Clearance and nutrition in neonatal continuous kidney replacement therapy using the Carpediem™ system.

BACKGROUND: Infants with kidney failure (KF) demonstrate poor growth partly due to obligate fluid and protein restrictions. Delivery of liberalized nutrition on continuous kidney replacement therapy (CKRT) is impacted by clinical instability, technical dialysis challenges, solute clearance, and nitrogen balance. We analyzed delivered nutrition and growth in infants receiving CKRT with the Cardio-Renal, Pediatric Dialysis Emergency Machine (Carpediem™). METHODS: Single-center observational study of infants receiving CKRT with the Carpediem™ between June 1 and December 31, 2021. We collected prospective circuit characteristics, delivered nutrition, anthropometric measurements, and illness severity Score for Neonatal Acute Physiology-II. As a surrogate to normalized protein catabolic rate in maintenance hemodialysis, we calculated normalized protein nitrogen appearance (nPNA) using the Randerson II continuous dialysis model. Descriptive statistics, Spearman correlation coefficient, Mann Whitney, Wilcoxon signed rank, receiver operating characteristic curves, and Kruskal-Wallis analysis were performed using SAS version 9.4. RESULTS: Eight infants received 31.9 (22.0, 49.7) days of CKRT using mostly (90%) regional citrate anticoagulation. Delivered nutritional volume, protein, total calories, enteral calories, nPNA, and nitrogen balance increased on CKRT. Using parenteral nutrition, 90 ml/kg/day should meet caloric and protein needs. Following initial weight loss of likely fluid overload, exploratory sensitivity analysis suggests weight gain occurred after 14 days of CKRT. Despite adequate nutritional delivery, goal weight (z-score = 0) and growth velocity were not achieved until 6 months after CKRT start. Most (5 infants, 62.5%) survived and transitioned to peritoneal dialysis (PD). CONCLUSIONS: Carpediem™ is a safe and efficacious bridge to PD in neonatal KF. Growth velocity of infants on CKRT appears delayed despite delivery of adequate calories and protein.

Population pharmacokinetic analysis of vancomycin in pediatric continuous renal replacement therapy.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Dosing of vancomycin in pediatric patients undergoing continuous venous-venous hemodiafiltration (CVVHDF) is challenging. Characterization of vancomycin pharmacokinetics can assist with dosing and attainment of goal serum concentrations. DESIGN, SETTING, PARTICIPANTS, AND MEASUREMENTS: Patients less than 19 years of age who received vancomycin and had post-dose vancomycin concentrations while undergoing CVVHDF were identified. Data collection included the following: patient demographics, vancomycin dosing and serum concentrations, CVVHDF variables, serum creatinine (SCR), blood urea nitrogen (BUN), albumin, hematocrit, and urine output. Fat-free mass was calculated. Data were summarized with descriptive statistical methods, and population pharmacokinetic analysis was performed with NONMEM 7.2 and PDx-Pop 5.2. Simulation was performed to identify dosing regimens with the highest percentage of goal serum concentration < 20 mg/L and AUC0-24:MIC ≥ 400 attainment. RESULTS: A total of 138 patients met study criteria (45.6% male, median age 4.9 years (IQR (1.0, 14.5))). Mean vancomycin dose was 14.3 ± 1.6 mg/kg/dose (19.5 ± 3.0 mg/kg/dose by FFM). Patients had a median of six (IQR 2, 12) vancomycin serum concentrations sampled 13.6 ± 8.4 h after the dose, and the mean vancomycin serum concentration was 11.3 ± 3.4 mg/L. Vancomycin pharmacokinetics were characterized by a two-compartment model with allometric scaling on fat-free mass and significant covariates of SCR, BUN, dialysate flow rate, and ultrafiltration rate on clearance. Simulation identified doses of 40-50 mg/kg/day that divided every 8-12 h had the highest percentage of patients with a serum concentration < 20 mg/L and an AUC0-24:MIC ≥ 400. CONCLUSIONS: Vancomycin pharmacokinetics are characterized by fat-free mass, serum creatinine, blood urea nitrogen, dialysate flow rate, and ultrafiltration rate in the pediatric CVVHDF population. Dosing of 40-50 mg/kg/day on fat-free mass divided every 8-12 h with frequent vancomycin serum sampling is recommended.