| dc.description.abstract | The kidneys are the essential osmoregulatory organs in humans via filtering blood and processing electrolytes. Kidney disease, particularly chronic kidney disease (CKD), refers to the damage of the kidneys over a period of months or years in patients and thereby leading to electrolyte imbalance, proteinuria, and even death. CKD and other kidney diseases have been reported to associate with metabolic diseases, diabetes mellitus, stroke, cardiovascular disease, immunological dysfunction, and microbial infections. This dissertation was thus designed to clinically study CKD in association with electrolyte imbalances, as well as the associations of other kidney diseases with different clinical complications. Chapter One was to investigate the renal handling of electrolytes in patients with CKD and the results indicated that the fractional excretion of magnesium was higher in CKD patients with diabetes mellitus and varied with the stages of CKD. Chapter Two was to study an association of non-ketotic hyperglycemia and hemichorea-hemiballism in a diabetic patient with end-stage kidney disease, and the results showed these symptoms to be relieved after the 4-week treatment of hyperglycemia with insulin, clonazepam, and risperidone. Chapter Three was to study an association of systemic light-chain amyloidosis with renal disease, and the results indicated that the complications, such as proteinuria, macroglossia, and ptosis, were improved after melphalan treatment and surgical intervention. Chapter Four was to study an association of a patient infected by pulmonary cryptococcosis with acute kidney injury and hypersensitivity pneumonitis, the results indicated that the complications resolved and the patient recovered after the 6-month antifungal therapy. Chapter five was to study an association of COVID-19 vaccine-induced thrombotic thrombocytopenia syndrome with adrenal vein thrombosis. The results showed these complications, including the level of anti-platelet factor 4 antibody, platelet number, and adrenal vein thrombosis were improved after the treatment with intravenous immunoglobulin, methylprednisolone, and oral anticoagulant (dabigatran). These clinical results of the five chapters provide evidence for the potential use of fractional excretion of magnesium as a predictor of CKD progression, as well as using appropriate medical therapy for the improvement of renal complications in patients when they have a microbial infection, vaccination, or other clinical diseases. | en_US |