Nefrología : publicación oficial de la Sociedad Española Nefrologia
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The availability of organ donors is a limiting factor for kidney transplants. Donations from non-heart-beating donors (NHBD) can provide as many as one-third of all organs. Controlled patients awaiting cardiac arrest following limitation of life support techniques, or type III Maastricht donors, constitute an alternative that still has yet to be systematically developed. ⋯ Despite the limitations of this preliminary study, the use of this type of transplant produces favourable short-term evolution. Expanded use of this type of donor could reduce the waiting-list time for a kidney transplant.
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Periodic blood flow (QA) measurement is the preferred way for arteriovenous fistula (AVF) surveillance in chronic hemodialysis (HD) patients. Objectives. 1) Assess the efficacy of the temperature gradient method (TGM) on the QA determinations using the Twister™ device and to compare the functional results with the Delta-H method. 2) Evaluate the effect of blood pressure on the AVF function. Patients and method. We measured the QA non invasively in 30 AVF (24 radial and 6 brachial; mean duration 53.4 +/- 78.5 months) during HD in 30 stable patients (mean age 59.9 +/- 14.1 years, males 60 %, females 40 %; mean time on HD 37.4 +/- 40.6 months, diabetic nephropathy 20 %) by the TGM, described and validated by Wijnen et al (Kidney Int 2007;72:736). The QA was calculated from the temperature values obtained by means of the blood temperature monitor (BTM), integrated into the Fresenius Medical Care 4008-S machine, at normal and reverse configurations of the HD blood lines, with no need for a thermal bolus. The Twister™ device was used for reversing the blood lines without the need to disconnect them from the AVF lines nor to stop the blood pump. The QA was measured within the first hour of two consecutive HD sessions (the values were averaged). The mean arterial pressure MAP (diastolic pressure + 1/3 pulse pressure) was calculated simultaneous with the QA. In addition, the AVF blood flow was also determined during the same week in all patients by the Delta-H method using the Crit-Line III Monitor (ABF-mode, HemaMetrics, USA) during HD (manually switching lines). ⋯ 1) The TGM is a valuable and reproducible indicator of QA during HD. 2) The Twister™ device is useful to reduce the time for QA measurement by the TGM. 3) The AVF blood flow values obtained by the TGM and the Delta-H technique correlated highly with each other. 4) It has been shown the lack of relationship between the AVF function and the patient's blood pressure.
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Evaluation of coagulation and anti-Xa factor when using a heparin-coated AN69ST® dialyser.
Hemodialysis systems are potentially thrombogenic, so it is routinely used anticoagulation. Its prescription is with risks though which the recommendations regarding the scheduled dose are still based on very different criteria. ⋯ We demonstrate the low thrombogenicity of the AN69ST®; dialyzer that allows post-dilution hemodiafiltration sessions without systemic anticoagulation, and without increasing the frequency of severe clotting events compared to HF80®; dialyzer with nadroparin and with less risk of bleeding by not modifying the anti-Xa factor activity.
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Gross haematuria is a common manifestation of autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD). It can be spontaneous or the result of trauma, renal calculi, tumour, or infection. Spontaneous cyst bleeding is important in this particular group of patients, since it can be prolonged by local activation of fibrinolysis by urokinase. The management of haematuria in ADPKD is usually conservative, including bed rest, blood transfusion, correction of blood disorders, and use of vasopressin and erythropoiesis-stimulating agents. In some patients, the management of gross or life-threatening haematuria may require embolisation and/or nephrectomy. Nonetheless, other methods have been tried to avoid prolonged hospitalisation and nephrectomy and preserve kidney function, such as the use of anti-fibrinolytics. Tranexamic acid was recently suggested as a tool to treat gross haematuria in ADPKD in isolated cases. ⋯ In summary, tranexamic acid can be used safely in ADPKD patients with chronic renal impairment or preserved renal function to treat severe haematuria poorly responsive to conventional therapy. Tranexamic acid can be administered orally or IV; and dose adjustment for renal impairment is important. Tranexamic acid therapy may preserve renal function in ADPKD directly, by stopping haematuria episodes, or indirectly, by preventing embolisation and/or nephrectomy. The major limitation of this study is the small sample size and the lack of an untreated control group. We suggest a prospective, randomised controlled study to confirm the efficacy of this treatment, its long-term safety, and the optimal dosage. Further larger and multicentre studies are needed to evaluate the cost-benefit ratio and the limits of this therapy in the clinical setting.
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Letter Review Case Reports
Acute renal failure due to gabapentin. A case report and literature.