silicon and Kidney-Diseases

There is no doubt that particular occupational exposures may induce acute renal effects. The role of occupational exposure in the development or progression of chronic renal failure, however, is still not clear. Recent epidemiological studies point towards a contributive role of particular occupational exposures in the progression of renal disease. Furthermore, some observations in the 1994-1995 literature suggest a primary or secondary role, or both, of new substances such as silicon-containing compounds in the development of anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody-positive rapidly progressive glomerulonephritis and Wegener's granulomatosis. Finally, studies suggesting a particular sensitivity of the diabetic kidney towards the damaging effects of certain occupational exposures deserve confirmation.

Topics: Humans; Kidney Diseases; Occupational Diseases; Occupational Exposure; Silicon

In our previous study to evaluate the effects of soluble silicon (Si) on bone metabolism, Si and coral sand (CS) as a natural Si-containing material suppressed peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPARγ), which regulates both glucose and bone metabolism and increases adipogenesis at the expense of osteogenesis, leading to bone loss. In this study, we investigated the anti-diabetic effects of bone-seeking elements, Si and stable strontium (Sr), and CS as a natural material containing these elements using obese diabetic KKAy mice.. Weanling male mice were fed diets containing 1% Ca supplemented with CaCO(3) as the control and CS, and diets supplemented with 50 ppm Si or 750 ppm Sr to control diet for 56 d. The mRNA expressions related to energy expenditure in the pancreas and kidney were quantified by real-time polymerase chain reaction.. At the end of feeding, plasma glucose, insulin, leptin, and adiponectin levels decreased significantly in three test groups, while pancreatic PPARγ and adiponectin mRNA expression levels increased significantly toward the normal level, improving the glucose sensitivity of β-cells and inducing a significant decrease in insulin expression. The renal PPARγ, PPARα, and adiponectin expression levels, histologic indices of diabetic glomerulopathy, and plasma indices of renal function were also improved significantly in the test groups.. Taken together, anti-osteoporotic trace minerals, Si and Sr, and CS containing them showed novel anti-diabetic effects of lowering blood glucose level, improving the tolerance to insulin, leptin, and adiponectin, and reducing the risk of glomerulopathy through modulation of related gene expression in the pancreas and kidney.

Topics: Adiponectin; Animals; Biomarkers; Blood Glucose; Bone Density Conservation Agents; Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental; Diabetic Nephropathies; Dietary Supplements; Hypoglycemic Agents; Insulin; Kidney; Kidney Diseases; Kidney Glomerulus; Leptin; Male; Mice; Mice, Inbred Strains; Osteoporosis; Pancrelipase; PPAR gamma; Silicon; Silicon Compounds; Soil; Trace Elements

The Demers catheter is a silicone atrial catheter with a dacron cuff used as short- and long-term access for hemodialysis. It was implanted in 316 patients between January 1, 1987 through May 31, 1991. Data on these implantations were retrospectively analyzed and are reported here. Follow-up and analysis was possible in 404 of 417 Demers catheter implantations. The mean age of patients in this study was 61 years. For short-term use (< 91 days) 153 catheters were implanted in 135 patients, for long-term use (> 90 days) 251 catheters in 181 patients. The median life span of all 404 catheters was 87 days. The median life span for long-term use was 150 days (2-1302) per catheter and 220 days (92-1717) per patient. Catheter malfunction (arterial blood flow < 200 ml) was encountered every 876 days in the running time of the catheter. Twenty percent (n = 80) of the catheters were explanted because of complications. These included 42 cases of catheter malfunction and 22 cases of infection.

Topics: Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Catheterization; Female; Follow-Up Studies; Humans; Kidney Diseases; Male; Middle Aged; Renal Dialysis; Retrospective Studies; Silicon

The present study was undertaken to establish the relationship between serum and urine silicon and improve renal function and examine whether the increased urinary excretion of aluminium observed after successful renal transplantation was associated with silicon. The changes in silicon and aluminium concentrations in serum and urine were measured in 15 patients for a period of up to 17 days following a first renal transplant. Serum silicon, unlike aluminium, progressively decreased with improving renal function and was significantly positively correlated with serum aluminium but not with the silicon excretion. The urine excretion of aluminium peaked between 4-8 days post-transplantation and was highly significantly positively correlated with urine silicon. The individual patient fractional excretion profiles of aluminium and silicon were variable but in general gave significant positive correlations suggesting that the elements may be cleared by the kidney through a common mechanism or as a chemical species, possibly an hydroxyaluminosilicate. If soluble silicon can chemically interact with aluminium in vivo it may, as in the biosphere, be important in the control of aluminium toxicity and eventual detoxification. Thus, elevated serum silicon concentrations may help to alleviate aluminium toxicity in end-stage renal disease and assist in the rapid clearance of aluminium seen after kidney transplantation.

Topics: Adult; Aluminum; Female; Humans; Kidney Diseases; Kidney Transplantation; Male; Middle Aged; Postoperative Period; Silicon; Time Factors

Male Sprague-Dawley rats were exposed to high-dose (0.5%) lead acetate for periods ranging from 1 to 9 months; then lead exposure was discontinued, and animals were sacrificed after 12 months. Controls were pair-fed. Two additional groups of low-dose (0.01%) and high-dose (0.5%) rats were exposed to lead for 6 months, then lead was discontinued and the rats were treated with three 5-day courses of 0.5% DMSA (dimercaptosuccinic acid) over the next 6 months. Controls were rats exposed to lead for 6 months, then removed from exposure for 6 months without receiving DMSA. Low-dose lead-treated rats showed no significant pathological changes with or without DMSA treatment, but exhibited a significant increase in GFR after DMSA. High-dose lead-treated animals showed no functional or pathological changes when lead exposure was discontinued after 1 month. However, when duration of exposure was 6 or 9 months, GFR was decreased and serum creatinine and urea nitrogen were increased as compared to controls. Tubulointerstitial disease was severe. Administration of DMSA resulted in an improvement in GFR and a decrease in albuminuria, together with a reduction in size and number of nuclear inclusion bodies in proximal tubules. However, tubulointerstitial scarring was only minimally reduced. It may be concluded that, except for brief initial exposure, discontinuation of high-dose lead exposure fails to reverse lead-induced renal damage. Treatment with the chelator, DMSA, improves renal function but has less effect on pathological alterations. As GFR improved after DMSA treatment in both low-dose and high-dose lead-treated rats, irrespective of the degree of pathological alterations, it may be concluded that the DMSA effect is most likely mediated by hemodynamic changes.

Topics: Acetylglucosaminidase; Albuminuria; Animals; Blood Urea Nitrogen; Creatinine; Erythrocyte Membrane; Glomerular Filtration Rate; Glutathione Transferase; Hematocrit; Kidney; Kidney Diseases; Lead; Lead Poisoning; Male; Rats; Rats, Inbred Strains; Silicon; Sodium-Potassium-Exchanging ATPase; Succimer

We analyzed multiple trace elements in tap water, dialysis fluids, and CSF of patients on dialysis and with chronic renal insufficiency. Before placement of a deionizer in the dialysis unit, we found elevated levels of aluminum, barium, copper, silicon, and zinc in tap water and dialysis fluids. These were corrected by the deionizer. CSF silicon content was increased in patients with chronic renal insufficiency and on dialysis; CSF aluminum, barium, copper, and zinc were normal.

Topics: Adult; Aged; Dementia; Humans; Kidney Diseases; Middle Aged; Renal Dialysis; Silicon; Trace Elements

Comparatively with aluminium, human blood silicon concentration was determined by plasma emission spectrometry. In 33 healthy subjects mean value of 110 micrograms/l (s = 34) was obtained. In 14 patients with renal failure, but non dialyzed, Si increased and showed a good correlation with creatinine suggesting that Si is a good indicator of renal failure. In 127 hemodialyzed patients Si was increased up to a mean blood concentration of 1,740 micrograms/l and sometimes to values as high as 5,000 micrograms/l. Possible pathological consequences of this elevation are still to be determined.

Topics: Aluminum; Creatinine; Humans; Kidney Diseases; Renal Dialysis; Silicon

A number of oral preparations of various forms of silicon were fed to young adult Beagle dogs and young rats of both sexes for a period of four weeks. During the test period the animals were observed for clinical symptoms and urine and blood measurements were made. At the end of the experimental period all animals were sacrificed and subjected to a complete necropsy and histopathologic study. Polydipsia, polyuria, and soft stools in some animals fed sodium silicate and magnesium trisilicate were the only untoward clinical signs observed; all clinical tests on blood and urine were within normal limits. Gross and microscopic renal lesions were observed in dogs fed sodium silicate and magnesium trisilicate but no changes were seen in those animals fed silicon dioxide or aluminium silicate. Lesions were not observed in any of the rats. In view of the large number of commercial preparations which contain sodium silicate and magnesium trisilicate used in human medicine, these compounds deserve further study.

Topics: Aluminum Silicates; Animals; Dogs; Feces; Female; Kidney; Kidney Diseases; Male; Polyuria; Rats; Silicon; Thirst

Topics: Biomedical Research; Cardiac Surgical Procedures; Child; Dogs; Embolism; Heart-Lung Machine; Heart, Artificial; Humans; Infant; Intracranial Embolism; Intracranial Embolism and Thrombosis; Kidney Diseases; Pathology; Postoperative Complications; Pulmonary Embolism; Research; Silicon; Silicones; Thoracic Surgery

Topics: Adolescent; Albuminuria; Aluminum; Blood Chemical Analysis; Blood Protein Disorders; Calcium Metabolism Disorders; Child; Copper; Humans; Kidney Diseases; Nephritis; Nephrotic Syndrome; Phosphorus Metabolism Disorders; Potassium; Silicon; Sodium