Nephrology, dialysis, transplantation : official publication of the European Dialysis and Transplant Association - European Renal Association
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Nephrol. Dial. Transplant. · Mar 2015
Randomized Controlled TrialPrescription of potentially inappropriate medications to elderly hemodialysis patients: prevalence and predictors.
In elderly hemodialysis (HD) patients, the risk of medication-related problems is particularly high. Thus, certain medications should generally not be prescribed to those patients. The Beers criteria for potentially inappropriate medications (PIMs) have been publicized. Still, with regard to elderly HD patients, the prevalence and risk factors for prescription of PIMs are unknown. ⋯ PIMs were prescribed to many elderly HD patients in Japan. Nephrologists should become more aware of PIMs. Multidisciplinary rounds could benefit patients by reducing the prescription of PIMs.
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Nephrol. Dial. Transplant. · Feb 2015
ReviewA critical appraisal of intravenous fluids: from the physiological basis to clinical evidence.
Fluid management has been a vital part of routine clinical care for more than 180 years. The increasing number of available fluids has generated controversy about the optimal choice of resuscitation fluid. In this review, we provide a critical overview of the different fluids available, their composition, the relevant physiology as well as the published evidence on clinical outcomes to guide their use. ⋯ Infusion of 'balanced' crystalloids is not linked to such changes. Although data on clinical outcomes associated with crystalloid infusion are heterogeneous, advantages of balanced salt solutions might include a lower need of blood products, and lower incidence of renal replacement therapy, hyperkalaemia and postoperative infections. Taken together, a critical appraisal of the data suggests that balanced salt solutions deserve consideration as infusates of first choice.
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Despite identification of several cellular mechanisms being thought to underlie the development of septic acute kidney injury (AKI), the pathophysiology of the occurrence of AKI is still poorly understood. It is clear, however, that instead of a single mechanism being responsible for its aetiology, an orchestra of cellular mechanisms failing is associated with AKI. The integrative physiological compartment where these mechanisms come together and exert their integrative deleterious action is the renal microcirculation (MC). ⋯ Several experimental therapeutic modalities have been found to be effective in restoring microcirculatory oxygenation in parallel to improving renal function following septic AKI. However, these have to be verified in clinical studies. The development of clinical physiological biomarkers of AKI specifically aimed at the MC should form a valuable contribution to monitoring such new therapeutic modalities.
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Nephrol. Dial. Transplant. · Feb 2015
Acute kidney injury and tools for risk-stratification in 456 patients with hantavirus-induced nephropathia epidemica.
Puumala virus (PUUV) is the most common species of hantavirus in Central Europe. Nephropathia epidemica (NE), caused by PUUV, is characterized by acute kidney injury (AKI) and thrombocytopenia. The major goals of this study were to provide a clear clinical phenotyping of AKI in patients with NE and to develop an easy prediction rule to identify patients, who are at lower risk to develop severe AKI. ⋯ This clinical prediction rule provides a novel and diagnostically accurate strategy for the potential prevention and improved management of kidney complications in patients with NE and, ultimately, for a possible decrease in unnecessary hospitalization in a high number of patients.
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Nephrol. Dial. Transplant. · Jan 2015
Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative StudyPlasma S100A12 and soluble receptor of advanced glycation end product levels and mortality in chronic kidney disease Stage 5 patients.
Alterations in the advanced glycation end-products (AGE)-receptor of AGE (RAGE) system are linked to several chronic diseases, which may result from vascular damage. A high circulating level of the pro-inflammatory RAGE-ligand S100A12, also known as EN-RAGE, is thought to promote while a high level of soluble RAGE (sRAGE) is thought to protect against development of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (CVD). We evaluated circulating S100A12 and sRAGE in relation to clinical characteristics, nutritional status, inflammation and mortality risk in chronic kidney disease (CKD) Stage 5 patients starting on dialysis. ⋯ Plasma concentrations of sRAGE, S100A12 and the ratio S100A12/sRAGE, are markedly elevated in CKD 5 patients starting on dialysis as well as in CKD 3-4 patients and prevalent dialysis patients suggesting that these alterations are typical for patients with moderate or severe CKD. In CKD 5 patients, an increased concentration of S100A12 are associated with inflammation, comorbidities and increased mortality risk whereas no such associations were observed for sRAGE. These results suggest that while high plasma S100A12 is an independent predictor of increased mortality risk, sRAGE does not seem to be a valid risk marker in this patient population.