Background Fractal dimension is an indirect indicator of signal complexity. The aim was to evaluate the fractal and textural analysis parameters of glomeruli in obese and non-obese patients with glomerular diseases and association of these parameters with clinical features. Methods The study included 125 patients mean age 46 ± 15.2 years: obese (BMI ≥ 27 kg/m²-63 patients) and non-obese (BMI < 27 kg/m²-62 patients). Serum concentration of creatinine, protein, albumin, cholesterol, trygliceride, and daily proteinuria were measured. Formula Chronic Kidney Disease Epidemiology Colaboration (CKD-EPI) equation was calculated. Fractal (fractal dimension, lacunarity) and textural (angular second moment (ASM), textural correlation (COR), inverse difference moment (IDM), textural contrast (CON), variance) analysis parameters were compared between two groups. Results Obese patients had higher mean value of variance (t = 1.867), ASM (t = 1.532) and CON (t = 0.394) but without significant difference (P > 0.05) compared to non-obese. Mean value of COR (t = 0.108) and IDM (t = 0.185) were almost the same in two patient groups. Obese patients had higher value of lacunarity (t = 0.499) in comparison with non-obese, the mean value of fractal dimension (t = 0.225) was almost the same in two groups. Significantly positive association between variance and creatinine concentration (r = 0.499, P < 0.01), significantly negative association between variance and CKD-EPI (r = -0.448, P < 0.01), variance and sex (r = -0.339, P < 0.05) were found. Conclusions Variance showed significant correlation with serum creatinine concentration, CKD-EPI and sex. CON and IDM were significantly related to sex. Fractal and textural analysis parameters of glomeruli could become a supplement to histopathologic analysis of kidney tissue.

Background: Increased oxidative stress is a hallmark of end-stage renal disease. Hemodialysis (HD) patients lacking glutathione transferase M1 (GSTM1) enzyme activity exhibit enhanced oxidative DNA damage and higher mortality rate than those with active GSTM1 enzyme. To our knowledge, this is the first study to use the vitamin E-bonded membranes (VEM) in patients with homozygous GSTM1 gene deletion, and we aimed to determine the effect of VEM on oxidative and inflammatory status in HD patients with homozygous GSTM1 gene deletion. Methods: GSTM1 genotypes were determined by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in 170 chronic HD patients. Those with GSTM1-null genotype were randomized and 80 were included in the study. Forty of them were dialyzed for three months with VEM, while the other forty were dialyzed with high-flux same-surface polysulfone dialyzers. Markers of protein and lipid oxidative damage and inflammation (thiol groups, malondialdehyde (MDA), Interleukin-6 (IL-6)), together with plasma antioxidant activity (glutathione peroxidase (GPX), superoxide dismutase (SOD)) were determined. Results: Seventy-five patients finished the study. There were no differences at baseline in markers of protein and lipid oxidative damage, inflammation and plasma antioxidant activity. After three months of therapy, GPX, MDA, and thiol groups increased significantly in both groups, but without statistical significance between groups. SOD and C reactive protein (CRP) did not change significantly during the three-month period. IL-6 increased in the control group, and at the same time, decreased in the VEM group, but without statistical significance. Hemoglobin (Hb) value, red blood cells, erythropoiesis resistance index (ERI), serum ferritin and iron did not change significantly within or between groups. Regarding other laboratory parameters, proteins, albumins, triglycerides, serum phosphorus, serum bicarbonate and Kt/V showed significant improvements within groups but with no significant difference between groups. Conclusions: Our data shows that therapy with VEM over three months had no benefit over standard polysulfone membrane in decreasing by-products of oxidative stress and inflammation in dialysis patients lacking GSTM1 enzyme activity.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: The previous study showed a higher prevalence of coronavirus (COVID-19) in end-stage renal disease (ESRD) patients than in the general population (3.1% versus 0.1%). The presence of COVID-19 infection significantly increased the mortality rate of patients on dialysis compared to non-COVID patients (20.2% versus 0.2%). To date, no clear guidelines exist for the management of COVID-19 in renal patients. Bamlanivimab is a potent neutralizing monoclonal antibody that blocks severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) attachment and entry into human cells, which could potentially lead to therapeutic benefit. To our knowledge, this is the first study to use bamlanivimab in COVID-19+ haemodialysis (HD) patients with the aim to determine the effect of bamlanivimab on the mortality of these patients. METHOD: We conducted a retrospective case-control study across a single HD centre of non-hospitalized HD patients, with documented positive SARS-CoV-2 testing. We analysed the period from October 1 to November 14 2021, in which COVID-19+ patients were dialyzed in our institution. Cases were defined as HD patients who received bamlanivimab and controls were patients who did not receive bamlanivimab. Descriptive statistics, including chi-squared and Mann–Whitney U test, were performed. We used multinomial logistic regression to find the independent relationship between bamlanivimab use, disease severity, coronary artery disease (CAD), heart failure and 1-month mortality risk. RESULTS: Patients who received bamlanivimab frequently had the chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) than those in the control group. There were no significant differences between groups in any of the other parameters assessed (Table 1). Besides higher baseline ferritin levels in the control group, no other significant differences in biochemical markers were found between examined groups (Table 2). Over a 1-month follow-up, one patient (7.7%) died in the bamlinivimab group, while 8 patients (44.4%) died in the control group. Multinomial logistic regression revealed that no bamlanivimab treatment was given. CAD and disease severity increased the risks of mortality 39.1 times (P = 0.12), 81.7 times (P = 0.08) and 99.9 times (P = 0.04), respectively. CONCLUSION: In COVID-19+ HD patients, bamlanivimab has been a safe and effective treatment method, lowering mortality although not statistically significant. We also discovered that having a more severe clinical presentation at baseline, as well as having a CAD, was related to a greater risk of mortality. Our findings imply that larger, more conclusive clinical studies of bamlanivimab in HD patients with COVID 19 should be conducted.