Tuberous sclerosis is rarely associated with autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease in the so-called tuberous sclerosis complex. This association leads to an increased frequency of end-stage renal disease. We present a patient suffering from both syndromes, who received a renal graft and anticalcineurinic drugs as immunosuppressive agents. Progressive titration of the drug was necessary in order to attain the effective doses due to the enzymatic induction caused by concomitant treatment with antiepileptic drugs. These high doses resulted in nephrotoxicity. Immunosuppressor treatment was switched to rapamycin, whereby an improvement in renal function and other signs of tuberous sclerosis and polycystic kidney disease was observed. This case report highlights both the efficacy and safety of rapamycin as an immunosuppressor treatment and its capacity for controlling other symptoms of these genetic-related disorders.

Lanthanum carbonate is a nonaluminum, noncalcium phosphate-binding agent, which is widely used in patients with end-stage chronic kidney disease. Until now, no significant side-effects have been described for the clinical use of lanthanum carbonate, and there are no available clinical data regarding its tissue stores. Here we report the case of a 59-year-old patient who was admitted with confusional syndrome. The patient received 3750 mg of lanthanum carbonate daily. Examinations were carried out, and the etiology of the encephalopathy of the patient could not be singled out. The lanthanum carbonate levels in serum and cerebrospinal fluid were high, and the syndrome eased after the drug was removed. The results of our study confirm that, in our case, the lanthanum carbonate did cross the blood-brain barrier (BBB). Although lanthanum carbonate seems a safe drug with minimal absorption, this work reveals the problem derived from the increase of serum levels of lanthanum carbonate, and the possibility that it may cross the BBB. Further research is required on the possible pathologies that increase serum levels of lanthanum carbonate, as well as the risks and side-effects derived from its absorption.

Living donor kidney transplantation (LDKT) is the best treatment option for end stage renal disease in terms of both patient and graft survival. However, figures on LDKT in Spain that had been continuously growing from 2005 to 2014, have experienced a continuous decrease in the last five years. One possible explanation for this decrease is that the significant increase in the number of deceased donors in Spain during the last years, both brain death and controlled circulatory death donors, might have generated the false idea that we have coped with the transplant needs. Moreover, a greater number of deceased donor kidney transplants have caused a heavy workload for the transplant teams. Furthermore, the transplant teams could have moved on to a more conservative approach to the information and assessment of patients and families considering the potential long-term risks for donors in recent papers. However, there is a significant variability in the LDKT rate among transplant centers and regions in Spain independent of their deceased donor rates. This fact and the fact that LDKT is usually a preemptive option for patients with advanced chronic renal failure, as time on dialysis is a negative independent factor for transplant outcomes, lead us to conclude that the decrease in LDKT depends on other factors. Thus, in the kidney transplant annual meeting held at ONT site in 2018, a working group was created to identify other causes for the decrease of LDKT in Spain and its relationship with the different steps of the process. The group was formed by transplant teams, a representative of the transplant group of the Spanish Society of Nephrology (SENTRA), a representative of the Spanish Society of Transplants (SET) and representatives of the Spanish National Transplant Organization (ONT). A self-evaluation survey that contains requests about the phases of the LDKT processes (information, donor work out, informed consent, surgeries, follow-up and human resources) were developed and sent to 33 LDKT teams. All the centers answered the questionnaire. The analysis of the answers has resulted in the creation of a national analysis of strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats (SWOT) of the LDKT program in Spain and the development of recommendations targeted to improve every step of the donation process. The work performed, the conclusions and recommendations provided, have been reflected in the following report: Spanish living donor kidney transplant program assessment: recommendations for optimization. This document has also been reviewed by a panel of experts, representatives of the scientific societies (Spanish Society of Urology (AEU), Spanish Society of Nephrology Nursery (SEDEN), Spanish Society of Immunology (SEI/GETH)) and the patient association ALCER. Finally, the report has been submitted to public consultation, reaching ample consensus. In addition, the transplant competent authorities of the different regions in Spain have adopted the report at institutional level. The work done and the recommendations to optimize LDKT are summarized in the present manuscript, organized by the different phases of the donation process.

Introduction: The protocol for deceased donor kidney transplants has been standardised. The procedure for a living donor has peculiarities derived from the differences in the graft. When a living kidney donor program is implemented, changes occur in both the profile of the kidney transplant candidate and in the postoperative treatments. Aims: To discover whether a living donor program influences the functional outcomes of kidney grafts in a longstanding classical deceased donor kidney transplant program and to identify the factors associated with transplant outcomes. Methods: Retrospective observational multicentre study. Sample: Kidney transplant patients in two urology referral centres for renal transplant in Spain between 1994 and 2019. Groups: TV (living transplant): patients given kidney transplants from living donors (n = 150); TCpre11 (deceased transplant previous to 2011): patients given kidney transplants from deceased donors before the living donor program was implemented (n = 650); and TCpost11 (deceased transplant after 2011): patients given kidney transplants from deceased donors after the living donor program was implemented (n = 500). Results: Mean age was 55.75 years (18–80 years), higher in TCpre11. There were 493 female patients (37.92%) and 1007 male patients (62.08%). Mean body mass index (BMI) was 26.69 kg/m² (17.50–42.78 kg/m²), higher in TCpre11. Mean ischemia time was 17.97 h (6–29 h), higher in TCpost11. Median duration of urethral catheter: 8 days (6–98 days), higher in TCpost11. Median duration of double-J ureteral stent: 58 days (24–180 days), higher in TCpost11. Pretransplant UTIs: 17.77%, higher in TCpre11 (25.69%) than in TV (12%), higher in TV (12%) than TCpost11 (9.2%), and higher in TCpre11 (25.69%) than TCpost11 (9.2%). Acute renal rejection in 9.33% of TV, 14.77% of TCpre11, and 9.8% of TCpost11. Multivariate analysis: TCpost11 featured higher BMI, more smoking, and chronic renal failure progression time. Lower use of nonantibiotic prophylaxis to prevent recurrent urinary tract infections, increased duration of urethral catheters due to obstructive problems, and favoured deterioration of kidney function was observed in the deceased donor program. The living donor (LD) program had a strong influence on deceased donor transplants in the prelysis phase. Implementation of a LD program was associated with a decrease in the likelihood of acute rejection in TCpost11 and an increase in the tendency towards normal kidney function. Conclusions: Implementing living donor transplant programs affects functional outcomes in deceased donor transplants, reducing the probability of acute rejection and increasing the tendency towards normal kidney function. Preventing recurrent urinary tract infections with measures other than antibiotics, smoking cessation, delaying the removal of the double-J stent from the graft, and pre-emptive transplant (transplant prior to dialysis) are associated with improved renal function of the graft.

Background/Objectives: Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a significant risk factor for thrombogenic and bleeding events in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF). Left atrial appendage occlusion (LAAO) is increasingly utilized as an alternative to oral anticoagulation. We aimed to compare LAAO against medical therapy in advanced CKD patients (A-CKD). Methods: We conducted a retrospective cohort study to compare patients with AF who had undergone LAAO (intervention group) or patients receiving oral anticoagulation (OAC) (control group). All of them had the diagnosis of A-CKD (estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) < 30 mL/min/1.73 m²). The primary endpoint was a composite of stroke, transient ischemic attack (TIA), systemic embolism (SE), and major bleeding. Secondary endpoints included: an efficacy combined endpoint (a composition of stroke, TIA, and SE); major bleedings (defined as Bleeding Academic Research Consortium (BARC) ≥ 3), and mortality at follow-up. A propensity score matching was used to balance the populations. Results: In total, 81 and 102 patients composed the LAAO and anticoagulation groups. Mean age was 78.27 ± 10.3 and 81.2 ± 9.07 (p = 0.069) and female sex was 38.3% and 44.1%, respectively. Patients who underwent LAAO had a higher HAS-BLED score: 3.46 ± 0.85 vs. 3.77 ± 1.06, p = 0.011. Median follow-up was 19.0 months [IQR: 10.9–33.5]. There were no differences in the primary combined endpoint at 3-years follow-up—22.2% vs. 34.2% (hazard ratio (HR) 0.63, CI-95%: 0.353–1.11, p = 0.102)—nor respecting the efficacy combined endpoint: 3.7% vs. 6.9% (HR 0.54, CI-95%: 0.14–2.09, p = 0.355). Patients under anticoagulation treatment did present major bleedings (BARC ≥ 3) more often than the intervention group: 38.3%vs50% (HR 0.52, CI-95%: 0.28–0.96, p = 0.031). A total of 15 patients (14.7%) from the control group underwent LAAO during follow-up. After a propensity score matching analysis, the primary combined endpoint was more frequent in the control group (HR 0.47, CI-95%: 0.25–0.90, p = 0.019). Conclusions: Compared with oral anticoagulation therapy, LAAO had no differences in efficacy, but fewer major bleeding rates were found.