American journal of kidney diseases : the official journal of the National Kidney Foundation
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Erythropoiesis-stimulating agent (ESA) doses are often increased in hospitalized dialysis patients in response to acute anemia with unknown consequences. We sought to determine whether increases in ESA dose during hospital admission were associated with changes in transfusion requirement and risk of exceeding recommended hemoglobin targets. ⋯ Increasing the ESA dose at hospitalization in hemodialysis patients is associated with higher risk of exceeding recommended hemoglobin targets, but does not appear to be associated with the need for transfusion, risk of cardiovascular outcomes, or death.
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Changes in anemia management over the past decade have produced downward shifts in hemoglobin concentrations. We aimed to examine the effect on use of red blood cell (RBC) transfusions. ⋯ Risk of transfusion increases substantially with hemoglobin concentrations <10 g/dL; risk appears to be independent of other clinical factors. If anemia management patterns shift toward lower hemoglobin concentrations, RBC transfusion use likely will increase in dialysis patients.
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Case Reports
Clinical and pathological characterization of Mesoamerican nephropathy: a new kidney disease in Central America.
An endemic of chronic kidney disease (CKD) of unknown cause among rural inhabitants in Central America has been identified. Young and otherwise healthy men working in plantations are frequently affected. The name Mesoamerican nephropathy (MeN) has been suggested. Clinically, MeN presents with low-grade proteinuria and progressive kidney failure. The renal pathology of this disease has not yet been described. ⋯ This study is the first report of the biochemical and morphologic findings in patients with MeN. Our findings indicate that MeN constitutes a previously unrecognized kidney disease with damage to both glomerular and tubulointerstitial compartments.