Blood purification
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Clinical Trial Controlled Clinical Trial
Effects of polymyxin B-immobilized fiber hemoperfusion on amino acid imbalance in septic encephalopathy.
Septic encephalopathy is a common term denoting the signs of progressing central nervous system dysfunction in septic patients. Metabolic alterations including amino acid imbalance are involved in the pathogenesis of septic encephalopathy. The aim of the present study was to determine whether the ratio of branched-chain amino acids to aromatic amino acids is altered in patients with septic encephalopathy and whether polymyxin B-immobilized fiber (PMX-F) hemoperfusion affects this balance. ⋯ The amino acid imbalance in patients with septic encephalopathy may be a marker for the severity of the septic syndrome, and PMX-F hemoperfusion is effective in ameliorating the increased plasma endotoxin and IL-6 levels and the amino acid imbalance in these patients.
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Clinical Trial Controlled Clinical Trial
Changes in circulating levels of calcitonin gene-related peptide and nitric oxide metabolites in septic patients during direct hemoperfusion with polymyxin B-immobilized fiber.
This study evaluated the mechanism of hemodynamic improvement in polymyxin B-immobilized fiber (PMX) treatment. ⋯ PMX treatment improved hemodynamic parameters in septic patients, and CGRP increased with increasing severity of sepsis. We conclude that a decrease in CGRP levels may be related to hemodynamic improvement resulting from PMX treatments.
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Multicenter Study Comparative Study
End-stage renal failure patients requiring renal replacement therapy in the intensive care unit: incidence, clinical features, and outcome.
To study incidence, clinical features, and outcome of critically ill patients with end-stage renal failure (ESRF) requiring renal replacement therapy (RRT) in the intensive care unit (ICU) and to test the validity of severity scoring systems for these patients. ⋯ ESRF patients requiring RRT in the ICU were relatively frequent. Severity scores could be used to predict the hospital outcome for these patients. Their mortality, when treated with CRRT, was similar to that of diagnosis- and severity-score-matched patients with acute renal failure.
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Extracorporeal therapies designed to remove substances from the circulation now include hemodialysis, hemofiltration, hemoadsorption, plasma filtration, cell-based therapies and combinations of any of the above. In recent years, there have been considerable advances in our understanding and technical capabilities, but consensus over the optimal way, and under what conditions to use these therapies does not exist. Consequently, we have initiated a series of conferences under the auspices of the Acute Dialysis Quality Initiative (ADQI). ⋯ ADQI.net. ADQI conferences have focused on research and management of renal disease. However, extracorporeal therapies are being used or investigated in the management of many other disease processes including systemic inflammation, liver disease, cardiac disease and thrombotic diseases.
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Case Reports
Liver support--a task for nephrologists? Extracorporeal treatment of a patient with fulminant Wilson crisis.
Patients with Wilson's disease may present with cirrhosis, acute hepatitis or fulminant hepatic failure. Without urgent orthotopic liver transplantation, a fulminant Wilson crisis has a mortality of 100%. We report on an 18-year-old female patient with fulminant hepatic failure due to Wilson crisis. ⋯ MARS was an effective method to stabilize a patient with Wilson crisis, contributed to copper elimination and gained time for liver transplantation. The risk of high-urgency transplantation could be avoided. Liver support was easy in the hands of nephrologists familiar with extracorporeal therapy.