Immunoglobulin and complement-mediated glomerular diseases with an MPGN pattern of injury: Unmasking the diagnosis of lupus in a patient with hepatitis A infection.

In cases with a broad differential or atypical features, it is important to continually review the original diagnosis. Diagnosing SLE can be challenging due to its multisystem presentations; a multidisciplinary approach is beneficial.

Has the UK living kidney donor population changed over time? A cross-sectional descriptive analysis of the UK living donor registry between 2006 and 2017.

BACKGROUND: A living-donor kidney transplant is the best treatment for most people with kidney failure. Population cohort studies have shown that lifetime living kidney donor risk is modified by sex, age, ethnicity, body mass index (BMI), comorbidity and relationship to the recipient. OBJECTIVES: We investigated whether the UK population of living kidney donors has changed over time, investigating changes in donor demographics. DESIGN: We undertook a cross-sectional analysis of the UK living kidney donor registry between January 2006 to December 2017. Data were available on living donor sex, age, ethnicity, BMI, hypertension and relationship to recipient. SETTING: UK living donor registry. PARTICIPANTS: 11 651 consecutive living kidney donors from January 2006 to December 2017. OUTCOME MEASURES: Living kidney donor demographic characteristics (sex, age, ethnicity, BMI and relationship to the transplant recipient) were compared across years of donation activity. Donor characteristics were also compared across different ethnic groups. RESULTS: Over the study period, the mean age of donors increased (from 45.8 to 48.7 years, p<0.001), but this change appears to have been limited to the White population of donors. Black donors were younger than White donors, and a greater proportion were siblings of their intended recipient and male. The proportion of non-genetically related non-partner donations increased over the 12-year period of analysis (p value for linear trend=0.002). CONCLUSIONS: The increasing age of white living kidney donors in the UK has implications for recipient and donor outcomes. Despite an increase in the number of black, Asian and minority ethnic individuals waitlisted for a kidney transplant, there has been no increase in the ethnic diversity of UK living kidney donors. Black donors in the UK may be at a much greater risk of developing kidney failure due to accumulated risks: whether these risks are being communicated needs to be investigated.

Young adults' perspectives on living with kidney failure: a systematic review and thematic synthesis of qualitative studies.

INTRODUCTION: Young adults fare worse than younger adolescents or older adults on a broad range of health indicators. Those with a chronic illness such as renal failure are a particularly vulnerable group, who experience poor outcomes compared with both children and older adults. Understanding how being in receipt of renal replacement therapy (RRT) affects the lives of young adults might help us to better prepare and support these individuals for and on RRT, and improve outcomes. This study aimed to synthesise research describing young adults' experiences of the psychosocial impact of kidney failure and RRT. DESIGN: A systematic literature review identified qualitative research reporting the perspectives of people aged 16-30 years receiving RRT on the psychosocial impact of renal failure. Electronic databases (including Medline/EMBASE/PsycINFO/ASSIA) were searched to November 2017 for full-text papers. The transparency of reporting of each study was assessed using the Consolidated Criteria for Reporting Qualitative Health Research (COREQ) framework. Quality was assessed using the Critical Appraisal Skills Programme qualitative checklist. An inductive thematic synthesis was undertaken. PARTICIPANTS: Seven studies from five different countries were included, comprising 123 young adults receiving RRT. RESULTS: Comprehensiveness of reporting was variable: studies reported 9-22 of the 32 COREQ-checklist items.Three global themes about the impact of kidney failure on young adults were identified: (1) difference desiring normality, (2) thwarted or moderated dreams and ambitions, and (3) uncertainty and liminality. These reflected five organising themes: (1) physical appearance and body image, (2) activity and participation, (3) educational disruption and underachievement, (4) career ambitions and employment difficulties, and (5) social isolation and intimate relationships. CONCLUSIONS: Across different countries and different healthcare settings, young adults on RRT experience difference and liminality, even after transplantation. Tailored social and psychological support is required to allow young adults to experience wellness while in receipt of RRT, and not have life on hold.

Non-infectious aortitis in an immunosuppressed renal transplant recipient with IgA nephropathy.

A 54-year-old woman presented with atypical chest pain, fever and malaise. She was immunosuppressed with three agents following a living-donor kidney transplant 1 year previously. Her native kidney failure was secondary to biopsy-demonstrated crescentic IgA nephropathy, with systemic involvement. A CT pulmonary angiogram revealed an inflammatory cuff of soft tissue around the descending thoracic aorta suggesting aortitis. Inflammatory markers were elevated. Given her immunosuppression, the patient was screened extensively for infective causes and was empirically commenced on intravenous meropenem. After 72 hours of no clinical or serological response to antibiotic therapy, negative microbiological investigations and worsening inflammation on serial imaging, she was commenced on high-dose methylprednisolone for presumed inflammatory aortitis. Symptoms and inflammatory markers rapidly normalisedand the patient was discharged home on oral prednisolone. A clinical diagnosis of IgA-related aortitis was made. Imaging 3 months later showed complete resolution of the aortitis.

A multicenter cohort study of potential living kidney donors provides predictors of living kidney donation and non-donation.

This multicenter prospective potential living kidney donor cohort study investigated which sociodemographic and other factors predict progression to living kidney donation or donor withdrawal as little is known on this topic. Therefore, we examined data on individuals undergoing living donor assessment at seven hospitals in the United Kingdom. Multivariable logistic regression was used to explore the relationships between donor and recipient characteristics and likelihood of kidney donation. A total of 805 individuals presented for directed donation to 498 intended recipients, of which 112 received a transplant from a living donor. Potential donors were less likely to donate if their intended recipient was female rather than male with an odds ratio of 0.60, a friend rather than relative 0.18, or had renal failure due to a systemic disease rather than another cause 0.41. The most socioeconomically deprived quintile was less likely to donate than the least 0.49, but the trend with deprivation was consistent with chance. Higher body mass index was associated with a lower likelihood of donation (odds ratio per each kg/m2 increase, 0.92). Younger potential donors (odds ratio per each year increase 0.97), those of nonwhite ethnicity 2.98, and friend donors 2.43 were more likely to withdraw from work-up. This is the first study in the United Kingdom of potential living kidney donors to describe predictors of non-donation. Qualitative work with individuals who withdraw might identify possible ways of supporting those who wish to donate but experience difficulties doing so.

What factors explain the association between socioeconomic deprivation and reduced likelihood of live-donor kidney transplantation? A questionnaire-based pilot case-control study.

OBJECTIVES: Socioeconomically deprived individuals with renal disease are less likely to receive a live-donor kidney transplant (LDKT) than less deprived individuals. This study aimed to develop and pilot a questionnaire designed to determine what factors explain this association. DESIGN: Questionnaire development and a pilot case-control study. Primary aims were to develop and evaluate a questionnaire, assess response rates, and to generate data to inform full-scale study design. SETTING: A UK tertiary renal referral hospital and transplant centre. PARTICIPANTS: Invited participants comprised 30 LDKT recipients (cases) and 30 deceased-donor kidney transplant (DDKT) recipients (controls). Stratified random sampling was used to select cases and controls from all adults who had been transplanted at Southmead Hospital North Bristol National Health Service Trust, between 1 August 2007 and 31 July 2013. METHODS: Participants were posted questionnaires that were accompanied by an invitation letter from the renal consultant responsible for their care, and a patient information leaflet. Non-responders were sent a second questionnaire after 4-6 weeks. Data were extracted from returned questionnaires, and entered onto a Research Electronic Data Capture (REDCap) database. RESULTS: 63% (n=38) of those invited returned questionnaires. 16 (42%) declined to answer the question on income. 58% of participants had not asked any of their potential donors to consider living kidney donation (52% LDKT vs 65% DDKT, p=0.44). There was some evidence of a difference between the R3K-T knowledge score for recipients of LDKTs (mean 6.7, SD 1.8) and for recipients of DDKTs (mean 4.9, SD 2.1), p=0.008. Variables' distribution for the exposure variables of interest was determined. CONCLUSIONS: Findings from this study will inform a sample size calculation for a full-scale study. The findings of the full-scale case-control study will help us better understand how socioeconomic deprivation is related to the type of transplant an individual receives. This understanding will help us to design and appropriately tailor an intervention to reduce inequitable access to live-donor kidney transplantation.

Socioeconomic deprivation and barriers to live-donor kidney transplantation: a qualitative study of deceased-donor kidney transplant recipients.

OBJECTIVES: Socioeconomically deprived individuals with renal disease are less likely to receive a live-donor kidney transplant than less-deprived individuals. This qualitative study aimed to identify reasons for the observed socioeconomic disparity in live-donor kidney transplantation. DESIGN: A qualitative study using face-to-face in-depth semistructured interviews. SETTING: A UK tertiary renal referral hospital and transplant centre. PARTICIPANTS: Purposive sampling was used to select deceased-donor transplant recipients from areas of high socioeconomic deprivation (SED) (19 participants), followed by a low SED comparison group (13 participants), aiming for maximum diversity in terms of age, gender, ethnicity, primary renal disease and previous renal replacement therapy. METHODS: Participants were interviewed following their routine transplant clinic review. Interviews were digitally audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim. Transcripts were coded using NVivo software and analysed using the constant comparison method described in Grounded Theory. RESULTS: Themes common and distinct to each socioeconomic group emerged. 6 themes appeared to distinguish between individuals from areas of high and low SED. 4 themes were distinct to participants from areas of high SED: (1) Passivity, (2) Disempowerment, (3) Lack of social support and (4) Short-term focus. 2 themes were distinct to the low SED group: (1) Financial concerns and (2) Location of donor. CONCLUSIONS: Several of the emerging themes from the high SED individuals relate to an individual's lack of confidence and skill in managing their health and healthcare; themes that are in keeping with low levels of patient activation. Inadequate empowerment of socioeconomically deprived individuals by healthcare practitioners was also described. Financial concerns did not emerge as a barrier from interviews with the high SED group. Interventions aiming to redress the observed socioeconomic inequity should be targeted at both patients and clinical teams to increase empowerment and ensure shared decision-making.

Better the donor you know? A qualitative study of renal patients' views on 'altruistic' live-donor kidney transplantation.

BACKGROUND: In the UK there is a short-fall between individuals requiring a renal transplant and kidneys available for transplantation. Non-directed 'altruistic' living kidney donation has emerged as a strategy for bridging this gap between supply and demand, with the number increasing each year. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to explore the views of potential recipients towards non-directed 'altruistic' live-donor kidney transplantation. METHODS: Semi-structured interviews with 32 UK deceased-donor kidney transplant recipients were performed. Interviews explored willingness to consider directed and non-directed live-donor kidney transplants (LDKTs). Interviews were recorded, transcribed verbatim and transcripts were analysed using the constant comparison method described in Grounded Theory. RESULTS: For those not willing to accept a non-directed 'altruistic' LDKT, the following themes were identified: i) Prioritising other recipients above self; ii) Fear of acquiring an unknown donor's characteristics, and iii) Concern for the donor - unnecessary risk. For those willing to accept a non-directed 'altruistic' LDKT the following themes were identified: iv) Prioritising known above unknown persons, v) Belief that they are as deserving as other potential recipients, and vi) Advantages of a LDKT. CONCLUSIONS: Drawing on 'gift exchange theory', this study contributes to our understanding of the experience of the intended recipient of a gift. The anonymity of the donor-recipient appears to be seen as a benefit of non-directed 'altruistic' live-donor transplants, freeing recipients from the obligations of the gift. However, those who feel unworthy of the 'gifted transplant' are concerned about the donor and by the lack of opportunity for direct reciprocity. Highlighting the 'reciprocal benefits' reported by donors may allow individuals whose preference is a live-donor transplant to accept one if offered. These insights provide the transplant community with targets for intervention, through which the concerns of potential recipients might be addressed.

When Opportunity Knocks Twice: Dual Living Kidney Donation, Autonomy and the Public Interest.

Living kidney transplantation offers the best treatment in terms of life-expectancy and quality of life for those with end-stage renal disease. The long-term risks of living donor nephrectomy, although real, are very small, with evidence of good medium-term outcomes. Who should be entitled to donate, and in which circumstances, is nevertheless a live question. We explore the ethical dimensions of a request by an individual to donate both of their kidneys during life: 'dual living kidney donation'. Our ethical analysis is tethered to a hypothetical case study in which a father asks to donate a kidney to each of his twin boys. We explore the autonomy of the protagonists, alongside different dimensions of the public interest, such as the need to protect not only the recipients, but also the donor and even the wider community. Whilst acknowledging objections to 'dual-donation', not least by reference to the harms that the donor might be expected to endure, we suggest there is a prima facie case for permitting this, provided that both donor and recipients are willing and that due attention is paid to such considerations as the autonomy and welfare of all parties, as well as to the wider ramifications of acting on such a request. We argue for broader interpretations of the concepts of autonomy and welfare, recognizing the importance of relationships and the relevance of more than merely physical well-being. Equipped with such a holistic assessment, we suggest there is a prima facie case for allowing 'dual living kidney donation'.

From potential donor to actual donation: does socioeconomic position affect living kidney donation? A systematic review of the evidence.

Evidence from Europe, Australia and the United States demonstrates that socioeconomically deprived individuals with advanced chronic kidney disease are less likely to receive a living kidney transplant compared with less deprived individuals. This systematic review focuses on how socioeconomic position (SEP) may influence hypothetical and actual living kidney donors and where appropriate, summarizes the quantitative evidence.In the general population, a higher SEP appears to be associated with an increased 'hypothetical' willingness to be a living kidney donor but with marked heterogeneity in the absolute differences (I = 95.9%, P < 0.001). In a commercial setting, lower SEP motivates people to donate. Outside of this setting, there is no evidence of discordance in the SEP of donors and recipients that would suggest undisclosed financial exchange. There is evidence for a complex interaction between SEP and other variables, such as ethnicity, sex, and the national economic climate. Some evidence suggests that measures to remove financial disincentives to donation are associated with an increase in living donation rates. Future research needs to study how SEP impacts the potential donor population from willingness to donate, progression through donor assessment to actual donor nephrectomy.

The effect of rural-to-urban migration on renal function in an Indian population: cross-sectional data from the Hyderabad arm of the Indian Migration Study.

BACKGROUND: Urban migration is associated with an increased risk of hypertension, obesity and diabetes in Indian migrants. This study assessed the relationship between internal migration and renal function in the Hyderabad arm of the Indian Migration Study. METHODS: We assessed 841 subjects; urban non-migrants (n = 158), urban migrants (n = 424) and rural non-migrants (n = 259). Muscle mass was ascertained from DXA scanning. We derived urban life years for urban migrants and rural non-migrants. Multivariable linear regression was used to examine the association between tertiles of urban life years and 4-variable MDRD eGFR using Stata 11. RESULTS: Mean eGFR was lower in urban non-migrants and urban migrants compared to rural non-migrants. The prevalence of CKD 3-5 was higher in the rural non-migrant population (5.0%) than in the urban non-migrant populations (2.5%) due to a negatively skewed distribution of eGFR in rural non-migrants. As urban life years increased, eGFR declined (p = 0.008) though there was no obvious dose response effect. After adjustment for muscle mass, the association was attenuated and the trend was consistent with chance (p = 0.08). Further adjustment for vascular risk factors weakened the association to a small degree (p = 0.11). CONCLUSIONS: The high prevalence of reduced eGFR in rural areas requires further research. Urbanization was associated with reduced eGFR. This association appears mostly to be due to higher muscle mass with a small contribution from adverse vascular disease risk factors.

Study of living kidney donor-recipient relationships: variation with socioeconomic deprivation in the white population of England.

BACKGROUND: Socioeconomic deprivation is associated with higher renal replacement therapy acceptance rates in the UK but lower rates of living kidney transplantation. This study examines donor-recipient relationship patterns with socioeconomic deprivation in the white population of England. METHODS: Demographic characteristics of all white live renal transplant donors and recipients between 2001 and 2010 in England were analyzed. Patterns of donor-recipient relationship were analyzed to see whether they differed according to an ecological measure of socioeconomic status (Index of Multiple Deprivation). Group comparisons were performed using chi-square tests and multivariable logistic regression. RESULTS: Sources of living kidney transplants differed with deprivation (p < 0.001). Recipients living in poorer areas were more likely to receive a kidney from a sibling, child, and "other relative" donor and less likely from spouses/partners. Logistic regression suggested differences seen with spouse/partner donations with deprivation were explained by differences in the age and gender of the recipients. CONCLUSIONS: The source of living kidneys differs by level of area deprivation. Given the disparity in rates of living kidney transplants between the most and least socioeconomically deprived, there is a need to understand the reasons behind these observed relationship differences, with the aim of increasing transplantation rates in the most deprived.

Differences in estimation of creatinine generation between renal function estimating equations in an Indian population: cross-sectional data from the Hyderabad arm of the Indian migration study.

BACKGROUND: Creatinine based formulae for estimating renal function developed in white populations may be less valid in other ethnic groups. We assessed the performance of various estimating formulae in an Indian population. METHODS: 917 subjects were recruited from the Hyderabad arm of the Indian Migration Study. Data were collected on comorbidity, serum creatinine and body composition from DXA scans. Renal function was compared using the modified Cockcroft-Gault, MDRD and CKD-EPI formulae. 24-hour creatinine production was derived from each estimate and the agreement with measured muscle mass examined. 24-hour creatinine production estimates were compared to that derived from a formula by Rule incorporating DXA measured muscle mass. Potential systematic biases were examined by age and eGFR. We assessed the association of renal function by each formula with hypertension and self-reported measures of vascular disease. RESULTS: Mean modified Cockcroft-Gault eCCl was 98.8 ml/min/1.73 m(2), MDRD eGFR 91.2 ml/min/1.73 m(2) and CKD-EPI eGFR 96.3 ml/min/1.73 m(2). MDRD derived 24-hour creatinine production showed the least age-related underestimation compared to the Rule formula. CKD-EPI showed a marked bias at higher eGFRs. All formulae showed similar strength associations with vascular disease and hypertension. CONCLUSIONS: Our analyses support the use of MDRD for estimating renal function in Indian populations. Further work is required to assess the predictive value of formulae for incident disease and complications of CKD.

Anti-GBM disease and renal vein thrombosis.

A 23-year-old female who presented with advanced renal failure was subsequently diagnosed with renal vein thrombosis and antiglomerular basement membrane (GBM) antibody disease. A previous case of renal vein thrombosis has been reported in association with anti-GBM disease, but to our knowledge, this is the first reported case in which the presentation of anti-GBM disease and renal vein thrombosis was concurrent. Further study is essential to understand if the association of anti-GBM disease and renal vein thrombosis as seen in our case was pure coincidence or is in fact occurs more frequently. It may be that the dual diagnosis is not made as establishing one sufficient diagnosis for renal failure may halt further investigations for additional diagnoses.

An elderly woman with 'Red Man Syndrome' in association with oral vancomycin therapy: a case report.

INTRODUCTION: 'Red Man Syndrome' is a recognized adverse reaction to intravenous vancomycin therapy. This case concerns an elderly woman who developed a 'Red Man Syndrome' reaction whilst on oral vancomycin therapy for Clostridium difficile (C difficile) diarrhoea. Isolated case reports exist recording this reaction in association with oral vancomycin therapy in patients with inflammatory bowel conditions or impaired renal function, of which this patient had both. CASE PRESENTATION: An 82 year old Caucasian woman who developed C. difficile diarrhoea after co-amoxiclav therapy for a urinary tract infection. She was treated with oral vancomycin therapy during which she developed a widespread erythematous rash in keeping with that of 'Red Man Syndrome'. This rash resolved on stopping the oral vancomycin. CONCLUSION: This case is important in the light of the increasing use of oral vancomycin to treat C. difficile diarrhoea, a rising problem in the UK. It also calls us to review our understanding of the mechanism of the 'Red Man Syndrome' reaction. It is possible that significant absorption of orally administered vancomycin occurs in the presence of an inflammatory bowel condition.