[AIM - The aim of this prospective study was the long-term evaluation of the effect of calcium and alfacalcidol treatment on calcium metabolism in patients with renal transplantation. METHODS - Patients were divided in two groups. Patients in Group 1 (n=159) received calcium substitution, while patients in Group 2 (n=81) were treated with alfacalcidol. Serum Ca, P, Mg, alkaline phosphatase (AP) and PTH levels were determined before and after transplantation regularly for three years. Femur neck and lumbar vertebral bone mineral densities (BMD) were measured at the same time after transplantation. RESULTS - After transplantation the mean serum calcium level significantly increased, while the mean serum phosphate level significantly decreased in both groups. After the operation the PTH levels decreased in both groups and it was found to be more pronounced in the alfacalcidol group.The majority of patients had osteopenia in the follow-up period. Between the third month and the third year after transplantation, BMD increased by 9.4% in Group1, and decreased by 4% in Group 2 at the lumbar spine. At 3 years the mean BMD value at the femoral neck was increased by 6.5% in Group 1, and by 6.7% in Group 2, compared to the 3-month values.The change in BMD was only significant at the lumbar spine, in Group 1 (p=0.019). During the follow-up period osteonecrosis was diagnosed in 6 patients in Group 1 and in 9 cases in Group 2. CONCLUSION - Alfacalcidol treatment decreased secondary hyperparathyroidism more rapidly and effectively, which was also indicated by the more pronounced decrease of serum PTH levels. During the 3 years follow-up period, BMD increased in both groups except for the lumbar spine in Group 2, however, the majority of the patients still had osteopenia.The study could not demonstrate a superiority of alfacalcidol over calcium supplementation in the prevention of posttransplantational osteopenia.]

[In this article a practice-oriented narrative review of the depressive disorders in chronic kidney disease is provided. Depressive disorders affect approximately one fourth of the chronic kidney disease population. These mental disorders interfere with physical, cognitive and social functioning and are associated with poor prognosis of patients with chronic kidney disease. Bio-psycho-social factors, including immuno-inflammatory processes, disturbance in glucose- insulin homeostasis, sleep disorders, chronic pain, sexual difficulties, changes in social roles, losses in multiple areas of life and low social support increase the risk for the development of depression. Routine, regular screening of depression in the chronic kidney disease population seems to be warranted. Only limited published evidence is available on the therapeutic possibilities of depression in chronic kidney disease. Preliminary evidence indicates that short, structured psychotherapy may be effective for acute treatment and prevention of psychological distress. Some antidepressants can be applied without the need for dose adjustments. On the other hand, some of the psychotropic medications require dose reduction or should be avoided.]

[INTRODUCTION - Stenosis, occlusion and necrosis of the ureter after kidney transplantation occur in 2-13%. The therapeutic choices are surgery or minimally invasive endourological and percutaneous procedures. We analysed our therapeutic plan and results using percutaneous dilatation and stenting. PATIENTS AND METHODS - The patients after kidney transplantation are regularly examined by ultrasound. In cases of suspected obstruction we perform scintigraphy and CT-urography, and if indicated, we place percutaneous nephrostomy. Between July of 2000 and September of 2002, 15 stenosis in 14 patients were dilated and stented percutaneously. RESULTS - We found one restenosis after 6 months due to compression. This patient underwent surgery, but after the operation another stenosis has developed. We treated it percutaneously. One nephrectomy had to be performed due to serious infection. In one patient stent migration occured and surgical intervention was performed. 12 patients have free urine passage and good kidney function as a result of percutaneous therapy. CONCLUSION - We have good results with percutaneous ureter dilatation and stenting, but our follow-up time (31 months) must be longer for the evaluation of long-term results. The percutaneous treatment can partly replace endourological and surgical methods or can be combined with each other.]

[Hungarian kidney transplantation has been established with three milestone operations. In 1902 Emerich Ullmann showed the technical feasibility of renal transplantation on dogs, and later the living donor transplant of András Németh in 1962 and the program starting operation of Ferenc Perner in 1973 already meant the real possibility for Hungarian patients. More than 5000 kidney transplantations were done since, and the operations are now made at the four university medical schools centers. In 2009 248 renal transplantations were done in our country (Budapest: 148, Szeged: 51, Pécs: 39, Debrecen: 34), from which 24 were living donor and nine combined kidney-pancreas cases. Despite the worsening financing situation in the health care system the numbers of transplantations are stable within a 15 year period, but this means a marked decrease in international comparison. In our country, the ratio of living donation is low, there is no paired donation, incompatible transplantation, the problems of hypersensitive patients are unresolved, and there is no old-for-old program. The solution to all of these problems could be joining to Eurotransplant, which is the definite wish of the transplant society based on the positive Slovenian and Croatian examples.]

[After kidney transplantation, the administration of immunosuppressive therapy not only renders the patient susceptible to infections, but it may also damage the function of tumor cell recognition and elimination. Our study was performed at the Department of Surgery, University of Szeged. After establishing the inclusion criteria, 570 patients were involved in the study. We examined the age, sex, immunosuppressive therapy of the patients, and searched for the rela­tionship between the different immunosuppressive agents and the type of the tumor. In 81 cases, de novo cancer was diagnosed. Among patients treated with cyclosporin and tacrolimus there was no significant difference in the mean age (p = 0.734) and body mass index (p = 0.543). There was no significant difference in graft function between the two groups of patients (Tac vs Cyc; 44 vs 20). Related to the time passed since the trans­plantation to diagnosing the tumors the earliest were prostate and cervix cancers however without significant difference. Skin cancers are the most frequent followed by post-transplant lym­pho­prolife­ra­tive diseases. The increasing risk of developing tumors is mainly due to immunosuppressive therapy. ]