Fungal peritonitis (FP)? Take catheter out sooner rather than later

FP is a rare but serious problem on PD—and it can be lethal. A new study of 94 cases found that survival was nearly 3 times better when the infected catheter was removed within 24 hours of diagnosis.

Read the abstract » | (added 2011-02-24)

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PD doesn't zap your heart

"Myocardial stunning" occurs in HD due to brief periods of not enough blood flow to the heart muscle. Over time, as this happens over and over, it can cause heart damage. In a small study (just 10 people') looking at heart muscles, PD exchanges did not reduce blood flow to the heart—so, no stunning occurred.

Read the abstract » | (added 2011-02-24)

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Does dialysis time matter? YES!

Perhaps if in-center folks got more HD, they would see that they feel better—and think about home. Per Drs. Lacson and Lazarus from Fresenius, "Compelling rationale and recent outcome data support use of longer Td [dialysis time]...Until such time that results from prospective randomized trials are available, we believe that physicians should prescribe and exert all efforts to convince thrice-weekly hemodialysis patients to accept 4 h as minimum Td."

Read the abstract » | (added 2011-02-24)

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MYTHBUSTERS: microwaving PD fluid does NOT create glucose degradation products (GDPs)

While the belief persists that microwaving PD bags creates harmful GDPs when sugars are caramelized, the literature does not bear this out:

• A study in the ANNA Journal analyzed PD solution and found no changes, even when the fluid was superheated. The authors concluded that microwaving could be done safely.
• Very similar results were found in a study from PD International.

Read the abstract » | (added 2011-02-24)

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Watch your water soluble vitamins on nocturnal HD

More dialysis washes more vitamins out of the blood, finds a new study from Australia. Among people who were doing nocturnal HD, levels of vitamin C and thiamine were low. Supplements may be wise—ask your doctor.

Read the abstract » | (added 2011-02-24)

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Take your vitamins

A new study finds that HD—with regular or high flux membranes—removes large amounts of water soluble vitamins.

Read the abstract » | (added 2011-02-24)

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Need a bone density test on PD? Be sure you're empty

A new study has found that having fluid in your belly when you have a bone density test (called DXA) can change the results.

Read the abstract » | (added 2011-02-24)

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Female sexual function better on PD than standard in-center HD

If you're a woman, a new study finds that a transplant is the best way to restore your sexual function to normal levels. But PD did a much better job than standard HD—and the study didn't look at daily or nocturnal HD.

Read the abstract » | (added 2011-02-24)

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Need high doses of EPO? Might want to check for CMV

A new study from the Netherlands has found that people who have ESRD and have been exposed to the cytomegalovirus (CMV) have immune changes. With fewer working T-cells, they can't respond as well to anemia drugs.

Read the abstract » | (added 2011-02-24)

Tags: Chronic kidney disease

On PD, higher uric acid levels predict faster loss of kidney function

Keeping as much of your kidney function as you can is a plus on PD or HD. A new study from Korea has found that people on PD whose levels of uric acid were higher had a faster decline in their kidney function. Those with higher blood pressure tended to have higher uric acid levels.

Read the abstract » | (added 2011-02-24)

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