Referral to nephrologists for chronic kidney disease care: is non-diabetic kidney disease ignored?

BACKGROUND: Late referral to nephrologists is common and associated with increased morbidity and mortality. We aimed to analyze the prevalence rates, predictors and consequences of late referral to nephrologists by primary care physicians for chronic kidney disease (CKD) care. METHODS: A retrospective analysis of 204 patients started on dialysis for CKD in two community hospitals between March 2003 and March 2005 was conducted. Relevant clinical and laboratory data were obtained from the patient records of the nephrology clinics and dialysis units. Patients referred in CKD stage 5 (estimated glomerular filtration rate <15 ml/min) were defined as late referral and patients in CKD stage 1-4 (estimated glomerular filtration rate >15 ml/min) as early referral. RESULTS: Forty-five (22%) of the 204 patients were referred late. In the multivariate analysis, non-diabetic kidney disease (odds ratio = 2.46, p = 0.02) and Charlson comorbidity index (odds ratio = 1.17, p = 0.009) were significantly associated with late referral. The late referral group had lower hematocrit and serum calcium levels, and higher serum phosphorus and parathyroid hormone levels than the early referral group (p < or =0.05) at the time of referral. Late referral resulted in less permanent vascular access for initiation of dialysis (p = 0.03). Even though there was twice the number of deaths in the late referral group in 1 year (18 vs. 9%), this was not statistically significant (p = 0.07). CONCLUSION: Referring physicians should pay special attention to patients with non-diabetic kidney disease and patients with multiple comorbidities since delayed referral to nephrologists may result in poorer patient-related outcomes. Larger and long-term prospective studies analyzing the long-term consequences of late referral to nephrologists are needed.

Elevated B-type natriuretic peptide level: use with caution in patients with multiple co-morbidities and presenting with dyspnea.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: While the effect of age, gender, body mass index and renal failure on B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) has been studied individually in different trials, the influence of all these co-morbidities in patients with dyspnea needs to be evaluated. The objective of our study was to examine the effect of age, gender, obesity and co-morbid conditions on the evaluation of higher BNP levels in patients presenting with dyspnea. METHODS: A total of 382 patients admitted with shortness of breath and suspected to have congestive heart failure were included in the study. The co-morbid conditions studied were pulmonary hypertension, pleural effusion, obesity, renal failure and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. RESULTS: The mean BNP levels significantly increased with age. Women tended to have slightly higher mean BNP levels than men, but the differences were not statistically significant. The body mass index had an inverse correlation with the BNP level. Regression analysis demonstrated that the most significant predictors of a higher BNP were the lower left ventricular ejection fraction (OR 6.2: 95% CI 2.74-14.02), renal failure (OR 3.88: 95% CI 1.9-7.91) and pulmonary hypertension (OR 2.28: 95% CI 1.14-4.54). CONCLUSION: A lower left ventricular ejection fraction, renal failure and pulmonary hypertension were the most significant predictors of an increased BNP level. Age, gender, obesity and pleural effusion minimally influenced the BNP level and were not significantly predictive of congestive heart failure.

Early Onset Prosthetic Joint Infection and Bacteremia due to Campylobacter fetus Subspecies fetus.

Campylobacter fetus is a zoonotic pathogen that occasionally causes serious, relapsing, invasive disease, especially in immunocompromised hosts. We report a case of relapsing C. fetus diarrheal illness in a 75-year-old woman which resulted in secondary bacteremia and seeding of the left knee prosthetic joint. Patient responded favorably to debridement and retention of prosthesis in addition to six weeks of meropenem followed by chronic oral doxycycline suppressive therapy.

Acute Kidney Injury in Heart Failure Revisited-The Ameliorating Impact of "Decongestive Diuresis" on Renal Dysfunction in Type 1 Acute Cardiorenal Syndrome: Accelerated Rising Pro B Naturetic Peptide Is a Predictor of Good Renal Prognosis.

There is mounting evidence that forward heart failure as manifested by low cardiac output alone does not define the degree of renal dysfunction in cardiorenal syndrome. As a result, the term "congestive renal failure" was coined in 2012 by Ross to depict the role of renal venous hypertension in type 1 acute cardiorenal syndrome. If so, aggressive decongestive therapies, either through mechanical ultrafiltration with dialysis machines or pharmacologic ultrafiltration with potent diuretics, would lead to improved cardio and renal outcomes. Nevertheless, as recently as 2012, a review of this literature had concluded that a renal venous hypertension-directed approach using diuretics to manage cardio-renal syndrome was yet to be fully investigated. We, in this review, with three consecutive case series, describe our experience with pharmacologic decongestive diuresis in this paradigm of care and argue for studies of such therapeutic interventions in the management of cardiorenal syndrome. Finally, based on our observations in the Renal Unit, Mayo Clinic Health System, in Northwestern Wisconsin, we have hypothesized that patients with cardiorenal syndrome presenting with accelerated rising Pro B Naturetic Peptide levels appear to represent a group that would have good cardio- and renal-outcomes with such decongestive pharmacologic therapies.

Predictors of coronary artery disease in patients with left bundle branch block who undergo myocardial perfusion imaging.

BACKGROUND: Due to difficulties in diagnosing coronary ischemia in patients with left bundle branch block (LBBB), identifying clinical characteristics that might help to predict coronary artery disease (CAD) is important. Our study aimed to identify clinical predictors of CAD among patients with and without LBBB who undergo myocardial perfusion imaging (MPI). METHODS: All patients with LBBB who underwent MPI (LBBB group) from June 2005 to February 2007 were compared with patients with normal baseline electrocardiography who underwent treadmill MPI (non-LBBB group) during the same period. RESULTS: LBBB patients with CAD were younger and had lower ejection fraction (EF) compared to LBBB patients without CAD. Similarly non-LBBB patients with CAD had lower EF, but did not differ significantly in age compared to non-LBBB patients without CAD. Regression analysis among patients with LBBB showed that EF < 55% was the most significant predictor of CAD, after controlling for other factors. A regression analysis in non-LBBB patients showed that male gender and EF pound 55% were significant predictors of CAD. A regression analysis conducted in the combined data of both LBBB and non-LBBB groups showed male gender, EF pound 55% and LBBB to be the most significant predictors of CAD. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with LBBB have a high probability of CAD based on MPI findings. Patients with LBBB and reduced EF have a much higher likelihood of CAD compared to patients without LBBB and normal EF. Further studies on early invasive approach in patients with LBBB and reduced EF seem warranted.