Aristolochic acid nephropathy and/or Balkan endemic nephropathy - Current status

9^th International Conference on Dialysis and Renal Care

August 18-19, 2016 London, UK

Nikola M Pavlovic

Serbian Medical Society, Serbia

Posters & Accepted Abstracts: J Nephrol Ther

Abstract :

Balkan Endemic Nephropathy (BEN) is a chronic renal disease that occurs following the fourth decade in residents of confined regions of the Balkan affecting up to 5% of the population and shows a very high association with Upper Urothelial Cancer (UUC). The first cases described in Serbia and Bulgaria date to the late 1950�s. The etiology of BEN has been the extensively studied which resulted in publication of numerous hypotheses. Only one them puting forward the chronic Aristolochic acids (AAs) as the etiologic agent provided conclusive evidences related to BEN etiology. Aristolochic acid nephropathy (AAN) was initially reported in early 1990� after the intake of slimming pills containing Chinese herbs. This nephropathy was initially called Chinese-Herb Nephropathy (CHN) and developed a high risk of UUC. Similarities of CHN and BEN implied a common etiological agent for both diseases. Based on the studies of AAs-specific DNA adducts and TP53 mutation spectra in AAN and/or BEN-associated UUC, the causative role of AAs have been demonstrated. The recent studies showed that some food crops can uptake AAs from the soil or nutrient solution. Consequently, the consumption of such AAs-contaminated food may represent the major exposure pathways and one of the leading causes of AAN and/or BEN and attendant UUC. It is likely that due to the lack of our understanding of exposure pathways AAN and/ or BEN remain under diagnosed and underestimated beyond the Balkans. Therefore, BEN and/or AAN are worthwhile to trace in any case of unclassifiable progressive decline in renal function.

Biography :

Email: Nikola Pavlovic @Nikpavnik