Giornale italiano di nefrologia : organo ufficiale della Società italiana di nefrologia
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The Author examines the recent opinion delivered by the Italian National Committee for Bioethics on deep palliative sedation. In particular, it examines its strengths and ample shade that show its ideology, once again, in contrast with the right of every human being to die with dignity.
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The main purpose of this paper, written by a group of Italian expert transplant surgeons, is to provide clinical support and to help through the decision-making process over pre-transplant surgical procedures in potential kidney recipients, as well as selection of pancreas transplant candidates and perioperative management of kidney recipient. Current topics such as different approaches in minimally invasive donor nephrectomy, methods of graft preservation and treatment of failed allograft were addressed.
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Review Practice Guideline
[Hyponatremia: from guidelines to clinical practice].
The publication, within a short time interval, of a consensus statement on the pathophysiology, diagnosis and treatment of hyponatremia by a panel of experts mainly from the US and of the European Guidelines on the same topic has marked an important step towards reducing the differences in the treatment of this frequent, and potentially fatal, electrolyte disorder. Within this framework, the European Society of Intensive Care Medicine (ESICM), the European Society of Endocrinology (ESE), and the European Dialysis and Transplantation Association-European Renal Association, represented by the European Renal Best Practice (ERBP), have developed these Guidelines for clinical practice, that are focused mainly on the diagnosis and the treatment of hyponatremia. ⋯ With respect to the original paper, this version of the Guidelines has been shortened and translated with a special view to the recommendations concerning the diagnosis and treatment of hyponatremia. It is preceded by an introduction underscoring the main targets of non-pharmacological treatment in acute severely symptomatic cases, specifically as regards the rate of correction of hyponatremia; subsequently, potential explanations for the discrepancies between the European Guidelines and the consensus statement by US experts concerning the use of vaptans are briefly discussed; the rationale and practical limitations in the clinical use of urea are analyzed in more detail.
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The hemodialysis might interfere with patients hemodynamic, as the technique allows a sophisticated game with extra and intravascular fluids. As the cardiocirculatory response could sometimes be unpredictable, it is interesting to collect valuable information by reaching a deep understanding of the tissue metabolism which is mirrored by the blood gas analysis of variations in arterial and central venous blood samples. ⋯ The ScvO2 is determined by four parameters (cardiac output, Hb concentration, arterial Hb saturation and O2 consumption): If the fluids subtraction during dialysis was about to determine an occult hypoperfusion, the ScvO2 reduction would be a timely warning sign to be considered. Moreover, while the normal veno-arterial PCO2 difference is 2-4 mmHg, whenever a mismatch between O2-demand and DO2arise, a larger v-aPCO2 difference should be observed.