Contributions to nephrology
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Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a common complication of severe sepsis. Severe sepsis is the most common cause of AKI in ICU. ⋯ Whether this is true, however, remains uncertain. In this paper, we discuss salient pathophysiological aspects of AKI, review the evidence available on the need for fluid resuscitation, the amount and the type of fluid that might be best suited to AKI and discuss all major aspects of fluid resuscitation for septic AKI in humans and experimental animals.
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Review
Renal assist device and treatment of sepsis-induced acute kidney injury in intensive care units.
Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a frequent and serious complication of sepsis in ICU patients and is associated with a very high mortality. Despite the advent of sophisticated renal replacement therapies (RRT) employing high-dose hemofiltration and high-flux membranes, mortality and morbidity from sepsis-induced AKI remained high. ⋯ The results from the in vitro and preclinical animal model studies were very intriguing and led to the development of a bioartificial kidney consisting of a renal tubule assist device containing human proximal tubular cells (RAD) added in tandem to a continuous venovenous hemofiltration circuit. The results from the phase I safety trial and the recent phase II clinical trial showed that the RAD not only can replace many of the indispensable biological kidney functions, but also modify the natural history of sepsis-induced AKI by ameliorating patient survival.
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Since the early 1990s, experts in the field have thought that a reduction in cytokines in the blood compartment could, in theory, reduce mortality, but this is perhaps too naive as the pharmacodynamics and pharmacokinetics of cytokines throughout the body are not well known and are probably much more complicated than previously thought. This ha now led to three leading theories and concepts. Ronco and Bellomo conceived the peak concentration hypothesis in which clinicians concentrate their efforts to remove mediators and cytokines from the blood compartment at the proinflammatory phase of sepsis. ⋯ This has been demonstrated by several reports and is obviously extremely important. Perhaps this can explain why some very recent studies using high-permeability hemofiltration in sepsis have not been effective in improving hemodynamics and survival in septic acute animal models. In summary various brand new theories will be reviewed here in depth.
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The acute renal failure (ARF) incidence in pediatric cardiac surgery intensive care unit (ICU) ranges from 5 to 20% of patients. In particular, clinical features of neonatal ARF are mostly represented by fluid retention, anasarca and only slight creatinine increase; this is the reason why medical strategies to prevent and manage ARF have limited efficacy and early optimization of renal replacement therapy (RRT) plays a key role in the outcome of cardiopathic patients. ⋯ PD is a safe and adequate strategy to support ARF in neonates with congenital heart disease. Fluid balance control is easily optimized by this therapy whereas solute control reaches acceptable levels.