The Optimization of Outpatient Hemodialysis Management for Acute Kidney Injury Requiring Dialysis Patients: A Quality Improvement Study.

INTRODUCTION: In 2017, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services allowed survivors of hospitalized acute kidney injury requiring dialysis (AKI-D) who were ambulatory and still dependent on hemodialysis (HD) to receive treatment in outpatient dialysis facilities. This policy change generated the ongoing need to improve AKI-D care in the outpatient setting. METHODS: Quality improvement study in adult patients admitted to an outpatient HD unit with the diagnosis of AKI-D. We developed a protocol to manage these patients that included: (a) multidisciplinary evaluations; (b) personalized 3-tier HD prescription for dose/ultrafiltration rate and frequency; (c) weekly assessment of kidney recovery; and (d) patient empowerment. Patient- and protocol-specific characteristics were described. We analyzed hourly HD data and protocol adherence, and relevant hemodynamic data were compared according to HD-free survival at 90 days. RESULTS: A total of 457.3 h of HD from 9 patients under the AKI-D protocol were interrogated. Three out of 9 patients were alive and liberated from HD within the first 90 days of outpatient HD. Overall protocol adherence was 53.8% and did not differ by HD-free survival (54.5% vs. 53.7% in those that recovered vs. not). Protocol adherence was associated with fewer intradialytic hypotension events (peak to nadir blood pressure, p < 0.01), while intradialytic hypotension (pre- to post-blood pressure) occurred more frequently in patients who did not recover kidney function (p = 0.009). CONCLUSION: We demonstrated the feasibility of implementing a management protocol for AKI-D patients in an outpatient dialysis facility. We found that fewer episodes of intradialytic hypotension occurred when the outpatient HD management was adherent to the protocol. The feasibility of this protocol should be confirmed in other facilities, and importantly, efficacy testing to evaluate its impact on AKI-D outpatient care is necessary.

Association of Low Magnesium Level With Duration and Severity of Type 2 Diabetes.

INTRODUCTION: Type 2 diabetes mellitus can give rise to several complications in the body, including electrolyte imbalance. In this study, we aim to find the association of hypomagnesemia with the duration and severity of diabetes. Understanding the association between magnesium and diabetes may assist in the early detection of hypomagnesemia and help manage the complications associated with electrolyte imbalance. METHODS: This cross-sectional study was conducted in the internal medicine department of a tertiary care hospital in Pakistan from January to March 2021. Three hundred (n = 300) patients with a confirmed diagnosis of type 2 diabetes were enrolled in the study after informed consent via consecutive convenient non-probability sampling. Three hundred (n = 300) patients were included in the study as a reference group. Blood was drawn via phlebotomy and sent to the laboratory to assess glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) and magnesium levels. RESULTS: In uncontrolled diabetic patients, mean magnesium level was significantly lower as compared to diabetic patients with good glycemic control (1.34 ± 0.3 mg/dL vs. 1.81 ± 0.5; p-value: <0.0001). Prevalence of hypomagnesemia was significantly more in patients with uncontrolled diabetes, compared to the controlled diabetic group (65.8% vs. 50.8%; p-value: 0.009). In patients with a duration of diabetes of more than 10 years, the mean magnesium level was significantly lower, compared to patients with less than 10 years of diabetes (1.32 ± 0.3 mg/dL vs. 1.78 ± 0.5; p-value: <0.0001). Prevalence of hypomagnesemia was significantly more in patients with diabetes for more than 10 years (64.7% vs. 51.9%; p-value: 0.02). CONCLUSION: Hypomagnesemia is prevalent in diabetes and is directly related to the severity and duration of diabetes. It is important to include electrolyte screening as a part of routine screening in diabetic patients for early detection and management of electrolyte imbalance, including hypomagnesemia.