The Effect of Far-Infrared Therapy on the Peritoneal Expression of Glucose Degradation Products in Diabetic Patients on Peritoneal Dialysis.

Peritoneal dialysis (PD) is a treatment modality for end-stage renal disease (ESRD) patients. Dextrose is a common osmotic agent used in PD solutions and its absorption may exacerbate diabetes mellitus, a common complication of ESRD. PD solutions also contain glucose degradation products (GDPs) that may lead to encapsulating peritoneal sclerosis (EPS), a severe complication of PD. A previous study showed that far-infrared (FIR) therapy improved a patient's gastrointestinal symptoms due to EPS. Due to limited literature on the matter, this study aims to investigate dialysate GDPs and peritoneal function in diabetic patients on PD. Thirty-one PD patients were enrolled and underwent 40 min of FIR therapy twice daily for six months. We demonstrated the effect of FIR therapy on the following: (1) decrease of methylglyoxal (p = 0.02), furfural (p = 0.005), and 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (p = 0.03), (2) increase of D/D0 glucose ratio (p = 0.03), and (3) decrease of potassium levels (p = 0.008) in both DM and non-DM patients, as well as (4) maintenance and increase of peritoneal Kt/V in DM and non-DM patients, respectively (p = 0.03). FIR therapy is a non-invasive intervention that can decrease dialysate GDPs in PD patients by improving peritoneal transport rate and solute removal clearance, while also maintaining dialysis adequacy.

Sacubitril/Valsartan in Patients With Heart Failure and Concomitant End-Stage Kidney Disease.

Background Heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) is a chronic disease with substantial mortality. Management of HFrEF has seen significant breakthrough after the launch of neprilysin inhibitor. The PARADIGM-HF (Prospective Comparison of ARNI with ACEI to Determine Impacton Global Mortality and Morbidity in Heart Failure) trial showed that sacubitril/valsartan significantly reduces HFrEF mortality and the heart failure hospitalization rate. However, in patients with advanced kidney disease, who have the highest prevalence of heart failure, the efficacy and safety of sacubitril/valsartan remains uncertain. We aim to study the efficiency of sacubitril/valsartan in patients with end-stage kidney disease. Methods and Results Heart function was screened by echocardiogram among all patients with end-stage kidney disease in 2 hospitals. Patients with HFrEF received either sacubitril/valsartan or conventional treatment. Fifteen echocardiographic parameters were compared before and after treatment. After 1-year sacubitril/valsartan treatment, parameters of systolic (left ventricular ejection fraction 31.3% to 45.1%, P<0.0001; left ventricular end-systolic volume 95.7 to 70.1 mL, P=0.006; left ventricular internal diameter at end-systole phase 47.2 to 40.1 mm, P=0.005), and diastolic (E/A ratio 1.3 to 0.8, P=0.009; E/Med e' ratio 25.3 to 18.8, P=0.010) function improved in patients with HFrEF and end-stage kidney disease. These parameters were unchanged in the conventional treatment group. Serum potassium did not increase in the sacubitril/valsartan group. Conclusions Sacubitril/valsartan improves left ventricular systolic and diastolic function in patients with HFrEF and end-stage kidney disease.