International urology and nephrology
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To report the incidence of emergency admissions attributable to infective complications of transrectal ultrasound-guided prostate biopsy (TGB) and evaluate appropriateness of antimicrobial prophylaxis. ⋯ We observed a consistent rate of emergency admissions for complications following TGB; 90 % of these were due to infections. Ciprofloxacin-resistant but amikacin-sensitive E. coli was isolated in all bacteriologically confirmed infections. These results suggest that infective complications of TGB cannot be altogether eliminated despite appropriate antimicrobial prophylaxis. Therefore, additional strategies for reduction in biopsy-related admissions due to infections have to be considered.
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Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a very frequent and serious clinical problem, accounting for overall high morbidity and mortality. Up to date, mortality due to AKI is virtually unchanged over the past 50 years. This may partly be explained due to a delay in initiating renal protective and appropriate therapeutic measures since until now there are no reliable early-detecting biomarkers. ⋯ In clinical settings with incipient AKI, not only the development and the implementation of more sensitive, practicable and accurate biomarkers are required for well-timed treatment initiation. Just as important is a substantial improvement of refined and applicable prophylactic therapeutic options in these situations. Before full adoption in clinical practice can be accomplished, adequately powered clinical trials testing a row of biomarkers are strongly warranted.
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Observational Study
Relationship between responsiveness to erythropoiesis-stimulating agent and long-term outcomes in chronic hemodialysis patients: a single-center cohort study.
Responsiveness to erythropoietin-stimulating agent (ESA) may be associated with mortality risk in hemodialysis (HD) patients. The aim of the present study was to assess the relationship between responsiveness to ESA and long-term outcome in chronic HD patients. ⋯ High ESA dose and low Hb level were associated with an increased risk of all-cause mortality. However, the responsiveness to ESA estimated by ERI was not related to mortality risk. These findings suggest that the responsiveness to ESA should be evaluated by different methods in HD patients.
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Review
Prognostic significance and therapeutic option of heart rate variability in chronic kidney disease.
Cardiovascular disease (CVD) begins early in the course of chronic kidney disease (CKD) and is the leading cause of death in patients with CKD. Preventing the development of CVD and establishing new clinical tools for identifying high-risk individuals, particularly those with an increased risk for cardiac death, is of clinical importance. ⋯ Assessment of HRV is based on analysis of consecutive normal R-R intervals and may provide quantitative information on the modulation of cardiac vagal and sympathetic nerve input. In this brief manuscript, increased CVD risk among CKD patients, mechanisms due to autonomic nerves dysfunction, changes of HRV and potential measures to ameliorate clinical prognostic of CKD patients will be discussed.
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Multicenter Study
Renal anaemia treatment in haemodialysis patients in the Central and Eastern European countries in everyday clinical practice follow-up.
Chronic kidney disease is almost always accompanied by anaemia. Erythropoietin-stimulating agents (ESA) can increase haemoglobin concentration and thus reduce the frequency of anaemia-related complications including the cardiovascular events. ⋯ At prestudy period, the mean weekly dose of ESA in group C was statistically lower than in the remaining two groups (3,823 ± 3,169 vs. 5,276 ± 2,915 and 6,427 ± 3,441 units/week, p < 0.001), but during prospective phase of the study the doses did not differ among groups A, B and C. No major fluctuation of ESA administration schedule was observed during the study in the groups; however, at majority of visits, the mean frequency of ESA administration in group C was statistically higher than in groups A and B. At baseline visit, the haemoglobin concentration in group A patients (10.86 ± 1.34 g/dL) was slightly lower than in group B (11.26 ± 1.43 g/dL) and group C (10.98 ± 1.35 g/dL) (p = 0.025), but at subsequent visits these differences disappeared and mean haemoglobin concentration was stable around 11 g/dL. Ferritin concentration increased from 280 ± 241 at baseline to 506 ± 405 at month 12, and no important differences in the groups were observed. The other haematological parameters (haematocrit, iron concentration) remained stable during the entire study. The frequency of blood transfusion and total volume of blood in group C were lower than in groups A and B. During the prospective 12-month follow-up, 23 (5.8 %) of the patients died and 35 (8.8 %) were transplanted. No differences in death or transplantation rate were observed among groups A, B and C. The number of patients with adverse events, serious adverse events or drug-related adverse events in all groups was similar. In conclusion, ESA therapy increased haemoglobin concentration and no major differences in haematological parameters among the groups were observed during the entire study irrespective of early versus late start. Mortality, cardiovascular events or other adverse events were similar among the groups during the observation period; however, the limitation of the study is the sample size.