Erythrocytosis and CKD: A Review.

Erythrocytosis or polycythemia is defined as an increase in red blood cell concentration above the age- and sex-specific normal levels. Unlike anemia, which is very common in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD), erythrocytosis is less frequent but requires specific understanding by health care professionals in order to provide the best care. Erythrocytosis, especially when undiagnosed and untreated, can lead to serious thrombotic events and higher mortality. Classic causes of erythrocytosis associated with CKD include cystic kidney diseases, kidney or other erythropoietin-secreting neoplasms, high-altitude renal syndrome, overdosage of erythropoietin-stimulating agents, androgen therapy, heavy smoking, chronic lung disease, obstructive sleep apnea, IgA nephropathy, post-kidney transplant erythrocytosis, renal artery stenosis, and congenital etiologies. After ruling out the common acquired causes of erythrocytosis and/or in the presence of suggestive parameters, primary erythrocytosis or polycythemia vera (PV) should be considered, and patients should be screened for JAK2V617F somatic mutation. The newest entity inducing erythrocytosis is linked to the use of sodium/glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors that hypothetically activate hypoxia-inducible factor 2α (HIF-2α) and in some cases unmask PV. This Review focuses on the pathogenesis, renal manifestations and management of PV, the pathophysiology of erythrocytosis induced by SGLT2 inhibitors and the relevance of timely JAK2 mutation screening in these patients.

Association of vitamin intake with health-related quality of life in hemodialysis patients.

BACKGROUND: It is still uncertain whether vitamin intake is associated with better quality of life in hemodialysis patients. This study aims to assess the association between the quantity of supplemented vitamins and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in this population. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This cross-sectional study included all patients on chronic hemodialysis from three units. Vitamins and micronutrients assessed were B1, B6, B12, C, D, folic acid, menaquinone, carnitine, zinc, and coenzyme Q10. Quality of life scores included the 8 domains of SF-36 and the 11 domains of the Kidney Disease Quality of Life (KDQOL). Bivariate analysis compared two groups of patients divided based on the median of vitamin intake. Spearman Rho test assessed the correlation between number of vitamins and different dimensions of HRQoL. RESULTS: A total of 183 patients were included. Median number of vitamins supplemented was 2 (1,3); 112 patients had an intake of ≤ 2 vitamins, and 71 patients were taking > 2 vitamins. There was a significant association between higher vitamin intake and the burden of kidney disease that remained significant in the multivariable analysis (p = 0.03), but no correlation between the number of vitamins (0 - 13) and different HRQoL scores. Sub-analyses of each category of vitamins showed no significant difference in HRQoL scores except for Vitamin B and staff encouragement (p = 0.01) and for multivitamins and quality of social interaction (p = 0.03). CONCLUSION: A higher number of vitamins in hemodialysis patients is associated with an increased perception of the burden of kidney disease. Interventional studies are needed to assess whether selective vitamin supplementation in case of deficiencies is associated with better quality of life.

Sleepiness and Health-Related Quality of Life Among Kidney Transplant Recipients in a Low-Middle Income Country: A Cross-Sectional Study.

This study aims to describe daytime sleepiness and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) among Lebanese kidney transplant (KT) recipients and to examine the medical, psychosocial and transplant factors related to them. It is a cross-sectional multi-center study involving KT recipients >18 years. Daytime sleepiness was assessed using ESS Questionnaire. HRQoL was measured using the SF-36 questionnaire. Social support was self-reported. A multivariable regression analysis evaluated factors associated with daytime sleepiness and HRQoL in our sample. 118 patients were recruited over a 2 years period. Excessive daytime sleepiness was prevalent in 12.7%. It was associated with Diabetes Mellitus (OR 3.97, 95% CI 0.94-16.81, p = 0.06) and obesity (OR 1.13, 95% CI 1.02, 1.27, p = 0.02). Social support and higher eGFR were associated with better scores on the MCS (ß 24.13 p < 0.001 and ß 0.26 p < 0.01) and the PCS (ß 15.48 p < 0.01 and ß 0.22 P 0.02). Conversely, depression and hospitalization were negatively associated with the MCS (ß -27.44, p < 0.01 and ß -9.87, p < 0.01) and the PCS (ß -0.28.49, p < 0.01 and ß -10.37, p < 0.01).

Association of renal resistive indices with kidney disease progression and mortality.

BACKGROUND: Renal resistive indices (RRI) have been shown to predict the progression of kidney disease. This study aims to evaluate the association of RRI with mortality and dialysis initiation after adjustment to therapeutic and life style interventions. METHODS: This is a retrospective study that included all chronic kidney disease patients followed for at least two years in three nephrology clinics between 2006 and 2019 and who had a RRI level in their files. Kaplan Meier and log rank test compared the survival of patients with normal versus high RRI. Cox regression analysis evaluated the association between RRI and death or dialysis initiation after adjustment to treatments and life style modifications. RESULTS: A total of 192 patients were analyzed: 68 had RRI < 0.7 and 124 had RRI ≥ 0.7. Their mean age was 66.5 ± 13.1 years at first visit, 78.1% were males. There was a negative correlation between baseline eGFR and RRI (p < 0.001; Spearman correlation coefficient = -0.521). The survival was significantly better in patients with RRI < 0.7 with a Log Rank test < 0.001. The univariate cox regression analysis showed a significant association between RRI and mortality (HR = 1.08; 95%CI: 1.04-1.11; p < 0.001) that remained significant after adjustment to cardiovascular risk factors and interventions such as salt reduction, blood pressure control, statins and RAAS inhibitors (HR = 1.04; 95%CI: 1.00-1.08; p = 0.036). Cox regression analysis showed a significant association between RRI and dialysis initiation (HR = 1.06; 95%CI 1.01-1.10; p = 0.011). CONCLUSION: Our study revealed that patients with an elevated RRI ≥ 0.7 are at a higher risk of mortality after adjustment to medications and lifestyle modifications. RRI can, according to this study, be considered as an independent prognostic factor in CKD patients.

Erythropoietin in Acute Kidney Injury (EAKI): a pragmatic randomized clinical trial.

BACKGROUND: Treatment with erythropoietin is well established for anemia in chronic kidney disease patients but not well studied in acute kidney injury. METHODS: This is a multicenter, randomized, pragmatic controlled clinical trial. It included 134 hospitalized patients with anemia defined as hemoglobin < 11 g/dL and acute kidney injury defined as an increase of serum creatinine of ≥ 0.3 mg/dL within 48 h or 1.5 times baseline. One arm received recombinant human erythropoietin 4000 UI subcutaneously every other day (intervention; n = 67) and the second received standard of care (control; n = 67) during the hospitalization until discharge or death. The primary outcome was the need for transfusion; secondary outcomes were death, renal recovery, need for dialysis. RESULTS: There was no statistically significant difference in transfusion need (RR = 1.05, 95%CI 0.65,1.68; p = 0.855), in renal recovery full or partial (RR = 0.96, 95%CI 0.81,1.15; p = 0.671), in need for dialysis (RR = 11.00, 95%CI 0.62, 195.08; p = 0.102) or in death (RR = 1.43, 95%CI 0.58,3.53; p = 0.440) between the erythropoietin and the control group. CONCLUSIONS: Erythropoietin treatment had no impact on transfusions, renal recovery or mortality in acute kidney injury patients with anemia. The trial was registered on ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT03401710, 17/01/2018).

Routine laboratory testing in hemodialysis: how frequently is it needed?

BACKGROUND: Hemodialysis patients are followed by routine laboratory testing. There is uncertainty whether these tests always lead to a change in decision-making. This study aims to discover the number of yearly interventions/changes in prescription based on these tests and depict the group of patients who would benefit from reduced or increased laboratory blood tests. METHODS: This is a multi-center retrospective study that included patients on hemodialysis for more than one year. Laboratory data collected included yearly average of hemoglobin, urea reduction ratio (URR), serum phosphate, calcium, potassium, parathormone (PTH), ferritin and transferrin saturation (TSAT); changes in prescription of erythropoietin-stimulating agents (ESAs), intravenous (IV) iron, alfacalcidol, phosphate binders and dialysis parameters were retrieved from medical records. A multivariate regression analysis assessed factors associated with high number of interventions. RESULTS: A total of 210 hemodialysis patients were included: 62.4% males, 47.1% diabetics. Their median age was 72 (62,78.5) years. Their laboratory parameters were within KDIGO targets. The median number of yearly interventions was 5 (3,7) for ESAs, 4 (2,6) for IV iron, 1 (0,2.25) for phosphate binders, 0 (0,1) for alfacalcidol. Based on the multivariate analysis, patients with higher ferritin, frequent changes in ESA, more changes in alfacalcidol and higher PTH had higher number of prescription's changes in ESA, IV iron, phosphate binders and alfacalcidol respectively. CONCLUSION: While maintaining KDIGO targets, therapeutic interventions following routine laboratory testing did not exceed six times yearly for all parameters. This suggests that a reduced testing frequency in hemodialysis patients is possible without any impact on quality of care. A personalized approach remains safe for hemodialysis patients while reducing the cost. This is very relevant in low-resource settings and during economic crises and needs to be evaluated in prospective studies.

Cost of illness of chronic kidney disease in Lebanon: from the societal and third-party payer perspectives.

BACKGROUND: Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is the 12th leading cause of death worldwide. Cost-of-illness studies of CKD are scarce in developing countries. This study aims to estimate the cost of illness of all stages of CKD in Lebanon, from early stages until dialysis and kidney transplantation. The secondary objective is to identify factors related to the highest financial burden. METHODS: This is a cross-sectional study of CKD patients who presented to two nephrology clinics during November 2020. Their medical and administrative records were reviewed for collection of demographics, CKD characteristics, direct medical costs (medications, diagnostic tests, hospitalizations, inpatient care, outpatient care), direct non-medical costs (transportation) and indirect costs (productivity losses) for one year. Kruskal Wallis test was used to compare the costs between different CKD stages and categories. Logistic regression analysis was used to evaluate risk factors associated with costs. RESULTS: The sample included 102 non-dialysis CKD patients, 40 hemodialysis, 8 peritoneal dialysis and 10 transplant patients. Their mean age was 66.74 ± 15.36 years, 57.5% were males and 42.5% diabetics. The total median cost per year of CKD across all categories was assessed to be 7,217,500 Lebanese Pounds (3,750,000-35,535,250; 1 $USD = 1515 LBP in 2019) from the societal perspective and 5,685,500 LBP (2,281,750- 32,386,500) from the third-party payer perspective. Statistical analysis showed a higher total cost in hemodialysis (p < 0.001), higher cost of medications in transplant (p < 0.001) and higher cost in technique modality in peritoneal dialysis (p < 0.001). In a sub-analysis of hemodialysis patients, dialysis vintage negatively correlated with total societal cost (r = -0.391, p = 0.013); the regression analysis found diabetes as a risk factor for higher cost (OR = 2.3; 95%CI: 0.638,8.538; p = 0.201). In the subcategory of CKD-ND patients, age correlated with total societal cost (r = 0.323, p = 0.001); diabetes and coronary artery disease were significantly associated with higher total cost (OR = 2.4; 95%CI: 1.083,5.396; p = 0.031; OR = 3.7; 95%CI: 1.535,8.938; p = 0.004). CONCLUSIONS: This cost of illness study showed a high burden of hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis cost compared to transplant and non-dialysis CKD patients. It revealed a significantly higher cost of medications in transplant patients. Health policies should target interventions that prevent end-stage kidney disease and encourage kidney transplantation.

Age and multimorbidities as poor prognostic factors for COVID-19 in hemodialysis: a Lebanese national study.

BACKGROUND: Hemodialysis patients with COVID-19 have been reported to be at higher risk for death than the general population. Several prognostic factors have been identified in the studies from Asian, European or American countries. This is the first national Lebanese study assessing the factors associated with SARS-CoV-2 mortality in hemodialysis patients. METHODS: This is an observational study that included all chronic hemodialysis patients in Lebanon who were tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 from 31st March to 1st November 2020. Data on demographics, comorbidities, admission to hospital and outcome were collected retrospectively from the patients' medical records. A binary logistic regression analysis was performed to assess risk factors for mortality. RESULTS: A total of 231 patients were included. Mean age was 61.46 ± 13.99 years with a sex ratio of 128 males to 103 females. Around half of the patients were diabetics, 79.2% presented with fever. A total of 115 patients were admitted to the hospital, 59% of them within the first day of diagnosis. Hypoxia was the major reason for hospitalization. Death rate was 23.8% after a median duration of 6 (IQR, 2 to 10) days. Adjusted regression analysis showed a higher risk for death among older patients (odds ratio = 1.038; 95% confidence interval: 1.013, 1.065), patients with heart failure (odds ratio = 4.42; 95% confidence interval: 2.06, 9.49), coronary artery disease (odds ratio = 3.27; 95% confidence interval: 1.69, 6.30), multimorbidities (odds ratio = 1.593; 95% confidence interval: 1.247, 2.036), fever (odds ratio = 6.66; 95% confidence interval: 1.94, 27.81), CRP above 100 mg/L (odds ratio = 4.76; 95% confidence interval: 1.48, 15.30), and pneumonia (odds ratio = 19.18; 95% confidence interval: 6.47, 56.83). CONCLUSIONS: This national study identified older age, coronary artery disease, heart failure, multimorbidities, fever and pneumonia as risk factors for death in patients with COVID-19 on chronic hemodialysis. The death rate was comparable to other countries and estimated at 23.8%.

Effects of Caffeinated and Decaffeinated Coffee on Hemodialysis-Related Headache (CoffeeHD): A Randomized Multicenter Clinical Trial.

OBJECTIVES: Historically, headache was reported in up to 76% of hemodialysis patients. Some authors suggested that headache resulted from caffeine withdrawal. This study aims to compare the incidence of headache and hypotension between patients drinking regular or decaffeinated coffee during dialysis. METHODS: One-hundred fifty-six patients were enrolled in this randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multicenter study. Patients with atrial fibrillation were excluded. Group A was given 80 mL of regular coffee and group B 80 mL of decaffeinated coffee (placebo) in the middle of the session for 12 consecutive sessions. Ultrafiltration rate was fixed to a maximum of 13 mL/kg/hour. The primary outcome was the incidence of headache during dialysis. RESULTS: A total of 139 patients completed the trial (6.4% vs. 15.4% of withdrawal in Groups A and B, respectively). The number of sessions with headache was not significantly different between Group A and B (33.3% vs. 37.1% respectively, P = .522), nor the number of sessions with hypotension (27% vs. 26% respectively, P = .539). In a subgroup analysis, headache tended to be more frequent in Group B (P = .06) in 2 categories of patients: those with the highest potassium dialysate (K = 2) and the non-hypertensive patients. CONCLUSIONS: Headache occurred in 35% of patients during their chronic hemodialysis sessions. Caffeine intake did not prevent headache occurrence in these patients.

A formula predicting the effective dose of febuxostat in chronic kidney disease patients with asymptomatic hyperuricemia based on a retrospective study and a validation cohort
.

AIM: Febuxostat is initiated in chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients to lower uric acid but without any renal dosing scheme. This study aimed to determine a formula that predicts the effective dose of febuxostat in patients with an estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) < 60 mL/min and asymptomatic hyperuricemia. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This is a retrospective analysis of 100 CKD patients treated with febuxostat for asymptomatic hyperuricemia in two private Lebanese clinics. Patients with gout were excluded. Collected variables were age, sex, weight, serum creatinine, serum uric acid (sUA) before and after febuxostat, dose of febuxostat used, and diuretic use. Multiple regression analysis was used to derive a formula predicting the dose of febuxostat based on eGFR (2009 Chronic Kidney Disease Epidemiology Collaboration equation), baseline sUA, and sUA reduction ratio. A prospective cohort of 24 patients was then used to validate the derived model. RESULTS: 100 patients were included with a median age of 71.5 years (interquartile range (IQR), 64.2 - 79.0); 69% were men. Median baseline sUA was 9.1 mg/dL (IQR, 8.4 - 10.1). Mean eGFR was 31.80 ± 12.96 mL/min/1.73m2. Of the included patients, 18% had CKD stage 3a, 36% had CKD stage 3b, 38% had CKD stage 4, and 8% had non-dialysis CKD stage 5. A formula was computed to predict febuxostat dosing. Variables that were predictive of febuxostat dose and used in the final equation were eGFR, diuretic use, baseline sUA, and sUA reduction ratio. The validation cohort showed no significant difference between the expected sUA and the measured one (p = 0.16). CONCLUSION: With this new formula, physicians can initiate febuxostat in CKD patients at an effective dose for any desired sUA reduction ratio.

How do Lebanese patients perceive the ideal doctor based on the CanMEDS competency framework?

BACKGROUND: During their training, Lebanese medical students develop a high medical expertise but are not focusing on other competencies such as communication, collaboration, erudition, professionalism, leadership and health promotion. There is also insufficient data about patients' preference for these skills. This study describes the different weights patients attribute to these physician's competencies. METHODS: This is a cross-sectional study based on a questionnaire distributed to 133 Lebanese patients. It included 15 questions assessing how patients prioritize the physician's competencies, with open-ended questions asking them to define "the good doctor". Krippendorff's alpha coefficient was used to analyze the reliability of the competencies' classification. RESULTS: One hundred twenty five patients completed the questionnaire in this cross-sectional study. Their mean age was 48 ± 16.76 years. When classifying competencies, 73.6% opted for medical expertise as first choice and 48% put communication as second. Based on the Krippendorff's coefficient, we identified a moderate agreement for the seven choices (alpha = 0.44). In open-ended questions, patients defined the good doctor in 325 answers: 64.3% mentioned medical expertise, 34.1% high ethics and 26.2% communication. CONCLUSIONS: This patient-centered study concurs well with the worldwide practice that puts medical expertise at the center of medical education. However Lebanese patients don't perceive equally other competencies and favor professionalism and communication that should be integrated in priority in students' curricula.

High Dephosphorylated-Uncarboxylated MGP in Hemodialysis patients: risk factors and response to vitamin K2, A pre-post intervention clinical trial.

BACKGROUND: Vascular calcifications are highly prevalent in hemodialysis patients. Dephosphorylated-uncarboxylated MGP (dp-ucMGP) was found to increase in vitamin K-deficient patients and may be associated with vascular calcifications. Supplementation of hemodialysis patients with vitamin K2 (menaquinone-7) has been studied in Europe with a maximum 61% drop of dp-ucMGP levels. The aim of this study is to assess first the drop of dp-ucMGP in an Eastern Mediterranean cohort after vitamin K2 treatment and second the correlation between baseline dp-ucMGP and vascular calcification score. METHODS: This is a prospective, pre-post intervention clinical trial involving 50 hemodialysis patients who received daily 360 µg of menaquinone-7 for 4 weeks. At baseline they were assessed for plasma dp-ucMGP levels and vascular calcification scores (AC-24) as well as for other demographic, clinical and biological variables. Dp-ucMGP levels were measured a second time at 4 weeks. RESULTS: At baseline, dp-ucMGP levels were extremely elevated with a median of 3179.15 (1825.25; 4339.50) pM and correlated significantly with AC-24 (Spearman's rho = 0.43, P = 0.002). Using a bivariate regression analysis, the association between dp-ucMGP levels and AC-24 was most significant when comparing dp-ucMGP levels less than 1000 to those more than 1000 pM (P = 0.02). Dp-ucMGP levels higher than 5000 pM were significantly associated with females, patients with recent fracture and patients with lower serum albumin (respectively P = 0.02, 0.004 and 0.046). The average drop of dp-ucMGP at 4 weeks of treatment was found to be 86% with diabetics having the lowest drop rate (P = 0.01). CONCLUSION: Vitamin K deficiency, as assessed by high dp-ucMGP levels, is profound in hemodialysis patients from the Eastern Mediterranean region and it is significantly correlated with vascular calcifications. Daily 360 µg of menaquinone-7, given for 4 weeks, effectively reduces dp-ucMGP in this population. Future studies are needed to assess the changes in vascular calcifications in hemodialysis patients treated with vitamin K2 over a longer follow-up period. TRIAL REGISTRATION: The clinical trial was registered on clinicaltrials.gov (Identification number NCT02876354 , on August 11, 2016).

Case report: severe bradycardia, a reversible cause of "Cardio-Renal-Cerebral Syndrome".

BACKGROUND: Cardio-Renal Syndromes were first classified in 2008 and divided into five subtypes. The type 1 Cardio-Renal Syndrome (CRS) is characterized by acute decompensation of heart failure leading to acute kidney injury (AKI). Bradyarrhythmia was not mentioned in the classification as a cause for low cardiac output (CO) in type 1 CRS. Besides, CRS was not previously associated with central nervous system (CNS) injury despite the fact that cardiac, renal and neurological diseases can coexist. CASE PRESENTATION: We report the case of a 93-year old diabetic man who presented for obnubilation. He had a slow atrial fibrillation, was not hypotensive and was not taking any beta-blocker. He developed, simultaneously, during his hospitalization, severe bradycardia (<35 beats per minute), oligoanuria and further neurological deterioration without profound hypotension. An ECG revealed a complete atrioventricular (AV) block and all his symptoms were completely reversed after pacemaker insertion. His creatinine decreased progressively afterwards and at discharge, he was conscious, alert and well oriented. CONCLUSION: Our case highlights the importance of an early recognition of low cardiac output secondary to severe bradyarrhythmia and its concurrent repercussion on the kidney and the brain. This association of the CRS with CNS injury-that we called "Cardio-Renal-Cerebral Syndrome"-was successfully treated with permanent pacemaker implantation.

Modifiable Factors Associated with Prolonged Dialysis Recovery Time and Fatigue in Hemodialysis Patients.

BACKGROUND: Dialysis recovery time (DRT) and fatigue are two important patient-reported outcomes that highly affect hemodialysis patients' well-being and survival. This study aimed to identify all modifiable dialysis-related factors, associated with DRT and fatigue, that could be addressed in future clinical trials. METHODS: This multicenter observational study included adult patients, undergoing chronic hemodialysis for > 3 months during December 2023. Patients admitted to hospital, with cognitive problems, or active cancer were excluded. DRT was determined by asking over six sessions: "How long did it take you to recover from your last dialysis session?" Fatigue was assessed using the French-validated SONG-HD fatigue scale. Logistic regression analysis assessed the association between DRT>12 hours and fatigue score ≥4 with all dialysis-related factors. A sub-analysis of DRT-related factors was performed for very elderly ≥ 85 years. RESULTS: A total of 536 patients and 2967 sessions were analyzed. Mean age was 68.1 ±14.3 years, 60.9% were males, 33.2% had diabetes, 63.3% were on hemodiafiltration. Median dialysate sodium was 138 (136, 140). Median DRT was 140 (45, 440) minutes and 14.9% of patients had DRT >12 hours. Fatigue score was 3.1 ±2.3, 18% had no fatigue and 37.7% had a score ≥4. DRT and fatigue score were significantly associated. In multivariable regression analysis, intradialytic reduction in serum sodium and frequency of dialysis were significantly associated with DRT. Factors associated with fatigue included female sex and lower hemoglobin. In patients ≥85 years, hemodiafiltration was associated with prolonged DRT. CONCLUSION: Modifiable factors associated with prolonged DRT are not exactly similar to those associated with fatigue. Intradialytic reduction in serum sodium and low frequency of dialysis are two independent factors associated with longer DRT, with hemodiafiltration associated with longer recovery in very elderly patients. The hemoglobin level is the modifiable independent factor associated with fatigue. These modifiable factors can be addressed in future interventional trials in order to improve patients' outcomes.

Acknowledging the impact of seasonal blood pressure variation in hypertensive CKD and non-CKD patients living in a Mediterranean climate.

BACKGROUND: This study aims to assess seasonal blood pressure (BP) variation in chronic kidney disease (CKD) and non-CKD patients living in a Mediterranean climate, and to find out if this variation entails significant adjustment of treatment and if it impacts renal outcomes and mortality. METHODS: This retrospective study included all hypertensive patients seen between February 2006 and April 2020 in two Lebanese clinics. Regression analyses were used to assess the association of seasonal BP variability and treatment adjustment with eGFR change from baseline, dialysis initiation and death. RESULTS: A total of 398 patients of 64.2 ±13.9 years were followed for 51.1 ±44.3 months, 67% had eGFR< 60 mL/min. Mean systolic and diastolic BP was 137.7 ±14.7 and 76.5 ±9.5 mmHg respectively. Systolic and diastolic BP were significantly lower in the warm season in CKD and non-CKD patients (P<0.001). The majority (91.4%) needed seasonal treatment modifications. After adjustment to age, sex, baseline eGFR, BP and number of antihypertensive drugs, we found a significant loss of eGFR with treatment modifications in both seasons, double risk of dialysis with the increase of antihypertensive treatment in both seasons and a 2.5 more risk of death with reduced treatment in the warm season. CONCLUSION: This study confirmed the seasonal BP variability in CKD and non-CKD patients from a Mediterranean climate. All types of treatment adjustment were associated with eGFR loss. Low BP in the warm season was highly associated with death.

Stroke in hemodialysis patients and its association with CHA2DS2-VASC and HAS-BLED scores: a retrospective study.

Background: In the general population, the CHA2DS2-VASC and the HAS-BLED scores are helpful to predict cerebrovascular events and hemorrhage in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF). However, their predictive value remains controversial in the dialysis population. This study aims to explore the association between these scores and cerebral cardiovascular events in hemodialysis (HD) patients. Methods: This is a retrospective study including all HD patients treated between January 2010 and December 2019 in two Lebanese dialysis facilities. Exclusion criteria are patients younger than 18 years old and patients with a dialysis vintage less than 6 months. Results: A total of 256 patients were included (66.8% men; mean age 69.3 ± 13.9 years). The CHA2DS2-VASc score was significantly higher in patients with stroke (P = .043). Interestingly, this difference was significant in patients without AF (P = .017). Using receiver operating curve analysis, CHA2DS2-VASc score had an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.628 [95% confidence interval (CI): 0.539-0.718) and the best cut-off value for this score was 4. The HAS-BLED score was also significantly higher in patients with a hemorrhagic event (P < .001). AUC for HAS-BLED score was 0.756 (95% CI: 0.686-0.825) and the best cut-off value was also 4. Conclusions: In HD patients, CHA2DS2-VASc score can be associated with stroke and HAS-BLED score can be associated with hemorrhagic events even in patients without AF. Patients with a CHA2DS2-VASc score ≥4 are at the highest risk for stroke and adverse cardiovascular outcomes, and those with a HAS-BLED score ≥4 are at the highest risk for bleeding.

Anemia biomarkers and mortality in hemodialysis patients with or without diabetes: A 10-year follow-up study.

BACKGROUND: Many studies have assessed the association between anemia and mortality in hemodialysis but few compared patients with and without diabetes. Our study aims to investigate the impact of hemoglobin and iron parameters on mortality in hemodialysis patients with or without diabetes. METHODS: This is a two-center retrospective study that included all adult patients who started hemodialysis between February 2012 and February 2020, followed until January 2021. Averages of hemoglobin, ferritin and transferrin saturation of entire follow-up were recorded. Kaplan Meier survival, log rank test and cox regression analyses were performed to assess the association between anemia biomarkers and mortality. RESULTS: A total of 214 patients were included. Mean age was 67.98 ±12.41 years, mean hemoglobin was 10.92 ±0.75 g/dL, mean ferritin was 504.43 ± 221.42 ng/mL and mean transferrin saturation was 26.23 ±7.77%. Log rank test showed an association between hemoglobin ≥11 g/dL and better survival in patients without diabetes (P = 0.028). Based on cox regression analysis, hemoglobin was associated with all-cause mortality in all patients (HR = 0.66; CI:0.49,0.89; P = 0.007). When comparing patients with and without diabetes, this association remained significant only in patients without diabetes (HR = 0.53; CI:0.37,0.77; P<0.001). Based on different multivariate models, hemoglobin, ferritin and age were independent factors associated with mortality in patients without diabetes. CONCLUSIONS: This study showed that hemoglobin ≥11 g/dL is associated with better survival in hemodialysis patients without diabetes but not in those with diabetes. These differences need to be further explored in other countries and settings. An individualization of the hemoglobin target level might be necessary to improve patients' outcomes.

Where do you live and what do you do? Two questions that might impact your kidney health.

In many cases the social determinants of health need to be assessed through their interaction with environmental factors. This review looks at the impact of physical location and occupation of individuals on their kidney health. It examines the effect of living at high altitude on kidney function and the relationship between extreme cold or hot temperatures and the incidence of kidney injury. It reviews as well the many occupations that have been linked to kidney disease in high-income and low-and-middle-income countries. As a conclusion, this overview proposes preventive recommendations that could be individualized based on weather, altitude, socio-economic level of the country and occupation of the individual.