Comprehensive evaluation of bone health among kidney transplant recipients - A prospective, single center, observational cohort study from India.

BACKGROUND: There is a paucity of studies describing trabecular bone score (TBS) and bone mineral density (BMD) in kidney transplant (KT) recipients from developing countries. STUDY SETTING: This prospective observational study, from a tertiary teaching hospital in India assessed clinical, biochemical parameters including bone turnover markers and dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) for BMD/TBS, hip structural analysis (HSA) and vertebral fracture assessment (VFA) at pre-KT, 3 months and 12 months post-KT. RESULTS: A total of 53 KT recipients (90.6% living related) were recruited from August 2019 to March 2020 and followed till 1-year post-KT. The mean age was 33.9±10.4 years, 71.7% were males, and 11.5% had a history of pre-KT steroid use. Baseline fractures pre-KT as assessed by VFA were seen in 4 patients (7.5%). Mean BMD at spine and femoral neck and HSA variables at narrow neck and femoral shaft continued to decline till 3 months, but stabilised and reached pre-KT values 12 months post-KT. However, TBS and bone turn over markers continued to decline till 12 months post-KT (p value <0.001). New onset vertebral fractures were seen in 2(3.7%) and 1 patient (2.3%) at 3- and 12-months post-KT respectively. Pre-KT BMD significantly influenced bone health at 12 months post-KT, with patients in each quartile maintaining a similar trajectory over the follow up period (p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Despite significant improvement in kidney function following transplant, TBS and BMD of the spine significantly decreased mainly in the early post-KT period suggesting the effect of immunosuppressants on the bone. Strategies to improve bone health in KT patients are warranted.

Bacterial infection-related glomerulonephritis in patients with diabetes.

AIM: Diabetic patients are prone to infections, thus making them a unique cohort at risk of developing bacterial infection-related glomerulonephritis (IRGN). METHODS: In total, 1693 adult diabetic patients underwent kidney biopsy between 2005 and 2021 at our tertiary care hospital in South India. Of these, 121 consecutive cases which met criteria of bacterial IRGN were included in this study. RESULTS: The mean age of the cohort was 53.1 ± 10.1 years and 83/121 (68.5%) were males. Majority (98.3%) had type 2 diabetes for a median duration of 6 (IQR, 2-12) years. The most common sites of infection were skin (47/121, 38.8%) and urinary tract (15/121, 12.4%). Fifty percent (58/121) of patients had underlying advanced diabetic kidney disease (DKD). Isolated C3 deposits (without immunoglobulin) occurred in 66/121 (54.5%) patients predominantly in advanced DKD patients. IgA-dominant glomerulonephritis occurred in only 9/121 (7.4%) patients. Short-course oral steroid was given to 86/121 (71.1%) patients. Steroid related dysglycemia and immunosuppression related infections occurred in 9/61 (14.8%) and 16/61 (26.2%) patients respectively. Of the 90 patients with follow up details >3 months, 46 (51.1%) progressed to kidney failure over a median period of 0.5 (IQR, 0-7.2) months. Patients diagnosed in the latter half of our study period (2013-2021) were older, less commonly presented with fever, had more pronounced hypocomplementemia and severe renal histology predominantly with a 'starry sky' immunofluorescence pattern. CONCLUSION: Superimposed bacterial IRGN on underlying DKD is associated with poor renal outcomes. Use of short course steroid was associated with significant toxicity.

Whole and cortical kidney volume predict 5-year post-nephrectomy eGFR in Indian living kidney donors.

AIM: To study the additional utility of pre-nephrectomy whole and cortical kidney volumes (WKV, CKV) in predicting long-term post-nephrectomy kidney function in Indian living kidney donors (LKDs). METHODS: This retrospective cohort study included all LKDs who underwent nephrectomy between 1 January 2006 and 31 December 2015 at our centre, had pre-nephrectomy height, weight and computed tomography (CT) angiography with arterial and nephrographic phase documented, and 5-year post-nephrectomy creatinine values measured. Correlation between body surface area (BSA) adjusted pre-nephrectomy total CKV, WKV and pre-nephrectomy CKD EPI eGFR; BSA-adjusted remnant pre-nephrectomy CKV (rCKV), WKV (rWKV) and 5-year post-nephrectomy CKD EPI creatinine eGFR (5yeGFRCr ); predictors of 5yeGFRCr < 70% of pre-nephrectomy CKD EPI creatinine eGFR (pre-eGFRCr ), and an equation to predict 5yeGFRCr from pre-nephrectomy variables were calculated. RESULTS: A total of 196 LKDs (74% female, mean age 41.7 ± 11.0 years) were included in the study. Total WKV showed higher correlation with pre-nephrectomy eGFR than CKV, the highest with CKD EPI cystatin eGFR. Remnant WKV showed higher correlation than rCKV with post-nephrectomy eGFRCr and this increased over time. Older age, lower rWKV or rCKV, higher BSA, and higher pre-eGFRCr identified LKDs with 5yeGFRCr < 70% of pre-eGFRCr , with rCKV identifying a higher proportion (4.5%) of such LKDs. A model including rWKV or rCKV predicted 5yeGFRCr better than one including age, gender, BSA and pre-eGFRCr alone. CONCLUSION: Inclusion of pre-nephrectomy remnant CKV and WKV into models for 5yeGFRCr and sub-optimal post-nephrectomy adaptation in Indian LKDs improves their accuracy. CKD EPI cystatin eGFR correlates better with functional renal mass.

Post-transplant complications, patient, and graft survival in pediatric and adolescent kidney transplant recipients at a tropical tertiary care center across two immunosuppression eras.

BACKGROUND: We report pediatric PAKT patient and graft outcomes at a large tropical tertiary center spanning two transplant eras. METHODS: In this retrospective cohort study, all children ≤18 years who underwent kidney transplantation at our center between 1991 and 2016 were included. Data pertaining to their baseline characteristics, post-transplant events, and outcome were retrieved from transplant records and compared between transplant eras (1991-2005 and 2006-2016). RESULTS: A total of 139 children (mean age 15.2 ± 2.9 years) underwent PAKT during this period. The incidence of UTIs, CMV disease, BKVN, invasive fungal infections, new-onset diabetes after transplant, leucopenia, and recurrent NKD was higher in the 2006-2016 era (P < .001 for all), while 1-year cumulative BPAR was comparable (P = .100). Five-year graft and patient survival in the two eras were 89.9% and 94.2% (P = .365) and 92.1% and 95.3% (P = .739), respectively. Incidence of CMV disease, BKVN, graft loss, and death was lower in the calcineurin withdrawal group. Non-adherence accounted for 36% of graft loss; infections caused 43.7% of deaths. On multivariate Cox proportional hazards analysis, independent predictors for graft loss were UTIs and blood transfusion naïve status and for death were serious infections and glomerular NKD. CONCLUSIONS: PAKT in India has excellent long-term graft outcomes, though patient outcomes remain suboptimal owing to a high burden of infections. Current immunosuppression protocols need to be re-examined to balance infection risk, graft, and patient survival.

Safety and utility of kidney biopsy in patients with estimated glomerular filtration rate < 30 ml/min/1.73 m2.

AIM: Kidney biopsy (KBx) is the gold standard for evaluation of kidney disease, but is associated with a higher risk of complications in patients with reduced glomerular filtration rate (GFR). We studied the safety and utility of KBx in patients with eGFR <30 ml/min/1.73 m2 . METHODS: Consecutive adult patients with eGFR <30 ml/min/1.73 m2 , who were planned for a KBx and consented to participate were prospectively enrolled. Patients with solitary/transplant kidney or acute kidney injury were excluded. Haemoglobin was checked on the day of KBx and repeated 18-24 h later along with a screening ultrasound. Post-KBx complications were noted and their risk-factors analysed. The utility of the KBx was graded as effecting significant, some, or no change to subsequent management. RESULTS: Of the 126 patients included, 75% were male, 27.7% were diabetic, and the median eGFR was 13.5 ml/min/1.73m2 . Major complications occurred in 5.6%. Peri-renal haematomas were detected in 37.3%, and haematomas ≥2 cm were significantly more frequent in those with eGFR <15 ml/min/1.73 m2 (29.2% vs. 13%, p = .032). Dialysis was a risk factor, while pre KBx blood transfusion, diabetes and higher serum albumin were protective against any complication. KBx was more likely to make a significant difference in management in those with eGFR 15-29 ml/min/1.73m2 (44.1% vs. 11.1%, p < .001). Increasing age, lower serum creatinine and albumin were independently associated with KBx utility. CONCLUSION: KBx is relatively safe in severe kidney disease but its risk to benefit balance needs to be carefully considered when eGFR is <15 ml/min/1.73m2 .

Spectrum of biopsy proven renal disease in South Asian children: Two decades at a tropical tertiary care centre.

AIM: We report findings from a large single centre paediatric renal biopsy cohort in South Asia. METHODS: We analyzed all renal biopsies performed on children aged ≤18 years between 1996 and 2015 at our centre. The clinical characteristics and histological diagnosis pertaining to each case, distribution of renal diseases in children with various clinical presentations, and changes in the pattern of kidney disease during the study period were analyzed. RESULTS: A total of 1740 paediatric kidney biopsies were performed during the study period. The mean age was 12.8 ± 4.9 years (8 months to 18 years) and the male: female ratio was 1.5:1. The most common indication for renal biopsy was nephrotic syndrome (63.2%) followed by acute nephritic syndrome (13%). Minimal change disease was the most common cause of nephrotic syndrome while endocapillary proliferative glomerulonephritis (65.7% infection related), remained the commonest cause of acute nephritic syndrome. IgA nephropathy was the commonest cause of chronic kidney disease. Contrary to trends in European paediatric cohorts, the frequency of lupus nephritis increased over the two decades of the study, while that of endocapillary proliferative glomerulonephritis did not show any appreciable decline. CONCLUSION: This study provides the largest data on biopsy proven renal disease in children from South Asia published till date and highlights important differences in the spectrum and trends of kidney disease compared to data from other regions.

Addition of second-line steroid sparing immunosuppressants like mycophenolate mofetil improves outcome of Immunoglobulin G4-related disease (IgG4-RD): a series from a tertiary care teaching hospital in South India.

IgG4-related disease (IgG4-RD) is a systemic fibro-inflammatory disease. This disease may be associated with elevated serum and tissue IgG4 levels. Early treatment prevents fibrosis and organ damage. We retrospectively studied the clinicopathologic correlation and outcome of treatment in IgG4-RD. This single-center retrospective study was done using electronic records of patients subjected to assay of serum IgG4 levels in our laboratory by nephelometry. There were 473 patients with suspected IgG4-RD. Of them, 41 patients fulfilled comprehensive diagnostic criteria for IgG4-RD and 432 had diseases other than IgG4-RD. Clinical and histopathological data including tissue IgG4/IgG ratio, other relevant laboratory findings as well as management data of 41 patients with IgG4-RD were analyzed. There were 29 males and 12 females with mean age of 44.1 ± 2.19 years. Thirteen patients had definite, 19 had probable and 9 had possible IgG4-RD. Male predominance, multiple organ involvement and IgG4 responder Index were significantly higher in definite IgG4-RD as compared to probable and possible IgG4-RD. Serum IgG4 level was elevated in 37 patients (90.2%). Glucocorticoids were used in 35 patients (85.4%) and second-line immunosuppressive agent in 23 patients (65.7%). Of the 21 patients on follow-up, 19 (90.7%) had clinical improvement at the first follow-up visit. Nine (90%) out of the ten patients who were assessed by IgG4 responder index, also had shown improved score with treatment. Patients with IgG4-RD in our series showed favorable responses to treatment with glucocorticoids and addition of steroid sparing immunosuppressive agents (mainly mycophenolate mofetil) helped successful tapering of steroids, while maintaining the improvement.

Profile, Risk Factors, and Outcomes of Asymptomatic Bacteriuria in Kidney Transplant Recipients with Normal Pretransplant Genitourinary Tract: A Single-Center Experience.

Introduction: There is a paucity of studies on asymptomatic bacteriuria (ASB) among kidney transplant recipients (KTR) in developing countries. This study assessed the clinical profile, risk factors, outcomes, and impact of treatment of ASB in KTRs with a normal genitourinary tract. Methods: Consecutive KTRs from 2009 to 2018 with no clinical or radiological evidence of obstructive uropathy were included. Urinary tract infection (UTI) after ASB was defined as occurrence of cystitis, pyelonephritis, or urosepsis, with ASB being the first bacteriuric episode. Results: Seven hundred ten out of 794 patients with median follow up of 47 months were included. The mean age was 35.5 ± 12 years. Eighty-one patients (11.4%) developed ASB at a median of 25 days (IQR 10, 134.5). Fifty-three percent and 4.9% of ASB episodes were extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL) positive and carbapenem-resistant organisms, respectively. Eighteen patients (32.1%) with early ASB (<3 months) and 5 (20%) with late ASB developed UTI on follow-up. Fifty-five percent of early and 16% of late ASB episodes were treated, with no significant difference observed in the risk of development of UTI when compared to untreated ASB episodes. Conclusion: The incidence of ASB as first bacteriuric episode in our cohort was 11.4%, with there being significant antimicrobial resistance. Female gender, pretransplant UTI, and delayed graft function were independently associated with development of ASB. Treatment of ASB episodes either early or late did not decrease the risk of development of UTI.

Patterns of Renal Dysfunction and Profile of Kidney Biopsies in Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplant Recipients.

Introduction: Post hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT), kidney can be subjected to injury by various causes. Of these, graft versus host disease (GvHD) affecting the kidney is an under-recognized entity with no clear guidelines on its diagnosis, clinicopathological manifestations, and outcomes. Material and Methods: Out of 2,930 patients who underwent HSCT at our center between 2005 and 2020, kidney biopsy was performed in 19 allogenic and 5 autologous recipients. Results: The mean age of the cohort at transplant was 33.2 ± 7 years, and 15 (62%) were males. Median time to kidney biopsy from HSCT was 14 (IQR, 9-30) months. Aplastic anemia was the most common underlying hematological disease (54.2%). All 19 allogenic recipients were classified based on clinicopathological manifestations into either thrombotic microangiopathy (TMA, 12/19 [63%]) or nephrotic syndrome (NS, 7/19 [37%]) pattern. Glomerular tuft "mesangiolysis" was the dominant pattern of injury noted in 9/12 cases of TMA pattern. There was a predominance of acute microangiopathic changes restricted primarily to the glomerular compartment. Of the 7 patients with NS pattern, membranous nephropathy was seen in 4 (57%) and minimal change disease in 3 (43%) patients. Thirty-nine percent (7/18) stained positive for C4d which was predominantly glomerular. Allogenic recipients who did not receive immunosuppression (IS) for renal disease had a lower eGFR at biopsy, a longer latency between withdrawal of GvHD prophylaxis and biopsy, and were significantly at a higher risk of kidney failure (IS: 2/11, 18.1% vs. no IS: 2/6, 33.3%, p = 0.04). "Associated extra-renal GvHD" occurred in 11/19 (57.9%) allogenic recipients. Patients with "associated extra-renal GvHD" had significantly more deaths (6/11, 60% vs. 0, p = 0.02) but comparable renal outcomes. Conclusion: Renal GvHD can present with or without "associated extra-renal GvHD" after a prolonged period of withdrawal of GvHD prophylaxis, requiring careful diagnostic vigilance and consideration of IS.

Difficult cannulation of hemodialysis arteriovenous fistula - Role of imaging in access management (DICAF STUDY).

BACKGROUND: Difficulty in cannulation of arteriovenous fistula (AVF) can lead to inadequate dialysis, transient to permanent loss of access and increases dependency on bridging catheters. This study aimed to analyze the causes for difficult fistula cannulation, using various imaging modalities. METHODOLOGY: This was a retrospective single-center observational study conducted between October 2017 and June 2018. Patients whose fistulae were difficult to cannulate were initially evaluated by physical examination followed by doppler ultrasonography or/and fistulogram as necessary. The patients were divided into two groups that is, primary difficult cannulation (within first three months of creation of fistula) or secondary difficult cannulation (after three months). RESULTS: We encountered difficult cannulation in 43 patients. About 60% were primary difficult cannulations. Most common causes for difficulty in cannulation were cannulation zone (CZ) stenosis (23.3%), immature fistula (20.9%), outflow stenosis (18.6%), inflow stenosis (11.6%), anatomical abnormalities (11.6%), outflow plus CZ stenosis (9.3%) and inflow plus CZ stenosis (4.7%). Among patients with primary difficult cannulation, immature fistula (34.6%) was the most common cause, whereas CZ stenosis (47.1%) was the most common etiology for secondary difficult cannulation. Edema leading to difficult cannulation was found in 12 patients (27.9%), all of which was due to central vein stenosis. Cannulation resulted in hematoma, fistula thrombosis, failure of fistula and pseudoaneurysm in 83.7%, 27.9%, 16.3%, and 2.3% of cases respectively. Bridging temporary dialysis catheter placement was required in 67.4% patients. Ultrasound doppler had lower diagnostic value when compared to fistulogram (71.4% vs 93.9%, p = 0.014). CONCLUSION: Difficulty in cannulating the arteriovenous fistula is a common problem in hemodialysis patients. We suggest that patients whose fistulae are difficult to cannulate should undergo early radiological evaluation to decrease catheter dependency and access failure.

Three-Year Clinical Outcomes of the First South Asian Prospective Longitudinal Observational IgA Nephropathy Cohort.

INTRODUCTION: Glomerular Research And Clinical Experiments-IgA Nephropathy in Indians (GRACE-IgANI) is the first prospective South Asian IgA nephropathy (IgAN) cohort with prespecified objectives, protocolized longitudinal follow-up, and extensive biosample collection. The baseline risk scores predicted high risk of kidney disease progression. METHODS: A total of 195 of 201 patients (97%) completed 3-year follow-up in September 2020. All patients received optimized supportive care, and those at high risk of progression were offered systemic corticosteroids. RESULTS: A total of 76 patients (76 of 193, 39.4%) had rapid progression in 3 years (≥5 ml/min per 1.73 m2 decline in estimated glomerular filtration rate [eGFR] per year). A total of 72 patients (72 of 195, 36.9%) experienced the composite outcome (CO), defined as ≥50% fall in eGFR, eGFR < 15 ml/min per 1.73 m2, commenced kidney replacement therapy or death, in 3 years. At each scheduled follow-up, achievement of proteinuria level < 1 g/d significantly delayed the time to the CO. The receiver operating characteristic curve of average annual decline in eGFR ≥ 5 ml/min per 1.73 m2 had 86% sensitivity and 89% specificity for CO in 3 years and had good discrimination from 1 year onwards (area under the curve 0.8, SE 0.04, 95% CI 0.7-0.9, P < 0.0001). The significant predictors of CO by Cox proportional-hazards model were as follows: baseline MEST-T2 score (hazard ratio [HR] 3.3, 95% CI 1.7-6.5, P < 0.001), along with 24-hour urine protein level ≥ 1 g/d (HR 2.1, 95% CI 1.1-3.9, P = 0.02), eGFR < 60 ml/min per 1.73 m2 (HR 2.9, 95% CI 1.1-7.6, P = 0.03), and rate of eGFR decline ≥ 5 ml/min per 1.73 m2/yr (HR 2.7, 95% CI 1.6-4.8, P < 0.001) all measured at 6 months. Mortality was 11 of 195 (5.6%). CONCLUSION: We identified longitudinal clinical variables measured at 6 months and ≥5 ml/min per 1.73 m2 annual fall in eGFR after kidney biopsy as important predictors for composite outcome in addition to baseline histology.

Skin Colonizers and Catheter Associated Blood Stream Infections in Incident Indian Dialysis Patients.

Introduction: Skin colonization is a risk factor for multi-drug resistant (MDR) catheter-associated bloodstream infections (CABSI). This study aimed to determine the prevalence and spectrum of skin colonizing MDR organisms in incident HD patients and their correlation with CABSI. Methods: This single-center prospective cohort study included consecutive adult incident HD patients who underwent tunneled or non-tunneled internal jugular vein HD catheter insertion between June 1, 2017 and October 31, 2017. Nasal, axillary, and exit site swabs were obtained prior to catheter insertion, at 14-21 days, and 28-35 days after catheter insertion. Results: Forty-three patients (69.7% male, 32.5% diabetic) were included and provided baseline swabs, while 29 and 10 patients respectively were available for follow-up swabs. MDR bacterial colonization, MRSA colonization, and MDR gram-negative colonization on the baseline set of swabs were seen in 76.7%, 69.7%, and 9.3% patients respectively. Of the 29 patients with at least two consecutive sets of swabs, 79.3% showed persistent colonization by MDR gram-positive organisms, most commonly by MRSA. Six patients developed a CABSI during the follow-up period (incidence rate 3.7 per 1000 patient days), 83.4% were gram negative, and in only one instance (16.6%) was the bacterial strain identical to that which had previously colonized the skin. Conclusions: Three-fourths of HD patients were colonized by MDR bacteria prior to HD initiation. Despite the majority being persistently colonized by MDR gram-positive organisms, CABSIs were predominantly gram negative.

Impact of the Lockdown on Patients Receiving Maintenance Hemodialysis at a Tertiary Care Facility in Southern India - A Mixed-methods Approach.

Aims: The mass quarantine measures adopted to control the COVID-19 pandemic greatly impacted the lives of patients on haemodialysis in India. We used a mixed methods approach to study its effect on dialysis outcomes and the lived experience of haemodialysis patients during the lockdown. Methods: Quantitative data was collected from 141 subjects using a structured proforma to determine the impact of the lockdown on dialysis outcomes and travel expenses. Qualitative data collected through in-depth interviews with 9 patients by purposive sampling were recorded and transcribed to explore the lived experience of haemodialysis patients during lockdown. The cohort was followed up till October 31st 2020 for incidence of COVID-19, deaths, and dropouts. Results: The median increase in per day travel expense was 25%. Due to decrease in dialysis frequency, patients previously on thrice weekly haemodialysis experienced significant increase in pre-dialysis systolic blood pressure (P = 0.005) compared to those on twice weekly haemodialysis. Between March 25th and July 15th 2020, 12 patients (8.5%) required emergency dialysis sessions, and 4 patients (2.8%) required admissions for hypertensive emergencies. Four main themes emerged from thematic analysis of transcribed interviews: Travel inconveniences, uncertainty resulting in anxiety, financial burden and frequency change in dialysis leading to worsening of symptoms. Twenty-two patients (15.6%) were diagnosed with COVID-19, the first case diagnosed 33 days after the first 'unlock' phase. Conclusion: The lockdown was successful in delaying infection transmission but had unintended physical and psychosocial effects on haemodialysis patients.

Extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy in Indian children: Predictors of outcome and validation of pre-treatment nomograms.

BACKGROUND: Although multiple variables have been shown to affect outcomes in pediatric lithotripsy (ESWL), there is no consensus on the same. Nomograms combine multiple variables and provide an objective prediction of outcomes. Two nomograms have been previously described and validated in two studies from the same geographical area. External validation in multiple settings is needed, as a nomogram's performance may vary with time, geographical area and clinical scenario. OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to identify variables influencing pediatric ESWL outcomes, validate published nomograms and describe the clinical and metabolic profile of Indian children treated with ESWL. DESIGN: This retrospective cohort study included all children who underwent ESWL from 2002 to 2019 at a single centre. ESWL was performed under general anaesthesia. Mid and lower ureteric calculi were treated in prone and the rest in supine position. 1500-2000 shocks were delivered at a voltage of 12-16 kV. Data pertaining to patient characteristics, metabolic evaluation, imaging, ESWL details and post-procedure outcomes were obtained from the hospital information system and these variables, along with Onal and Dogan scores, were correlated with stone clearance. Cut-offs for Onal and Dogan scores were determined using receiver operator characteristic (ROC) curve analysis and compared with area under the curve (AUC). Complications, ancillary procedures and metabolic abnormalities were recorded. RESULTS: A total of 66 children (76 renal units) were included. Mean age was 5.5 years (Range 6 months-14 years) and median stone size, 12 mm (IQR 9, 15.25). Average treatment sessions were 1.8 ± 0.99. Median shocks in the stone-free group and those who failed treatment were 1750 (IQR 1500, 3000) and 3250 (IQR 1750, 4750) respectively. The remaining variables are depicted in Table 1. The stone free rate was 63.2%. Fragments <4 mm were seen in 19 (25%). Efficacy Quotient was 40. The AUC for Dogan nomogram (cut-off <199.5) was 0.761 while that for Onal nomogram (cut-off <2.5) was 0.762 and 0.771 after one and three shocks respectively. On multivariate analysis, age, multiple calculi, Onal and Dogan scores were predictive of clearance. Dogan score had higher specificity. Complications were seen in 16 (21%) and ancillary procedures needed in 7 (9.2%). Metabolic abnormalities were seen in 84.8%, the commonest being hyperoxaluria. Mixed stones were most frequent. CONCLUSIONS: Lithotripsy in children is safe and effective. Older age, presence of multiple calculi, higher Onal and Dogan scores are predictive of treatment failure.

Latency, Anti-Bacterial Resistance Pattern, and Bacterial Infection-Related Glomerulonephritis.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Bacterial infection-related GN occurs concurrent to or after known or unknown infections. It is important to understand the clinical implications of the bacterial isolates, antimicrobial resistance patterns, and effect of latency-based classification on kidney and patient outcomes. DESIGN, SETTING, PARTICIPANTS, & MEASUREMENTS: In total, 501 consecutive adults diagnosed with bacterial infection-related GN between 2005 and 2017 were included from a biopsy registry of 15,545 patients at a single center in South India, and follow-up data were collected from electronic medical records until December 2019. Latency was defined as time between resolution of infection and onset of GN, which was classified as parainfectious, peri-infectious, or postinfectious GN. Longitudinal kidney and patient outcomes were studied. RESULTS: The mean age of the cohort was 40 (± 15) years, 6% were above 65 years, and 330 (66%) were men. Diabetes was present in 93 (19%) patients. Seventy percent (353 of 501) of patients had known infections, with the median latent period for parainfectious (115 of 353, 33%), peri-infectious (97 of 353, 27%), and postinfectious (141 of 353, 40%) GN being 0, 5 (4-7), and 15 (10-31) days, respectively. The most common predisposing organism was Streptococcus pyogenes (137 of 353, 39%). Drug-resistant nonstreptococcal bacteria were methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (25%, four of 16), extended-spectrum ß-lactamases (20%, 12 of 59), and carbapenem-resistant organisms (10%, six of 59). Twenty of 22 (91%) of the drug-resistant organisms were isolated from the parainfectious group. The most common site of infection was skin in peri- (23 of 97, 24%) and postinfectious GN (61 of 141, 43%), and urinary tract in parainfectious GN (35 of 115, 30%). Of 321 patients with >3 months of follow-up, 48 (15%) developed kidney failure over a median period of 10 (2-37) months and 14 (4%) died. Parainfectious GN, eGFR<30 ml/min per 1.73 m2, moderate-to-severe interstitial fibrosis and tubular atrophy, and nontreatment with renin-angiotensin system blockers were significant risk factors for progression to kidney failure by a Cox proportional-hazards model. CONCLUSIONS: Along with clinical and histologic predictors, parainfectious GN caused predominantly by nonstreptococcal and drug-resistant bacterial infections was associated with poor kidney prognosis.

Blind Bedside Peritoneal Dialysis Catheter Repositioning: An Innovative Technique.

Catheter malfunction in peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients may lead to technique failure. Surgical repositioning is sometimes required for resumption of PD and is associated with additional costs of procedure and hospitalization. Meanwhile, patients may need hemodialysis via a temporary vascular catheter with increasing costs and risk of catheter-associated bacteremia. We describe an innovative technique of blind bedside PD catheter repositioning as a possible alternative to surgical repositioning when there is catheter malfunction. In 29 patients over a period of 3 years, we attempted blind bedside PD catheter repositioning with immediate successful inflow and outflow in all of them after repositioning. At 1 month, 21 (72.4%) patients had good catheter function and at 6 months, 19 (65.5%) patients were continuing successful PD. This bedside innovative procedure allowed for catheter salvage without constructing a new exit site or tunnel and without the requirement of a break-in period. The benefits to the patient in terms of cost and shortened hospital stay make it ideal for resource-poor settings. We suggest that this innovative technique be attempted before resorting to the open surgical method of PD catheter repositioning.

Does Hemodialysis Need to be Initiated to Improve Platelet Function in CKD G5 Patients? A Pilot Prospective, Observational Cohort Study.

INTRODUCTION: We previously showed that patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) Stage G4-5 have normal bleeding times. This made us question whether hemodialysis (HD) initiation was really necessary solely to improve platelet function. METHODS: In this prospective observational study, two 5 ml citrated blood samples and one 2 ml EDTA blood sample were collected from incident HD patients fulfilling inclusion criteria prior to HD initiation (baseline sample) and after three sessions of short duration, low flow, counter-current HD. In each instance, one sample was used to perform Collagen adenosine diphosphate closure time (CADPCT) using the Platelet function analyzer (PFA 200, normal range 68-142 seconds) and the second for light transmission aggregometry (LTA) with ADP as agonist (normal ≥50%). RESULTS: This study included 20 patients between October 2017 and February 2019. Overall, and in the subgroup with normal baseline CADPCT or LTA, there was no statistically significant improvement after HD. However, of the 30% of patients who had an abnormal baseline CADPCT, 50% attained a normal value after three HD sessions, and the overall reduction in CADPCT in this group was statistically significant (P = 0.02). Of those with a baseline normal CADPCT, 21% developed abnormal prolongation post HD. CONCLUSION: HD for the sole purpose of improving platelet function is only of benefit in the subgroup of patients with an abnormal CADPCT at baseline, with close to 50% normalizing their platelet function after three sessions of low flow, short duration, counter-current HD.

Epidemiology, baseline characteristics and risk of progression in the first South-Asian prospective longitudinal observational IgA nephropathy cohort.

INTRODUCTION: Glomerular Research And Clinical Experiments-IgA Nephropathy in Indians (GRACE-IgANI) is the first prospective South Asian IgAN cohort with protocolized follow-up and extensive biosample collection. Here we report the baseline clinical, biochemical, and histopathologic characteristics of GRACE IgANI and calculate baseline risk of progression for the cohort. METHODS: 201 incident adults with kidney biopsy-proven primary IgAN were recruited into GRACE-IgANI between March 2015 and September 2017. As of April 30, 2020, the cohort had completed a median follow-up of 30 months (interquartile range [IQR] 16-39). RESULTS: The commonest clinical presentation in GRACE IgANI was hypertension, with or without proteinuria, and nephrotic-range proteinuria was present in 34%, despite <10 months of lead time to kidney biopsy. The GRACE-IgANI kidney biopsy data demonstrated a disproportionate absence of active glomerular lesions and overrepresentation of segmental sclerosing lesions and tubulointerstitial fibrosis at presentation, often coexistent with relatively well-preserved estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) and low levels of proteinuria, especially in males. Baseline risk of progression was calculated for each evaluable patient using 2 different risk prediction tools. The median 5-year absolute risk of end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) was 19.8% (IQR 2.7-57.4) and median 5-year risk of progression to the combined endpoint of 50% decline in eGFR or ESKD was 35.5% using the 2 tools. CONCLUSIONS: The predicted risk of progression in this cohort was considerable. Over the next 5 years, we will dissect the pathogenic pathways that underlie this severe South Asian IgAN phenotype.

Chyluria with massive proteinuria: Do not reach for the biopsy gun!

We report on a patient presenting with persistent chyluria due to filariasis, whose clinical course was complicated by massive proteinuria and severe hypoalbuminemia. Treatment with dietary manipulation, antifilarials, and sclerotherapy resulted in successful reversal of the above abnormalities. It has been reported that chyluria is not associated with massive proteinuria, or that even in cases of massive proteinuria, hypoalbuminemia is not seen and implies a glomerular pathology. We argue that chyluria is always associated with proteinuria, which may be massive, and does not warrant a kidney biopsy unless proteinuria persists despite resolution of chyluria.

Catching the Worm Early: An Atypical Case of Bancroftian Filarial Nephropathy.

Filarial glomerular disease has been attributed to circulating immune complex deposition. We report here a rare manifestation of filarial nephropathy with microfilariae documented in glomerular capillaries in addition to immune complex glomerulonephritis, thus suggesting that direct toxicity may also contribute to the pathogenesis of this entity.