Nephrology
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Review
Timely initiation of dialysis for chronic kidney disease: perspective from four Asian countries.
Recommendations about when to initiate dialysis for end-stage kidney failure have been made by a number of expert groups. These recommendations have led to changes in clinical practice, yet they are not based on high level evidence. ⋯ One of the main determinants of optimal initiation of dialysis is the time of referral of the patient to a nephrologist or a renal unit. In particular, early referral of patients with chronic kidney disease allows a planned initiation of dialysis, using from the start permanent vascular or peritoneal dialysis access.
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We review renal registry data from the Asia-Pacific region with an emphasis on their uses in health care and in dialysis care in particular. The review aims to demonstrate the information value of registry data. While renal registry provides a useful data resource for epidemiological research, there are severe methodological limitations in its application for analytical or therapeutic research. ⋯ In the course of preparing the review, we have found that the quality and accessibility of renal registry data were highly variable across the region. Given the value of renal registry, every country in the Asia-Pacific region should establish one or should ensure that their current registries are better resourced and developed. Greater data sharing and collaboration among registries in the region could help advance the nephrology to serve our patients better.
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Acute renal failure (ARF) still bears a poor prognosis with mortality rates up to 70% and the ideal form of renal replacement therapy (RRT) remains controversial. The purpose of this study was to conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis of all randomized controlled trials (RCT) to examine the effect of dialysis modality (IHD: Intermittent haemodialysis; CRRT: continuous renal replacement therapy) on survival of patients with ARF and to also study the effect of each modality on dialysis dependence (DD). ⋯ Similar to previously reported meta-analyses, we did not find a significant effect of CRRT on the OR of survival. The progressive reduction in the OR of survival with CRRT relative to IHD might reflect progressive improvements in IHD. The OR of DD was not affected by mode of RRT. In conclusion, compared with IHD, CRRT does not offer an advantage with regards to survival or DD in ARF. Considering its cost and potential disadvantages, it is imperative to identify the subset of patients with ARF that would potentially derive maximum benefit from CRRT. This will require large, adequately powered studies with sufficient follow-up.
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With widespread availability of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), it has become standard practice for patients with severe renal impairment or previous severe reactions to iodine-containing contrast media to receive gadolinium-based MRI contrast agents instead of traditional radiographic contrast agents, particularly for magnetic resonance angiography. However, there is growing concern about the use of gadolinium contrast agents in the presence of severe renal insufficiency, because of increasing reports of nephrogenic fibrosing dermopathy (NFD)/nephrogenic systemic fibrosis (NSF), associated with the exposure to certain gadolinium-containing contrast agents. ⋯ Though the current evidence makes gadolinium a strong suspect as an aetiologic agent for NSF in the presence of severe renal failure, the die is not cast yet. At this stage there needs to be cautious approach to the use of gadolinium-containing contrast agents in the presence of severe renal failure (glomerular filtration rate <30 mL/min per 1.73 m(2)).
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Acute kidney injury (AKI) has recently become the preferred term to describe the syndrome of acute renal failure (ARF) with 'failure' or 'ARF' restricted to patients who have AKI and need renal replacement therapy.(1) This allows capture of the broader clinical spectrum of modest reductions in creatinine, which are themselves known to be associated with major increases in both short- and long-term mortality risk.(2-5) It is hoped that this change in nomenclature will facilitate an expansion of our understanding of the underlying pathophysiology and also facilitate definitions of AKI, which allow comparisons among clinical trials of patients with similar duration and severity of illness. This review will cover the need for early detection of AKI and the role of urinary and plasma biomarkers, including enzymuria. The primary message is that use of existing criteria to diagnose AKI, namely elevation of the serum creatinine with or without oliguria, results in identification that is too late to allow successful intervention. New biomarkers are essential to change the dire prognosis of this common condition.