Long-term outcomes of the Japanese hemodialysis patients with prostate cancer detected by prostate-specific antigen screening.

We investigated the long-term outcomes of the Japanese hemodialysis patients with prostate cancer detected by prostate-specific antigen (PSA) screening. Clinical data of 646 male hemodialysis patients aged 55 years or older who started yearly PSA testing in the period from January 1, 2004 to December 31, 2012 and were followed until December 31, 2017 were analyzed retrospectively. The median follow-up period was 10.4 years. Nineteen (2.9%) patients were diagnosed with prostate cancer, of whom one patient died of the disease. Androgen-deprivation therapy (ADT) was selected for primary prostate cancer treatment in 17 (89.5%) of these 19 patients. Of six prostate cancer patients who underwent primary ADT (PADT) and died of other causes, three died of infectious disease, each one died of cardiovascular disease, liver cancer, and chronic renal failure. No significant difference was observed in regard to overall survival between the prostate cancer patients with PADT and non-prostate cancer patients. Prognosis of hemodialysis patients who were diagnosed with prostate cancer during yearly PSA screening examination and mainly treated with ADT was favorable without increasing cardiovascular events. This result indicates that PSA screening may be useful for detection and management of prostate cancer even in hemodialysis patients. J. Med. Invest. 68 : 42-47, February, 2021.

The utility and limitation of inferior vena cava diameter as a dry weight marker.

BACKGROUND: IVC diameter on expiration (IVCdexp) is measured by echocardiography routinely. It is used to estimate volume status and designated as a definitive marker for determining dry weight (DW) in patients undergoing hemodialysis (HD). METHODS: A cross-sectional study. Outpatients (n = 107), and inpatients (n = 35) undergoing HD were enrolled. IVCdexp was measured on non-dialysis days in outpatients and dialysis days before and after the dialysis session in inpatients. In outpatients, the relationship of IVCdexp with echocardiography findings and clinical characteristics was analyzed. IVCdexp was compared with the other DW markers as a predictive factor for intradialytic hypotension. In inpatients, IVCdexp was analyzed by dividing inpatients with or without fluid in extravascular space. RESULTS: IVCdexp ranged from 5.4 to 16.9 mm in outpatients who had optimal DW. IVCdexp could reflect on volume status, but not predictive for intradialytic hypotension and not suggestive of fluid in extravascular space. CONCLUSIONS: IVCdexp was a rough marker to estimate volume status and only useful in suggesting apparent hypervolemia or hypovolemia. We should know that the IVCdexp value is affected by a lotof factors and not a definitive marker for estimating practical DW. J. Med. Invest. 66 : 172-177, February, 2019.

Influence of albumin leakage on glycated albumin in patients with type 2 diabetes undergoing hemodialysis.

Glycated albumin (GA) is recommended as a better glycemic indicator than HbA1c in patients undergoing hemodialysis, because the red blood cell lifespan is generally faster than that in normal subjects. However, GA can be also affected by protein loss in urine and hemodialysis fluid. Therefore, in this study, we investigated the effect of albumin leakage induced by hemodialysis on GA. Nine patients undergoing hemodialysis with a large or small amount of albumin leakage were observed for 9 months in a crossover manner. As a result, it was shown that albumin leakage could affect GA, but the effect was practically small considering the prescription of diabetic drugs. The correlations between HbA1c and blood glucose levels and between GA and blood glucose levels were similar in our study. In conclusion, GA was a reliable indicator, even with the change of hemodialysis modality. The influence of albumin leakage induced by hemodialysis on GA was negligible practically. We should recognize that the preferable glycemic indicator in patients undergoing hemodialysis depends on the hemoglobin and albumin metabolism of each patient.

Evidence for Targeting Low-Molecular-Weight Proteins in Hemodialysis and Hemodiafiltration.

BACKGROUND: With the identification of ß2-microglobulin (ß2MG) as an active participant in dialysis-related amyloid fibril formation, low-molecular-weight proteins (LMWPs) are now recognized as a distinct class of uremic toxins, and numerous compounds in this category have been identified. The class of LMWPs, although not precisely defined, has a molecular weight range of approximately 1,000-50,000 Da. With this in mind, dialysis prescriptions have been modified to increase the efficiency of uremic solute removal. Many studies have characterized the dialytic removal of ß2MG and it is therefore regarded as a surrogate for LMWPs. SUMMARY: In Japan, dialysis membranes that can efficiently remove ß2MG are recommended. Recently, researchers have reported that ß2MG is not only a uremic toxin that should be removed, but also a predictor of the prognosis of dialysis patients. In Japan, hemodiafiltration (HDF), especially on-line HDF, and protein-permeable hemodialysis (HD) is being actively carried out, and it is often reported that prognosis is improved by decreasing the concentrations of substances larger than ß2MG. It is important, then, that dialysis prescriptions achieve effective clearance of such substances. Key Messages: Over 2,000 uremic substances have been identified that form or accumulate because of renal failure and cause various symptoms and complications. Focusing on these facts, HD or HDF therapy, which is associated with albumin loss, was implemented targeting the LMWPs. Here, we report the effects of albumin-losing blood purification (HD/HDF) for the purpose of removing LMWPs.

Factors associated with regular dental visits among hemodialysis patients.

AIM: To investigate awareness and attitudes about preventive dental visits among dialysis patients; to clarify the barriers to visiting the dentist. METHODS: Subjects included 141 dentate outpatients receiving hemodialysis treatment at two facilities, one with a dental department and the other without a dental department. We used a structured questionnaire to interview participants about their awareness of oral health management issues for dialysis patients, perceived oral symptoms and attitudes about dental visits. Bivariate analysis using the χ(2) test was conducted to determine associations between study variables and regular dental check-ups. Binominal logistic regression analysis was used to determine factors associated with regular dental check-ups. RESULTS: There were no significant differences in patient demographics between the two participating facilities, including attitudes about dental visits. Therefore, we included all patients in the following analyses. Few patients (4.3%) had been referred to a dentist by a medical doctor or nurse. Although 80.9% of subjects had a primary dentist, only 34.0% of subjects received regular dental check-ups. The most common reasons cited for not seeking dental care were that visits are burdensome and a lack of perceived need. Patients with gum swelling or bleeding were much more likely to be in the group of those not receiving routine dental check-ups (χ(2) test, P < 0.01). Logistic regression analysis demonstrated that receiving dental check-ups was associated with awareness that oral health management is more important for dialysis patients than for others and with having a primary dentist (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Dialysis patients should be educated about the importance of preventive dental care. Medical providers are expected to participate in promoting dental visits among dialysis patients.

Impact of Lanthanum Carbonate on Prognosis of Chronic Hemodialysis Patients: A Retrospective Cohort Study (Kawashima Study).

In hemodialysis patients, mineral and bone disorder is an important risk factor for cardiovascular disease and subsequent death through the progression of vascular calcification. Serum phosphorus plays a major role in this process. In the present study, we retrospectively analyzed the effects of oral phosphate binder, lanthanum carbonate (LC), on the mortality in hemodialysis patients. Among a total of 841 patients who underwent maintenance hemodialysis on 1 July 2010, patients who were treated with LC (LC group, N = 324) and those who were treated without LC (NLC group, N = 517) were compared with respect to their all-cause mortality for a long-term observation period of up to 36 months. The mortality rate was compared using the Cox proportional hazard model adjusted by the propensity score. The adjusted hazard ratio for mortality in the LC group versus NLC group was 0.515 (95% confidence interval, 0.328-0.807), suggesting that the use of LC is associated with an almost 50% reduction in the mortality rate. The present retrospective study including all hemodialysis patients demonstrated, for the first time, an association between the use of LC and improved prognosis in hemodialysis patients. Randomized controlled trials should be done in the future to validate our present findings.

Factors associated with pain during vascular access intervention therapy.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study is to investigate and compare factors associated with pain during vascular access intervention therapy. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Fifty patients provided informed consent to participate in a survey of pain by questionnaire after receiving dialysis treatment at our hospital. Balloons for use during the procedure were chosen at random in this prospective randomized control study. A numeric rating scale (NRS) was used for pain assessment. RESULTS: A semi-compliant balloon caused significantly worse pain as compared with the other types of balloons (NRS, 7.67 ± 1.57 vs. 6.02 ± 1.89; p<0.05). There was no correlation between maximum inflation pressure and pain, or between age and pain, and no difference between diabetic and non-diabetic patients. A comparison among vascular dilation locations, as well as a comparison of AVF with AVG also revealed no significant differences. CONCLUSIONS: The reason for severe pain with use of the semi-compliant balloon as compared with the other types might have been due to its characteristics during inflation, as increased diameter leads to an increase in pressure. Mismatching of balloon diameter to vascular diameter may also increase pain.

Vascular access for long-term hemodialysis/hemodiafiltration patients.

PURPOSE: We investigated the characteristics of patients who received long-term hemodialysis/hemodiafiltration (HD/HDF) treatment for over 30 years at our group of hospitals and type of vascular access (VA) used. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: As of August 2014, 950 patients were receiving HD/HDF treatment at one of our hospitals. Of those, we investigated 41 (4.3%) undergoing long-term treatment in regard to their characteristics and VA type. The items subjected to analysis were sex, primary illness, age at time of dialysis initiation, present age, duration (years) of HD/HDF, type of arteriovenous fistula (AVF) and arteriovenous graft (AVG), history of surgery and AVF persistence rate. RESULTS: The subjects consisted of 22 men and 19 women, and their mean HD/HDF duration was 33.4 ± 2.8 years. For primary illness, the majority (n = 31) had chronic glomerulonephritis. The age at time of dialysis initiation was 31.7 ± 7.76 years and present age was 64.5 ± 7.65 years. They had received 3.8 VA surgeries. For present VA type, 23 patients (56.0%) had an AVF and 13 (31.7%) an AVG, while 4 AVF patients (9.7%) had a history of AVG use. One patient (2.4%) had a superficialized artery. The mean HD/HDF duration of the 13 AVG patients was 7 years and the longest was 18 years. AVF persistence rate estimated by the Kaplan-Meier method was 75% at 30 years after dialysis initiation. CONCLUSIONS: The present results suggest that the ratio of patients with AVG increased with prolonged HD/HDF treatment. AVG has a higher probability of complications and lower patency as compared to AVF, thus careful management is needed. On the other hand, AVG contributes more to a good long prognosis, as it offers efficient dialysis. In cases of vascular deterioration due to long-term hemodialysis, it is inevitable to change from AVF to AVG, thus the ratio of AVG patients is expected to increase in cases of long-term HD/HDF.

Treatment of renal anaemia with erythropoiesis-stimulating agents in predialysis chronic kidney disease patients: Haemoglobin profile during the 6 months before initiation of dialysis.

AIM: Erythropoiesis-stimulating agents (ESAs) are all effective for renal anaemia in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). However, it was reported that the haemoglobin (Hb) concentration decreases to 8.4 g/dL during the initial phase of dialysis despite treatment with recombinant human erythropoietin (rHuEPO). This study compared Hb at the initiation of dialysis among patients treated with three different ESAs (rHuEPO, darbepoetin alfa [DA], and a continuous erythropoietin receptor activator [CERA]). METHODS: The subjects were 82 CKD patients who started dialysis at Kawashima Hospital between 1 January 2009 and 28 February 2015 and who received only one kind of ESA for at least 6 months before initiation of dialysis. Baseline characteristics and laboratory data at initiation of dialysis were compared among the three groups. Then changes of the Hb, ESA dose, and erythropoiesis resistance index were assessed over time during the 6 months before initiation of dialysis. Differences of Hb at the initiation of dialysis were also assessed. RESULTS: Among the 82 patients, 36 received rHuEPO, 13 received DA, and 33 received CERA. Baseline characteristics and laboratory data of the patients showed no significant differences among the three groups. The monthly Hb decreased gradually during the 6-month period before initiation of dialysis in all three groups. Hb was significantly higher in the CERA group than the rHuEPO group at the initiation of dialysis. CONCLUSION: Long-acting ESAs may be more useful for predialysis patients with CKD because they do not attend hospital frequently, unlike haemodialysis patients.

Evaluation of sterilization using the MEH200® (cotton pack) in vascular access puncture.

BACKGROUND: In recent years, chlorhexidine-alcohol has been attracting increasing attention for its role in skin antisepsis. There have been few reports on the infection frequency associated with vascular access and no reports on the infection frequency associated with antiseptics. AIMS: We investigated skin disinfection during vascular access puncture in patients on chronic hemodialysis (HD). METHODS: We analyzed patients on chronic HD with arteriovenous fistula (AVF) and arteriovenous graft (AVG) between January 2006 and December 2010. RESULTS: The MEH200® (cotton pack including alcohol and chlorhexidine gluconate) was used in 97% of patients. A total of 1130 patients were analyzed, including 911 with AVF and 219 with AVG. Of these, seven with AVF had an infection attributed to the insertion site, which represented a rate of 0.008% of patients per year. Twenty patients with AVG had an infection attributed to the insertion site, which represented a rate of 9.1% of patients per year. The frequency was not higher than that previously reported. CONCLUSIONS: In HD patients, the MEH200® may be effective for the prevention of bacteremia.

Simple surgical method for a native arteriovenous fistula of chronic hemodialysis patients and the patency rate.

BACKGROUND/AIM: The maintenance and control of vascular access in chronic hemodialysis patients are causing serious problems not only in the quality of life of patients but also in the medical economy. In this regard, we investigated the cumulative patency rate of native arteriovenous fistula (AVF) as a vascular access. METHODS: Simple surgical method for a native AVF is selected. The cumulative patency rate of AVF was compared for each parameter. More particularly, the patency rate in the AVF was investigated by primary disease, age at the time of operation, gender, condition, and site. Furthermore, the influence of factors, including primary disease, gender, age at the time of operation (1 year old), and dialysis period (1 year) on the patency rate, was investigated using Cox's proportional hazard model. RESULTS: The patency rate of AVF was 85.6, 75.0, 67.5, 52.2% for 12, 36, 60, 120 months, respectively. When the patency rate was investigated by factor, the rate was significantly higher in the males than females. When the influence of risk factors on the patency rate was investigated, the significant and independent risk factors in all the cases were 'female' sex. CONCLUSIONS: The AVF is considered as the vascular access with the highest patency rate in the chronic hemodialysis patients. However, the factor influencing this rate is gender. In conclusion, female has a higher risk than male.

Reduction or discontinuation of antibiotic prophylaxis in vascular access surgery, tendon sheath incision and PD catheter placement.

PURPOSE: Immune response in dialysis patients is suppressed and these patients are susceptible to bacterial infections. Therefore, minimal use of antibiotics in dialysis patients is recommended to avoid generating drug-resistant bacteria. However, minor surgeries including vascular access surgery, tendon sheath incision and peritoneal dialysis (PD) catheter placement are inevitable in dialysis patients and evidence-based recommendations on the judicious use of antibiotics are not currently available for these procedures. In this study, the optimal antibiotic prophylaxis for minor surgeries was evaluated. METHODS: This is a retrospective study. In dialysis patients at Kawashima Hospital, a three-step reduction of antibiotic use was performed in 651 cases of arteriovenous fistula (AVF) and tendon sheath incision surgeries from July 2009 through October 2012. Moreover, general surgical guidelines-recommended dose of preoperative antibiotics only were used in 532 cases of arteriovenous graft (AVG) and PD catheter placement from January 2010 through October 2012. The surgical site was observed for 2 weeks after the surgery. RESULTS: In only one case of AVF surgery, redness of the skin around the stitches was noticed 5 days after the surgery, which was healed with antibiotics taken orally for 3 days. Neither AVG nor PD catheter placement demonstrated any infection at the surgical site during the 2-week observation period. CONCLUSIONS: Even in dialysis patients, neither pre- nor postoperative antibiotics are necessary for AVF and tendon sheath incision surgeries. AVG and PD catheter placement surgeries require only a small amount of antibiotics preoperatively.

[Neobladder-rectal fistula as early postoperative complication of radical cystectomy and orthotopic neobaldder construction].

We report a case of neobladder-rectal fistula that developed as an early postoperative complication of radical cystectomy and orthotopic neobladder construction procedures. A 75-year-old man underwent a radical cystectomy and orthotopic neobladder construction using Studer's method for locally invasive bladder cancer (cT2N0M0). The patient had severe watery diarrhea on postoperative day 20, and was diagnosed with a neobladder-rectal fistula based on cystography findings. We inserted a Foley catheter into the neobladder, and performed conservative treatment. Four months after development of the fistula, cystography revealed that it had spontaneously closed. A neobladder-rectal fistula is an extremely rare complication, with no other known reports. Herein, we present this case of neobladder-rectal fistula and discuss its formation, diagnosis and treatment, along with reference to previous reports of neobladder-vaginal fistulas.

[Pseudosarcomatous myofibroblastic proliferation of the bladder-case report].

A 66-year-old man with a history of sporadic von Recklinghausen' s disease was treated for pseudosarcomatous myofibroblastic proliferation in the bladder. The patient had a history of repetitive recurrence of bladder carcinoma requiring transurethral resection (TUR) 4 times and 1 course of intravesical BCG instillation. Three months after the fourth TUR, an intravesical solid mass 4 cm in diameter was detected. Suspicion of recurrent bladder carcinoma led to a fifth TUR procedure. Pathological findings showed submucosal growth of myofibroblasts with myxoidal stroma and we made a diagnosis of Pseudosarcomatous myofibroblastic proliferation. The patient was well with no evidence of recurrence after 1 year.

[Two cases of prostatic carcinoma causing a disorder of gastrointestinal transit due to rectal stenosis].

A 64-year-old man, was admitted to the Department of Gastroenterology at another hospital in October, 2005 because of constipation and urinary retention. Endoscopic and computed tomographic (CT) examinations of biopsy specimens obtained from the rectal mucous membrane which appeared to be thickened revealed evidence of proctitis but no evidence of malignancy. The patient was referred to our hospital because of a high prostate specific anyigen (PSA) level (74.17 ng/ml), and hydronephrosis accompanied with hydroureter at the right side. Biopsy specimens taken from a prostatic tumor through a transrectal route showed histological features consistent with anaplastic adenocarcinoma which was positively stained with PSA antibody. We treated the patient with maximium androgen blackade (MAB), resulting in a decrease in plasma PSA level and amelioration of constipation as well. A 77-year-old man, visited a hospital because of constipation and high plasma carcinoembryonic antigen and carbohydrate antigen (CA) 19-9 values in May, 2005, and was diagnosed as having hyperplastic mucous membrane and atypical glands of the rectum by means of a rectal biopsy. Having been referred to our hospital, the patient received a prostate biopsy, specimens of which revealed moderately differentiated adenocarcinoma with negative PSA staining. A pelvic evisceration was performed. The eviscerated samples showed no abnormality in the rectal mucous membrane but cancer with light PSA staining in the prostatic ducts. The hormone therapy was initiated in the patient under the diagnosis of anaplastic cancer in the prostate. Since the therapy for the invasion of prostatic cancer on the rectum differs markedly from that for a primary tumor in the rectum, it is very important to differentiate accurately the one from the other.

[A case of bilharziasis diagnosed 10 years later].

A 31-year-old Japanese man had macroscopic hematuria 5 or 6 years previously. When he was examined at a local hospital, he was pronounced normal. However he still had macroscopic hematuria, so he visited our department. Urine cytodiagnosis was class II. Cystoscopy revealed irregular mucosa at the anterior wall and dome of the bladder. CT and MRI also demonstrated irregular thickness at the anterior wall of the bladder. A diagnosis of bilharziasis was made by histological specimen obtained by TUR-biopsy. The specimen did not show evidence of malignancy. When questioned about overseas travel, he said he had visited Malawi in Africa when he was 20 years old. As international exchange between Japan and other countries is now increasing, we will be examining more patients who have traveled to epidemic areas. In such patients, we should consider the possibility of Schistosomiasis.