Browsing by Author "Martins, L."
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- Acute tubulointersticial nephritis with uveitis: A report of two casesPublication . Silva, F.; Correia, S.; Castro, A.; Moreira, C.; Santos, S.; Malheiro, J.; Santos, J.; Martins, L.; Cabrita, A.Tubulointersticial nephritis and uveitis syndrome is an idiopathic and rare cause of acute kidney injury that should not overlooked, because it usually requires specific therapeutic interventions. We report two distinct cases: a young and an elder female. Both cases presented with unspecific constitutional symptoms but had different onset of renal and ocular involvement. Both were treated with topical and systemic corticoids and although there was a good initial response in both cases, an early relapse after steroids taper was observed in the younger patient and a persistent renal dysfunction in the older one. A high clinical suspicion and understanding of this disease is necessary for an adequate management and treatment of these patients. Recent data associates a worse renal prognosis when the disease appears in advanced age. In both of our cases the outcome was good but we had a short follow-up. The histological presentation of this disease in our older patient was similar to that reported in the literature, with a high percentage of fibrosis and chronicity of renal tissue that can contribute to the higher grade of renal dysfunction in this type of patients.
- Advanced Glycation End Products Evolution after Pancreas-Kidney Transplantation: Plasmatic and Cutaneous AssessmentsPublication . Martins, L.; Oliveira, J.; Vizcaíno, J.; Fonseca, R.; Gouveia, C.; Silva, D.; Castro-Henriques, A.; Noronha, I.; Rodrigues, A.Diabetes mellitus leads to increased Advanced Glycation End Products (AGE) production, which has been associated with secondary diabetic complications. Type 1 diabetic patients undergoing pancreas-kidney transplantation (SPKT) can restore normoglycemia and renal function, eventually decreasing AGE accumulation. We aimed to prospectively study AGE evolution after SPKT. Circulating AGE were assessed in 20 patients, at time 0 (T0), 3 months (T3), 6 months (T6), and 12 months (T12) after successful SPKT. Global AGE and carboxymethyllysine (CML) were analyzed, as well as advanced oxidation protein products (AOPP). Skin biopsies were obtained at T0 and T12. Immunohistochemistry with anti-AGE antibody evaluated skin AGE deposition. AGE mean values were 16.8 ± 6.4 μg/mL at T0; 17.1 ± 3.8 μg/mL at T3; 17.5 ± 5.6 μg/mL at T6; and 16.0 ± 5.2 μg/mL at T12. CML mean values were 0.94 ± 0.36 ng/mL at T0; 1.11 ± 0.48 ng/mL at T3; 0.99 ± 0.42 ng/mL at T6; and 0.78 ± 0.38 ng/mL at T12. AOPP mean values were 130.1 ± 76.8 μMol/L at T0; 137.3 ± 110.6 μMol/L at T3; 116.4 ± 51.2 μMol/L at T6; and 106.4 ± 57.9 μMol/L at T12. CML variation was significant (P = 0.022); AOPP variation was nearly significant (P = 0.076). Skin biopsies evolved mostly from a cytoplasmic diffuse to a peripheral interkeratinocytic immunoreaction pattern; in 7 cases, a reduction in AGE immunoreaction intensity was evident at T12. In conclusion, glycoxidation markers decrease, plasmatic and on tissues, may start early after SPKT. Studies with prolonged follow-up may confirm these data.
- Autoimmune diabetes recurrence should be routinely monitored after pancreas transplantationPublication . Martins, L.Autoimmune type 1 diabetes recurrence in pancreas grafts was first described 30 years ago, but it is not yet completely understood. In fact, the number of transplants affected and possibly lost due to this disease may be falsely low. There may be insufficient awareness to this entity by clinicians, leading to underdiagnosis. Some authors estimate that half of the immunological losses in pancreas transplantation are due to autoimmunity. Pancreas biopsy is the gold standard for the definitive diagnosis. However, as an invasive procedure, it is not the ideal approach to screen the disease. Pancreatic autoantibodies which may be detected early before graft dysfunction, when searched for, are probably the best initial tool to establish the diagnosis. The purpose of this review is to revisit the autoimmune aspects of type 1 diabetes and to analyse data about the identified autoantibodies, as serological markers of the disease. Therapeutic strategies used to control the disease, though with unsatisfactory results, are also addressed. In addition, the author's own experience with the prospective monitoring of pancreatic autoantibodies after transplantation and its correlation with graft outcome will be discussed.
- BK virus nephropathy in kidney transplantation - A literature review following a clinical casePublication . Barreto, P.; Almeida, M.; Dias, L.; Vieira, P.; Pedroso, S.; Martins, L.; Castro-Henriques, A.; Cabrita, A.Over the last 15 years, better immunosuppressive drugs have decreased acute rejection rates in kidney transplantation but have also led to an increase in the incidence and impact of BK virus nephropathy. The authors report the case of a 62 -year -old man submitted to a renal transplant of a deceased donor with an immunosuppression regimen free of rabbit anti -thymocyte globulin and tacrolimus, in whom BK nephropathy was diagnosed at seven weeks post -transplant. Intravenous human immunoglobulin (IVIG) was administered after immunosuppression reduction. Instituted treatment was successful. This clinical case highlights the importance of a high index of suspicion for an atypical presentation of BK nephropathy in renal transplant recipients and strengthens the need for other therapeutic interventions beyond the reduction of immunosuppression. It was the starting point for a review of BK virus nephropathy in kidney transplantation with a focus on risk factors, diagnosis and treatment.
- Bone Mineral Density After Simultaneous Kidney–PancreasPublication . Pereira, S.; Pedroso, S.; Martins, L.; Santos, P.; Almeida, M.; Freitas, C.; Dias, L.; Dores, J.; Almeida, R.; Henriques, A.C.; Teixeira, M.ABSTRACT Bone disease and an high risk of fractures are major problems in transplantation. Among diabetic patients undergoing simultaneous kidney–pancreas (SKP) transplantation, there are few studies assessing long-term effects on bone mass. The aim of this study was to evaluate bone mineral density (BMD) over 4 years follow-up after SKP transplantation. Fifty-seven patients had 22.8 5.3 years of prior diabetes, 65% were female, and the overall mean age was 24.3 5.93 years. At the time of transplantation, the lumbar spine and femoral neck T-scores were 1.75 1.05 and 1.95 0.73, respectively; 28% of subjects had evidence of osteoporosis. One year after transplantation, 77.6% of patients displayed improved lumbar T-scores to 1.33 0.94 (.044) with stable femoral neck T-scores. Bone densitometry enhanced gradually through the 4 years follow-up: lumbar T-score to 1.04 0.67 (.004) and femoral neck T-score to 1.69 0.49 (.12). At year 4, no osteoporosis cases were detected but 86.7% of patients did not receive steroids in the immunosuppressive regimen. The graft function remained stable (serum creatinine, 1.2 mg/dL; fasting glucose, 87.7 mg/dL). During the follow-up, BMD improved more significantly at cortical sites. Our study reports a reduced prevalence of fractures (8.7%) compared with the literature, which could be related to a steroid-sparing protocol and/or aggressively treatment of osteoporosis.
- Combined Pancreas-Kidney Transplantation: A New Program in Portugal, Results From the First 12 CasesPublication . Martins, L.; Henriques, A.; Dias, L.; Ventura, A.; Seca, R.; Almeida, R.; Dores, J.; Bacelar, C.; Oliveira, F.; Lhamas, A.; Amil, M.; Rua, F.; Coelho, T.; Esteves, S.; Ribeiro, A.; Pereira, R.; Sarmento, A.; Teixeira, M.; Pereira, M.Transplant Proc. 2003 May;35(3):1107-8. Combined pancreas-kidney transplantation: a new program in Portugal, results from the first 12 cases. Martins L, Henriques A, Dias L, Ventura A, Seca R, Almeida R, Dores J, Bacelar C, Oliveira F, Lhamas A, Amil M, Rua F, Coelho T, Esteves S, Ribeiro A, Pereira R, Sarmento A, Teixeira M, Pereira M. Transplantation Department, Hospital Santo António, 4050, Porto, Portugal. lasalete@clix.pt PMID: 12947877 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
- Diagnosis of monoclonal gammopathy of renal significancePublication . Correia, S.; Santos, S.; Martins, L.; Santos, J.Monoclonal gammopathies are a heterogeneous group of disorders characterized by clonal proliferation of immunoglobulin produced by B-lymphocytes or plasma cell clone. The term monoclonal gammopathy of renal significance (MGRS) was introduced to distinguish monoclonal gammopathies that result in the development of kidney disease from those that are benign. Screening for monoclonal immunoglobulin and an appropriate hematologic workup are fundamental and sometimes a difficult challenge, with therapeutic and prognostic implications. Kidney biopsy is essential to determine the exact nature of the lesion and to evaluate the severity of renal disease. In this review we discuss the clinical and pathologic features of MGRS, highlighting the most diagnostic difficulties and current therapeutic options.
- Estimating glomerular filtration rate in kidney transplantation: Still searching for the best markerPublication . Santos, J.; Martins, L.Kidney transplantation is the treatment of choice for end-stage renal disease. The evaluation of graft function is mandatory in the management of renal transplant recipients. Glomerular filtration rate (GFR), is generally considered the best index of graft function and also a predictor of graft and patient survival. However GFR measurement using inulin clearance, the gold standard for its measurement and exogenous markers such as radiolabeled isotopes ((51)Cr EDTA, (99m)Tc DTPA or (125)I Iothalamate) and non-radioactive contrast agents (Iothalamate or Iohexol), is laborious as well as expensive, being rarely used in clinical practice. Therefore, endogenous markers, such as serum creatinine or cystatin C, are used to estimate kidney function, and equations using these markers adjusted to other variables, mainly demographic, are an attempt to improve accuracy in estimation of GFR (eGFR). Nevertheless, there is some concern about the inability of the available eGFR equations to accurately identify changes in GFR, in kidney transplant recipients. This article will review and discuss the performance and limitations of these endogenous markers and their equations as estimators of GFR in the kidney transplant recipients, and their ability in predicting significant clinical outcomes.
- Histiocytic sarcoma; case report of a rare disease in a kidney transplant recipientPublication . Ventura Aguiar, P.; Dias, C.; Azevedo, P.; Silva, H.; Almeida, M.; Pedroso, S.; Martins, L.; Dias, L.; Rodrigues, A.; Viscaíño, R.; Cabrita, A.; Henriques, A.BACKGROUND: Histiocytic sarcoma (HS) is a rare hematologic neoplasm with a few hundred cases having been described to date.
- Imaging of pancreas transplantation and its complicationsPublication . França, M.; Certo, M.; Martins, L.; Varzim, P.; Teixeira, M.; Castro-Henriques, A.; Ribeiro, A.; Alves, F.Abstract Pancreas transplantation is an effective treatment for type 1 diabetes mellitus and is being increasingly performed worldwide. Early recognition of graft-related complications is fundamental for graft survival; thus, radiologists must be aware of the transplantation technique, pancreas-graft imaging and postoperative complications. We present normal pancreas-graft imaging appearances and the imaging features of postoperative complications.
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