A collection of oddities I stumbled across in my wanderings

AKI

Acute Kidney Injury as a Leading Cause of Papal Deaths in the Years 1277 to 2005: A Review of 21 Cases

• 26.9% of Popes died of AKI, 95% of which were sepsis. Mean age 69.4 +- 2.26. 28.6% stroked out.
• John XXI in 1277 died of crush syndrome
• Lots of gout, stones and urosepsis.

Acute Kidney Injury Following Star Fruit Ingestion: A Case Series

• Full of oxalate, crystals in urine.
• Calcium oxalate birefringent under polarised light on the biopsies
• 50% RRT for 1 week

Electrolytes

Death by coconut

• Did not actually die. K hit 7.8, (AKI helped).
• Coconut water: Delicious but hypotonic, acidic, 230ml/1 cup = 600mg potassium= 2 slow K tablet ( a slow K has 600mg KCL so ~ 315mg K+ ion).

Space

Cosmic Kidney Disease

• Spaceflight causes nephrolithiasis: hypercalciuria, decreased phosphorylation of NKCC2 (thus Mg, calcium wasting)
• increased urinary oxalate - ?gut microbiome, liver production?
• Astronauts have reduced diuresis and natriuresis.
• SLCO2A1 downreg -( prostgladin transporter)- less reabsorption by CD PC = build up of PgE2 = increase AQP2
• TMA and endothelial dysfunction on bx
• loss of arterial elasticity = increased pressure wave transmission = barotrauma. + drop in BP in astronauts = CKD.
• Catch 22: Dilate afferent arteriole to increase flow and receive more barotrauma, on constrict to protect but generate hypoxia