Spiritual well-being and its relationship with patient characteristics and other patient-reported outcomes in peritoneal dialysis patients: Findings from the PDOPPS.

BACKGROUND: Spiritual well-being (SWB), an individual's understanding of the meaning and purpose of life, may help patients with chronic or terminal illnesses cope with their diseases. This study aimed to assess SWB in patients on peritoneal dialysis (PD), as well as its relationship with patient characteristics and patient-reported outcomes (PRO). METHODS: The data were obtained from questionnaires that formed part of the PD Outcomes and Practice Patterns Study (PDOPPS). Measures used in this study were SWB scores derived from the WHO quality of life, spirituality, religiousness and personal beliefs (WHOQOL-SRPB) tool including 32 items from eight facets; physical (PCS) and mental component summary (MCS) scores of the 12-Item Short-Form Health Survey (SF-12), Center of Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale-10 (CES-D-10) scores, burden of kidney disease scores and functional status scores. RESULTS: Overall, 529 out of 848 participants (62%) completely responded to the questionnaires and were included in the analysis. Over two-thirds of PD patients (70%) had moderate or higher SWB scores. The SWB scores were significantly lower in patients with age >65 years and unemployed status. SWB scores positively correlated with higher PCS, MCS, burden of kidney disease scores and functional status scores, while negatively correlated with depression scores by CES-D-10 scale. Patients who reported significant depressive symptoms (CES-D-10 score ≥ 10) had significantly lower SWB scores. CONCLUSION: Better SWB was significantly associated with better health-related QOL (HRQOL) and the absence of depressive symptoms. SWB may be an essential consideration in the delivery of high-quality PD.

Cytomegalovirus mismatch still negatively affects patient and graft survival in the era of routine prophylactic and preemptive therapy: A paired kidney analysis.

The impact of cytomegalovirus (CMV) serostatus on kidney transplant outcomes in an era when CMV prophylactic and preemptive strategies are used routinely is not clearly established. Using United Network for Organ Sharing/Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network data, recipients with first deceased donor kidney transplant (≥18 years, 2010-2015) were stratified into 4 groups in the main cohort: CMV-seronegative donor (D-)/CMV-seronegative recipient (R-), CMV-seropositive donor (D+)/R-, D+/CMV-seropositive recipient (R+), and D-/R+. In a paired kidney cohort, we identified 2899 pairs of D- kidney transplant with discordance of recipient serostatus (D-/R- vs D-/R+) and 4567 pairs of D+ kidney transplant with discordance of recipient serostatus (D+/R- vs D+/R+). In the main cohort, D+/R- was associated with a higher risk of graft failure (hazard ratio [HR] = 1.17, P = .01), all-cause mortality (HR = 1.18, P < .001), and infection-related mortality (HR = 1.38, P = .03) compared with D-/R-. In the paired kidney analysis, D+/R- was an independent risk factor for all-cause mortality (HR = 1.21, P = .003) and infection-related mortality (HR = 1.47, P = .04) compared with D+/R+. No difference in graft loss between D+/R- and D+/R+. CMV mismatch is still an independent risk factor for graft loss and patient mortality. The negative impact of D+/R- serostatus on mortality persists after fully matching for donor factors.

Association between coffee consumption and risk of renal cell carcinoma: a meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: The risk of renal cell carcinoma (RCC) in individuals who regularly drink coffee is controversial. Several antioxidant compounds in coffee have been proposed to reduce the risk of RCC, while the findings from several studies raise concerns regarding a potential increased risk of RCC with coffee consumption. AIM: This meta-analysis aims to evaluate the association between coffee consumption and RCC. METHODS: A literature search was performed using MEDLINE, EMBASE and Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews from inception until December 2016. Studies that reported odd ratios or hazard ratios comparing the risk of RCC in individuals who consumed a significant amount of coffee (at least one cup of coffee per day) versus those who did not consume coffee were included. Pooled risk ratios (RR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were computed using a random-effect, generic inverse variance method. RESULTS: Twenty-two observational studies (16 case-control and 6 cohort studies) were included in our analysis to assess the association between RCC and coffee consumption. The pooled RR of RCC in individuals consuming coffee was 0.99 (95% CI, 0.89-1.11). Subgroup analyses stratified by gender showed pooled RRs of RCC of 1.15 (95% CI, 0.85-1.55) in females and 0.87 (95% CI, 0.72-1.04) in males. CONCLUSIONS: Our study demonstrates no significant association between coffee consumption and RCC. Thus, coffee consumption is likely not a risk factor for RCC. Whether coffee consumption has a potential role in reduced risk of RCC, particularly in men, requires further investigations.

Association of coffee consumption and chronic kidney disease: A meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: The risk of chronic kidney disease (CKD) in individuals who regularly drink coffee is controversial. The aim of this meta-analysis was to evaluate the association between coffee consumption and CKD. METHODS: A literature search was performed using MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews from inception until April 2016. We included studies that reported odd ratios or hazard ratios comparing the risk of CKD in individuals consuming significant amount of coffee vs. those who did not consume coffee. Pooled risk ratios (RR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) were calculated using a random-effect, generic inverse variance method. RESULTS: Four observational studies with 14 898 individuals were included in our analysis to assess the association between coffee consumption and CKD. Coffee consumption was defined as one cup of coffee per day or greater. The pooled RR of CKD in individuals consuming coffee was 0.71 (95% CI, 0.47-1.08). The subgroup analysis showed the pooled RRs of CKD of 1.10 (95% CI, 0.94-1.29) in males and 0.81 (95% CI, 0.58-1.13) in females, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Our study demonstrates no significant association between coffee consumption and CKD in males. However, future studies are required to assess a potential inverse association between coffee consumption and risk for developing CKD in females.

WITHDRAWN: Calciphylaxis in a nondialysis patient treated with sodium thiosulfate and high dose of oxygen
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Ahead of Print article withdrawn by publisher. BACKGROUND: Calciphylaxis in a nondialysis patient is a rare condition and is characterized by calcific deposition in tissue. We present a case of calciphylaxis in a nondialysis patient who was diagnosed by clinical presentation and skin biopsy and was treated with sodium thiosulfate with improvement of skin lesions. CASE: A 43-year-old female with type 2 diabetes and atrial fibrillation taking oral anticoagulation medication presented with reddish drainage from the right buttock. On physical examination, a large perirectal abscess overlying necrosis was found. She also developed acute kidney injury with creatinine of 3.7 mg/dL at peak from 0.8 mg/dL at baseline. She received antibiotics intravenously and wound debridement. During hospitalization, she developed areas of numerous painful erythematous lesions with central dusky necrosis on bilateral lower extremities. Punch biopsy was done, which initially revealed small-vessel vasculitis. However, those lesions did not respond to steroid therapy. A second biopsy was done showing extensive fat necrosis and medial calcification of vessel walls consistent with calciphylaxis. She was treated with high-flow oxygen and sodium thiosulfate intralesionally and intravenously for 6 months. The lesions remarkably reduced in size and were less painful on follow-up. CONCLUSION: High-dose oxygen and sodium thiosulfate could potentially be effective treatments for calciphylaxis in nondialysis patients.
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False positivity of monospot test in an immunocompetent elderly woman with acute cytomegalovirus infection.

A 75-year-old woman presented with altered mental status, septic picture, and influenza-like symptoms. Initial investigations revealed atypical lymphocytosis, thrombocytopenia, elevated liver enzymes, and a positive monospot test result. Further investigation showed the Epstein-Barr virus viral capsid antibody IgM/IgG and Epstein-Barr virus DNA by polymerase chain reaction to be negative; however, interestingly her cytomegalovirus (CMV) IgM and IgG were positive, suggesting that her mononucleosis-like syndrome was due to acute CMV infection. Herein, we report the first case of a heterophile-positive mononucleosis syndrome caused by acute CMV infection in an elderly immunocompetent woman. This case conveys that monospot test can yield false-positive result in the setting of acute CMV infection.

Prevalence of cancer in membranous nephropathy: a systematic review and meta-analysis of observational studies.

BACKGROUND: The association between membranous nephropathy (MN) and cancer has been well documented. However, the true prevalence and characteristics of cancer associated with MN have not been well described. METHODS: A systematic review and meta-analysis of cohort studies was conducted to summarize the prevalence of cancer-associated MN as well as patient characteristics and types of cancer in this population. We used a random-effects meta-analysis model to estimate the prevalence of cancer. RESULTS: We included 6 studies (n = 785). The estimated prevalence of cancer was 10.0% (95% CI, 6.1-14.6). The mean age of MN patients with cancer was 67 ± 7 years. The diagnosis of cancer preceded the diagnosis of MN in 20 ± 6.8%. Lung cancer was the most common type of tumor, accounting for 22 cases (26%), followed by prostate cancer (13 cases, 15%), hematologic malignancies (12 cases, 14%), colorectal cancer (9 cases, 11%), breast cancer (6 cases, 7%), and stomach and esophageal cancer (5 cases, 6%). CONCLUSION: The estimated prevalence of cancer in patients with MN is 10% (95% CI, 6.1-14.6). The vast majority of tumors associated with MN are lung and prostate cancer. Hematologic malignancies should also be considered as one of the potential cancers associated with MN. Our study was based on a largely Caucasian population; therefore, the findings might not be applicable to other populations.

Serious Illness Conversations in advanced kidney disease: a mixed-methods implementation study.

OBJECTIVE: Advanced kidney disease is associated with a high risk of morbidity and mortality. Consequently, invasive treatments such as dialysis may not yield survival benefits. Advance care planning has been encouraged. However, whether such discussions are acceptable when done earlier, before end-stage kidney treatment decision-making occurs, is unclear. This pilot study aimed to explore whether use of the Serious Illness Conversation Guide to aid early advance care planning is acceptable, and to evaluate the information gained from these conversations. METHODS: Patients with advanced kidney disease (stage 3B and above) and high mortality risk at 2 years were enrolled in this mixed-methods study from an academic nephrology clinic. Semi-structured interviews were conducted using the adapted Serious Illness Conversation Guide. Thematic analysis was used to assess patients' perceptions of the conversation. Participants completed a questionnaire assessing conversation acceptability. RESULTS: Twenty-six patients participated, 50% were female. Participants felt that the conversation guide helped them reflect on their prognosis, goals of care and treatment preferences. Most did not feel that the conversation provoked anxiety (23/26, 88%) nor that it decreased hopefulness (24/26, 92%). Some challenges were elicited; patients expressed cognitive dissonance with the kidney disease severity due to lack of symptoms; had difficulty conceptualising their goals of care; and vocalised fear of personal failure without attempting dialysis. CONCLUSIONS: Patients in this pilot study found the adapted Serious Illness Conversation Guide acceptable. This guide may be used with patients early in the course of advanced kidney disease to gather information for future advanced care planning.

Management of Immunosuppression in Kidney Transplant Recipients Who Develop Malignancy.

The risk of cancer increases after transplantation. However, the consensus on immunosuppression (IS) adjustment after diagnosis of malignancy is lacking. Our study aims to assess the impact of IS adjustment on mortality of post-kidney transplant patients and allograft outcomes. We retrospectively reviewed the data in our center of 110 subjects. Our results showed IS dose adjustment was not statistically associated with mortality risk (HR 1.94, 95%CI 0.85-4.41, p = 0.12), and chemotherapy was the only factor that was significantly related to mortality (HR 2.3, 95%CI 1.21-4.35, p = 0.01). IS reduction was not statistically associated with worsening graft function (OR 3.8, 95%CI 0.77-18.71, p = 0.10), nor with graft survival (SHR 4.46, 95%CI 0.58-34.48, p = 0.15) after variables adjustment. Creatinine at cancer diagnosis and history of rejection were both negatively associated with graft survival (SHR 1.72, 95%CI 1.28-2.30, p < 0.01 and SHR 3.44, 95%CI 1.25-9.49, p = 0.02). Reduction of both mycophenolate and calcineurin inhibitors was associated with worsening graft function and lower graft survival in subgroup analysis (OR 6.14, 95%CI 1.14-33.15, p = 0.04; HR 17.97, 95%CI 1.81-178.78, p = 0.01). In summary, cancer causes high mortality and morbidity in kidney transplant recipients; the importance of cancer screening should be emphasized.

Unusual Presentation of Hemophagocytic Lymphohistiocytosis in a Kidney Transplant Patient.

We are presenting a case of a middle-aged woman with history of remote kidney transplantation who had multiple admissions for septic shock-like picture, recurrent fever, and hypotension. Her shock manifestation would resolve after stress dose steroid administration and less than 24 hours of vasopressor administration. Initially, extensive workup was performed without revealing etiology. Eventually, a bone marrow biopsy was carried out leading to the diagnosis of hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis, most likely related to recent cytomegalovirus infection.

Acute Kidney Injury in Patients Undergoing Total Hip Arthroplasty: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

BACKGROUND: The number of total hip arthroplasties (THA) performed across the world is growing rapidly. We performed this meta-analysis to evaluate the incidence of acute kidney injury (AKI) in patients undergoing THA. METHODS: A literature search was performed using MEDLINE, EMBASE and Cochrane Database from inception until July 2018 to identify studies assessing the incidence of AKI (using standard AKI definitions of RIFLE, AKIN, and KDIGO classifications) in patients undergoing THA. We applied a random-effects model to estimate the incidence of AKI. The protocol for this meta-analysis is registered with PROSPERO (no. CRD42018101928). RESULTS: Seventeen cohort studies with a total of 24,158 patients undergoing THA were enrolled. Overall, the pooled estimated incidence rates of AKI and severe AKI requiring dialysis following THA were 6.3% (95% CI: 3.8%⁻10.2%) and 0.5% (95% CI: 0.1%⁻2.3%). Subgroup analysis based on the countries by continent was performed and demonstrated the pooled estimated incidence of AKI following THA of 9.2% (95% CI: 5.6%⁻14.8%) in Asia, 8.1% (95% CI: 4.9%⁻13.2%) in Australia, 7.4% (95% CI: 3.2%⁻16.3%) in Europe, and 2.8% (95% CI: 1.2%⁻17.0%) in North America. Meta-regression of all included studies showed significant negative correlation between incidence of AKI following THA and study year (slope = -0.37, p <0.001). There was no publication bias as assessed by the funnel plot and Egger's regression asymmetry test with p = 0.13 for the incidence of AKI in patients undergoing THA. CONCLUSION: The overall estimated incidence rates of AKI and severe AKI requiring dialysis in patients undergoing THA are 6.3% and 0.5%, respectively. There has been potential improvement in AKI incidence for patients undergoing THA over time.

Incidence and Impact of Acute Kidney Injury after Liver Transplantation: A Meta-Analysis.

BACKGROUND: The study's aim was to summarize the incidence and impacts of post-liver transplant (LTx) acute kidney injury (AKI) on outcomes after LTx. METHODS: A literature search was performed using the MEDLINE, EMBASE and Cochrane Databases from inception until December 2018 to identify studies assessing the incidence of AKI (using a standard AKI definition) in adult patients undergoing LTx. Effect estimates from the individual studies were derived and consolidated utilizing random-effect, the generic inverse variance approach of DerSimonian and Laird. The protocol for this systematic review is registered with PROSPERO (no. CRD42018100664). RESULTS: Thirty-eight cohort studies, with a total of 13,422 LTx patients, were enrolled. Overall, the pooled estimated incidence rates of post-LTx AKI and severe AKI requiring renal replacement therapy (RRT) were 40.7% (95% CI: 35.4%⁻46.2%) and 7.7% (95% CI: 5.1%⁻11.4%), respectively. Meta-regression showed that the year of study did not significantly affect the incidence of post-LTx AKI (p = 0.81). The pooled estimated in-hospital or 30-day mortality, and 1-year mortality rates of patients with post-LTx AKI were 16.5% (95% CI: 10.8%⁻24.3%) and 31.1% (95% CI: 22.4%⁻41.5%), respectively. Post-LTx AKI and severe AKI requiring RRT were associated with significantly higher mortality with pooled ORs of 2.96 (95% CI: 2.32⁻3.77) and 8.15 (95%CI: 4.52⁻14.69), respectively. Compared to those without post-LTx AKI, recipients with post-LTx AKI had significantly increased risk of liver graft failure and chronic kidney disease with pooled ORs of 3.76 (95% CI: 1.56⁻9.03) and 2.35 (95% CI: 1.53⁻3.61), respectively. CONCLUSION: The overall estimated incidence rates of post-LTx AKI and severe AKI requiring RRT are 40.8% and 7.0%, respectively. There are significant associations of post-LTx AKI with increased mortality and graft failure after transplantation. Furthermore, the incidence of post-LTx AKI has remained stable over the ten years of the study.

HLA-DQ Mismatching and Kidney Transplant Outcomes.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Recent evidence suggests that HLA epitope-mismatching at HLA-DQ loci is associated with the development of anti-DQ donor-specific antibodies and adverse graft outcomes. However, the clinical significance of broad antigen HLA-DQ mismatching for graft outcomes is not well examined. DESIGN, SETTING, PARTICIPANTS, & MEASUREMENTS: Using the United Network Organ Sharing/the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network (UNOS/OPTN) data, patients with primary kidney transplants performed between 2005 and 2014 were included. Patients were classified as having either zero HLA-DQ mismatches, or one or two HLA-DQ mismatches. Primary outcomes were death-censored graft survival and incidence of acute rejection. RESULTS: A total of 93,782 patients were included. Of these, 22,730 (24%) and 71,052 (76%) received zero and one or two HLA-DQ mismatched kidneys, respectively. After adjusting for variables including HLA-ABDR, HLA-DQ mismatching was associated with a higher risk of graft loss in living kidney donor recipients with an adjusted hazard ratio (HR) of 1.18 (95% confidence interval [95% CI], 1.07 to 1.30; P<0.01), but not in deceased kidney donor recipients (HR, 1.05; 95% CI, 0.98 to 1.12; P=0.18) (P value for interaction <0.01). When taking cold ischemic time into account, HLA-DQ mismatching was associated with a higher risk of graft loss in deceased kidney donor recipients with cold ischemic time ≤17 hours (HR, 1.12; 95% CI, 1.02 to 1.27; P=0.002), but not in deceased kidney donor recipients with cold ischemic time >17 hours (HR, 0.97; 95% CI, 0.88 to 1.06; P=0.49) (P value for interaction <0.01). Recipients with one or two HLA-DQ mismatched kidneys had a higher incidence of acute rejection at 1 year, with adjusted odds ratios of 1.13 (95% CI, 1.03 to 1.23; P<0.01) in deceased donor and 1.14 (95% CI, 1.03 to 1.27; P=0.02) in living donor kidney transplant recipients. Specific donor-DQ mismatches seemed to be associated with the risk of acute rejection and graft failure, whereas others did not. CONCLUSIONS: HLA-DQ mismatching is associated with lower graft survival independent of HLA-ABDR in living donor kidney transplants and deceased donor kidney transplants with cold ischemia time ≤17 hours, and a higher 1-year risk of acute rejection in living and deceased donor kidney transplants.

Calciphylaxis in a nondialysis patient treated with sodium thiosulfate and high dose of oxygen.

BACKGROUND: Calciphylaxis in a nondialysis patient is a rare condition and is characterized by calcific deposition in tissue. We present a case of calciphylaxis in a nondialysis patient who was diagnosed by clinical presentation and skin biopsy and was treated with sodium thiosulfate with improvement of skin lesions. CASE: A 43-year-old female with type 2 diabetes and atrial fibrillation taking oral anticoagulation medication presented with reddish drainage from the right buttock. On physical examination, a large perirectal abscess overlying necrosis was found. She also developed acute kidney injury with creatinine of 3.7 mg/dL at peak from 0.8 mg/dL at baseline. She received antibiotics intravenously and wound debridement. During hospitalization, she developed areas of numerous painful erythematous lesions with central dusky necrosis on bilateral lower extremities. Punch biopsy was done, which initially revealed small-vessel vasculitis. However, those lesions did not respond to steroid therapy. A second biopsy was done showing extensive fat necrosis and medial calcification of vessel walls consistent with calciphylaxis. She was treated with high-flow oxygen and sodium thiosulfate intralesionally and intravenously for 6 months. The lesions remarkably reduced in size and were less painful on follow-up. CONCLUSION: High-dose oxygen and sodium thiosulfate could potentially be effective treatments for calciphylaxis in nondialysis patients.

Association of frailty status with acute kidney injury and mortality after transcatheter aortic valve replacement: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE: Frailty is a common condition in patients with severe aortic stenosis (AS) undergoing transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR). The aim of this systematic review was to assess the impact of frailty status on acute kidney injury (AKI) and mortality after TAVR. METHODS: A systematic literature search was conducted using MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Cochrane databases from the inception through November 2016. The protocol for this study is registered with PROSPERO (International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews; no. CRD42016052350). Studies that reported odds ratios, relative risks or hazard ratios comparing the risk of AKI after TAVR in frail vs. non-frail patients were included. Mortality risk was evaluated among the studies that reported AKI-related outcomes. Pooled risk ratios (RR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) were calculated using a random-effect, generic inverse variance method. RESULTS: Eight cohort studies with a total of 10,498 patients were identified and included in the meta-analysis. The pooled RR of AKI after TAVR among the frail patients was 1.19 (95% CI 0.97-1.46, I2 = 0), compared with non-frail patients. When the meta-analysis was restricted only to studies with standardized AKI diagnosis according to Valve Academic Research Consortium (VARC)-2 criteria, the pooled RRs of AKI in frail patients was 1.16 (95% CI 0.91-1.47, I2 = 0). Within the selected studies, frailty status was significantly associated with increased mortality (RR 2.01; 95% CI 1.44-2.80, I2 = 58). CONCLUSION: The findings from our study suggest no significant association between frailty status and AKI after TAVR. However, frailty status is associated with mortality after TAVR and may aid appropriate patient selection for TAVR.

Hepatitis C infection and renal cell carcinoma: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

AIM: To investigate the association between hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection and risk of renal cell carcinoma (RCC). METHODS: A literature search was performed from inception until February 2016. Studies that reported relative risks, odd ratios, hazard ratios or standardized incidence ratio comparing the risk of RCC among HCV-infected participants vs those without HCV infection were included. Participants without HCV infection were used as comparators. Pooled odds ratios and 95%CI were calculated using a random-effect, generic inverse variance method. RESULTS: Seven observational studies were with 196826 patients were included in the analysis to assess the risk of RCC in patients with HCV. A significantly increased risk of RCC among participants with HCV infection was found with a pooled RR of 1.86 (95%CI: 1.11-3.11). The association between RCC and HCV was marginally insignificant after a sensitivity analysis limited only to studies with adjusted analysis, with a pooled RR of 1.50 (95%CI: 0.93-2.42). CONCLUSION: Our study demonstrated a potential association between HCV infection and RCC. Further studies of RCC surveillance in patients with HCV are required.

Celiac disease and the risk of kidney diseases: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Previous epidemiologic studies attempting to demonstrate the risk of kidney diseases among patients with celiac disease (CD) have yielded inconsistent results. This meta-analysis was conducted with the aims to summarize all available evidence. METHODS: A literature search was performed using MEDLINE and EMBASE from inception to May 2016. Studies that provided relative risks, odd ratios, or hazard ratios examining the risk of kidney diseases among patients with CD versus individuals without CD were included. Pooled risk ratios (RR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) were calculated using a random-effect, generic inverse variance method. RESULTS: Eight studies met our eligibility criteria and were included in our analysis. A pooled RR of overall kidney diseases in patients with CD was 2.01 (95% CI, 1.44-2.81, I2=76%). The pooled RR of end-stage renal disease in patients with CD was 2.57 (95% CI, 2.03-3.24). Subgroup analyses showed that significant risks were increased for diabetic nephropathy (pooled RR of 1.49, 95% CI, 1.09-2.02) and IgA nephropathy (pooled RR of 2.62, 95% CI, 1.27-5.42) in patients with CD. CONCLUSIONS: Our study demonstrates a significantly increased risk of kidney diseases among patients with CD. These findings may influence clinical management and primary prevention of kidney diseases in patients with CD.

Varicella-zoster meningitis with a late-onset of skin eruption.

Viral meningitis caused by varicella-zoster virus (VZV) is an uncommon neurological complication of herpes zoster. It may occur before or after the onset of the vesicular rash along the dermatomal distribution, which is the classic presentation of herpes zoster. We describe a case of a 51-year-old immunocompetent Caucasian man who presented with neck and severe right-sided facial pain. Eight days later, he had photophobia and papular rash on his forehead. Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) examination confirmed aseptic meningitis and CSF PCR detected the presence of VZV DNA. Neurological complications of VZV infection, such as aseptic meningitis, may be difficult to diagnose and can cause delay in treatment, especially in cases with late onset of dermatological manifestations of herpes zoster. Definite diagnosis requires evidence of acute VZV infection in blood or cerebrospinal fluid.

Dual prosthetic heart valve presented with chest pain: a case report of coronary thromboembolism.

Coronary embolism from a prosthetic heart valve is a rare but remarkable cause of acute coronary syndrome. There is no definite management of an entity like this. Here we report a case of 54-year-old male with a history of rheumatic heart disease with dual prosthetic heart valve and atrial fibrillation who developed chest pain from acute myocardial infarction. The laboratory values showed inadequate anticoagulation. Cardiac catheterization and thrombectomy with the aspiration catheter were chosen to be the treatment for this patient, and it showed satisfactory outcome.