Women more likely to reject a kidney donated by a man.

Transplantation is the ultimate renal replacement therapy, it is more cost effective than dialysis and is associated with a higher quality of life. Both males and females benefit equally from transplantation when appropriate matching is done, donors are matched against recipients by a system that ensures the best possible matches based on the HLA (human leucocyte antigen) system. Patients are not usually matched according to gender, however that may be about to change.
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A recent study by Kim et. al. at the Toronto general Hospital was performed based on previous reports that have suggested that female recipients of male deceased donor kidneys are at increased risk of graft failure because of mismatch of a novel protein known as H-Y. The study has confirmed previous work and given more weight to the notion that female recipients of male donor kidney transplants have an increased risk of rejection.

The risk of rejection occurs within the first year of transplantation and then becomes equal to all other gender matches. Previous reports have suggested a much longer lasting effect. The issue of a longer term effect still remains to be resolved and larger studies with longer follow up periods will be required before any changes are made to the policy guidelines for transplantation.

The mechanism of increased risk within the first year of transplantation is based on a guaranteed mismatch between men and women in the often forgotten minor histo-compatability complex the little brother of the larger major histo-compatability complex or HLA system that is regular checked in routine crossmatching.

The gene products of this minor system have been shown in a few trials to induce organ rejection in animal models as well as human models in other types of transplantation.

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Five Cheap Effective Home Gout Remedies

Gout: the disease of kings (Photo credit: DanCentury)

Sufferers of Gout find it very difficult to find the right treatment. Fortunately there is a solution; there are easy steps you can take to end the pain and agony caused by Gout. Here are the 5 steps that do relieve the Gout symptoms and help those affected to claim their life back.

1. Diet is perhaps the best natural gout treatment. In some cases, sufferers have dropped 50 pounds while eating the very delicacies that fight Gout. It is important to keep a journal to record the foods eaten and to keep a list of the foods that are off limits and cause high levels of uric acid. Foods high in purine are also off limits for someone with Gout. Foods that are high in purine include: red meat, fish like salmon, alcohol and beans.

2. Having a sound vitamin habit which includes ingredients that decrease uric acid is essential. Vitamin A, B5, and E are found in lots of fruits and vegetables. Fruits and vegetables ingested on a regular basis will lower high levels of uric acid and reduce pain caused by gout.

3. Ridding your system of unwanted toxins on a daily basis is another crucial ingredient in lowering the affects of Gout. It is always good to ingest plenty of water and eat foods that are big in fiber. Increased consumption of water and fiber can remove uric acid from the urine and is a great gout remedy.

4. Ascorbic Acid, the main ingredient of Vitamin C, works great for removing excess uric acid. Putting vitamin C in your diet is a great way to counteract Gout.

5. Finally, it is beneficial to embrace a regime of taking natural treatments. Several natural, but quite powerful treatments include: baking soda and cherries. These treatments are very effective because they are readily available and most people have them in the kitchen; Additionally, physician recommended drugs just deal with the symptoms and do not address the root cause.

If you have had Gout or Arthritis attacks, you know how irritating and impossible it is to cure it. You do not need to throw away lots of money on treatments and ointments that treat only symptoms. Whatever avenue you select, do not allow the symptoms caused by Gout to control your life. If you need additional information about natural remedy methods we advise you to read this excellent Instant Gout Relief review. Start your personalized Gout treatment immediately by following the 5 steps stated above; you will notice a transformation at once.

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Vitamin D deficiency and health..to supplement or not?

20/2.2011 vitamin D (Photo credit: julochka)

A recent review of the health benefits of vitamin D has been published in the clinical journal of the american society of nephrology. It was based on the growing body of evidence that has pointed to the role of vitamin d in improving health and quality of life in patients with diverse health problems. The review noted that numerous publications have described deficiencies of vitamin D in the general population in association with latitude, age and season based on the availability of different levels of sun exposure and quality of sunlight arriving at the skin which is a necessary step in the formation of vitamin D. Deficiencies of vitamin D has been associated with higher levels of PTH. PTH is a hormone well known in the end stage renal disease community as it is important both in cardiovascular disease and bone disease as well many other systems in a manner that is not yet entirely clear. The studies cited in this review focused on the general population where low vitamin D levels have been associated with calcification of blood vessels in the heart, and increased levels of risk for cardiovascular disease.

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Kidney Symptoms: Kidney infection or UTI

Bacteriuria and pyuria demonstrated at urinary microscopy. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Infection of the kidney usually occurs as a consequence of an ascending urinary tract infection or UTI. The bacteria gain access to the bladder and multiply overcoming the defenses of the host and migrating up to the kidney where they produce the syndrome of pyelonephritis or kidney infection.

When a simple urinary tract infection ascends to become a kidney infection there is usually worsening of the fever and generalized weakness and lethargy associated with back pain and vomiting. There may also be tenderness of the back over the kidneys which are approximately mid way up the back on either side of the spine. The pain produced by tapping over this area is usually excruciating in nature. A severe kidney infection may also spread to the lungs and produces symptoms of pneumonia in some cases. Once the infection enters the blood stream the kidney infection is said to have caused sepsis. Sepsis is both the presence of the infecting bacteria within the blood as well as the reaction of the body to the bacteria which is usually associated with increased respiratory rate, increased pulse rate and decreased blood pressure.

Women are at increased risk of kidney infections as they have a higher overall prevalance of urinary tract infection. Because men are not predisposed to urinary tract infection the presence of a kidney infection should prompt a detailed search for the cause of the infection as it is not unusual to find an anatomical abnormality that has caused the kidney infection in a male or the presence of kidney stones.

Recurrent kidney infection in either sex should result in a detailed investigation of the urinary tract. The goal being to correct any abnormality predisposing to kidney infection. Thus preventing permanent kidney damage from the repeated healing of the inflammation produced by bacteria.