Journal Watch

  • 5-year study: Predialysis PD Education Saves Lives on PD

    Among 398 patients who started PD from 2007-2016, 169 had received predialysis education. After 5 years, this group had a significantly lower rate of peritonitis, a longer median time to a first peritonitis episode, and less risk of death from peritonitis than patients who did not get CKD education. Read the abstract.

    Read the abstract » | (added 2018-09-10)

    Tags: PD, Predialysis, Peritonitis, Mortality, CKD Education

  • Gender and Malnutrition in PD

    Do hypoalbumineumia, overhydration, inflammation, and cardiovascular risk affect men and women on PD differently? A small study (N=26 men and 28 women) with comparable BMI found more fluid overload, inflammation, and heart risk in women with low serum albumin than in men. Read the abstract.

    Read the abstract » | (added 2018-09-10)

    Tags: Gender, Malnutrition, Cardiovascular Risk, Hypoalbuminemia, Inflammation, Overhydration, Peritoneal Dialysis

  • PD Catheter Outcomes in Low vs. High-Volume Centers

    Not surprisingly, patients whose PD catheters were placed at high-volume centers (in Japan) had fewer adverse events, needed feer blood transfusions, and had shorter hospital stays than those from low-volume centers. Read the abstract.

    Read the abstract » | (added 2018-09-10)

    Tags: PD, Catheter, Hospital volume

  • Biocompatible PD Solutions Maintain Membranes Longer

    Independently of inflammation, biocompatible PD solutions helped 71 patients keep a steady level of solute transport over 7.5 years, compared to 295 patients who used standard solutions. Read the abstract.

    Read the abstract » | (added 2018-09-10)

    Tags: Dialysis Solutions, Glucans, Glucose, IL6 Protein, Human, Inflammation, Interleukin 6, Peritoneal Fibrosis, Peritoneum, Peritonitis, Creatinine, Hospitalization, Icodextrin, Peritoneal Dialysis, Peritoneal Membrane

  • Nocturnal HD is Underused

    A new review suggests that the improved outcomes associated with more hours of HD in-center or at home mean that these options should be used more. Read the abstract.

    Read the abstract » | (added 2018-09-10)

    Tags: Extended Hours, Improved Outcomes, HD, Nocturnal Dialysis, Quality Of Life

  • Left Atrial Remodeling Not Found After 1 Year of Nocturnal HD

    While left ventricular mass has been shown to regress with intensive HD, the same does not seem to hold true for the left atrium, nor did the ejection fraction improve, finds a new study of 37 patients switched from conventional HD. Read the abstract.

    Read the abstract » | (added 2018-09-10)

    Tags: Cardiac MRI, End stage Renal Disease, Hemodialysis, Left Atrium

  • Driving Home Dialysis Takes More Than Money

    Are financial incentives enough to change nephrologist practice to favor home therapies? Only a little, finds a comprehensive literature review and an international workshop. Other levers, such as the framework of funding for clinics, nephrologist belief in home treatments, and direct costs to patients (e.g., utilities) may play a role as well.

    Read the abstract » | (added 2018-08-13)

    Tags: Home Dialysis, Financial Incentives, Nephrologist Practice

  • Home HD After PD Failure May Lead to More Transplants, Lower Mortality

    Since PD failure can lead to hospitalization and death in those who switch to standard in-center HD (ICHD), would outcomes improve with home HD? A new analysis found 521 patients in the USRDS data who made the change. Compared to matched ICHD patients, the chance of transplant was nearly double (21% vs. 10.6%), while survival of home HD patients was 89.1% at 1 year and 80.5% at 2 years.

    Read the abstract » | (added 2018-08-13)

    Tags: PD Technique Failure, ICHD, Transplant, Home HD, Lower Mortality

  • Blood Flow Rates and Clinically Meaningful Solute Removal

    A prospective study of 17 patients looked at BFRs of 300, 350, and 450 and Kt/V urea, beta-2 microglobulin, and phosphorus when low dialysate flow rates were used. While Kt/V did increase, the impact on B2M and phosphorus were minimal.

    Read the abstract » | (added 2018-08-13)

    Tags: Daily Hemodialysis, Home Hemodialysis, Kt/V, Blood Flow

  • Color of Used PD Dialysate Gives Diagnostic Clues

    A review article proposes a differential diagnosis of various conditions based on a change in the color of PD effluent from clear to red, orange, cloudy, milky white, green, yellow, purple or black.

    Read the abstract » | (added 2018-08-13)

    Tags: Bloody Effluent, Chyloperitoneum, Peritoneal Dialysis, Peritonitis, Rhabdomyolysis