Frailty predicts outcome of partial nephrectomy and guides treatment decision towards active surveillance and tumor ablation.

PURPOSE: To examine frailty and comorbidity as predictors of outcome of nephron sparing surgery (NSS) and as decision tools for identifying candidates for active surveillance (AS) or tumor ablation (TA). METHODS: Frailty and comorbidity were assessed using the modified frailty index of the Canadian Study of Health and Aging (11-CSHA) and the age-adjusted Charlson-Comorbidity Index (aaCCI) as well as albumin and the radiological skeletal-muscle-index (SMI) in a cohort of n = 447 patients with localized renal masses. Renal tumor anatomy was classified according to the RENAL nephrometry system. Regression analyses were performed to assess predictors of surgical outcome of patients undergoing NSS as well as to identify possible influencing factors of patients undergoing alternative therapies (AS/TA). RESULTS: Overall 409 patient underwent NSS while 38 received AS or TA. Patients undergoing TA/AS were more likely to be frail or comorbid compared to patients undergoing NSS (aaCCI: p < 0.001, 11-CSHA: p < 0.001). Gender and tumor complexity did not vary between patients of different treatment approach. 11-CSHA and aaCCI were identified as independent predictors of major postoperative complications (11-CSHA ≥ 0.27: OR = 3.6, p = 0.001) and hospital re-admission (aaCCI ≥ 6: OR = 4.93, p = 0.003) in the NSS cohort. No impact was found for albumin levels and SMI. An aaCCI > 6 and/or 11-CSHA ≥ 0.27 (OR = 9.19, p < 0.001), a solitary kidney (OR = 5.43, p = 0.005) and hypoalbuminemia (OR = 4.6, p = 0.009), but not tumor complexity, were decisive factors to undergo AS or TA rather than NSS. CONCLUSION: In patients with localized renal masses, frailty and comorbidity indices can be useful to predict surgical outcome and support decision-making towards AS or TA.

The necessity of routine postoperative laboratory tests after total hip arthroplasty for hip fracture in a semi-urgent clinical setting.

BACKGROUND: Recent studies suggest that routine postoperative laboratory tests are not necessary after primary elective total hip arthroplasty (THA). This study aims to evaluate the utility of routine postoperative laboratory tests in patients undergoing THA for hip fracture in a semi-urgent clinical setting. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This retrospective study included 213 consecutive patients who underwent primary unilateral THA for hip fractures. Patient demographics, clinical information, and laboratory tests were obtained from the electronic medical record system. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed to identify risk factors associated with abnormal laboratory test-related interventions. RESULTS: A total of 207 patients (97.18%) had abnormal postoperative laboratory results, which were mainly due to anemia (190/213, 89.20%) and hypoalbuminemia (154/213, 72.30%). Overall, 54 patients (25.35%) underwent a clinical intervention, 18 patients received blood transfusion, and 42 patients received albumin supplementation. Factors associated with blood transfusion were long operative time and low preoperative hemoglobin levels. Factors associated with albumin supplementation were long operative time and low preoperative albumin levels. Of the 33 patients with abnormal postoperative creatinine levels, 7 patients underwent a clinical intervention. For electrolyte abnormalities, sodium supplementation was not given for hyponatremia, three patients received potassium supplementation, and one patient received calcium supplementation. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrated a high incidence of abnormal postoperative laboratory tests and a significant clinical intervention rate in patients who underwent THA for hip fracture in a semi-urgent clinical setting, which indicates that routine laboratory tests after THA for hip fracture are still necessary for patients with certain risk factors. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level III. Trial registration Clinical trial registry number ChiCTR1900020690.

The necessity of routine postoperative laboratory tests in enhanced recovery after surgery for primary hip and knee arthroplasty: A retrospective cohort study protocol.

INTRODUCTION: Over the last few decades, the concepts of minimally invasive surgery and enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) protocols have been introduced into the field of total joint arthroplasty (TJA), and tranexamic acid (TXA) has been widely used in TJA. Modern-day surgical techniques and perioperative care pathways of TJA have experienced unexpected improvements. Recently, the necessity of the practice of ordering routine postoperative laboratory tests for patients undergoing primary TJA has been challenged, especially in the context of implementation of ERAS protocols in TJA. These studies have consistently suggested that routine postoperative laboratory tests are not necessary in modern-day primary, unilateral total hip arthroplasty (THA) or total knee arthroplasty (TKA), and laboratory tests after surgery should only be obtained for patients with risk factors. However, it remains unclear whether routine postoperative laboratory tests after THA and TKA remains justified in the Chinese patient population. Therefore, we developed this study to address this issue. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: This retrospective cohort study will include adult patients who underwent primary unilateral THA or TKA and received multimodal perioperative care pathways according to ERAS protocols. The following patient data will be collected from the electronic medical record system: patients' demographics, preoperative and postoperative laboratory values, operation time, intraoperative blood loss, TXA use, tourniquet use, postoperative length of stay, and any medical intervention directly related to abnormal laboratory values. The main study outcomes are the incidence of acute anemia requiring transfusion and incidence of hypoalbuminemia requiring albumin supplementation. The secondary outcomes are the rates of acute kidney injury, incidence of abnormal serum sodium level, incidence of abnormal serum potassium level, and incidence of abnormal serum calcium level. These clinical data will be analyzed to determine the incidence of abnormal postoperative laboratory values following primary unilateral THA and TKA; to clarify the frequency of any medical intervention directly related to abnormal postoperative laboratory values; and to identify risk factors that predispose patients to have abnormal postoperative laboratory results. STUDY REGISTRATION: Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (http://www.chictr.org.cn): ChiCTR1900020690.

Waldmann's disease: a rare cause of protein losing enteropathy in an adult patient

Primary intestinal lymphangiectasia or Waldmann’s disease is an uncommon cause of protein losing enteropathy with an unknown etiology and is usually diagnosed during childhood. It is characterized by dilation and leakage of intestinal lymph vessels leading to hypoalbuminemia, hypogammaglobulinemia and lymphopenia. Differential diagnosis should include erosive and nonerosive gastrointestinal disorders, conditions involving mesenteric lymphatic obstruction and cardiovascular disorders that increase central venous pressure. Since there are no accurate serological or radiological available tests, enteroscopy with histopathological examination based on intestinal biopsy specimens is currently the gold standard diagnostic modality of intestinal lymphangiectasia. We report a rare case of a primary intestinal lymphangiectasia in a 60-year-old Caucasian female who presented with asymptomatic hypoalbuminemia and hypogammaglobulinemia. After the diagnosis of a protein losing enteropathy, the patient underwent an enteroscopy and biopsies were taken, whose histological examination confirmed dilated intestinal lymphatics with broadened villi of the small bowel. Secondary causes of intestinal lymphangiectasia were excluded and the diagnosis of Waldmann’s disease was recorded. The patient was put on a high-protein and low-fat diet with medium-chain triglyceride supplementation with improvement (AU)

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Hypoalbuminaemia-a marker of malnutrition and predictor of postoperative complications and mortality after hip fractures.

OBJECTIVE: Our aim was to determine the effect of hypoalbuminaemia as a marker of malnutrition on the 30-day postoperative complication rate and mortality in patients receiving surgical treatment for hip fractures using the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (ACS-NSQIP) database. METHODS: We analyzed all patients admitted with hip fractures receiving surgical treatment from 2011 to 2013. Patients were dichotomized based on their albumin levels; hypoalbuminaemia (albumin <3.5g/dL), and nonhypoalbuminaemia (albumin >3.5g/dL). Patient demographics, postoperative complications, and length of stay were analysed. Logistic regression analysis was conducted to assess the ability of albumin level for predicting postoperative complications, length of stay, and mortality. RESULTS: A total of 10,117 patients with hip fractures were identified with 5414 patients with normal albumin levels, and 4703 with low albumin. Multivariate analysis showed that when controlling for comorbidities; hypoalbuminaemia alone was a predictor of postoperative complications (death, unplanned intubation, being on a ventilator >48h, sepsis, and blood transfusion), and increased length of stay (6.90±7.23 versus 8.44±8.70, CI 0.64-1.20, P<0.001). CONCLUSION: Hypoalbuminaemia alone can predict postoperative outcomes in patients with hip fractures. Furthermore, patients with hypoalbuminaemia had a longer hospital length of stay. Further studies are needed to assess whether nutritional support can improve postoperative complications in patients with hypoalbuminaemia.

Characteristics of patients diagnosed with renal vein thrombosis and glomerulopathy: a case series.

BACKGROUND: Few contemporary studies have evaluated the clinical characteristics of patients with biopsy-proven glomerulopathy diagnosed with renal vein thrombosis (RVT). METHODS: Retrospective case series study within an integrated health system in a 12-year period (January 1, 2000 through December 31, 2011) investigating clinical characteristics of all adult patients who underwent native or transplant kidney biopsy and also had a diagnosis of RVT. Patient characteristics, diagnostic studies, and outcomes were evaluated. RESULTS: Among 3763 eligible patients, 17 had imaging confirmed RVT. Of these, 15 had membranous nephropathy (idiopathic or secondary to autoimmune disease). Although the biopsy population included primary and secondary glomerular disease patients, all 17 RVT patients had severe nephrotic syndrome and profound hypoalbuminemia with mean (SD) of albumin: 1.5 g/dL (0.66). CONCLUSION: Clinically significant RVT in patients with glomerulopathy appears to be a rather rare entity, occurring predominantly in patients with severe nephrotic syndrome due to idiopathic membranous nephropathy and membranous nephropathy secondary to autoimmune disease.

Severely high serum unbound bilirubin level after abdominal surgery in a newborn.

We report a newborn with intestinal malrotation who developed a severely high serum unbound bilirubin level and a low serum albumin level without a marked increase in serum total bilirubin level after abdominal surgery, which required exchange transfusion and albumin supplementation. The serum unbound bilirubin level may be highly relative to the serum total bilirubin level in newborns who have undergone abdominal surgery soon after birth and are hypoalbuminemic after surgery.

[Protein-losing gastroenteropathy: unremembered cause of hypoalbuminemia?]. / Gastroenteropatía pierde proteínas: ¿causa olvidada de hipoalbuminemia?

Protein-losing gastroenteropathy (PLE) consists on an active digestive tract protein loss syndrome and it is related to some diseases. After a wide research into bibliography (MEDLINE - Pubmed),we have found few references to this gastroenteropathy as a cause of hypoalbuminemia related to malnutrition. This has motivated us to review this entity, detailing some recent clinical cases of our experience.

Efeito da ingestão protéica nos marcadores nutricionais e complicações clínicas em pacientes politraumatizados / Efecto de la ingesta de proteínas en los marcadores nutricionales y las complicaciones clínicas en los pacientes politraumatizados / Effect of protein intake on nutritional markers and clinical complications in polytrauma patients

Objetivo: Avaliar o efeito da ingestão protéica nos níveis de albumina sérica, na prevalência de complicações clínicas relacionadas à dieta, no estado nutricional e na mortalidade de pacientes politraumatizados. Método: Pacientes politraumatizados atendidos na Unidade de Terapia Intensiva entre janiero e setembro de 2006 foram divididos em 2 grupos, sendo o grupo 1 composto por aqueles que ingeriram diariamente quantidade de proteínas=1g/kg e o grupo 2 por aqueles que ingeriram diariamente quantidade de proteínas>1g/Kg, com suplementação protéica. Foram coletados semanalmente albumina sérica, leucócitos e bastonetes, dados clínicos das fichas médicas, e escore da avaliação subjetiva global, e compararam-se os dados iniciais e finais. Resultados: Pacientes do grupo 2 demonstraram tendência em apresentar níveis mais elevados de albumina sérica do que os indivíduos do grupo 1. As complicações clínicas relacionadas à dieta apresentadas pelos pacientes dos grupos 1 e 2, respectivamente, foram diarréia (41,37% vs. 30%; p>0,05), hiperglicemia (68,96% vs. 55%;p>0,05) e estase gástrica (58,6% vs.25%; p=0,04), sendo somente a última com diferença estatística significativa entre os grupos. No grupo 1,8% dos pacientes apresentaram desnutrição grave, e a prevalência de infecção foi maior que no grupo 2 (18,7% vs. 11,1%, respectivamente; p=0,02). Conclusões: Este estudo sugere que a ingestão protéica acima de 1g/kg/dia, associada à quantidades adequadas de energia, diminui a suscetibilidade às infecções, e pode estar relacionada com melhora do estado nutricional e dos níveis séricos de albumina.

Objetivo: Evaluar el efecto de la ingesta de proteínas de suero de los niveles de albúmina, la prevalencia de complicaciones clínicas relacionadas con la dieta, el estado nutricional y la mortalidad de los pacientes politraumatizados. Método: Los pacientes politraumatizados atendidos en la Unidad de Cuidados Intensivos entre septiembre de 2006 y Janiero se dividieron en dos grupos, un grupo que está compuesto por aquellos que consumían la cantidad diaria de proteínas y el grupo 2 = 1g/kg por los que tomaron la cantidad diaria de proteínas > 1g/kg con suplementos de proteína. Semanalmente, se recolectaron suero leucocitos albúmina, y las barras, los datos clínicos de los registros médicos, y la puntuación subjetiva de evaluación global, y compararon los datos iniciales y finales. Resultados: Los pacientes en el grupo 2 tienden a presentar niveles más altos de albúmina de suero de los pacientes en el grupo 1. La dieta de complicaciones relacionadas con la clínica que presentan los pacientes en los grupos 1 y 2, respectivamente, fueron: diarrea (41,37% frente al 30%, p> 0,05), hiperglucemia (68,96% frente al 55%, p> 0 , 05) y la estasis gástrica (58,6% vs.25%, p = 0,04), y sólo este último con una diferencia estadísticamente significativa entre los grupos. En el grupo de 1,8% de los pacientes padecían de desnutrición severa, y la prevalencia de infección fue superior en el grupo 2 (18,7% vs 11,1%, respectivamente, p = 0,02). Conclusiones: Este estudio sugiere que la ingesta de proteínas por encima de 1g/kg/day, junto con cantidades adecuadas de energía, disminuye la susceptibilidad a las infecciones, y pueden estar relacionados con la mejora del estado nutricional y la albúmina sérica.

Objective: To evaluate the effect of protein intake on serum albumin levels, the prevalence of clinical complications related to diet, nutritional status and mortality of polytrauma patients. Method: polytrauma patients treated at the Intensive Care Unit between September 2006 and janiero were divided into two groups, one group being composed of those who ate the daily amount of protein and group 2 = 1g/kg by those who took daily amount of protein > 1g/kg with protein supplementation. Were collected weekly serum albumin, leukocytes and rods, clinical data from medical records, and subjective global assessment score, and compared the initial and final data. Results: Patients in group 2 tended to present higher levels of serum albumin than patients in group 1. The diet-related clinical complications presented by patients in groups 1 and 2, respectively, were diarrhea (41.37% vs. 30%, p> 0.05), hyperglycemia (68.96% vs. 55%, p> 0 , 05) and gastric stasis (58.6% vs.25%, p = 0.04), and only the latter with a statistically significant difference between groups. In group 1.8% of patients had severe malnutrition, and prevalence of infection was higher than in group 2 (18.7% vs. 11.1%, respectively, p = 0.02). Conclusions: This study suggests that protein intake above 1g/kg/day, coupled with adequate amounts of energy, decreases the susceptibility to infections, and may be related with improvement of nutritional status and serum albumin.