogen (BUN) levels, and evidence of severe nephritis. In contrast, proteinuria and BUN levels were significantly reduced in mice treated with either triptolide or tripdiolide as compared with those treated with vehicle. There was no hypoalbuminemia or apparent evidence of lupus nephritis in mice treated with either of the 2 diterpenoids. At 44 weeks of age, the survival rate in mice treated with vehicle (35.7%) was markedly lower than that in mice treated with either triptolide (87.5%) or tripdiolide (88.2%). The mean level of anti-dsDNA antibody in mice treated with tripdiolide was lower than that in the vehicle-treated mice upon completion of the treatment course. Production of tumor necrosis factor, interleukin-6, and monocyte chemoattractant protein 1 by spleen cells was also decreased after diterpenoid therapy. Conclusion Therapy with triptolide or tripdiolide significantly ameliorated lupus nephritis in (NZB × NZW)F1 mice, reduced cytokine and chemokine production, and prolonged survival. [source] Pulmonary complications in chronic lymphocytic leukemiaCANCER, Issue 9 2003Shahid Ahmed M.D. Abstract BACKGROUND Although pulmonary complications account for significant morbidity and mortality in patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), to the authors' knowledge there are sparse data available in published literature. The authors evaluated pulmonary complications in patients with CLL and identified prognostic variables that predict hospital mortality in these patients. METHODS Clinical data were analyzed retrospectively from patients with CLL who required hospitalization for a respiratory illness at a tertiary care institution from January 1993 to December 2001. A logistic regression analysis with a backward elimination procedure was carried out to determine prognostic variables that predict hospital mortality. RESULTS There were 110 patients who were admitted on 142 occasions with a pulmonary complication. The median age was 75 years (range, 43,97 years), and the male:female ratio was 1.7:1.0. Among 142 admissions, 68% were high risk according to the Rai criteria, 68% of patients admitted had received prior therapy for CLL, and 35% had received treatment within 3 months of admission. The most common pulmonary complications were pneumonias (75%), malignant pleural effusion/and or lung infiltrate due to CLL (9%), pulmonary leukostasis (4%), Richter transformation or nonsmall cell lung carcinoma (3%), and upper airway obstruction (2%). Forty-four of 110 patients (40%) died. In multivariate analysis, admission absolute neutrophil counts , 0.5 × 109/L (odds ratio, 4.6; 95% confidence interval [95% CI], 1.3,16.6) and blood urea nitrogen (BUN) levels , 20 mg/dL (odds ratio, 3.0; 95% CI, 1.1,8.3) were correlated significantly with mortality. CONCLUSIONS Pneumonia was the major pulmonary complication in hospitalized patients with CLL. Severe neutropenia and high BUN levels were correlated significantly with increased mortality. Cancer 2003. © 2003 American Cancer Society. [source] Inhibition of inducible nitric oxide synthase reduces lipopolysaccharide-induced renal injury in the ratCLINICAL AND EXPERIMENTAL PHARMACOLOGY AND PHYSIOLOGY, Issue 12 2004M Kadkhodaee SUMMARY 1.,Gram-negative bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS) release and subsequent septic shock is a major cause of death in intensive care units. Lipopolysaccharide has been reported to increase the production of nitric oxide (NO) and the formation of oxygen-derived free radicals (OFR) in different organs. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the role of an inducible form of NO synthase (iNOS) and OFR production in LPS-induced renal impairment. 2.,Measurement of vitamin E as the most important fat-soluble anti-oxidant was used as a marker of tissue oxidative stress. Lipopolysaccharide (10 mg/kg), l -iminoethyl lysine (L-Nil; 3 mg/kg, i.p.; a specific inhibitor of iNOS activity) and dimethyl thiourea (DMTU; 500 mg/kg i.p.; a well-known OFR scavenger) were used. Four groups of eight rats were studied. One group received LPS, whereas a second group received LPS + L-Nil. A third group received LPS + DMTU and the fourth group, receiving saline, acted as a control group. To evaluate renal function, plasma creatinine and blood urea nitrogen (BUN) were measured. High-pressure liquid chromatography and ultraviolet detection were used to measure plasma and tissue vitamin E levels. Light microscopy was used to examine histopathological changes in the four groups. 3.,Lipopolysaccharide markedly decreased the vitamin E content of renal plasma and tissue (P < 0.05). Administration of L-Nil attenuated renal dysfunction and preserved vitamin E levels. However, DMTU failed to prevent renal injury, as indicated by plasma BUN levels and renal histology, despite the fact that it maintained renal vitamin E levels and increased plasma vitamin E levels. Thus, the overproduction of NO by iNOS may have a role in this model of LPS-induced renal impairment. [source] | ||||||||||