Seminars in nephrology
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Seminars in nephrology · Jan 2012
ReviewFluid overload assessment and management in heart failure patients.
Heart failure is a syndrome in which myocardial function is incapable of providing for normal physiologic needs. In the acute care setting, cardiac dysfunction primarily manifests with volume perturbations and presents with signs and symptoms of vascular congestion. Thus, in acute heart failure volume assessment is crucial in diagnosing and improving the prognosis. ⋯ However, these methods are highly dependent on the practitioners' skill level. In fact, there is a high variability between experienced physicians when assessing volume. As adjuncts, objective methods of volume assessment are being developed and used such as natriuretic peptides, bioimpedance analysis, and imaging.
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Seminars in nephrology · Jan 2012
Diagnosis and management of fluid overload in heart failure and cardio-renal syndrome: the "5B" approach.
Cardio-Renal syndrome may occur as a result of either primarily renal or cardiac dysfunction. This complex interaction requires a tailored approach to manage the underlying pathophysiology while optimizing the patient's symptoms and thus providing the best outcomes. Patients often are admitted to the hospital for signs and symptoms of congestion and fluid overload is the most frequent cause of subsequent re-admission. ⋯ This stands for balance of fluids (reflected by body weight), blood pressure, biomarkers, bioimpedance vector analysis, and blood volume. Addressing these parameters ensures that the most important issues affecting symptoms and outcomes are addressed. Furthermore, the patient is receiving the best possible care while avoiding unwanted side effects of the treatment.
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Seminars in nephrology · Jan 2012
Neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin curve and neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin extended-range assay: a new biomarker approach in the early diagnosis of acute kidney injury and cardio-renal syndrome.
Cardio-Renal syndrome (CRS) is a common and complex clinical condition in which multiple causative factors are involved. The time window between renal insult and development of acute kidney injury (AKI) in acute heart failure (AHF) can be varied in different patients and AKI often is diagnosed too late, only when the effects of the insult become evident with a loss or decline of renal function. For this reason, pharmaceutical interventions for AKI that have been shown to be renoprotective or beneficial when tested in experimental conditions do not display similar results in the clinical setting. ⋯ We propose that NGAL may increase its usefulness in the diagnosis and prevention of CRS if a curve of plasma values rather than a single plasma measurement is determined. To apply the concept of measuring an NGAL curve in AHF patients, however, assay performance in the lower-range values becomes a critical factor. For this reason, we propose the use of the new extended-range plasma NGAL assay that may contribute to remarkably improve the sensitivity of AKI diagnosis in AHF and lead to more effective intervention strategies.
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Seminars in nephrology · Jan 2012
ReviewThe role of inflammation in the cardio-renal syndrome: a focus on cytokines and inflammatory mediators.
Cardiovascular and kidney diseases are highly prevalent and frequently are seen in the same patient. This overlap between cardiac and kidney diseases, in part, relates to common etiologies such as diabetes and hypertension. ⋯ In this regard, it is clear that inflammation plays an important role in the pathogenesis of both cardiovascular and renal diseases. Given the circulating nature of many inflammatory mediators (cytokines, immune cells), it is tempting to speculate that the immune system can act as a mediator of organ cross-talk and may be involved in the reciprocal dysfunction that is encountered commonly in cardio-renal syndromes.
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Seminars in nephrology · May 2011
ReviewContrast-induced acute kidney injury: short- and long-term implications.
The intravascular administration of iodine-based contrast media remains a common cause of acute kidney injury and a leading cause of iatrogenic renal disease. Past research has elucidated the principal risk factors for contrast-induced acute kidney injury (CIAKI) and helped to establish the efficacy of various interventions for the prevention of this condition. The importance of preventing CIAKI has been underscored by a growing number of studies showing strong associations of CIAKI with serious adverse short- and long-term outcomes. ⋯ If CIAKI is a marker, but not a mediator, of serious adverse downstream outcomes, more judicious and selective use of preventive care may be appropriate. Moreover, with an increasing number of studies reporting the underuse of coronary angiography in patients with acute coronary syndrome and underlying chronic kidney disease, presumably in part because of a fear of CIAKI, a clear understanding of whether this condition directly results in adverse downstream outcomes is essential. Careful inspection of past studies that investigated the association of CIAKI with adverse short- and long-term events sheds light on their strengths and weaknesses and provides insight into how future research may be better able to characterize the short- and long-term implications of this iatrogenic condition.