Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a global health burden with associated high economic costs to the health system. Main factors are the increasing number of patients with diabetes and hypertension and the aging of the population. CKD has been associated with increased risks of cardiovascular morbidity, premature mortality, and/or decreased quality of life. In this new volume, renowned Japanese scientists present their recent research results. Papers cover various aspects of kidney diseases such as cystic kidney diseases, treatment of lupus nephritis, renal anemia and iron metabolism, cell sheet engineering, frailty and outcomes of dialysis patients, and the socioeconomics of rituximab in nephrotic syndrome. Due to the wide range of topics presented, this book will be of interest to readers from various clinical and research settings connected with the care of CKD patients.

IgA nephropathy is the most common primary glomerulonephritis in developed countries. The primary defect lies in the abnormalities of the IgA molecule. The disease affects all ages, mainly in the young adults, and may recur in a transplanted kidney. This outstanding volume provides a comprehensive overview of the advances in this disease over the last ten years. It covers the genetics, epidemiology, clinicopathological features, pathogenesis, prognostic mechanisms, and treatment of this unique disease. Twenty-seven chapters are written by 43 experts from 13 countries; these experts have been providing forefront scientific findings to the scientific community for the last 20 years. The book covers all clinical, pathological and molecular aspects of IgA nephropathy. This is an essential source of reference for nephrologists, internists, pathologists, and molecular biologists. It is also suitable reading for graduate students or research scientists in the field of kidney diseases.

Based on careful analysis of burden of disease and the costs ofinterventions, this second edition of 'Disease Control Priorities in Developing Countries, 2nd edition' highlights achievable priorities; measures progresstoward providing efficient, equitable care; promotes cost-effectiveinterventions to targeted populations; and encourages integrated effortsto optimize health. Nearly 500 experts - scientists, epidemiologists, health economists,academicians, and public health practitioners - from around the worldcontributed to the data sources and methodologies, and identifiedchallenges and priorities, resulting in this integrated, comprehensivereference volume on the state of health in developing countries.

This second edition provides a synthesis of recent research on the mechanisms of chemically-induced kidney injury. The text includes a review of current concepts of clinical nephrotoxicity and renal failure, and mechanisms of specific classes of nephrotoxic drugs and environmental chemicals.

The number of dialysis patients, and their ages, continues to increase globally. This creates major issues such as rising medical costs in an aging population, how to best manage end-of-life care, and how to train the various practitioners involved in dialysis care. After the US and China, Japan occupies 3rd place with regard to the number of dialysis patients and is also widely regarded as a world leader in dialysis. This book contains selected articles – organized into 4 chapters - that discuss recent advances in dialysis therapy in Japan. Chapter 1 presents insights into causes, risk factors, disease associations, and possible implications for management of dialysis patients. Chapter 2 examines recent progress in hemodialysis treatment, and chapter 3 focuses on developments in peritoneal dialysis. The final chapter concentrates on recent advances in apheresis and current trends in practice, among other topics. This book is aimed at nephrologists, physicians, urologists, nurses, clinical engineers, pharmacists, and nutritionists. It is a significant contribution to furthering the progress of dialysis therapy worldwide.

Autosomal Dominant Polycystic Kidney Disease (ADPKD) is a highly prevalent hereditary renal disorder in which fluid-filled cysts are appeared in both kidneys. Main causative genes of ADPKD are PKD1 and PKD2, encoding for polycystin-1 (PC1) and polycystin-2 (PC2) respectively. Those proteins are localized on primary cilia and function as mechanosensor in response to the fluid flow, translating mechanistic stimuli into calcium signaling. With mutations either of PKD1 or PKD2, hyper-activated renal tubular epithelial cell proliferation is observed, followed by disrupted calcium homeostasis and aberrant intracellular cyclic AMP (cAMP) accumulation. Increased cell proliferation with fluid secretion leads to the development of thousands of epithelial-lined, fluid-filled cysts in kidneys. It is also accompanied by interstitial inflammation, fibrosis, and finally reaching end-stage renal disease (ESRD). In human ADPKD, the age at which renal failure typically occurs is later in life, however no specific targeted medications are available to cure ADPKD. Recently, potential therapeutic targets or surrogate diagnostic biomarkers for ADPKD are proposed with the advances in the understanding of ADPKD pathogenesis, and some of them were attempted for clinical trials. Herein, we will summarize genetic and epi-genetic molecular mechanisms in ADPKD progression, and overview the currently available biomarkers or potential therapeutic reagents suggested.

This book systemically presents the latest research on renal fibrosis, covering all the major topics in the field, including the possible mechanisms, biomarkers, and strategies for prevention and treatment of chronic kidney disease (CKD). Due to its high prevalence, CKD represents a huge global economic and social burden. Irrespective of the initial causes, CKD progresses to end stage kidney disease (ESKD) due to renal fibrosis, which is characterized by glomerulosclerosis, tubule atrophy and atresia, and the excessive accumulation of extracellular matrix (ECM) in the kidney. Unfortunately, an estimated 1%-2% of the adult population living with CKD will need renal replacement therapy at some point as a result of ESKD. As such, strategies for preventing or slowing CKD progression to ESKD are of utmost importance, and studies aiming to understand the mechanisms of renal fibrosis have been the focus of intensive research. Recently, novel insights into the pathophysiological processes have furthered our understanding of the pathogenesis of renal fibrosis, and more importantly, promoted studies on the early diagnosis and treatment of CKD. This book draws lessons from the extensive, state-of-the-art research in this field, elaborating the new theories and new techniques to offer readers a detailed and comprehensive understanding of renal fibrosis and as well as inspiration for future research directions.