Journal Watch
35-year Patient Survival on Home HD
A case study reports on the 35-year survival of a man with Alport’s syndrome who uses thrice-weekly conventional home HD—and still works 6-8 hours per day at age 65—despite no residual kidney function.
Read the abstract » | (added 2018-05-11)
APD Remote Monitoring Boosts Patient Independence
An observation study of 37 automated PD patients followed by remote monitoring found that prescriptions were modified more often than when monitoring was not done—personalizing treatments better to patients’ needs—and fewer emergency visits were needed, for more efficient use of healthcare resources.
Read the abstract » | (added 2018-05-11)
Tags: Automated Peritoneal Dialysis, Remote Monitoring, Patient Independence, Prescription Of Dialysis
Albumin Predicts Survival in Anuric PD Patients
Patients who don’t make urine have a better chance of survival on PD if their serum albumin levels are 3.6 g/dL or higher, finds a new study of 505 PD patients in Korea. Age, diabetes, ultrafiltration volume, and serum creatinine levels were other factors.
Read the abstract » | (added 2018-05-11)
HD at Home—Review of Current Machines
A new review articles compares and contrasts home HD machine options.
Read the abstract » | (added 2018-05-11)
High Peritoneal Transport and Long-term PD Outcomes
Among 470 patients who did PD for up to 10 years in Hong Kong, the peritoneal transport rate was able to differentiate survivors. After the first few years of PD, having high peritoneal transport became a significant risk factor for mortality.
Read the abstract » | (added 2018-05-11)
Lack of Education Predicts Peritonitis on PD
An analysis of socioeconomic—and educational—deprivation in 233 patients who had PD catheters placed found a trend toward higher peritonitis rates in more deprived patients.
Read the abstract » | (added 2018-05-11)
Tags: Educational Deprivation, PD catheter Insertions, PD Peritonitis
Emergent Start PD Yet Again
Learn about the rationale and feasibility of using PD as a first dialysis option for emergent start patients instead of inserting a central venous catheter and starting HD. .
Read the abstract » | (added 2018-04-12)
Tags: End stage Renal Disease, Haemodialysis, Peritoneal Dialysis, Unplanned Start, Urgent Start
LVH Regression in the FHN Trials
Among the 243 randomized patients with biomarker data in the daily HD trial, 121 had no change, 77 got better, and 45 got worse over the course of the study. Changes in levels of collagen turnover and klotho enzyme levels seemed to predict which patients would improve; a finding that will need to be verified in another study.
Read the abstract » | (added 2018-04-12)
Tags: Copeptin, Brain Natriuretic Peptide, Cardiac Biomarkers, Frequent Hemodialysis, Klotho, Left Ventricular Hypertrophy, Markers Of Collagen Turnover
Low Molecular Weight Heparin as Anticoagulation for Nocturnal HD
How can the dialysis circuit be kept free of clots during slow, HD treatments done during sleep? In a small study, 12 patients who did alternate night, 8-hour treatments were randomized to nadroparin (a low molecular weight heparin) or unfractionated heparin. The dosing regimens were adapted to make them more practical for overnight use. Both were effective, but with different monitoring requirements.
Read the abstract » | (added 2018-04-12)
Tags: Anticoagulation, Home Haemodialysis, Low molecular Weight Heparin, Nadroparin, Unfractionated Heparin
Homocysteine as a Marker for Spontaneous Bacterial Peritonitis
A non-invasive marker for SBP could save both time and money, and in a series of 323 PD patients with ascites, the ascitic fluid was tested for homocysteine levels. Both serum and ascitic levels were elevated in the SBP group—and both levels dropped after treatment. A cutoff level was suggested. Read the abstract.
Read the abstract » | (added 2018-03-16)
Tags: Ascites, Homocysteine Levels