Journal of nephrology
-
Journal of nephrology · Apr 2016
Review Case ReportsStage 5-CKD under nephrology care: to dialyze or not to dialyze, that is the question.
Appropriate timing of starting chronic dialysis in patients with advanced chronic kidney disease (CKD) under nephrology care still is undefined. We systematically reviewed the most recent studies that have compared outcomes of stage 5-CKD under conservative versus substitutive treatment. Eleven studies, most in elderly patients, were identified. ⋯ Over the last decade, despite, several episodes of acute kidney injury and placement of permanent percutaneous nephrostomy in 2001, renal function has remained remarkably stable, though severely impaired (eGFR 7.7-5.6 ml/min/1.73 m(2)). Our systematic analysis of the literature and this case report highlight the need for further studies, not limited exclusively to elderly patients, to verify the efficacy of non-dialysis treatment in stage 5-CKD patients. Meanwhile, nephrologists may consider that their intervention can safely prolong for several years the dialysis-free condition in ESRD independently of age.
-
Journal of nephrology · Apr 2016
Severe acute kidney injury following cardiac surgery: short-term outcomes in patients undergoing continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT).
Acute kidney injury (AKI) represents a major complication of cardiac surgery. Our aim was to evaluate, in patients undergoing continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT) for cardiac surgery-associated AKI (CS-AKI), prognostic factors related to in-hospital survival and renal function recovery to independence from RRT. ⋯ In a selected population of patients with severe CS-AKI requiring RRT, short-term outcomes appear strongly associated with the worst grade of illness severity during the first week of CRRT, thus reflecting the sequential occurrence of additional major complications during ICU stay. Renal function recovery and in-hospital survival appear mutually linked, sharing oliguria, sepsis and SOFA score as the main determinants of both outcomes.
-
Journal of nephrology · Apr 2016
The impact of fluid balance on diagnosis, staging and prediction of mortality in critically ill patients with acute kidney injury.
Fluid accumulation may delay recognition of acute kidney injury (AKI) in intensive care unit (ICU) patients. This study aims to evaluate the impact of fluid balance on the incidence, time of AKI diagnosis and predictive performance for outcomes of critically ill patients. ⋯ Our study found that SCr adjustment for fluid balance could result in a more accurate detection of AKI cases. We suggest using fluid balance adjustment for volume overload critically ill patients.
-
Journal of nephrology · Dec 2015
Observational StudyDiagnostic and short-term prognostic utility of plasma pro-enkephalin (pro-ENK) for acute kidney injury in patients admitted with sepsis in the emergency department.
Acute kidney injury (AKI) aggravates the prognosis of patients with sepsis. Reliable biomarkers for early detection of AKI in this setting are lacking. Enkephalins influence kidney function, and may have a role in AKI from sepsis. We utilized a novel immunoassay for plasma proenkephalin (pro-ENK), a stable surrogate marker for endogenous enkephalins, in patients hospitalized with sepsis, in order to assess its clinical utility. ⋯ Use of pro-ENK in septic patients can detect the presence and severity of AKI. Moreover, pro-ENK is highly predictive of short-term mortality and could enable early identification of patients at risk of death.
-
Calciphylaxis, or calcific uremic arteriolopathy, is a vascular ossification-calcification disease involving cutaneous or visceral arterioles, with ischemic damage of the surrounding tissues, usually in the setting of chronic kidney disease. Pathogenesis is still unclear and probably comprises the participation of vascular smooth muscle cells, endothelial cells and macrophages surrounded by a uremic and/or pro-calcifying environment. According to the original concept of calcific uremic arteriolopathy coined by Hans Selye, risk factors may be divided into sensitizers and challengers and their knowledge is useful in clinical practice to pre-emptively identify both uremic and non-uremic 'at risk' patients and guide treatment. ⋯ Treatment is generally unrewarding and consists of rigorous control of comorbid conditions, anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory and antithrombotic strategies, avoidance of iatrogeny and wound and pain management. Prognosis remains poor in terms of morbidity and mortality. Efforts should be made towards a greater awareness of calcific uremic arteriolopathy, development of better therapies and improvement of clinical outcomes.